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CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund
CM ADVISORS FIXED INCOME FUND   Fund Summary
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The investment objective of the CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund (the "Fixed Income Fund") is to seek to preserve capital and maximize total return.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fixed Income Fund.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees
CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund
CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund Shares
USD ($)
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) none
Redemption Fee (as a % of the amount redeemed within 180 days after purchase) none
Exchange Fee none
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund
CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund Shares
Management Fees 0.50%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees none
Other Expenses 0.40%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.92% [1]
[1] "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" will not correlate to the ratios of expenses to average net assets in the Fixed Income Fund's Financial Highlights, which reflect the operating expenses of the Fixed Income Fund and do not include "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses."
Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fixed Income Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fixed Income Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fixed Income Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example
One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund | CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund Shares | USD ($) 94 293 509 1,131
Portfolio Turnover

The Fixed Income 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 Fixed Income 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 Fixed Income Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fixed Income Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 28% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES OF THE FIXED INCOME FUND

To meet its investment objective, the Fixed Income Fund invests primarily in U.S. dollar denominated fixed income securities that the Advisor believes are undervalued. The Fixed Income Fund may invest in all types of fixed income securities but will typically invest in fixed income securities such as corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and mortgage-backed securities. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fixed Income Fund's net assets (including the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) will be invested in fixed income investments, which include fixed income securities and shares of other RICs that invest primarily in fixed income securities. Fixed Income Fund shareholders will be provided with at least 60 days' prior notice of any change in the foregoing policy.

 

While the Advisor considers potential income from fixed income securities (interest payments to be made on bonds and notes) when evaluating possible investments for the Fixed Income Fund, the Advisor's primary criteria for fixed income securities relates to their appreciation potential. In selecting fixed income securities for the Fixed Income Fund, the Advisor generally:

 

  ● Reviews the maturity, yield, and ratings from nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (e.g., S&P, Moody's and Fitch) of a fixed income security, both independently and in relation to the Fixed Income Fund's current portfolio;

 

  ● Analyzes the current and projected financial and economic conditions of the issuer and the market for its securities using proprietary research models; and

 

  ● Seeks to purchase fixed income securities that the Advisor believes (i) fit the desired mix of fixed income securities for the portfolio (e.g., the types of securities, maturities and yields then targeted for the Fixed Income Fund); and (ii) offer opportunities for price appreciation.

 

The Fixed Income Fund may, without limitation, purchase fixed income securities of any credit quality, maturity, or yield. Accordingly, the Fixed Income Fund may hold fixed income securities that receive the highest ratings from Moody's, S&P, Fitch or a similar rating agency, and fixed income securities that receive lower or the lowest ratings. There is no limitation on the number or amount of lower-rated fixed income securities, such as high-yield or junk bonds, that the Fixed Income Fund may purchase. The Fixed Income Fund may also, without limitation, purchase fixed income securities in any sector and issued by any size company, municipality or government body.

 

While the Fixed Income Fund's primary focus is investing in fixed income securities, the Fixed Income Fund may invest in cash or cash equivalent positions (e.g., money market funds, short-term U.S. Government obligations, commercial paper, and repurchase agreements) when the Advisor believes the fixed income securities markets offer limited investment opportunity or are overpriced. At times the Fixed Income Fund may hold a significant portion of its assets in cash or cash equivalent positions for extended periods of time while the Advisor waits for the fixed income securities markets to offer more attractive opportunities.

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FIXED INCOME FUND

All investments carry risks, and an investment in the Fixed Income Fund is no exception. No investment strategy works all of the time, and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance. You may lose money on your investment in the Fixed Income Fund. To help you understand the risks of investing in the Fixed Income Fund, the principal risks of an investment in the Fixed Income Fund are generally described below:

 

  ● Market Risk – Market risk refers to the risk that the value of securities in the Fixed Income Fund's portfolio may decline due to daily fluctuations in the securities markets generally. The Fixed Income Fund's performance per share will change daily based on many factors, including fluctuation in interest rates, the quality of the instruments in the Fixed Income Fund's investment portfolio, national and international economic conditions and general fixed income market conditions. During periods of market volatility, stock prices can change drastically and rapidly, and you could lose money over short or long term periods.

 

  ● Income Risk – One of the Fixed Income Fund's primary sources of income will be derived from the receipt of interest payments from fixed income securities. An economic downturn or an increase in interest rates may have a negative or adverse effect on an issuer's ability to timely make payments of principal and interest. If the issuer fails to make timely interest and/or principal payments, then the Fixed Income Fund's current income will be adversely affected and reduced.

 

  ● Interest Rate Risk – The price of a fixed income security is dependent upon interest rates. The share price and total return of the Fixed Income Fund, when investing a significant portion of its assets in fixed income securities, will vary in response to changes in interest rates. A rise in interest rates will cause the value of fixed income securities to decrease. Conversely, a decrease in interest rates will cause the value of fixed income securities to increase. Consequently, changes in interest rates may have a significant effect on the Fixed Income Fund, including greater fluctuation in the Fixed Income Fund's share price, especially if the Fixed Income Fund is holding a significant portion of its assets in fixed income securities that are particularly sensitive to interest rate fluctuations, such as fixed income securities with long-term maturities, zero coupon bonds, and debentures. The Fixed Income Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low interest rates and the potential for a general rise in interest rates in the future.

 

  ● Liquidity Risk – Liquidity risk is the risk that a particular investment cannot be sold at an advantageous time or price. For example, if a fixed income security is downgraded or drops in price, the market demand for that security may be limited, making that security difficult to sell. Additionally, the market for certain securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions, independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Investments in fixed income securities, including below investment grade securities, tend to involve greater liquidity risk.

 

  ● Credit Risk – Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a fixed income security (including corporate, government and mortgage-backed securities) will be unable or unwilling to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or otherwise will be unable or unwilling to honor its financial obligations. If the issuer fails to pay interest, the Fixed Income Fund's income will be reduced. If the issuer fails to repay principal, the value of that security and of the Fixed Income Fund's shares may be reduced. To the extent the Fixed Income Fund invests in lower rated fixed income securities, the Fixed Income Fund will be subject to a higher level of credit risk than a fund that invests only in the highest rated fixed income securities.

 

    Corporate and municipal fixed income securities purchased by the Fixed Income Fund may be of any credit quality, maturity or yield. Accordingly, the Fixed Income Fund's fixed income securities may include "investment grade" securities (those rated at least Baa by Moody's, BBB by S&P or Fitch or, if not rated, of equivalent quality in the Advisor's opinion). However, the Fixed Income Fund's fixed income securities may also include lower-rated securities including, without limitation, high-yield securities ("junk bonds") rated below Baa by Moody's or BBB by S&P or Fitch (see "Junk Bonds or Lower-Rated Securities Risk" below). The Fixed Income Fund's fixed income security investments are subject to risks of non-payment of interest and principal, the risk that bond demand in the marketplace will decrease periodically, and the risk that ratings of the various credit services (and the Advisor's independent assessments of the securities creditworthiness) are or may become inaccurate.

 

  ● Junk Bonds or Lower-Rated Securities Risk – Fixed income securities rated below Baa by Moody's and BBB by S&P or Fitch are generally considered speculative in nature and are generally subject to greater risks with respect to the non-payment of interest and principal and greater market fluctuations than higher-rated fixed income securities. Lower-rated fixed income securities are usually issued by companies without long track records of sales and earnings, or by companies with questionable credit strength. These fixed income securities are considered below "investment-grade." The retail secondary market for these "junk bonds" may be less liquid than that of higher-rated fixed income securities, and adverse conditions could make it difficult at times to sell certain securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Fixed Income Fund's net asset value. These risks can reduce the value of the Fixed Income Fund's shares and the income it earns.

 

  ● Maturity Risk – Maturity risk is another factor that can affect the value of the Fixed Income Fund's fixed income security holdings. In general, but not in all cases, the longer the maturity of a fixed income security, the higher its yield and the greater its price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Conversely, the shorter the maturity, the lower the yield but the greater the price stability. The Fixed Income Fund will be subject to greater maturity risk to the extent it is invested in fixed income securities with longer maturities. This risk may be heightened given the current historically low interest rate environment and the potentially higher rates in the future.

 

  ● Management Style Risk – The share price of the Fixed Income Fund changes daily based on the performance of the securities in which it invests. The ability of the Fixed Income Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the Advisor's allocation of the Fixed Income Fund's assets and selection of securities. The Advisor's judgments about the attractiveness, value, and potential income and appreciation of particular fixed income securities, cash or cash equivalents or other securities in which the Fixed Income Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no assurance that the Advisor's judgment will produce the desired results. In addition, the Fixed Income Fund may allocate its assets so as to under-emphasize or over-emphasize fixed income securities, cash or cash equivalents, or other investments under the wrong market conditions, in which case the value of the Fixed Income Fund's portfolio may be adversely affected.

 

  ● Mortgage Risk – Because rising interest rates reduce the tendency of mortgage borrowers to prepay or refinance their loans, rising interest rates tend to increase the effective maturity of mortgage-related securities, resulting in greater losses when interest rates rise. This is known as extension risk. Conversely, falling interest rates may encourage borrowers to pay off or refinance their mortgages sooner than expected. This can reduce the effective maturity of mortgage-related securities and lower the returns of the Fixed Income Fund because the Fixed Income Fund will have to reinvest its assets at the lower prevailing interest rates. This is known as prepayment risk.

 

  ● Regional and Sector Risk – Regional and sector risk is the risk that if the Fixed Income Fund invests heavily in securities within the same country, state, region, currency, industry or economic sector, an adverse economic, business or political development may affect the value of the Fixed Income Fund's investments more than if its investments were not so focused. To the extent the Fixed Income Fund invests heavily in securities in any such area that experiences an adverse development, the value of the Fixed Income Fund's portfolio may be negatively affected.

 

  ● U.S. Government Obligations Risk – Securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies are subject to risks related to the creditworthiness of the U.S. government. In addition, such securities may be not be backed by the "full faith and credit" of the U.S. government, but rather by a right to borrow from the U.S. government or the creditworthiness of the issuer itself. The value of any such securities may fluctuate with changes in credit ratings and market perceptions of the U.S. government and the issuers of the securities, as well as interest rates and other risks applicable to fixed income securities generally.

 

  ● Risks of Investments in Other RICs – To the extent that it invests in other RICs, the Fixed Income Fund incurs greater expenses, such as its own management fees and other operating expenses, than an investor would incur who invested directly in the RICs. The Fixed Income Fund's investments in other RICs are subject to all of the underlying risks of such RICs. These include such general risks as market risk and management risk. In addition to these risks, the Fixed Income Fund's investment in a closed-end fund or ETF is subject to the risk that the closed-end fund or ETF may trade at prices significantly different from its net asset value. Investments in a closed-end fund may be subject to liquidity risk (that is, the potential that the fund may be unable to dispose of the closed-end fund shares promptly or at a reasonable price).
PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

The bar chart and table that follow provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fixed Income Fund by showing changes in the Fixed Income Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fixed Income Fund's average annual total returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad-based securities market index. How the Fixed Income Fund has performed in the past (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fixed Income Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, current to the most recent month end, is available by calling 1-888-859-5856.

CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund Calendar Year Returns
Bar Chart

The Fixed Income Fund's year-to-date return through March 31, 2019 is 2.19%.

 

Quarterly Returns During This Time Period

 

Highest: 7.14% (quarter ended June 30, 2009)
Lowest: -1.88% (quarter ended December 31, 2018)
Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Average Annual Total Returns - CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund Shares (1.63%) 1.52% 3.67%
CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund Shares | After Taxes on Distributions (2.84%) 0.40% 2.59%
CM Advisors Fixed Income Fund Shares | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales (0.87%) 0.72% 2.47%
Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 0.01% 2.52% 3.48%

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fixed Income Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (IRA). Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other returns for the same period due to a tax benefit of realizing a capital loss on the sale of Fund shares.