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Balanced Fund
Balanced Fund
Investment Objective

The investment objectives of the Fund are long-term capital appreciation, capital preservation and current income.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.

SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees - Balanced Fund - USD ($)
Balanced Fund - Institutional Class
Balanced Fund - Investor Class
Maximum sales charge (load) on purchase none none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) none none
Redemption fee none none
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Balanced Fund
Balanced Fund - Institutional Class
Balanced Fund - Investor Class
Management fees 0.60% 0.60%
Distribution (12b-1) fees none none
Other expenses [1] 0.19% 0.39%
Total annual fund operating expenses 0.79% 0.99%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement [2] (0.09%) (0.14%)
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 0.70% 0.85%
[1] Restated to reflect current expenses. Effective July 31, 2021, the Fund’s administrative services fees were revised.
[2] The investment adviser has agreed in writing to waive its fees and reimburse certain expenses (excluding taxes, interest, brokerage costs, acquired fund fees and expenses and extraordinary expenses) to limit the total annual fund operating expenses for Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares to 0.70% and 0.85%, respectively, of each Class’s average daily net assets through July 31, 2022. This agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the periods indicated and then redeem in full at the end of each of the periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same each year. The example reflects the contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement arrangement, if applicable, for the current duration of the arrangement only.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example - Balanced Fund - USD ($)
1 YEAR
3 YEARS
5 YEARS
10 YEARS
Balanced Fund - Institutional Class 72 243 430 970
Balanced Fund - Investor Class 87 301 533 1,200
Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transactions 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 29% of the average value of the portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests primarily in a portfolio of equity and debt securities. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 25% of its total assets in equity securities, such as common stocks and a variety of securities convertible into common stock such as rights, warrants and convertible preferred stock. Also, under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 25% of its total assets in investment-grade debt securities (we consider investment grade to mean rated at least BBB- by one or more nationally recognized credit ratings firms) such as U.S. Government securities (including agency securities, and securities issued by government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including their mortgage-backed securities), corporate debt securities, other mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt securities which are unrated or non-investment grade (non-investment grade securities are commonly referred to as “junk bonds”); however, U.S. Government securities, as described above, even if unrated, do not count toward this 20% limit.


The Fund may invest in the equity securities of issuers of all sizes. The Fund may invest in debt securities of all maturities. The Fund may invest in derivatives instruments, such as options, futures contracts, including interest rate futures, and options on futures. These investments will typically be made for investment purposes consistent with the Fund's investment objective and may also be used to mitigate or hedge risks within the portfolio or for the temporary investment of cash balances. These derivative instruments will count toward the Fund's “at least 25%” policy for investment grade debt securities only if the derivative instruments have economic characteristics similar to the securities included within that policy. The Fund may invest in equity or debt securities issued by non-U.S. issuers, which securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. As part of the Fund’s strategy, the Fund may concentrate its investments in securities of relatively few issuers.


The Fund’s investment strategy for equity securities (which we call “Quality at a Discount”) is to buy above-average to highest-quality businesses, at prices that we believe are less than what the companies are worth. We assess a company’s quality based on its competitive position, return on invested capital, ability to redeploy capital, cash flow consistency, financial leverage and management team. We compare the company’s stock price to our estimate of business value, i.e., all the cash that the company will generate for its owners in the future. For each company, we look at a range of business value estimates. We then seek to buy stocks of companies that meet our quality criteria when they are priced are at a discount to our estimates of business value.


We invest with a multiple-year time horizon. We believe that purchasing stocks at prices less than our business value estimates provides opportunities for stock price appreciation, both as business values grow and as the market recognizes companies’ values. Typically, we consider selling stocks as they approach or exceed our business value estimates. We may also sell stocks for other reasons, including for the purchase of stocks that we believe offer better investment opportunities.


The Fund’s investment strategy with respect to debt securities is to select debt securities whose yield is sufficiently attractive in view of the risks of ownership. We consider a number of factors such as the security’s price, coupon and yield-to-maturity, as well as the credit quality of the issuer in deciding whether to invest in a particular debt security. In addition, we review the terms of the debt security, including subordination, default, sinking fund and early redemption provisions.


We do not try to “time” the market. However, if there is cash available for investment and there are not securities that meet the Fund’s investment criteria, the Fund may invest without limitation in high-quality cash and cash equivalents such as U.S. government securities or government money market fund shares. If the Fund takes such a defensive position, it may be temporarily unable to achieve its investment objective.

Principal Investment Risks

You should be aware that an investment in the Fund involves certain risks, including, among others, the following:


·Market Risk As with any mutual fund, investment return and principal value will fluctuate, depending on general market conditions and other factors. Market risk includes political, regulatory, economic, social and health risks (including the risks presented by the spread of infectious diseases) which can lead to increased market volatility and negative impacts on local and global financial markets, and the duration and severity of the impact of these risks on markets cannot be reasonably estimated. You may lose money if you invest in the Fund.

·Active Management Risk The investment adviser’s judgment about the attractiveness, value or potential appreciation of the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. The Fund could underperform other funds with similar objectives or investment strategies, if the Fund’s overall investment selections or strategies fail to produce the intended results.

·Concentration Risk The risk that the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks. The Fund tends to invest a high percentage of assets in its largest holdings.

·Large Company Risk Securities of large companies tend to have less overall volatility compared to those of mid-size and small companies; however, large companies may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful mid-size or small companies. In addition, large companies may be less capable of responding to competitive challenges and disruptive changes.

·Mid-Size Company Risk Securities of mid-size companies may be more volatile and less liquid, compared to those of large companies, due to the mid-size companies’ limited product lines, markets, financing sources and management depth. Also, securities of mid-size companies may be affected to a greater extent by the underperformance of a sector or changing market conditions.

·Small Company Risk Securities of small companies may be more volatile and less liquid, compared to those of large and mid-size companies, due to the small companies’ size, limited product lines, markets, financing sources and management depth. Also, securities of small companies may be affected to a greater extent by the underperformance of a sector or changing market conditions.

·Non-U.S. Securities Risk The Fund may invest in securities issued by non-U.S. issuers, which securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. Investments in non-U.S. securities may involve additional risks including exchange rate fluctuation, political or economic instability, the imposition of exchange controls, expropriation, limited disclosure and illiquid markets.

·Interest Rate Risk Debt securities are subject to interest rate risk because the prices of debt securities tend to move in the opposite direction of interest rates. When interest rates rise, debt securities prices fall. When interest rates fall, debt securities prices rise. Changing interest rates may have sudden and unpredictable effects in the markets and on the Fund’s investments. In general, debt securities with longer matures are more sensitive to changes in interest rates.

·Credit Risk The risk that the issuer of a debt security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of that security to fall. In general, lower-rated debt securities may have greater credit risk than investment grade securities.

  · Non-Investment Grade Debt (Junk Bond) Securities Risk Non-investment grade debt securities (commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk bonds”) are speculative and involve a greater risk of default and price change than investment grade debt securities due to the issuer’s creditworthiness. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than the market prices of investment grade debt securities and may decline significantly in response to adverse economic changes or issuer developments.

·Call Risk Certain debt securities may be called (redeemed) at the option of the issuer at a specified price before reaching their stated maturity date. Call risk is the risk, especially during periods of falling interest rates, that an issuer will call or repay a debt security before its maturity date, likely causing the Fund to reinvest the proceeds at a lower interest rate, and thereby decreasing the Fund’s income.

·Debt Securities Liquidity Risk Debt securities purchased by the Fund that are liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid due to, among other things, events relating to the issuer of the securities (e.g., changes to the market's perception of the credit quality of the issuer), market events, economic conditions, investor perceptions or lack of market participants. The Fund may be unable to sell illiquid securities on short notice or only at a price below current value.

·Mortgage-Backed (and Other Asset-Backed) Securities Risk Mortgage-backed securities (and other asset-backed securities) are generally structured for the securities holders to receive periodic payments as the securities issuer receives payments of principal and/or interest on the mortgages (or loans) in an underlying asset pool. Sometimes these securities are issued in separate tranches, which can mean the securities holders of one tranche receive payment in full before the securities holders of another tranche receive payments. Also sometimes credit support is provided for these securities, which can mean the securities issuer, an affiliated party or a third party provides additional assets, or makes additional promises, with respect to payment to the securities holders. Risks to the securities holders can include (i) the underlying asset pool may not pay as expected (which could mean sooner or later than expected), (ii) the securities issuer may have insufficient cash to make payment on the securities generally, or on certain tranches of securities and (iii) the credit support may be insufficient to make payment on the securities.

·Government-Sponsored Enterprises Risk Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities (such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) are supported by varying degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. In addition, the value of obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities may be affected by changes in the credit rating of the U.S. Government.

·Derivatives Risk Derivatives are instruments, such as futures and forward contracts, whose value is derived from that of other assets, rates or indices. The use of derivatives may carry more risk than other types of investments. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks including counterparty, liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and management risks, and the risk of improper valuation. Changes in the value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index, and in some cases the Fund could lose more than the principal amount invested. Currently, the use of some derivatives requires the Fund to segregate liquid assets to cover the Fund’s obligations under the derivatives agreement or as required by regulations.

·Failure to Meet Investment Objective There can be no assurance that the Fund will meet its investment objective.

Your investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other governmental agency.

Performance

The following chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year over the period indicated and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for the periods indicated, both before and after taxes, compared to those of relevant broad-based securities market indices. The Morningstar Moderately Conservative Target Risk Index, the Fund’s primary comparative index, is an asset allocation index maintained by Morningstar, Inc. which is intended to represent exposure to a diversified portfolio of equities and fixed-income investments. As of June 30, 2021, the Index represented exposure to a portfolio comprised of almost 60% fixed income, almost 40% equity and 1.25% in other assets/not classified. All Fund performance numbers are calculated after deducting fees and expenses, and all numbers assume reinvestment of dividends. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no waivers and/or reimbursements. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future both before and after taxes. Updated performance information is available at weitzinvestments.com or by calling us toll-free at 800-304-9745.

Calendar Year Total Returns—Investor Class
Bar Chart

The year-to-date return for the Fund’s Investor Class for the six months ended June 30, 2021 was 7.77%.


BEST AND WORST PERFORMING QUARTERS

(during the period shown above)

  Quarter/Year Total Return
Best quarter 4th quarter 2011 8.53%
Worst quarter 3rd quarter 2011 -9.19%
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS (for periods ended December 31, 2020)
Average Annual Returns - Balanced Fund
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years
Balanced Fund - Investor Class 8.14% 7.70% 6.89%
Balanced Fund - Institutional Class [1] 8.33% 7.74% 6.92%
After Taxes on Distributions | Balanced Fund - Investor Class 7.72% 6.59% 5.93%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Balanced Fund - Investor Class 4.88% 5.72% 5.29%
Morningstar Moderately Conservative Target Risk Index 11.86% 8.17% 6.47%
[1] Institutional Class shares first became available for sale on March 29, 2019. For performance prior to that date, this table includes the actual performance of the Fund’s Investor Class (and uses the actual expenses of the Fund’s Investor Class, for such period of time), without any adjustments. For any such period of time, the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class would have been substantially similar to, and higher than, the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class, because the shares of both classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities, but Institutional Class shares would have had lower expenses.

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical 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. In some instances, the return after taxes may be greater than the return before taxes because you are assumed to be able to use the capital loss on the sale of Fund shares to offset other taxable gains. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account (IRA).