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Pax Small Cap Fund
Pax Small Cap Fund (the "Small Cap Fund") Summary of Key Information
Investment Objective

The Small Cap Fund's investment objective is to seek long-term growth of capital.

Fees & Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class, Investor Class or Class A shares of the Small Cap Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts for Class A shares if you and your spouse or minor children invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Class A shares of the Small Cap Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, under "Shareholder Guide—Sales Charges" on page 143 of this Prospectus and under "Distribution and Shareholder Services—Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers" on page 113 in the Statement of Additional Information. Investors investing in the Small Cap Fund through an intermediary should consult Appendix A to this Prospectus, which includes information regarding financial intermediary specific sales charges and related discount policies that apply to purchases through certain specified intermediaries.

Shareholder Fees (Fees Paid Directly From Your Investment)
Shareholder Fees - Pax Small Cap Fund
Institutional Class
Investor Class
Class A
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price) none none 5.50%
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) imposed on redemptions (as a % of the lower of original purchase price or net asset value) none none 1.00% [1]
[1] This charge applies to investors who purchase $1 million or more of Class A shares without an initial sales charge and redeem them within 18 months of purchase, with certain exceptions. See "Shareholder Guide—Sales Charges."
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Pax Small Cap Fund
Institutional Class
Investor Class
Class A
Management Fee 0.75% 0.75% 0.75%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees none 0.25% 0.25%
Other Expenses 0.18% 0.18% 0.18%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.93% 1.18% 1.18%
Example of Expenses

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Institutional Class, Investor Class or Class A shares of the Small Cap Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

 

The table assumes that an investor invests $10,000 in Institutional Class, Investor Class or Class A shares of the Small Cap Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeems all of his or her shares at the end of those periods. The table also assumes that the investment has a 5% return each year, that all dividends and distributions are reinvested and that the Small Cap Fund's operating expenses remain the same throughout those periods. Although an investor's actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown in the table, based on these assumptions his or her expenses would be:

Expense Example - Pax Small Cap Fund - USD ($)
One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
Institutional Class 95 296 515 1,143
Investor Class 120 375 649 1,432
Class A 664 904 1,163 1,903
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 shares are held in a taxable account. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the "Example of Expenses," affect the Small Cap Fund's performance. During the Small Cap Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Small Cap Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 57% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Small Cap Fund follows a sustainable investing approach, combining rigorous financial analysis with equally rigorous environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis in order to identify investments.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Small Cap Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities (such as common stocks, securities convertible into common or preferred stocks and warrants) of companies that, when purchased, have capitalizations within the range of the Russell 2000 Index as measured by market capitalization. As of December 31, 2018, the Russell 2000 Index included companies with market capitalizations from approximately $6 million to $6.2 billion.

 

The Small Cap Fund selects equity securities on a company-by-company basis primarily through the use of fundamental analysis. The portfolio manager may overweight or underweight specific sectors and may take significant positions, including positions in companies in the financial services sector, which could lead to increased volatility. The Small Cap Fund is not constrained by any particular investment style, and may therefore invest in "growth" stocks, "value" stocks or a combination of both. Additionally, it may buy stocks in any sector or industry.

 

The Small Cap Fund may invest up to 45% of its assets in securities of non-U.S. issuers, including American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"). The Small Cap Fund may invest no more than 25% of its assets in securities of non-U.S. issuers other than ADRs. The Small Cap Fund's investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers, if any, may be diversified across multiple countries or geographic regions, or may be focused in a single country or geographic region.

 

The Small Cap Fund may utilize derivatives for hedging and for investment purposes.

 

It is possible that, due to its investment strategies, the portfolio turnover rate of the Small Cap Fund may be significant. Portfolio turnover is not a principal consideration in investment decisions for the Fund, and the Fund is not subject to any limit on the frequency with which portfolio securities may be purchased or sold.

Principal Risks
Market Risk Conditions in a broad or specialized market, a sector thereof or an individual industry may adversely affect security prices, thereby reducing the value of the Fund's investments. To the extent the Fund takes significant positions in one or more specific sectors, countries or regions, the Fund will be subject to the risks associated with such sector(s), country(ies) or region(s) to a greater extent than would be a more broadly diversified fund.

 

Equity Securities Risk The market price of equity securities may fluctuate significantly, rapidly and unpredictably, causing the Fund to experience losses. The prices of equity securities generally are more volatile than the prices of debt securities.

 

Derivatives Risk Derivatives involve special risks and may result in losses. The values of derivatives can be very volatile, especially in unusual market conditions, and that volatility can be exacerbated by the use of leverage, which is common for derivative strategies. Derivatives may be illiquid, and may also be subject to the risk of nonperformance by a transaction counterparty. The Fund may not be able to enter into, or terminate, a derivatives position when desired. Derivatives also may be subject to mispricing and improper valuation, and may increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders.

 

Non-U. S. Securities Risk Non-U.S. securities may have less liquidity and more volatile prices than domestic securities, which can make it difficult for the Fund to sell such securities at desired times or prices. Non-U.S. markets may differ from U.S. markets in material and adverse ways. For example, securities transaction expenses generally are higher, transaction settlement may be slower, recourse in the event of default may be more limited and taxes and currency exchange controls may limit amounts available for distribution to shareholders. Non-U.S. investments are also subject to the effects of local political, social, diplomatic or economic events.

 

Turnover Risk Frequent changes in the securities held by a Fund increases the Fund's transaction costs and may result in adverse tax consequences, which together may adversely affect the Fund's performance.

 

Growth Securities Risk Growth securities typically trade at higher multiples of current earnings than other securities. Therefore, the values of growth securities may be more sensitive to changes in current or expected earnings than the values of other securities.

 

Small- and Medium-Sized Capitalization Company Risk Securities of small- and medium-sized companies may have less liquidity and more volatile prices than securities of larger companies, which can make it difficult for the Fund to sell such securities at desired times or prices.

 

Value Securities Risk Value securities are securities the investment adviser believes are selling at a price lower than their true value, perhaps due to adverse business developments or special risks. If that belief is wrong or remains unrecognized by the market, the price of the securities may decline or may not appreciate as anticipated.

 

Financial Services Sector Risk Companies in the financial services sector are subject to the risk of regulatory change, decreased liquidity in credit markets and unstable interest rates. Such companies may have concentrated portfolios, such as a high level of loans to real estate developers, which makes them vulnerable to economic conditions that affect that industry. Performance of such companies may be affected by competitive pressures and exposure to investments or agreements that, under certain circumstances, may lead to losses. Companies in the financial services sector are subject to extensive governmental regulation that may limit the amount and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, and interest rates and fees that they may charge. In addition, profitability of such companies is largely dependent upon the availability and the cost of capital.

 

As with all mutual funds, investors may lose money by investing in the Small Cap Fund.

 

The foregoing descriptions are only summaries. Please see "About the Funds—Principal Risks" on page 116 for more detailed descriptions of the foregoing risks.

Performance Information

The bar chart below presents the calendar year total returns for Investor Class shares of the Small Cap Fund before taxes. The bar chart is intended to provide some indication of the risk of investing in the Small Cap Fund by showing changes in the Small Cap Fund's performance from year to year. As with all mutual funds, past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

Investor Class
Bar Chart
For the periods shown in the bar chart: Best quarter: 2nd quarter 2009, 19.79%
  Worst quarter: 3rd quarter 2011, -21.71%

Average Annual Total Returns The performance table below presents the average annual total returns for Investor Class, Class A and Institutional Class shares of the Small Cap Fund. The performance table is intended to provide some indication of the risks of investment in the Small Cap Fund by showing how the Small Cap Fund's average annual total returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index and a performance average of other similar mutual funds, each over a one-year, five-year and ten-year period. After-tax performance is presented only for Investor Class shares of the Fund. After-tax returns for Class A and Institutional Class shares may vary. After-tax returns are estimated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of local, state or foreign taxes. Actual after-tax returns will depend on a shareholder's own tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns may not be relevant to shareholders who hold their shares through tax-advantaged arrangements (such as 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts). As with all mutual funds, past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

Average Annual Total Returns - Pax Small Cap Fund
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Institutional Class [1] (15.59%) 2.39% 12.30%
Investor Class [1] (15.80%) 2.14% 12.01%
Investor Class | After Taxes on Distributions [1] (18.64%) 0.78% 10.45%
Investor Class | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales [1] (7.77%) 1.35% 9.66%
Class A [1],[2] (20.43%) 0.98% 11.39%
Russell 2000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) [3],[4] (11.01%) 4.41% 11.97%
Lipper Small-Cap Core Funds Index [4],[5] (11.19%) 4.33% 12.24%
[1] The Fund's investment adviser assumed certain expenses during the 5-year and 10-year periods; total returns would have been lower had these expenses not been assumed. For more recent month-end performance data, please visit www.paxworld.com or call us at 800.767.1729.
[2] Inception of Class A shares is May 1, 2013. The performance information shown for Class A shares includes the performance of Investor Class shares, adjusted to reflect the sales charge applicable to Class A shares, for the period prior to Class A inception.
[3] The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe. The Russell 2000 Index is a subset of the Russell 3000 Index representing approximately 10% of the total market capitalization of that index. It includes approximately 2000 of the smallest securities based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership.
[4] Unlike the Small Cap Fund, the Russell 2000 Index and the Lipper Small-Cap Core Funds Index are not investments, are not professionally managed and have no policy of sustainable investing. One cannot invest directly in any index.
[5] The Lipper Small-Cap Core Funds Index tracks the results of the 30 largest mutual funds in the Lipper Small Cap Core Funds Average. The Lipper Small-Cap Core Funds Average is a total return performance average of the mutual funds tracked by Lipper, Inc. that, by portfolio practice, invest at least 75% of their equity assets in companies with market capitalizations (on a three-year weighted basis) below Lipper's USDE small-cap ceiling. Small-cap core funds have more latitude in the small-cap companies in which they invest. These funds typically have characteristics (i.e., price-to-earnings ratio, price-to-book ratio) that resemble the "average" of the common stocks of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. The Lipper Small-Cap Core Funds Index is not what is typically considered to be an "index" because it tracks the performance of other mutual funds rather than the changes in the value of a group of securities, a securities index or some other traditional economic indicator. The Lipper Small-Cap Core Funds Index reflects deductions for fees and expenses of the constituent funds.