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(Columbia Global Dividend Opportunity Fund)

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks total return, consisting of current income and capital appreciation.

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 Fund.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees (Columbia Global Dividend Opportunity Fund)
Class R4 Shares
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases, as a % of offering price none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) imposed on redemptions, as a % of the lower of the original purchase price or current net asset value none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Columbia Global Dividend Opportunity Fund)
Class R4 Shares
Management fees 0.75%
Distribution and/or service (Rule 12b-1) fees none
Other expenses [1] 0.26%
Total annual Fund operating expenses 1.01%
[1] Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Example

The following 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 illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated, and assumes that:

  • you invest $10,000 in Class R4 shares of the Fund for the periods indicated,

  • your investment has a 5% return each year, and

  • the Fund's total annual operating expenses remain the same as shown in the table above.

Based on the assumptions listed above, your costs would be:

Expense Example (Columbia Global Dividend Opportunity Fund) (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Class R4 Shares
103 322 558 1,236

Remember this is an example only. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.

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 97% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in income-producing (dividend-paying) equity securities of U.S. and foreign companies. Equity securities include, for example, common stock, preferred stock, convertible securities and shares of real estate investment trusts (REITs). The Fund invests principally in securities of companies that Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, the Fund's investment adviser (the Investment Manager), believes are attractively valued and have the potential for long-term growth. The Fund may invest in companies that have market capitalizations of any size.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 40% of its net assets in foreign securities, including securities of companies in emerging market countries. The Fund may invest directly in foreign securities or indirectly through depositary receipts. Depositary receipts are receipts issued by a bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by foreign companies.

In pursuit of the Fund's objectives, the Investment Manager chooses investments by applying quantitative screens to determine yield potential. The Investment Manager conducts fundamental research on and seeks to purchase potentially attractive securities based on its analysis of various factors, which may include one or more of the following, as well as other, statistical measures:

  • Current yield.

  • Dividend growth capability (considering a company's financial statements and management's ability to increase the dividend if it chooses to do so) and dividend history.

  • Balance sheet strength.

  • Earnings per share and free cash flow sustainability.

  • Dividend payout ratio.

Preference is generally given to higher dividend paying companies.

The Investment Manager monitors holding periods, tax qualification and transaction costs with regard to tax consequences.

The Investment Manager may sell a security when the security's price reaches a target set by the Investment Manager; if the Investment Manager believes that there is deterioration in the issuer's financial circumstances or fundamental prospects, or that other investments are more attractive; or for other reasons.

Principal Risks

  • Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund's manager uses the principal investment strategies and other investment strategies to seek to achieve the Fund's investment objective. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Investment decisions may not produce the expected returns, may cause the Fund's shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.

  • Quantitative Model Risk – The Fund may use quantitative methods to select investments. Securities or other investments selected using quantitative methods may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance for many reasons, including factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each factor, and changing sources of market returns, among others. Any errors or imperfections in the quantitative analyses or models, or in the data on which they are based, could adversely affect the ability to use such analyses or models effectively, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund's performance. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will help the Fund to achieve its objective.

  • Value Securities Risk Value securities are securities of companies that may have experienced, for example, adverse business, industry or other developments or may be subject to special risks that have caused the securities to be out of favor and, in turn, potentially undervalued. The market value of a portfolio security may not meet the Investment Manager's future value assessment of that security, or may decline. There is also a risk that it may take longer than expected for the value of these investments to rise to the believed value. In addition, value securities, at times, may not perform as well as growth securities or the stock market in general, and may be out of favor with investors for varying periods of time.

  • Market Risk Market risk refers to the possibility that the market values of securities that the Fund holds will fall, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, or fail to rise. Security values may fall because of factors affecting individual companies, industries or sectors, or the markets as a whole, reducing the value of an investment in the Fund. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods, or fail to increase in value. The market values of the securities the Fund holds also can be affected by changes or perceived changes in U.S. or foreign economies and financial markets, and the liquidity of these securities, among other factors. In general, equity securities tend to have greater price volatility than debt securities.

  • Growth Securities Risk – Because growth securities typically trade at a higher multiple of earnings than other types of securities, the market values of growth securities may be more sensitive to changes in current or expected earnings than the market values of other types of securities. In addition, growth securities, at times, may not perform as well as value securities or the stock market in general, and may be out of favor with investors for varying periods of time.

  • Smaller Company Securities Risk Securities of small- or mid-capitalization companies (smaller companies) can, in certain circumstances, have a higher potential for gains than securities of large-capitalization companies (larger companies) but may also have more risk. For example, smaller companies may be more vulnerable to market downturns and adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies because they may have more limited financial resources and business operations. These companies are also more likely than larger companies to have more limited product lines and operating histories and to depend on smaller management teams. Their securities may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes and may be less liquid and fluctuate more sharply in value than securities of larger companies. In addition, some smaller companies may not be widely followed by the investment community, which can lower the demand for their stocks.

  • Foreign Securities Risk – Foreign securities are subject to special risks as compared to securities of U.S. issuers. For example, foreign markets can be extremely volatile. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may impact the value of foreign securities denominated in foreign currencies, or in U.S. dollars, without a change in the intrinsic value of those securities. Foreign securities may be less liquid than domestic securities so that the Fund may, at times, be unable to sell foreign securities at desirable times or prices. Brokerage commissions, custodial fees and other fees are also generally higher for foreign securities. The Fund may have limited or no legal recourse in the event of default with respect to certain foreign securities, including those issued by foreign governments. In addition, foreign governments may impose potentially confiscatory withholding or other taxes, which could reduce the amount of income and capital gains available to distribute to shareholders. Other risks include possible delays in the settlement of transactions or in the payment of income; generally less publicly available information about companies; the impact of political, social or diplomatic events; possible seizure, expropriation or nationalization of a company or its assets; possible imposition of currency exchange controls; and accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards that may be less comprehensive and stringent than those applicable to domestic companies.

  • Emerging Market Securities Risk Securities issued by foreign governments or companies in emerging market countries, like Russia and those in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America or Africa, are more likely to have greater exposure to the risks of investing in foreign securities that are described in Foreign Securities Risk. In addition, emerging market countries are more likely to experience instability resulting, for example, from rapid social, political and economic development. Their economies are usually less mature and their securities markets are typically less developed with more limited trading activity than more developed countries. Emerging market securities tend to be more volatile than securities in more developed markets. Many emerging market countries are heavily dependent on international trade, which makes them more sensitive to world commodity prices and economic downturns in other countries. Some emerging market countries have a higher risk of currency devaluations, and some of these countries may experience periods of high inflation or rapid changes in inflation rates.

  • Currency Risk – Securities denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies are subject to the risk that, for example, if the value of a foreign currency were to decline against the U.S. dollar, such decline would reduce the U.S. dollar value of any securities held by the Fund denominated in that currency.

  • Depositary Receipts Risk – Some foreign securities are traded in the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). Depositary receipts involve the risks of other investments in foreign securities, including risks associated with investing in the particular country, including the political, regulatory, economic, social and other conditions or events occurring in the country, as well as fluctuations in its currency. In addition, ADR holders may not have all the legal rights of shareholders and may experience difficulty in receiving shareholder communications.

  • Changing Distribution Levels Risk The amount of the distributions paid by the Fund generally depends on the amount of interest and/or dividends received by the Fund on the securities it holds. The Fund may not be able to pay distributions or may have to reduce its distribution level if the interest and/or dividends the Fund receives from its investments decline.

  • Sector Risk – At times, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector. Companies in the same economic sector may be similarly affected by economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.

  • Real Estate Investment Trusts Risk Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are entities that either own properties or make construction or mortgage loans, and also may include operating or finance companies. The value of REIT shares is affected by, among other factors, changes in the value of the underlying properties owned by the REIT and/or by changes in the prospect for earnings and/or cash flow growth of the REIT itself. In addition, certain of the risks associated with general real estate ownership apply to the Fund's REIT investments, including risks related to general and local economic conditions, possible lack of availability of financing and changes in interest rates.

Performance Information

The following bar chart and table show you how the Fund has performed in the past, and can help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. Class R4 shares had not commenced operations prior to the date of this prospectus; therefore, performance information for this class is not yet available. The performance of Class Z shares, which have been outstanding longer than any other share class of the Fund, is shown in the bar chart and the average annual total return table. Except for differences in annual returns resulting from differences in expenses and sales charges (where applicable), this class of shares would have annual returns substantially similar to those of Class Z shares, which are not offered in this prospectus, because all classes of the Fund's shares invest in the same portfolio of securities.

The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information can be obtained by calling toll-free 800.345.6611 or visiting www.columbiamanagement.com.

The bar chart shows how the Fund's Class Z share performance has varied for each full calendar year shown.

Year by Year Total Return (%) as of December 31 Each Year

Bar Chart

Best and Worst Quarterly Returns During this Period

Best:    2nd quarter 2003:    19.81%

Worst:   4th quarter 2008:   -25.00%

Average Annual Total Return as of December 31, 2012

The table compares the Fund's returns for each period with those of its primary benchmark, the MSCI All Country World Index, which tracks the equity market performance of developed and emerging markets. The Fund changed its benchmark effective August 17, 2012 because the new benchmark is more consistent with the changes in the Fund's principal investment strategies that became effective on such date. Previously, the table compared the Fund's returns for each period with those of the Russell 1000 Index, an index that measures the performance of the 1,000 largest U.S. companies and represents approximately 90% of the U.S. equity market.

Average Annual Total Returns (Columbia Global Dividend Opportunity Fund)
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class Z Shares
17.19% 0.08% 8.39%
Class Z Shares returns after taxes on distributions
15.64% (0.25%) 7.64%
Class Z Shares returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares
13.21% 0.05% 7.34%
MSCI All Country World Index (Net) (reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes but reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or other taxes)
16.13% (1.16%) 8.11%
Russell 1000 Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
16.42% 1.92% 7.52%

The after-tax returns shown in the table above are calculated using the highest historical individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your personal tax situation and may differ from those shown in the table. In addition, the after-tax returns shown in the table do not apply to shares held in tax-deferred accounts such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).