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Retail Class | Transamerica Emerging Markets Equity
Transamerica Emerging Markets Equity
Investment Objective:
Seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses:
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may 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 $50,000 in Transamerica Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional, in the “Waivers and Reductions of Sales Charges” section on page 298 of the fund’s prospectus, in the Appendix – “Waivers and Discounts Available from Intermediaries,” and in the fund’s statement of additional information (SAI) under the heading “Purchase of Shares.”
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees - Retail Class - Transamerica Emerging Markets Equity
A
C
I
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) 5.50% none none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower) none [1] 1.00% none
[1] Purchases of Class A shares in amounts of $1 million or more that are not subject to an initial sales charge may be subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if those shares are redeemed within 24 months of their purchase.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Retail Class - Transamerica Emerging Markets Equity
A
C
I
Management fees 0.90% 0.90% 0.90%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees 0.25% 1.00% none
Other expenses 0.44% 0.28% 0.17%
Acquired fund fees and expenses [1] 0.01% 0.01% 0.01%
Total annual fund operating expenses 1.60% 2.19% 1.08%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement [2] 0.04% none none
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 1.56% 2.19% 1.08%
[1] Acquired fund fees and expenses reflect the fund’s pro rata share of the fees and expenses incurred by investing in other investment companies. Acquired fund fees and expenses are not included in the calculation of the ratios of expenses to average net assets shown in the Financial Highlights section of the fund’s prospectus.
[2] Contractual arrangements have been made with the fund’s investment manager, Transamerica Asset Management, Inc. (“TAM”), through March 1, 2021 to waive fees and/or reimburse fund expenses to the extent that total annual fund operating expenses exceed 1.55% for Class A shares, 2.30% for Class C shares, and 1.40% for Class I shares, excluding, as applicable, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on securities sold short, extraordinary expenses and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the fund’s business. These arrangements cannot be terminated prior to March 1, 2021 without the Board of Trustees’ consent. TAM is permitted to recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed to a class during any of the 36 months from the date on which TAM waived fees and/or reimbursed expenses for the class. A class may reimburse TAM only if such reimbursement does not cause, on any particular business day of the fund, the class’ total annual operating expenses (after the reimbursement is taken into account) to exceed the applicable limits described above or any other lower limit then in effect.
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 $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all shares at the end of those periods (unless otherwise indicated). The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Only the 1 year dollar amount shown below reflects TAM's agreement to waive fees and/or reimburse fund expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
If the shares are redeemed at the end of each period:
Expense Example - Retail Class - Transamerica Emerging Markets Equity - USD ($)
1 year
3 years
5 years
10 years
Class A 700 1,023 1,369 2,342
Class C 322 685 1,175 2,524
Class I 110 343 595 1,317
If the shares are not redeemed:
Expense Example, No Redemption - Retail Class - Transamerica Emerging Markets Equity - USD ($)
1 year
3 years
5 years
10 years
Class A 700 1,023 1,369 2,342
Class C 222 685 1,175 2,524
Class I 110 343 595 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 portfolio turnover rate for the fund was 49% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies:
Under normal circumstances, the fund’s sub-adviser, ClariVest Asset Management LLC (the “sub-adviser”), invests at least 80% of the fund’s net assets (plus the amount of borrowings, if any, for investment purposes) in equity securities (including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”)) of issuers economically tied to one or more emerging market countries. Issuers considered to be economically tied to emerging market countries include, without limitation: (1) an issuer organized under the laws of or maintaining a principal office or principal place(s) of business in one or more emerging markets; (2) an issuer of securities that are principally traded in one or more emerging markets; (3) an issuer that derives or is currently expected to derive 50% or more of its total sales, revenues, profits, earnings, growth, or another measure of economic activity from, the production or sale of goods or performance of services or making of investments or other economic activity in, one or more emerging markets, or that maintains or is currently expected to maintain 50% or more of its employees, assets, investments, operations, or other business activity in one or more emerging markets; (4) a governmental or quasi-governmental entity of an emerging market; or (5) any other issuer that the sub-adviser believes may expose the fund’s assets to the economic fortunes and risks of emerging markets. The sub-adviser may consider any one of the five factors when making a determination that an issuer is “economically tied” to emerging markets. The sub-adviser may consider an issuer to be economically tied to emerging markets even though it may be based in a developed market such as the United States. The sub-adviser considers emerging market countries to be countries included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

The fund may (but is not required to) invest up to 100% of its total assets in foreign securities. The fund will normally emphasize investments in common stocks and other equity securities. The fund may invest in companies that exhibit growth characteristics and companies that exhibit value characteristics.

In selecting securities for the fund, the fund’s sub-adviser utilizes quantitative tools (including an internally developed algorithm) and qualitative analysis in a bottom-up investment process to help identify securities that it believes can improve the portfolio from a risk-reward perspective, with an emphasis on companies that the sub-adviser views as exhibiting characteristics of accelerating growth, favorable valuation, or both. The sub-adviser constructs a portfolio that seeks to maximize expected return, subject to constraints designed to meet long-run expected active risk goals.

The fund may invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) in order to equitize cash positions, seek exposure to certain markets or market sectors and to hedge against certain market movements. The fund may sell securities when they no longer meet the portfolio managers’ investment criteria and/or to take advantage of what are believed to be more attractive investment opportunities.
Principal Risks:
Risk is inherent in all investing. Many factors and risks affect the fund's performance, including those described below. The value of your investment in the fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly day to day and over time. You may lose part or all of your investment in the fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a summary description of principal risks (in alphabetical order after certain key risks) of investing in the fund. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. You may lose money if you invest in this fund.

Market – The market prices of the fund's securities may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions, such as overall economic trends or events, government actions or interventions, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political factors or adverse investor sentiment. The market prices of securities also may go down due to events or conditions that affect particular sectors, industries or issuers. Adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may not have the same impact on all types of securities. If the market prices of the securities owned by the fund fall, the value of your investment will go down. The fund may experience a substantial or complete loss on any individual security.

Economies and financial markets throughout the world are increasingly interconnected. Economic, financial or political events, trading and tariff arrangements, terrorism, technology and data interruptions, natural disasters and other circumstances in one country or region could be highly disruptive to, and have profound impacts on, global economies or markets. During periods of market disruption, the fund's exposure to the risks described elsewhere in this summary will likely increase. As a result, whether or not the fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to the countries directly affected, the value and liquidity of the fund's investments may be negatively affected.

Emerging Markets – Investments in the securities of issuers located in or principally doing business in emerging markets are subject to heightened foreign investments risks. Emerging market countries tend to have economic, political and legal systems and regulatory and accounting standards that are less developed, and that can be expected to be less stable. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation, and may be based on only a few industries. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners or that prevent foreign investors such as the fund from withdrawing their money at will. Emerging market securities are often particularly sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect speculative expectations. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and extreme price volatility. An investment in emerging market securities should be considered speculative.

Foreign Investments – Investing in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involves additional risks. Foreign markets can be less liquid, less regulated, less transparent and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the fund’s foreign investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, reduction of government or central bank support, tariffs and trade disruptions, political or financial instability, social unrest or other adverse economic or political developments. Lack of information and weaker legal systems and accounting standards also may affect the value of these securities. Foreign investments may have lower liquidity and be more difficult to value than investments in U.S. issuers.

Currency – The value of investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies increases or decreases as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. dollar change. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the revenue earned by issuers of these securities may also be impacted by changes in the issuer’s local currency. Currency conversion costs and currency fluctuations could reduce or eliminate investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time, and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the U.S. and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation. A fund may be unable or may choose not to hedge its foreign currency exposure.

Model and Data – If quantitative models, algorithms or calculations (whether proprietary and developed by the sub-adviser or supplied by third parties) (“Models”) or information or data supplied by third parties (“Data”) prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made, in whole or part, in reliance thereon expose the fund to additional risks. Models can be predictive in nature. The use of predictive Models has inherent risks. The success of relying on or otherwise using Models depends on a number of factors, including the validity, accuracy and completeness of the Model’s development, implementation and maintenance, the Model’s assumptions, factors, algorithms and methodologies, and the accuracy and reliability of the supplied historical or other Data. Models rely on, among other things, correct and complete Data inputs. If incorrect Data is entered into even a well-founded Model, the resulting information will be incorrect. However, even if Data is input correctly, Model prices may differ substantially from market prices, especially for securities with complex characteristics. Investments selected with the use of Models may perform differently than expected as a result of the design of the Model, inputs into the Model or other factors. There also can be no assurance that the use of Models will result in effective investment decisions for the fund.

Equity Securities – Equity securities represent an ownership interest in an issuer, rank junior in a company’s capital structure and consequently may entail greater risk of loss than debt securities. Equity securities include common and preferred stocks. Stock markets are volatile and the value of equity securities may go up or down sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Equity securities may have greater price volatility than other asset classes, such as fixed income securities. The value of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s financial condition, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, and overall market and economic conditions. If the market prices of the equity securities owned by the fund fall, the value of your investment in the fund will decline. If the fund holds equity securities in a company that becomes insolvent, the fund’s interests in the company will rank junior in priority to the interests of debtholders and general creditors of the company, and the fund may lose its entire investment in the company.

Focused Investing – To the extent the fund invests in a limited number of countries, regions, sectors, industries or market segments, in a limited number of issuers, or in issuers in related businesses or that are subject to related operating risks, the fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those countries, regions, sectors, industries, segments or issuers, and the value of its shares may be more volatile than if it invested more widely. Local events, such as political upheaval, social unrest, wars and terror attacks, financial troubles, pandemics, epidemics and natural disasters may disrupt a country’s or region’s securities markets. Geographic risk is especially high in emerging and frontier markets.

Liquidity – The fund may make investments that are illiquid or that become illiquid after purchase. Illiquid investments can be difficult to value, may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments, and may be subject to wide fluctuations in value. As a general matter, a reduction in the willingness or ability of dealers and other institutional investors to make markets in fixed income securities may result in even less liquidity in certain markets. If the fund is forced to sell an illiquid investment to meet redemption requests or other cash needs, the fund may be forced to sell at a loss. The fund may not receive its proceeds from the sale of less liquid or illiquid securities for an extended period (for example, several weeks or even longer), and such sale may involve additional costs. Liquidity of particular investments, or even an entire market segment, can deteriorate rapidly, particularly during times of market turmoil, and those investments may be difficult or impossible for the fund to sell. This may prevent the fund from limiting losses.

Valuation – The sales price the fund could receive for any particular portfolio investment may differ from the fund's valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets, that are priced based upon valuations provided by third-party pricing services that use matrix or evaluated pricing systems, or that are valued using a fair value methodology. Investors who purchase or redeem fund shares on days when the fund is holding fair-valued securities may receive fewer or more shares or lower or higher redemption proceeds than they would have received if the fund had not fair-valued securities or had used a different valuation methodology. The fund's ability to value its investments may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third party service providers.

Management – The value of your investment may go down if the investment manager’s or sub-adviser's judgments and decisions are incorrect or otherwise do not produce the desired results. You may also suffer losses if there are imperfections, errors or limitations in the quantitative, analytic or other tools, resources, information and data used, investment techniques applied, or the analyses employed or relied on, by the investment manager or sub-adviser, if such tools, resources, information or data are used incorrectly or otherwise do not work as intended, or if the investment manager’s or sub-adviser's investment style is out of favor or otherwise fails to produce the desired results. The fund’s investment strategies may not work as intended or otherwise fail to produce the desired results. Any of these things could cause the fund to lose value or its results to lag relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar objectives.

Active Trading – The fund may purchase and sell securities without regard to the length of time held. Active trading may have a negative impact on performance by increasing transaction costs and may generate greater amounts of net short-term capital gains, which, for shareholders holding shares in taxable accounts, would generally be subject to tax at ordinary income tax rates upon distribution. During periods of market volatility, active trading may be more pronounced.

Depositary Receipts – Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same risks that the foreign securities that they evidence or into which they may be converted are, and they may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Any distributions paid to the holders of depositary receipts are usually subject to a fee charged by the depositary. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting rights, and investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of depositary receipts because such restrictions may limit the ability to convert equity shares into depositary receipts and vice versa. Such restrictions may cause equity shares of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts.

Growth Stocks – Returns on growth stocks may not move in tandem with returns on other categories of stocks or the market as a whole. Growth stocks typically are particularly sensitive to market movements and may involve larger price swings because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations may not be met, the prices of growth securities typically fall. Growth stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market for a long period of time, for example, while the market favors “value” stocks.

Investments by Affiliated Funds and Unaffiliated Funds – A significant portion of the fund’s shares may be owned by other funds sponsored by Transamerica and/or parties not affiliated with Transamerica. Transactions by these funds may be disruptive to the management of the fund. For example, the fund may experience large redemptions and could be required to sell securities at a time when it may not otherwise desire to do so. Such transactions may increase the fund’s brokerage and/or other transaction costs and could also accelerate the realization of taxable capital gains in the fund. In addition, sizeable redemptions could cause the fund’s total expenses to increase.

Preferred Stock – Preferred stock’s right to dividends and liquidation proceeds is junior to the rights of a company’s debt securities. The value of preferred stock may be subject to factors that affect fixed income and equity securities, including changes in interest rates and in a company’s creditworthiness. The value of preferred stock tends to vary more with fluctuations in the underlying common stock and less with fluctuations in interest rates and tends to exhibit greater volatility. Shareholders of preferred stock may suffer a loss of value if dividends are not paid and have limited voting rights.

Small and Medium Capitalization Companies – The fund will be exposed to additional risks as a result of its investments in the securities of small or medium capitalization companies. Small or medium capitalization companies may be more at risk than large capitalization companies because, among other things, they may have limited product lines, operating history, market or financial resources, or because they may depend on a limited management group. The prices of securities of small and medium capitalization companies generally are more volatile than those of large capitalization companies and are more likely to be adversely affected than large capitalization companies by changes in earnings results and investor expectations or poor economic or market conditions. Securities of small and medium capitalization companies may underperform large capitalization companies, may be harder to sell at times and at prices the portfolio managers believe appropriate and may offer greater potential for losses.

Underlying Exchange-Traded Funds – To the extent the fund invests its assets in underlying ETFs, its ability to achieve its investment objective will depend in part on the performance of the underlying ETFs in which it invests. Investing in underlying ETFs subjects the fund to the risks of investing in the underlying securities or assets held by those ETFs. Each of the underlying ETFs in which the fund may invest has its own investment risks, and those risks can affect the value of the underlying ETFs’ shares and therefore the value of the fund's investments. There can be no assurance that the investment objective of any underlying ETF will be achieved. To the extent that the fund invests more of its assets in one underlying ETF than in another, the fund will have greater exposure to the risks of that underlying ETF. In addition, the fund will bear a pro rata portion of the operating expenses of the underlying ETFs in which it invests.

Equity-based ETFs are subject to risks similar to those of stocks; fixed income-based ETFs are subject to risks similar to those of fixed-income securities. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. The price of an ETF can fluctuate up and down, and the fund could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down. In addition, ETFs are subject to certain risks that do not apply to conventional funds, including: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may be above or below the shares’ net asset value; (ii) during periods of market volatility, the share prices of ETFs may deviate significantly from their NAVs; (iii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; (iv) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted if the listing exchange’s officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange, the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally, or trading in one or more of the ETF’s underlying securities is halted, which could result in the ETF being more volatile; or (v) a limited number of institutions may act as authorized participants to create or redeem block-sized units of ETF shares. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the fund's shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.

Value Investing – The prices of securities the sub-adviser believes are undervalued may not appreciate as anticipated or may go down. The value approach to investing involves the risk that stocks may remain undervalued, undervaluation may become more severe, or perceived undervaluation may actually represent intrinsic value. Value stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market for a long period of time, for example, while the market favors “growth” stocks.
Performance:
The bar chart and the table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. The bar chart shows how the fund’s performance has varied from year to year. The table shows how the fund’s average annual total returns for different periods compare to the returns of a broad measure of market performance.

The bar chart does not reflect the impact of sales charges, which, if reflected, would lower the returns. The table includes deduction of applicable sales charges.

Absent any applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations, performance would be lower.

As with all mutual funds, past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Updated performance information is available on our website at www.transamerica.com/individual/products/mutual-funds/performance/ or by calling 1-888-233-4339.
Annual Total Returns (calendar years ended December 31) - Class A
Bar Chart
  Quarter Ended Return
Best Quarter: 3/31/2017 14.70%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/2015 -18.06%
Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended December 31, 2019)
Average Annual Total Returns - Retail Class - Transamerica Emerging Markets Equity
1 Year
5 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
Class A 9.36% 1.00% 0.76% Apr. 30, 2012
Class A | Return after taxes on distributions 8.94% 0.96% 0.69% Apr. 30, 2012
Class A | Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares 6.06% 0.97% 0.74% Apr. 30, 2012
Class C 13.91% 1.49% 0.85% Apr. 30, 2012
Class I 16.33% 2.57% 1.89% Apr. 30, 2012
MSCI Emerging Markets Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 18.90% 6.01% 4.09%  
The after-tax returns are calculated using the historic highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns may depend on the investor’s individual tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns may not be relevant if the investment is made through a tax-exempt or tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan.

After-tax returns are presented for only one class, and returns for other classes are presented before taxes only and will vary.