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(American Beacon ARK Transformational Innovation Fund℠)
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.
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. You may qualify for sales discounts if you and your eligible family members invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in all classes of the American Beacon Funds on an aggregated basis. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in "Choosing Your Share Class" on page 17 of the Prospectus and "Additional Purchase and Sale Information for A Class Shares" on page 36 of the statement of additional information ("SAI"). With respect to purchases of shares through specific intermediaries, you may find additional information regarding sales charge discounts and waivers in Appendix A to the Fund's Prospectus entitled "Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers". Although the Fund does not impose any sales charge on Y Class shares, you may pay a commission to your broker on your purchases and sales of those shares, which is not reflected in the tables or Example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees - (American Beacon ARK Transformational Innovation Fund℠)
Class A
Class C
Class Y
Institutional Class
Investor Class
Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) 5.75% none none none none
Maximum deferred sales charge (as a percentage of the lower of original offering price or redemption proceeds) 0.50% [1] 1.00% none none none
[1] A contingent deferred sales charge (''CDSC'') of 0.50% will be charged on certain purchases of $1,000,000 or more of A Class shares that are redeemed in whole or part within 18 months of purchase.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses - (American Beacon ARK Transformational Innovation Fund℠)
Class A
Class C
Class Y
Institutional Class
Investor Class
Management Fee 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90%
Distribution and/or Services (12b-1) Fees 0.25% 1.00% none none none
Other Expenses 1.16% [1] 1.35% [1] 1.04% 0.84% 1.13%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01% 0.01% 0.01% 0.01% 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses [2] 2.32% 3.26% 1.95% 1.75% 2.04%
Fee Waiver and/or expense reimbursement [3],[4] (0.91%) (1.10%) (0.84%) (0.74%) (0.65%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 1.41% 2.16% 1.11% 1.01% 1.39%
[1] Other Expenses are based on estimated expenses for the current fiscal year.
[2] The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets provided in the Fund's Financial Highlights table, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
[3] American Beacon Advisors, Inc. (the "Manager") has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund's A Class, C Class, Y Class, Institutional Class and Investor Class shares, as applicable, through October 31, 2020 to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses exceed 1.39% for the A Class, 2.14% for the C Class, 1.09% for the Y Class, 0.99% for the Institutional Class, and 1.37% for the Investor Class (excluding taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, securities lending fees, expenses associated with securities sold short, litigation, and other extraordinary expenses). The contractual expense reimbursement can be changed or terminated only in the discretion and with the approval of a majority of the Fund's Board of Trustees. The Manager may also, from time to time, voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund. The Manager can be reimbursed by the Fund for any contractual or voluntary fee waivers or expense reimbursements if reimbursement to the Manager (a) occurs within three years from the date of the Manager's waiver/reimbursement and (b) does not cause the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses of a class to exceed the lesser of the contractual percentage limit in effect at the time of the waiver/reimbursement or the time of the recoupment.
[4] During the last fiscal year, the Fund invested in a wholly owned subsidiary organized under Delaware law (the "Delaware Subsidiary"). The Delaware Subsidiary's financial statements are consolidated with those of the Fund. The Delaware Subsidiary, which was liquidated on October 25, 2018, was classified for federal tax purposes as a regular corporation or so-called "C" corporation. As a "C" corporation, the Delaware Subsidiary incurred federal income tax liability associated with gains that the Delaware Subsidiary recognized on sales of its sole investment, shares of the Bitcoin Investment Trust, which the Fund had contributed to the Delaware Subsidiary. The Manager has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund for the amount of any tax liability incurred by the Delaware Subsidiary in connection with the sale of its shares of the Bitcoin Investment Trust. Therefore, any reduction in the Delaware Subsidiary's value resulting from that liability did not adversely impact the Fund's net asset value per share.
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 $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same, except that the Example reflects the fee waiver/expense reimbursement arrangement for each share class through October 31, 2020, and the tax liability reimbursement arrangement. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Expense Example - (American Beacon ARK Transformational Innovation Fund℠) - USD ($)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Class A 710 1,176 1,666 3,012
Class C 319 901 1,608 3,483
Class Y 113 531 974 2,207
Institutional Class 103 478 880 2,001
Investor Class 144 577 1,038 2,317
Assuming no redemption of shares:
Expense Example, No Redemption - (American Beacon ARK Transformational Innovation Fund℠)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Class C | USD ($) 219 901 1,608 3,483
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 63% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in domestic and foreign equity securities of transformational innovation companies.
The sub-advisor defines transformational innovation companies as those with divisions that primarily focus on developing or benefitting from new products, services, technologies or advancements that disrupt, or are expected to disrupt, existing markets or processes. The types of transformational innovation companies that the Fund expects to invest in are those companies primarily engaged in research, including research relating to: (i) genomics ("Genomic Revolution Research"), (ii) industrial innovation ("Industrial Innovation Research"), (iii) shared technology and the internet ("Next Generation Internet Research"), or (iv) financial services ("FinTech Innovation Research"), among others. The sub-advisor uses internally-generated and externally-sourced research and analysis to assemble a diverse array of information from which to identify transformational innovation companies.
  • Genomic Revolution Research. The sub-advisor defines Genomic Revolution Research as research that focuses on extending and enhancing the quality of human, and other, life. This research incorporates technological and scientific developments, improvements and advancements in genomics (the study of genes, DNA and their functions, and related analytical techniques), bionics and products or services that improve and enhance life and fundamentally change existing industries. Genomic Sequencing refers to the techniques that allow researchers to read and decipher the genetic information found in DNA. Genomic Revolution Research may be classified in multiple sectors including health care, information technology, materials, energy and consumer discretionary.
  • Industrial Innovation Research. The sub-advisor defines Industrial Innovation Research as research that focuses on technological improvements and advancements in the industrial sectors, including energy, manufacturing, and transportation. For example, energy transformation companies may seek to develop innovations in areas of energy location, development, storage or usage. Transportation companies may seek to develop innovation in the areas of mobility, such as drones and self-driving cars. Manufacturing innovators may seek applications for robotics, 3D printing, and similar productivity-enhancing technologies.
  • Next Generation Internet Research. The sub-advisor defines Next Generation Internet Research as research that focuses on developments in the global technology infrastructure, including hardware, software and the shift to mobile devices. This research may incorporate shared technology, such as shared data storage and processing, computer network applications and internet security. Applications could include, those that link homes, automobiles and workplaces to mobile devices or other convenient media.
  • FinTech Innovation Research. The sub-advisor defines FinTech Innovation Research as that research that focuses on innovations in the financial sector including payment technologies, lending methods, currencies and business analytics. Technology-enabled enhancements in financial services may also interact with a variety of other innovation themes as the concepts of finance apply across industries and transactions.
The sub-advisor's process for identifying investments uses both ''top down'' (macro-economic and business cycle analysis) and ''bottom up'' (valuation, fundamental and quantitative measures) approaches to identify investment opportunities.
Under normal circumstances, substantially all of the Fund's assets are invested in a portfolio of equity securities including common stocks and other equity investments or ownership interests in business enterprises that are relevant to the Fund's investment theme of transformational innovation. The Fund's investments include issuers of all capitalizations. The Fund's investments in foreign equity securities are in both developed and emerging markets. The Fund invests in American Depositary Receipts (''ADRs'') and securities sold on foreign exchanges and securities denominated in foreign currencies when purchasing foreign equities. The Fund may engage in foreign currency transactions on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market. The Fund may have significant exposure to the Health Care and Information Technology sectors. However, as the sector composition of the Fund's portfolio changes over time, the Fund's exposure to these sectors may be lower at a future date, and the Fund's exposure to other market sectors may be higher.
The sub-advisor may sell a security if it believes that a company has become disrupted or is no longer on the leading edge of fast-moving industries or innovation. The sub-advisor may also sell positions to (i) take advantage of opportunities created by short-term market actions or market sentiment, (ii) provide liquidity to invest in companies that the sub-advisor has relatively more confidence in, or (iii) invest in companies that the sub-advisor believes offer more market opportunity relative to their current price. The Fund at times may invest in shares of other investment companies, including money market funds and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), and may lend its securities to broker-dealers and other institutions to earn additional income. The Fund may invest in securities of investment companies advised by the Manager.
The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers.
Principal Risks
There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you could lose part or all of your investment in the Fund. The Fund is not designed for investors who need an assured level of income and is intended to be a long-term investment. The Fund is not a complete investment program and may not be appropriate for all investors. Investors should carefully consider their own investment goals and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund listed below are presented in alphabetical order, and not in order of importance or potential exposure, to facilitate your ability to find particular risks and compare them with the risks of other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a "principal risk" of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Allocation and Correlation Risk
The sub-advisor's judgments about, and allocations among, strategies, asset classes and market exposures may adversely affect the Fund's performance. There can be no assurance, particularly during periods of market disruption and stress, that the sub-advisor's judgements about asset allocation and market correlations will be correct. This risk may be increased by the use of derivatives to increase allocations to various market exposures.
Asset Selection Risk
Assets selected by the sub-advisor or the Manager for the Fund may not perform to expectations. The sub-advisor's investment models may rely in part on data derived from third parties and may not perform as intended. This could result in the Fund's underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives.
Counterparty Risk
The Fund is subject to the risk that a party or participant to a transaction, such as a broker or derivative counterparty, will be unwilling or unable to satisfy its obligation to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments or to otherwise honor its obligations to the Fund.
Credit Risk
The Fund is subject to the risk that the counterparty to a derivatives contract or a loan, may fail, or become less able, to make timely payment of interest or principal or otherwise honor its obligations or default completely. Changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of an issuer, or a downgrade or default affecting any of the Fund's securities, could affect the Fund's performance.
Currency Risk
The Fund may have exposure to foreign currencies by using various instruments described below. Foreign currencies may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time, may be affected unpredictably by intervention, or the failure to intervene, of the U.S. or foreign governments or central banks, and may be affected by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad. Foreign currencies may also decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and other currencies and thereby affect the Fund's investments in non-U.S. currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, non-U.S. currencies. The Fund may gain exposure to foreign currencies because of its investments in one or more of the following:
  • Non-U.S. currencies
  • Securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies
Cybersecurity and Operational Risk
The Fund and its service providers, and shareholders' ability to transact with the Fund, may be negatively impacted due to operational risks arising from, among other problems: human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as the securities trading venues and their service providers, to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. It is not possible for the Fund or its service providers to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. Most issuers in which the Fund invests are heavily dependent on computers for data storage and operations, and require ready access to the internet to conduct their business. Thus, cybersecurity incidents could also affect issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, leading to significant loss of value.
Derivatives Risk
Derivatives may involve significant risk. The use of derivative instruments may expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities or other instruments underlying those derivatives, including the high degree of leverage often embedded in such instruments, and potential material and prolonged deviations between the theoretical value and realizable value of a derivative. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the Fund's initial investment. Derivatives may at times be illiquid, and the Fund may not be able to close out or sell a derivative at a particular time or at an anticipated price. Certain derivatives may be difficult to value, and valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil. Derivatives may also be more volatile than other types of investments. The Fund may buy or sell derivatives not traded on an exchange, which may be subject to heightened liquidity and valuation risk. Derivative investments can increase portfolio turnover and transaction costs. Derivatives also are subject to counterparty risk and credit risk. As a result, the Fund may not recover its investment or may only obtain a limited recovery, and any recovery may be delayed. Not all derivative transactions require a counterparty to post collateral, which may expose the Fund to greater losses in the event of a default by a counterparty. Ongoing changes to the regulation of the derivatives markets and potential changes in the regulation of funds using derivative instruments could limit the Fund's ability to pursue its investment strategies. New regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value or performance.
Emerging Markets Risk
When investing in emerging markets, the risks of investing in foreign securities, as discussed below, are heightened. Emerging markets are generally smaller, less developed, less liquid and more volatile than the securities markets of the U.S. and other developed markets. There are also risks of: greater political uncertainties; an economy's dependence on revenues from particular commodities or on international aid or development assistance; currency transfer restrictions; a limited number of potential buyers for such securities resulting in increased volatility and limited liquidity for emerging market securities; trading suspensions; and delays and disruptions in securities settlement procedures. The governments of emerging market countries may also be more unstable and more likely to impose capital controls, nationalize a company or industry, place restrictions on foreign ownership and on withdrawing sale proceeds of securities from the country, intervene in the financial markets, and/or impose burdensome taxes that could adversely affect security prices. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject.
Equity Investments Risk
Equity securities are subject to investment risk and market risk. The Fund may invest in the following equity securities, which may expose the Fund to the following additional risks:
  • Common Stock Risk. The value of a company's common stock may fall as a result of factors affecting the company, companies in the same industry or sector, or the financial markets overall. Common stock generally is subordinate to preferred stock upon the liquidation or bankruptcy of the issuing company.
  • Depositary Receipts and U.S. Dollar-Denominated Foreign Stocks Traded on U.S. Exchanges Risk. Depositary receipts and U.S. dollar-denominated foreign stocks traded on U.S. exchanges are subject to certain of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate fluctuations, political and financial instability in the home country of a particular depositary receipt or foreign stock, less liquidity and more volatility, less government regulation and supervision and delays in transaction settlement.
Foreign Investing Risk
Non-U.S. investments carry potential risks not associated with U.S. investments. Such risks include, but are not limited to: (1) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (2) political and financial instability, (3) less liquidity, (4) lack of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, (5) increased volatility, (6) different government regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies, and (7) delays in transaction settlement in some foreign markets.
Hedging Risk
If the Fund uses a hedging instrument at the wrong time or judges the market conditions incorrectly, or the hedged instrument does not correlate to the risk sought to be hedged, the hedge might be unsuccessful, reduce the Fund's return, or create a loss. In addition, hedges, even when successful in mitigating risk, may not prevent the Fund from experiencing losses on its investments. Hedging instruments may also reduce or eliminate gains that may otherwise have been available had the Fund not used the hedging instruments.
Investment Risk
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. When you sell your shares of the Fund, they could be worth less than what you paid for them. Therefore, you may lose money by investing in the Fund.
Issuer Risk
The value of, and/or the return generated by, a security may decline for a number of reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets.
Large Capitalization Companies Risk
The securities of large market capitalization companies may underperform other segments of the market because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities. Many larger capitalization companies also may be unable to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.
Liquidity Risk
The Fund is susceptible to the risk that certain investments held by the Fund may have limited marketability or be subject to restrictions on sale, and may be difficult or impossible to purchase or sell at favorable times or prices. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund's value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to dispose of an investment at a time that is most beneficial to the Fund. The Fund may be required to dispose of investments at unfavorable times or prices to satisfy obligations, which may result in losses or may be costly to the Fund. For example, the Fund may be forced to sell certain investments at unfavorable prices to meet redemption requests or other cash needs. Judgment plays a greater role in pricing illiquid investments than in investments with more active markets.
Market Risk
The Fund is subject to the risk that the securities markets will move down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably based on overall economic conditions and other factors. The value of a security may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investment sentiment generally. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole. A rise in protectionist trade policies, risks associated with the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union, the risk of a trade dispute between the United States and China, and the possibility of changes to some international trade agreements, could affect the economies of many nations, including the United States, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. The severity or duration of adverse economic conditions may also be affected by policy changes made by governments or quasi-governmental organizations. In addition, political and governmental events within the U.S. and abroad may affect investor and consumer confidence and may adversely impact financial markets and the broader economy, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree.
Market Timing Risk
The Fund is subject to the risk of market timing activities by investors due to the Fund's investments in foreign securities, or its exposure to foreign securities through the derivatives it holds. Frequent trading by Fund shareholders poses risks to other shareholders in the Fund, including (i) the dilution of the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), (ii) an increase in the Fund's expenses, and (iii) interference with the portfolio manager's ability to execute efficient investment strategies.
Micro-Capitalization Companies Risk
Micro-capitalization companies are subject to substantially greater risks of loss and price fluctuations because their earnings and revenues tend to be less predictable. Since micro-capitalization companies may not have an operating history, product lines, or financial resources, their share prices tend to be more volatile and their markets less liquid than companies with larger market capitalizations, and they can be sensitive to expected changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings. The shares of micro-capitalization companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the future ability to sell these securities.
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk
Investing in the securities of mid-capitalization companies involves greater risk and the possibility of greater price volatility than investing in larger capitalization and more established companies. Since mid-capitalization companies may have narrower commercial markets and more limited operating history, product lines, and managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, the securities of these companies may lack sufficient market liquidity, and they can be particularly sensitive to expected changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings.
Model and Data Risk
Models and data are used to screen potential investments for the Fund. When models or data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon expose the Fund to potential risks. Some of the models used by the sub-advisor are predictive in nature. The use of predictive models has inherent risks. Because predictive models are usually constructed based on historical data supplied by third parties, the success of relying on such models may depend heavily on the accuracy and reliability of the supplied historical data. There is no assurance that the models are complete or accurate, or representative of future market cycles, nor will they always be beneficial to the Fund if they are accurate. Additionally, programs may become outdated or experience malfunctions which may not be identified by the sub-advisor and therefore may also result in losses to the Fund. These models may negatively affect Fund performance for various other reasons, including human judgment, inaccuracy of historical data and non-quantitative factors (such as market or trading system dysfunctions, investor fear or overreaction).
Non-Diversification Risk
The Fund is non-diversified, which means it may focus its investments in the securities of a comparatively small number of issuers. Investments in securities of a limited number of issuers exposes the Fund to greater market risk, price volatility and potential losses than if assets were diversified among the securities of a greater number of issuers.
Other Investment Companies Risk
To the extent that the Fund invests in shares of other registered investment companies, the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses charged by those investment companies in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses. The Fund will be subject to the risks associated with investments in those companies, including but not limited to the following:
  • ETFs. To the extent the Fund invests in exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") that invest in equity securities, fixed income securities and/or foreign securities, or track an index, the Fund is subject to the risks associated with the underlying investments held by the ETF or the index fluctuations to which the ETF is subject. Because ETFs are listed on an exchange, they may be subject to trading halts, may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value ("NAV") and may not be liquid. An ETF that tracks an index may not precisely replicate the returns of its benchmark index.
  • Money Market Funds. Investments in money market funds are subject to interest rate risk, credit risk, and market risk.
Sector Risk
To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments and economic conditions that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may move up and down more than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events. Because the Fund may hold a limited number of securities, it may at times be substantially over-weighted in certain economic sectors and under-weighted in others. Accordingly, the Fund's performance is likely to be disproportionately affected by the factors influencing those sectors.
  • Health Care Sector Risk. The health care sector may be affected by government regulations and health care programs, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services and product liability claims, among other factors. Many health care companies are (i) heavily dependent on patent protection and intellectual property rights, such that the expiration of a patent may adversely affect their profitability, (ii) subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims, and (iii) subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and may result in price discounting. Many health care products and services may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of obtaining such approvals may be long and costly, and delays in or failure to receive such approvals may negatively impact the business of such companies. Additional or more stringent laws and regulations enacted in the future could have a material adverse effect on companies in the health care sector.
Biotechnology Company Risk. In addition, issuers in the health care sector include issuers with their principal activities in the biotechnology industry, which has additional risks. A biotechnology company's valuation can often be based largely on the potential or actual performance of a limited number of products and can accordingly be greatly affected if one of its products proves unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. Biotechnology companies are subject to regulation by, and the restrictions of, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state and local governments, and non-U.S. regulatory authorities.
  • Information Technology Sector Risk. The information technology sector includes companies engaged in internet software and services, technology hardware and storage peripherals, electronic equipment and components, and semiconductors and semiconductor equipment. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face rapid product obsolescence due to technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Failure to introduce new products, develop and maintain a loyal customer base or achieve general market acceptance for their products could have a material adverse effect on a company's business. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on intellectual property and the loss of patent, copyright or trademark protections may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Financial Technology Company Risk . Financial Technology ("FinTech") companies generally face competition from much larger and more established firms. FinTech companies may not be able to capitalize on their disruptive technologies if they face political and/or legal attacks from competitors, industry groups or local and national governments. A FinTech company may not currently or in the future derive any revenue from innovative technologies.
Internet Company Risk. Many Internet-related companies have incurred large losses since their inception and may continue to incur large losses in the hope of capturing market share and generating future revenues. Accordingly, many such companies expect to incur significant operating losses for the foreseeable future, and may never be profitable. The markets in which many Internet companies compete face rapidly evolving industry standards, frequent new service and product announcements, introductions and enhancements and changing customer demands. The failure of an Internet company to adapt to such changes could have a material adverse effect on the company's business. In addition, the widespread adoption of new Internet, networking, or telecommunications technologies, or other technological changes, could require substantial expenditures by an Internet company to modify or adapt its services or infrastructure, which could have a material adverse effect on an Internet company's business.
Semiconductor Company Risk. Competitive pressures may have a significant effect on the financial condition of semiconductor companies and, as product cycles shorten and manufacturing capacity increases, these companies may become increasingly subject to aggressive pricing, which hampers profitability. Reduced demand for end-user products, under-utilization of manufacturing capacity, and other factors could adversely impact the operating results of companies in the semiconductor sector. Semiconductor companies typically face high capital costs and may be heavily dependent on intellectual property rights. The semiconductor sector is highly cyclical, which may cause the operating results of many semiconductor companies to vary significantly. The stock prices of companies in the semiconductor sector have been and likely will continue to be extremely volatile.
Next Generation Internet Companies Risk. The risks described above apply, in particular, to the Fund's investment in Web x.0 Companies, which the sub-advisor considers to be companies that are focused on and expected to benefit from shifting the bases of technology infrastructure from hardware and software to the cloud, enabling mobile and local services. This includes companies that rely on or benefit from the increased use of shared technology, infrastructure and services.
Internet Information Provider Company Risk. Internet information provider companies provide Internet navigation services and reference guide information and publish, provide or present proprietary, advertising and/or third party content. Such companies often derive a large portion of their revenues from advertising, and a reduction in spending by or loss of advertisers could seriously harm their business. This business is rapidly evolving and intensely competitive, and is subject to changing technologies, shifting user needs, and frequent introductions of new products and services. The research and development of new, technologically advanced products is a complex and uncertain process requiring high levels of innovation and investment, as well as the accurate anticipation of technology trends, market trends and consumer needs. The number of people who access the Internet is increasing dramatically and a failure to attract and retain a substantial number of such users to a company's products and services or to develop products and technologies that are more compatible with alternative devices could adversely affect operating results. Concerns regarding a company's products, services or processes that may compromise the privacy of users or other privacy related matters, even if unfounded, could damage a company's reputation and adversely affect operating results.
Securities Lending Risk
The borrower of a Fund's securities must provide collateral in the form of cash or cash equivalents, securities of the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities, approved bank letters of credit, or other forms of collateral that are permitted by the SEC for registered investment companies in an amount at least equal to the value of the loaned securities. For loans collateralized with cash, the Fund invests the cash in other securities. To the extent the Fund lends its securities, it may be subject to the following risks: i) borrowers of the Fund's securities may provide collateral in the form of cash that is reinvested in securities, ii) the securities in which the cash collateral is invested may not perform sufficiently to cover the return collateral payments owed to borrowers, iii) delays may occur in the recovery of securities from borrowers, which could interfere with the Fund's ability to vote proxies or to settle transactions, and iv) there is the risk of possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially.
Securities Selection Risk
Securities selected by the sub-advisor for the Fund may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Fund's underperformance compared to its benchmark index(es), or other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.
Small Capitalization Companies Risk
Investing in the securities of small-capitalization companies involves greater risk and the possibility of greater price volatility than investing in larger capitalization and more established companies. Since small-capitalization companies may have narrower commercial markets, and more limited operating history, product lines, and managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, the securities of these companies may lack sufficient market liquidity and they can be particularly sensitive to expected changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings.
Transformational Innovation Risk
Companies that the sub-advisor believes are capitalizing on transformational innovation and developing technologies to displace older technologies or create new markets may not in fact do so. Companies that initially develop a novel technology may not be able to capitalize on the technology. Companies that develop transformational technologies may face political or legal challenges from competitors, industry groups or local and national governments. These companies may also be exposed to risks applicable to sectors other than the transformational innovation theme for which they are chosen, and the securities issued by these companies may underperform the securities of other companies that are also focused on a particular theme.
Valuation Risk
The Fund may value certain assets at a price different from the price at which they can be sold. This risk may be especially pronounced for investments that are illiquid or may become illiquid, or securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. The Fund's ability to value its investments in an accurate and timely manner may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by third party service providers, such as pricing services or accounting agents.
Fund Performance
The bar chart and table below provide an indication of risk by showing changes in the Fund's performance over time. The bar chart shows the Fund's performance for the last calendar year. The table shows how the Fund's average annual total returns compare to a broad-based market index for the periods indicated. The A Class and C Class shares of the Fund commenced operations on January 2, 2019. The performance for the A Class and C Class shares in the table below represents the returns achieved by the Fund's Institutional Class shares from January 27, 2017 through December 31, 2018. The A Class and C Class shares would have had similar annual returns to the Institutional Class shares, because the shares are invested in the same portfolio securities. However, because the Institutional Class shares has lower expenses than the A Class shares and C Class shares, its performance was better than the performance the A Class shares and C Class shares would have realized in the same period. The A Class shares and C Class shares performance shown in the table has not been adjusted for differences in operating expenses of the newer and older share classes, but the A Class shares and C Class shares performance has been adjusted for the impact of the maximum applicable sales charge. You may obtain updated performance information on the Fund's website at www.americanbeaconfunds.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Calendar year total returns for Investor Class Shares. Year Ended 12/31
Bar Chart
Highest Quarterly Return:
13.42% 2nd Quarter 2018
01/01/2018 through 12/31/2018
Lowest Quarterly Return:
-18.98% 4th Quarter 2018
01/01/2018 through 12/31/2018
The calendar year-to-date total return as of September 30, 2019 was 12.88%.
Average annual total returns for periods ended December 31, 2018
Average Annual Total Returns - (American Beacon ARK Transformational Innovation Fund℠)
Inception Date of Class
1 Year
Since Inception
Investor Class Jan. 27, 2017 (3.30%) 28.52%
Investor Class | Returns After Taxes on Distributions Jan. 27, 2017 (5.08%) 26.29%
Investor Class | Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares Jan. 27, 2017 (1.29%) 21.57%
Class A Jan. 02, 2019 (8.55%) 25.08%
Class C Jan. 02, 2019 (3.98%) 28.99%
Class Y Jan. 27, 2017 (3.04%) 28.86%
Institutional Class Jan. 27, 2017 (2.98%) 28.99%
S&P 500 Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) Jan. 27, 2017 (4.38%) 6.82%
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 income taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. The return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period. If you are a tax-exempt entity or hold your Fund shares through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as an individual retirement account ("IRA") or a 401(k) plan, the after-tax returns do not apply to your situation. After-tax returns are shown only for Investor Class shares; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary.