497K 1 abief-html4450_497k.htm AB INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND_497K

American Beacon
International Equity FundSM

SUMMARY PROSPECTUS March 1, 2022

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, which contain more information about the Fund and its risks. The current prospectus and statement of additional information dated March 1, 2022, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus. You can find the Fund’s prospectus, statement of additional information, reports to shareholders, and other information about the Fund online at
www.americanbeaconfunds.com/resource_center/MutualFundForms.aspx. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 800-658-5811 or by sending an email request to americanbeaconfunds@ambeacon.com.

Share Class | A: AIEAX | C: AILCX | Y: ABEYX | R6: AAERX | Advisor: AAISX | R5: AAIEX | Investor: AAIPX

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. 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 75 of the Prospectus and “Additional Purchase and Sale Information for A Class Shares” on page 79 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, Waivers and Other Information.”

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Share Class

A

C

Y

R6

Advisor

R5

Investor

Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

5.75
%
None
None
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
None
None

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

Share Class

A

C

Y

R6

Advisor

R5

Investor

Management Fees

0.61
%
0.61
%
0.61
%
0.61
%
0.61
%
0.61
%
0.61
%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

0.25
%
1.00
%
0.00
%
0.00
%
0.25
%
0.00
%
0.00
%

Other Expenses2,3

0.27
%
0.25
%
0.18
%
0.10
%
0.34
%
0.12
%
0.45
%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

1.13
%
1.86
%
0.79
%
0.71
%
1.20
%
0.73
%
1.06
%

Fee Waiver and/or expense reimbursement4

0.00
%
0.00
%
0.00
%
(0.01
%)
0.00
%
0.00
%
0.00
%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

1.13
%
1.86
%
0.79
%
0.70
%
1.20
%
0.73
%
1.06
%
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.
2 During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, the Fund paid amounts to American Beacon Advisors, Inc. (the “Manager”) that were previously waived and/or reimbursed under a contractual fee waiver/expense reimbursement agreement for the Fund’s R6 Class shares in the amount of 0.01%.
3 Other Expenses for R6 Class shares include 0.01% securities lending expenses.
4 The Manager has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund’s R6 Class through February 28, 2023, to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses exceed 0.69% for the R6 Class shares (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 will itself waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund to maintain the contractual expense ratio caps for each applicable class of shares or make arrangements with other service providers to do so. 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.

IEF030122 

American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus1 


 

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 the R6 Class shares through February 28, 2023. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

Share Class

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

A

$ 684

$ 913

$ 1,161

$ 1,871

C

$ 289

$ 585

$ 1,006

$ 2,180

Y

$ 81

$ 252

$ 439

$ 978

R6

$ 72

$ 226

$ 394

$ 882

Advisor

$ 122

$ 381

$ 660

$ 1,455

R5

$ 75

$ 233

$ 406

$ 906

Investor

$ 108

$ 337

$ 585

$ 1,294

Assuming no redemption of shares:

Share Class

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

C

$ 189

$ 585

$ 1,006

$ 2,180

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 41% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) are invested in common stocks and securities convertible into common stocks (collectively, “stocks”) of issuers based in at least three different countries located outside the United States. The Fund’s investments in stocks may include master limited partnerships (“MLPs”), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), depositary receipts, which may include American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) and global depositary receipts (“GDRs”), and U.S. dollar-denominated foreign stocks traded on U.S. exchanges. The Fund will primarily invest in countries comprising the MSCI® EAFE Index. The MSCI EAFE Index is designed to represent the performance of large- and mid-capitalization securities across 21 developed markets countries, including countries in Europe, Australasia and the Far East, and excluding the U.S. and Canada. It covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country. Companies included in the MSCI EAFE Index are selected from among the larger capitalization companies in these markets. The Fund principally invests in large-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies, and to a lesser extent in small-capitalization companies. The Fund may invest in certain emerging market countries. The Fund may use futures contracts, foreign currency forward contracts, including non-deliverable forward contracts (“NDFs”), and currency swaps as a hedge against foreign currency fluctuations.

The Manager allocates the assets of the Fund among different sub-advisors. The Manager believes that this strategy may help the Fund outperform other investment styles over the longer term while reducing volatility and downside risk.

The sub-advisors select stocks that, in their opinion, have most or all of the following characteristics (relative to that stock’s country, sector or industry):

 

above-average return on equity or earnings growth potential,

 

below-average price to earnings or price to cash flow ratio,

 

below-average price to book value ratio, and

 

above-average dividend yields.
 

The sub-advisors may consider potential changes in currency exchange rates when choosing stocks. Each of the sub-advisors determines the earnings growth prospects of companies based upon a combination of internal and external research using fundamental analysis and considering changing economic trends. The decision to sell a stock is typically based on the belief that the company is no longer considered undervalued or shows deteriorating fundamentals, or that better investment opportunities exist in other stocks. The Fund may have significant exposure to the Financials sector. However, as the sector composition of the Fund’s portfolio changes over time, the Fund’s exposure to the Financials sector may be lower at a future date, and the Fund’s exposure to other market sectors may be higher. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in the securities of issuers located in, or with significant economic ties to, a single country or geographic region.

Each sub-advisor’s investment processes incorporate the sub-advisor’s environmental, social and/or governance (“ESG”) analysis as a consideration in the assessment of all potential portfolio investments. However, as ESG information is just one investment consideration, ESG considerations are not solely determinative in any investment decision made by a sub-advisor. In addition, the sub-advisors do not use ESG considerations to limit, restrict or otherwise exclude companies or sectors from the Fund’s investment universe. A sub-advisor may use ESG research and/or ratings information provided by one or more third parties in performing this analysis and considering ESG risks.

The Fund may invest cash balances in other investment companies, including government money market funds, and may purchase and sell equity index futures contracts to gain market exposure on cash balances or reduce market exposure in anticipation of liquidity needs. The Fund may seek to earn additional income by lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions.

2American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus 


 

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 current 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. Among other matters, this presentation is intended 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.

Convertible Securities Risk
The value of a convertible security typically increases or decreases with the price of the underlying common stock. In general, a convertible security is subject to the market risks of stocks when the underlying stock’s price is high relative to the conversion price and is subject to the market risks of debt securities when the underlying stock’s price is low relative to the conversion price. The general market risks of debt securities that are common to convertible securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk and credit risk. Many convertible securities have credit ratings that are below investment grade and are subject to the same risks as an investment in below investment grade debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). Lower-rated debt securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield than investment grade debt securities and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. Convertible securities are subject to the risk that the credit standing of the issuer may have an effect on the convertible security‘s investment value. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in convertible securities issued by small- or mid-capitalization companies, it will be subject to the risks of investing in such companies. The stocks of small- and mid-capitalization companies may fluctuate more widely in price than the market as a whole and there may also be less trading in small- or mid-capitalization stocks. Convertible securities are sensitive to movement in interest rates.

Counterparty Risk
The Fund is subject to the risk that a party or participant to a transaction, such as a broker or a 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 issuer, guarantor or insurer of an obligation, or the counterparty to a transaction may fail, or become less able or unwilling, 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. Generally, the longer the maturity and the lower the credit quality of a security, the more sensitive it is to credit risk.

Currency Risk
The Fund may have exposure to foreign currencies by using various instruments. 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.

Cybersecurity and Operational Risk
Operational risks arising from, among other problems, human errors, systems and technology disruptions or failures, or cybersecurity incidents may negatively impact the Fund and its service providers as well as the ability of shareholders to transact with the Fund. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, shareholder data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or its service providers, as well as 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. The use of derivatives may also increase any adverse effects resulting from the underperformance of strategies, asset classes and market exposures to which the Fund has allocated its assets. Derivatives may at times be highly 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. There may be imperfect correlation between the behavior of a derivative and that of the reference instrument underlying the derivative. An abrupt change in the price of a reference instrument could render a derivative worthless. Derivatives may involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the reference instrument. Suitable derivatives may not be available in all circumstances, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will use derivatives to reduce exposure to other risks when that might have been beneficial. 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. In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:

 

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts Risk. Foreign currency forward contracts, including non-deliverable forwards (“NDFs”), are derivative instruments pursuant to a contract where the parties agree to a fixed price for an agreed amount of foreign currency at an agreed date or to buy or sell a specific currency at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract and include the risks associated with fluctuations in currency. There are no limitations on daily price movements of forward contracts. There can be no assurance that any strategy used will succeed. Not all forward contracts, including NDFs, require a counterparty to post collateral, which may expose the Fund to greater losses in the event of a default by a counterparty. The use of foreign currency forward contracts may expose the Fund to additional risks, such as credit risk, liquidity risk, and counterparty risk, that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities or currencies underlying the foreign currency forward contract.

 

Futures Contracts Risk. Futures contracts are derivative instruments pursuant to a contract where the parties agree to a fixed price for an agreed amount of securities or other underlying assets at an agreed date. The use of such derivative instruments may expose the Fund to additional risks, such as credit risk, liquidity risk, and counterparty risk, that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. There can be no assurance that any strategy used will succeed. There may at times be an imperfect correlation between the movement in the prices of futures contracts and the value of their underlying instruments or indexes. There also can be no assurance that, at all times, a liquid market will exist for offsetting a futures contract that the Fund has previously bought or sold, and this may result in the inability to close a futures contract when desired. Futures contracts may experience potentially
 

American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus3 


 

 

dramatic price changes, which will increase the volatility of the Fund and may involve a small investment of cash (the amount of initial and variation margin) relative to the magnitude of the risk assumed (the potential increase or decrease in the price of the futures contract). Equity index futures contracts expose the Fund to volatility in an underlying securities index. Foreign currency futures contracts expose the Fund to risks associated with fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies.

 

Swap Agreements Risk. Swap agreements or “swaps” are transactions in which the Fund and a counterparty agree to pay or receive payments at specified dates based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or rates or the performance of specified securities, indices or other assets based on a specified amount (the “notional” amount). Swaps can involve greater risks than a direct investment in an underlying asset, because swaps typically include a certain amount of embedded leverage and as such are subject to leverage risk. If swaps are used as a hedging strategy, the Fund is subject to the risk that the hedging strategy may not eliminate the risk that it is intended to offset, due to, among other reasons, the occurrence of unexpected price movements or the non-occurrence of expected price movements. Swaps also may be difficult to value. Swaps may be subject to liquidity risk and counterparty risk, and swaps that are traded over-the-counter are not subject to standardized clearing requirements and may involve greater liquidity and counterparty risks. The Fund may invest in the following types of swaps:

 

    Currency swaps, which may be subject to currency risk and credit risk.
 

Dividend Risk
An issuer of stock held by the Fund may choose not to declare a dividend or the dividend rate might not remain at current levels or increase over time. Dividend paying stocks might not experience the same level of earnings growth or capital appreciation as non-dividend paying stocks. Securities that pay dividends may be sensitive to changes in interest rates and, as interest rates rise or fall, the prices of such securities may fall.

Emerging Markets Risk
When investing in emerging markets, the risks of investing in foreign securities 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 or economic 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 other restrictions on investment; delays and disruptions in securities settlement procedures; and significant limitations on investor rights and recourse. 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, financial reporting and recordkeeping standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject.

Environmental, Social, and/or Governance Investing Risk
The use of environmental, social, and/or governance (“ESG”) considerations by a sub-advisor may cause the Fund to make different investments than funds that have a similar investment style but do not incorporate such considerations in their strategy. As with the use of any investment considerations involved in investment decisions, there is no guarantee that the use of any ESG investment considerations will result in the selection of issuers that will outperform other issuers or help reduce risk in the Fund. The Fund may underperform funds that do not incorporate these considerations.

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, more volatility, less government regulation and supervision and delays in transaction settlement.

 

Master Limited Partnerships (“MLPs”) Risk. Investing in MLPs involves certain risks related to investing in the underlying assets of the MLPs and risks associated with pooled investment vehicles. Investments held by MLPs may be relatively illiquid, limiting the MLPs’ ability to change their portfolios promptly in response to changes in economic or other conditions. MLPs may have limited financial resources, their securities may trade infrequently and in limited volume, they may be difficult to value, and they may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger or more broadly based companies. Holders of units in MLPs have more limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership and may be required to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price. The Fund’s investments in MLPs will be limited to no more than 25% of its assets in order for the Fund to meet the requirements necessary to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Internal Revenue Code”).

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) Risk. Investments in REITs are subject to the risks associated with investing in the real estate industry, including, among other risks: adverse developments affecting the real estate industry; declines in real property values; changes in interest rates; defaults by mortgagors or other borrowers and tenants; lack of availability of mortgage funds or financing; extended vacancies of properties, especially during economic downturns; casualty or condemnation losses; and governmental actions, such as changes to tax laws, zoning regulations or environmental regulations. REITs also are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency or self-liquidation. Regardless of where a REIT is organized or traded, its performance may be affected significantly by events in the region where its properties are located. Domestic REITs could be adversely affected by failure to qualify for tax-free “pass-through” of distributed net income and net realized gains under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Internal Revenue Code”), or to maintain their exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Investment Company Act”). REITs typically incur fees that are separate from those incurred by the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund’s investment in REITs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the REITs’ operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses. The value of REIT common stock may decline when interest rates rise. REITs tend to be small- to mid-capitalization securities and, as such, are subject to the risks of investing in small- to mid-capitalization securities.
 

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. The Fund’s investment in a foreign issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with that country. Global economic and financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected and conditions (including recent volatility and instability) and events (including natural disasters) in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market.

4American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus 


 

Geographic Concentration Risk
From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in the securities of issuers located in, or with significant economic ties to, a single country or geographic region, which could increase the risk that economic, political, business, regulatory, diplomatic, social and environmental conditions in that particular country or geographic region may have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance. Investing in such a manner could cause the Fund’s performance to be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diverse funds.

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 and, at times, such companies may be out of favor with investors. Many larger-capitalization companies also may be unable to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

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, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities, although under certain market conditions fixed income securities may have comparable or greater price volatility. During a general downturn in the securities markets, multiple assets may decline in value simultaneously. Prices in many financial markets have increased significantly over the last decade, but there have also been periods of adverse market and financial developments and cyclical change during that timeframe, which have resulted in unusually high levels of volatility in domestic and foreign financial markets that has caused losses for investors and may occur again in the future. The value of a security may decline due to adverse issuer-specific conditions, general market conditions unrelated to a particular issuer, such as changes in interest or inflation rates, or factors that affect a particular industry or industries. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer or market segment also can impact the market as a whole. Geopolitical and other events, including war, terrorism, economic uncertainty, trade disputes, pandemics, public health crises, natural disasters and related events have led, and in the future may continue to lead, to instability in world economies and markets generally and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and fixed-income markets, which may disrupt economies and markets and adversely affect the value of your investment. Changes in value may be temporary or may last for extended periods.

Policy changes by the U.S. government and/or Federal Reserve and political events within the U.S. and abroad, such as changes in the U.S. presidential administration and Congress, the U.S. government’s inability at times to agree on a long-term budget and deficit reduction plan, the threat of a federal government shutdown and threats not to increase the federal government’s debt limit, may affect investor and consumer confidence and may adversely impact financial markets and the broader economy, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree.

Markets and market participants are increasingly reliant upon both publicly available and proprietary information data systems. Data imprecision, software or other technology malfunctions, programming inaccuracies, unauthorized use or access, and similar circumstances may impair the performance of these systems and may have an adverse impact upon a single issuer, a group of issuers, or the market at large.

The financial markets generally move in cycles, with periods of rising prices followed by periods of declining prices. The value of your investment may reflect these fluctuations.

 

Recent Market Events Risk. An outbreak of infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, was first detected in late 2019 and has subsequently spread globally. The transmission of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread have resulted, and may continue to result, in significant disruptions to business operations, widespread business closures and layoffs, travel restrictions and closed borders, prolonged quarantines and stay-at-home orders, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, service and event changes, and lower consumer demand, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the global economy. The impact of the pandemic has negatively affected and may continue to affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including their liquidity, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. The pandemic has accelerated trends toward working remotely and shopping on-line, which may negatively affect the value of office and commercial real estate and companies that have been slow to transition to an on-line business model and has disrupted the supply chains that many businesses depend on. The travel, hospitality and public transit industries may suffer long-term negative effects from the pandemic and resulting changes to public behavior. Both U.S. and international markets have experienced significant volatility in recent months and years. As a result of such volatility, investment returns may fluctuate significantly. Moreover, the risks discussed herein associated with an investment in the Fund may be increased.

 

  The Federal Reserve has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to keep credit flowing through the economy. However, the Federal Reserve recently began to reduce its interventions as the economy improved and inflation accelerated. Concerns about the markets’ dependence on the Federal Reserve’s provision of liquidity have grown as a result. High public debt in the U.S. and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty, and there may be a further increase in public debt due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic relief and public health measures. Governments’ efforts to limit potential negative economic effects of the pandemic may be altered, delayed, or eliminated at inopportune times for political, policy or other reasons.

 

  Interest rates have been unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, and central banks reduced rates further in an effort to combat the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because there is little precedent for this situation, it is difficult to predict the impact on various markets of a significant rate increase or other significant policy changes. The U.S. Federal Reserve is anticipated to raise interest rates beginning in 2022, in part to address an increase in the annual inflation rate in the U.S. Over the longer term, rising interest rates may present a greater risk than has historically been the case due to the current period of relatively low rates and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and potential market reaction to those initiatives or their alteration or cessation.

 

  Slowing global economic growth, risks associated with the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union on December 31, 2020, commonly referred to as “Brexit,” and a trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, the risks associated with ongoing trade negotiations with China, the possibility of changes to some international trade agreements, tensions or open conflict between nations, such as between Russia and Ukraine, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are major producers of oil could affect the economies of many nations, including the United States, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time.
 

American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus5 


 

 

  Economists and others have expressed increasing concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. Certain issuers, industries and regions may be adversely affected by the impacts of climate change, including on the demand for and the development of goods and services and related production costs, and the impacts of legislation, regulation and international accords related to climate change, as well as any indirect consequences of regulation or business trends driven by climate change.
 

Market Timing Risk
The Fund is subject to the risk of market timing activities by investors due to the nature of the Fund’s investments, which requires the Fund, in certain instances, to fair value certain of its investments. Some investors may engage in frequent short-term trading in the Fund to take advantage of any price differentials that may be reflected in the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund’s shares. Frequent trading by Fund shareholders poses risks to other shareholders in the Fund, including (i) the dilution of the Fund’s NAV, (ii) an increase in the Fund’s expenses, and (iii) interference with the ability to execute efficient investment strategies.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk
Investing in the securities of mid-capitalization companies involves greater risk and the possibility of greater price volatility, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, 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 changes in overall economic conditions, interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings.

Multiple Sub-Advisor Risk
The Manager may allocate the Fund’s assets among multiple sub-advisors, each of which is responsible for investing its allocated portion of the Fund’s assets. To a significant extent, the Fund’s performance will depend on the success of the Manager in selecting and overseeing the sub-advisors and allocating the Fund’s assets to sub-advisors. The sub-advisors’ investment styles may not work together as planned, which could adversely affect the performance of the Fund. In addition, because each sub-advisor makes its trading decisions independently, it is possible that the sub-advisors may purchase or sell the same security at the same time without aggregating their transactions. This may cause unnecessary brokerage and other expenses.

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. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies that invest in equity securities, fixed income securities and/or foreign securities, or that track an index, the Fund is subject to the risks associated with the underlying investments held by the investment company or the index fluctuations to which the investment company is subject. The Fund will be subject to the risks associated with investments in those companies, including but not limited to the following:

 

Government Money Market Funds Risk. Investments in government money market funds are subject to interest rate risk, credit risk, and market risk.
 

Sector Risk
When the Fund focuses its investments in certain sectors of the economy, its performance may be driven largely by sector performance and could fluctuate more widely than if the Fund were invested more evenly across sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. As the Fund’s portfolio changes over time, the Fund’s exposure to a particular sector may become higher or lower.

 

Financials Sector Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the Financials sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations.
 

Securities Lending Risk
To the extent the Fund lends its securities, it may be subject to the following risks: i) the securities in which the Fund reinvests cash collateral may decrease in value, causing the Fund to incur a loss, or may not perform sufficiently to cover the Fund’s payment to the borrower of a pre-negotiated fee or “rebate” for the use of that cash collateral in connection with the loan; ii) non-cash collateral may decline in value, resulting in the Fund becoming under-secured; iii) delays may occur in the recovery of loaned securities from borrowers, which could result in the Fund being unable to vote proxies or settle transactions or cause the Fund to incur increased costs; and iv) if the borrower becomes subject to insolvency or similar proceedings, the Fund could incur delays in its ability to enforce its rights in its collateral.

Securities Selection Risk
Securities selected 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.

Segregated Assets Risk
In connection with certain transactions that may give rise to future payment obligations, the Fund may be required to maintain a segregated amount of, or otherwise earmark, cash or liquid securities to cover the obligation. Segregated assets generally cannot be sold while the position they are covering is outstanding, unless they are replaced with other assets of equal value. The need to segregate cash or other liquid securities could limit the Fund’s ability to pursue other opportunities as they arise.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk
Investing in the securities of small-capitalization companies involves greater risk and the possibility of greater price volatility, which at times can be rapid and unpredictable, 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 changes in overall economic conditions, interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings.

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.

6American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus 


 

Value Stocks Risk
Value stocks are subject to the risk that their intrinsic or full value may never be realized by the market, that a stock judged to be undervalued may be appropriately priced, or that their prices may decline. Although value stocks tend to be inexpensive relative to their earnings, they can continue to be inexpensive for long periods of time. The Fund’s investments in value stocks seek to limit potential downside price risk over time; however, value stock prices still may decline substantially. In addition, the Fund may produce more modest gains as a trade-off for this potentially lower risk. The Fund’s investment in value stocks could cause the Fund to underperform funds that use a growth or non-value approach to investing or have a broader investment style.

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 how the Fund’s performance has varied from year to year. The table shows how the Fund’s average annual total returns compare to a broad-based market index, which is the Fund’s benchmark index, as well as an additional broad-based market index, for the periods indicated.

The chart and the table show the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for all periods. The Fund began offering R6 Class shares on February 28, 2017. In the table below, the performance of the R6 Class shares prior to February 28, 2017 represents the performance of the R5 Class shares of the Fund. The R6 Class shares would have had similar annual returns to the R5 Class shares of the Fund because the shares of each class represent investments in the same portfolio securities. However, the R5 Class shares of the Fund had different expenses than the R6 Class shares, which would affect performance. The R6 Class performance shown in the table has not been adjusted for differences in operating expenses between the R6 Class shares and the R5 Class shares.

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

Highest Quarterly Return:
20.63% 4th Quarter 2020
01/01/2012 through 12/31/2021

Lowest Quarterly Return:
-29.98% 1st Quarter 2020
01/01/2012 through 12/31/2021

Average annual total returns for periods ended December 31, 2021


Inception Date of Class

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Investor Class

08/01/1994

Returns Before Taxes

9.30
%
6.32
%
6.35
%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

7.09
%
5.32
%
5.72
%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares

7.62
%
5.09
%
5.27
%

Inception Date of Class

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Share Class (Before Taxes)

A

05/17/2010
2.93
%
5.01
%
5.63
%

C

09/01/2010
7.42
%
5.48
%
5.48
%

Y

08/03/2009
9.51
%
6.59
%
6.62
%

R6

02/28/2017
9.70
%
6.75
%
6.75
%

Advisor

05/01/2003
9.15
%
6.18
%
6.21
%

R5

08/07/1991
9.63
%
6.67
%
6.71
%

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes, other than withholding taxes, as noted)

MSCI® EAFE Index (Net)*

11.26
%
9.55
%
8.03
%

MSCI® EAFE Value Index (Net)*

10.89
%
5.34
%
5.81
%
* Reflects the reinvestment of dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes, using a tax rate applicable to non-resident individuals who do not benefit from double taxation treaties.

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 of the Fund; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus7 


 

Management

The Manager
The Fund has retained American Beacon Advisors, Inc. to serve as its Manager.

Sub-Advisors
The Fund’s assets are currently allocated among the following investment sub-advisors:

 

American Century Investment Management, Inc.

 

Causeway Capital Management LLC

 

Lazard Asset Management LLC
 

Portfolio Managers

American Beacon Advisors, Inc.

Gene L. Needles, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer
Since 2012

Matt L. Peden
Director of Investments & Portfolio Manager
Since 2022

Paul B. Cavazos
Senior Vice President & Chief Investment Officer
Since 2016

Kirk L. Brown
Senior Portfolio Manager
Since 1994

American Century Investment Management, Inc.

Alvin Polit
Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager
Since 2020

Jonathan Veiga
Portfolio Manager and Senior Investment Analyst
Since 2020

Causeway Capital Management LLC

Sarah H. Ketterer
Chief Executive Officer
Since 2001

Jonathan P. Eng
Director
Since 2006

Harry W. Hartford
President
Since 2001

Brian Cho
Director
Since 2021

Conor Muldoon
Director
Since 2010

Alessandro Valentini
Director
Since 2013

Ellen Lee
Director
Since 2015

Steven Nguyen
Director
Since 2019

Lazard Asset Management LLC

John R. Reinsberg
Deputy Chairman
Since 1999

Michael G. Fry
Managing Director
Since 2005

Kevin J. Matthews
Managing Director
Since 2013

Paul Selvey-Clinton
Portfolio Manager/Analyst
Since 2022

Michael A. Bennett
Managing Director
Since 2003

Michael Powers
Senior Advisor
Since 2003

Giles Edwards
Portfolio Manager/Analyst
Since 2020

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may buy or sell shares of the Fund through a retirement plan, an investment professional, a broker-dealer, or other financial intermediary. You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open, at the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) per share next calculated after your order is received in proper form, subject to any applicable sales charge. The Manager may, in its sole discretion, allow certain individuals to invest directly in the Fund. For more information regarding eligibility to invest directly please see “About Your Investment - Purchase and Redemption of Shares.” Direct mutual fund account shareholders may buy subsequent shares or sell shares in various ways:

Internet

www.americanbeaconfunds.com

Phone

To reach an American Beacon representative call 1-800-658-5811, option 1

Through the Automated Voice Response Service call 1-800-658-5811, option 2 (Investor Class only)

Mail

American Beacon Funds

P.O. Box 219643

Kansas City, MO 64121-9643

Overnight Delivery:

American Beacon Funds

c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.

330 West 9th Street

Kansas City, MO 64105

8American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus 


 

New Account

Existing Account

Share Class

Minimum Initial Investment Amount

Purchase/Redemption Minimum by Check/ACH/Exchange

Purchase/Redemption Minimum by Wire

C

$1,000

$50

$250

A, Investor

$2,500

$50

$250

Advisor

$2,500

$50

None

Y

$100,000

$50

None

R5

$250,000

$50

None

R6

None

$50

None

Tax Information

Dividends, capital gains distributions, and other distributions, if any, that you receive from the Fund are subject to federal income tax and may also be subject to state and local income taxes, unless you are a tax-exempt entity or your account is tax-deferred, such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or a 401(k) plan (in which case you may be taxed later, upon the withdrawal of your investment from such account or plan).

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and the Fund’s distributor, Resolute Investment Distributors, Inc., or the Manager may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your individual financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial professional or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

American Beacon International Equity Fund - Summary Prospectus9