497K 1 delsmallcapcore_497k.htm SUMMARY PROSPECTUS FOR CERTAIN OPEN-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Summary prospectus

U.S. core equity mutual fund

Delaware Small Cap Core Fund

Nasdaq ticker symbols

Class A

DCCAX

Class C

DCCCX

Class R

DCCRX

Institutional Class

DCCIX

March 30, 2015

 

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's statutory prospectus (and any supplements thereto), which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's statutory prospectus and other information about the Fund, including its statement of additional information and most recent reports to shareholders, online at delawareinvestments.com/literature. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 800 523-1918. The Fund's statutory prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated March 30, 2015 (and any supplements thereto), are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus.

Delaware Small Cap Core Fund

What is the Fund's investment objective?

Delaware Small Cap Core Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

What are the Fund's fees and expenses?

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales-charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Delaware Investments® Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor, in the Fund's prospectus under the section entitled "About your account," and in the Fund's statement of additional information (SAI) under the section entitled "Purchasing Shares."

Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Class

A

C

R

Inst.

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

5.75%

none

none

none

Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load)
as a percentage of original purchase price
or redemption price, whichever is lower

none

1.00%1

none

none

Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Class

A

C

R

Inst.

Management fees

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

0.75%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

0.25%

1.00%

0.50%

none

Other expenses

0.32%

0.32%

0.32%

0.32%

Total annual fund operating expenses

1.32%

2.07%

1.57%

1.07%

 
1

Class C shares redeemed within one year of purchase are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC).

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.  Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

(if not

redeemed)

Class

A

C

C

R

Inst.

1 year

$702

$210

$310

$160

$109

3 years

$969

$649

$649

$496

$340

5 years

$1,257

$1,114

$1,114

$855

$590

10 years

$2,074

$2,400

$2,400

$1,867

$1,306

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 the 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 30% of the average value of its portfolio.

What are the Fund's principal investment strategies?

The Fund invests primarily in stocks of small companies that its investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), believes have a combination of attractive valuations, growth prospects, and strong cash flows. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, will be in investments of small-capitalization companies (80% policy). The Fund considers small-capitalization companies to be companies within the market capitalization range of the Russell 2000® Index at the time of purchase.

The Fund's 80% policy is nonfundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. Fund shareholders would be given at least 60 days' notice prior to any such change.

What are the principal risks of investing in the Fund?

Investing in any mutual fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value of your investment in the Fund will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio. Principal risks include:

Investments not guaranteed by Delaware Management Company (Manager) or its affiliates — Investments in the Fund are not and will not be deposits with or liabilities of Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 and its holding companies, including their subsidiaries or related companies (Macquarie Group), and are subject to investment risk, including possible delays in repayment and loss of income and capital invested. No Macquarie Group company guarantees or will guarantee the performance of the Fund, the repayment of capital from the Fund, or any particular rate of return.

Market risk — The risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market — such as the stock or bond market — will decline in value because of factors such as adverse political or economic conditions, future expectations, investor confidence, or heavy institutional selling.

Industry risk — The risk that the value of securities in a particular industry (such as financial services or manufacturing) will decline because of changing expectations for the performance of that industry.

Company size risk — The risk that investments in small- and/or medium-sized companies may be more volatile than those of larger companies because of limited financial resources or dependence on narrow product lines.

Interest rate risk — The risk that securities will decrease in value if interest rates rise. The risk is generally associated with bonds; however, because small- and medium-sized companies and companies in the real estate sector often borrow money to finance their operations, they may be adversely affected by rising interest rates.

Liquidity risk — The possibility that securities cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately the price at which a portfolio has
valued them.

Counterparty risk — The risk that a counterparty to a derivatives contract (such as a swap, futures, or options contract) or a repurchase agreement may fail to perform its obligations under the contract or agreement due to financial difficulties (such as a bankruptcy or reorganization).

Government and regulatory risk — The risk that governments or regulatory authorities have, from time to time, taken or considered actions that could adversely affect various sectors of the securities markets and significantly affect fund performance.

How has Delaware Small Cap Core Fund performed?

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns for the 1-, 5-, and 10-year or lifetime periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Prior to Aug. 1, 2005, the Fund had not engaged in a broad distribution effort of its shares and had been subject to limited redemption requests. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. The returns reflect any expense caps in effect during these periods. The returns would be lower without the expense caps. You may obtain the Fund's most recently available month-end performance by calling 800 523-1918 or by visiting our website at delawareinvestments.com/performance.

 

Year-by-year total return (Class A)

During the periods illustrated in this bar chart, Class A's highest quarterly return was 20.77% for the quarter ended June 30, 2009 and its lowest quarterly return was -26.16% for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2008. The maximum Class A sales charge of 5.75%, which is normally deducted when you purchase shares, is not reflected in the highest/lowest quarterly returns or in the bar chart. If this fee were included, the returns would be less than those shown. The average annual total returns in the table below do include the sales charge.

Average annual total returns for periods ended December 31, 2014

 

 

 

1 year

5 years

10 years or lifetime

Class A return before taxes

2.36%

16.80%

7.66%

Class A return after taxes on distributions

1.09%

16.36%

7.23%

Class A return after taxes on distributions and
sale of Fund shares

2.34%

13.62%

6.16%

Class C return before taxes (lifetime: 8/1/05–12/31/14)

6.74%

17.30%

7.19%

Class R return before taxes (lifetime: 8/1/05–12/31/14)

8.25%

17.89%

7.73%

Institutional Class return before taxes

8.84%

18.47%

8.56%

Russell 2000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

4.89%

15.55%

7.77%

After-tax performance is presented only for Class A shares of the Fund. The after-tax returns for other Fund classes may vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's individual tax situation and may differ from the returns shown. After-tax returns are not relevant for shares held in tax-deferred investment vehicles such as employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). The after-tax returns shown are calculated using the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect during the periods presented and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Who manages the Fund?

Investment manager

Delaware Management Company, a series of Delaware Management Business Trust

 

Portfolio managers

Title with Delaware Management Company

Start date on the Fund

Francis X. Morris

Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer — Core Equity

November 2004

Christopher S. Adams, CFA

Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager

November 2004

Michael S. Morris, CFA

Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager

November 2004

Donald G. Padilla, CFA

Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager

November 2004

Purchase and redemption of Fund shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for business (Business Day). Shares may be purchased or redeemed: through
your financial advisor; through the Fund's website at delawareinvestments.com; by calling 
800 523-1918; by regular mail (c/o Delaware Investments, P.O. Box 9876, Providence, RI 02940-8076); by overnight courier service (c/o Delaware Service Center, 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, MA 01581-1722); or by wire.

For Class A and Class C shares, the minimum initial investment is generally $1,000 and subsequent investments can be made for as little as $100. The minimum initial investment for IRAs, Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act accounts, direct deposit purchase plans, and automatic investment plans is $250 and through Coverdell Education Savings Accounts is $500, and subsequent investments in these accounts can be made for as little as $25. For Class R and Institutional Class shares (except those shares purchased through an automatic investment plan), there is no minimum initial purchase requirement, but certain eligibility requirements must be met. The eligibility requirements are described in the prospectus under "Choosing a share class" and on the Fund's website. We may reduce or waive the minimums or eligibility requirements in certain cases.

Please refer to the Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information for more details regarding the purchase and sale of Fund shares.

Tax information

The Fund's distributions generally are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 
401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-deferred account.

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 its related companies 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 salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

SMPR-480 [11/14] DG3 20331 [3/15]