497K 1 d497k.htm THE ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN PORTFOLIOS - CONSERVATIVE WEALTH STRATEGY - RETAIL SHARES The AllianceBernstein Portfolios - Conservative Wealth Strategy - Retail Shares
LOGO    SUMMARY PROSPECTUS    December 31, 2010

AllianceBernstein Conservative Wealth Strategy

Ticker: Class A–ABPAX; Class B–ABPBX; Class C –ABPCX; Advisor Class–ABPYX

 

Before you invest, you may want to review the Strategy’s Prospectus, which contains more information about the Strategy and its risks. The Strategy’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), both dated December 31, 2010, are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus. For free paper or electronic copies of the Strategy’s Prospectus and other information about the Strategy, go to http://www.alliancebernstein.com/links/mf, email a request to prorequest@alliancebernstein.com, call (800) 227-4618, or ask any financial advisor, bank, or broker-dealer who offers shares of the Strategy. Unless otherwise noted, page number references refer to the current Prospectus for this Strategy.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Strategy’s investment objective is to achieve a high total return without, in the opinion of the Adviser, undue risk to principal.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE STRATEGY

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Strategy. You may qualify for sales charge reductions if you and members of your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in Investing in the Strategies—Sales Charge Reduction Programs on page 47 of this Prospectus and in Purchase of Shares—Sales Charge Reduction Programs on page 103 of the Strategy’s SAI.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

 

     Class A
Shares
 

Class B Shares

(not currently offered
to new investors)

  Class C
Shares
  Advisor Class
Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price)
  4.25%   None   None   None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of offering price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower)
  None   4.00%*   1.00%**   None
Exchange Fee   None   None   None   None

 

* Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares after eight years. The contingent deferred sales charge, or CDSC, decreases over time. For Class B shares the CDSC decreases 1.00% annually to 0% after the fourth year.

 

** For Class C shares the CDSC is 0% after the first year.

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

 

      Class A      Class B      Class C      Advisor Class  
Management Fees      .55%         .55%         .55%         .55%   
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees      .30%         1.00%         1.00%         None   
Other Expenses            

Transfer Agent

     .09%         .11%         .10%         .09%   

Other Expenses

     .06%         .06%         .06%         .06%   
                                   
Total Other Expenses      .15%         .17%         .16%         .15%   
                                   
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (Underlying Portfolios)      .03%         .03%         .03%         .03%   
                                   
Total Annual Strategy Operating Expenses      1.03%         1.75%         1.74%         0.73%   
                                   
   

Examples

The Examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Strategy with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Examples assume that you invest $10,000 in the Strategy for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Examples also assume that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Strategy’s

 

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operating expenses stay the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

     Class A     Class B     Class C     Advisor Class  
After 1 Year   $ 526      $ 578      $ 277      $ 75   
After 3 Years   $ 739      $ 751      $ 548      $ 233   
After 5 Years   $ 969      $ 949      $ 944      $ 406   
After 10 Years   $ 1,631      $ 1,872      $ 2,052      $ 906   

You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares at the end of the period:

 

     Class A     Class B     Class C     Advisor Class  
After 1 Year   $ 526      $ 178      $ 177      $ 75   
After 3 Years   $ 739      $ 551      $ 548      $ 233   
After 5 Years   $ 969      $ 949      $ 944      $ 406   
After 10 Years   $ 1,631      $ 1,872      $ 2,052      $ 906   

Portfolio Turnover

The Strategy (or an Underlying Portfolio) pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys or sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Strategy shares are held in a taxable account. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Strategy Operating Expenses or in the Examples, affect the Strategy’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Strategy’s portfolio turnover rate (which reflects only purchases and sales of the Underlying Portfolios) was 5% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES:

The Strategy seeks to achieve its objective by investing in a combination of portfolios of the Underlying Portfolios representing a variety of asset classes and investment styles that are also managed by the Adviser. By allocating its assets among the Underlying Portfolios, the Strategy creates a portfolio that is designed as a solution for investors who seek some opportunities for equity returns without regard to taxes if the related risks are broadly diversified and overall portfolio volatility reflects a preponderance of debt securities. Through investments in the Underlying Portfolios, the Adviser efficiently diversifies between debt and equity components to produce the desired risk/return profile of the Strategy. The Strategy targets a weighting of 30% in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equity securities and 70% in Underlying Portfolios that invest in debt securities with a goal of providing reduced volatility and modest upside potential. An investment in the Multi-Asset Real Return Underlying Portfolio is treated as 50% debt and 50% equity for the purpose of these allocations.

The following table shows the target percentages of its net assets that the Strategy will invest in each of the Underlying Portfolios indicated as of the date of this Prospectus.

 

Asset Class   Underlying Portfolio     Targeted Blend   
Stock   U.S. Large Cap Growth     7.50%   
  U.S. Value     7.50%   
  U.S. Small/Mid-Cap Growth     1.25%   
  U.S. Small/Mid-Cap Value     1.25%   
  International Growth     3.75%   
    International Value     3.75%   
Real Return  

Multi-Asset Real Return

    10.00%   
Bond   Bond Inflation Protection     10.00%   
    Intermediate Duration     27.50%   
Short Duration Bond   Short-term Duration     27.50%   

Within the Strategy’s equity component, the targeted blend is an equal weighting of Underlying Portfolios that invest in growth and value style stocks (50% each), with approximately 70% of each equity style invested in Underlying Portfolios that invest in U.S. companies and the remaining 30% in Underlying Portfolios that invest in non-U.S. companies. The Adviser will allow the relative weightings of the Strategy’s investments in equity and debt, growth and value, and in U.S. and non-U.S. company Underlying Portfolios to change in response to market conditions, but ordinarily only by ±5% of the Strategy’s net assets. Beyond those ranges, the Adviser will rebalance the Strategy toward the targeted blends. However, under extraordinary circumstances, such as when market conditions favoring one investment style are compelling, the range may expand to ±10% of the Strategy’s net assets. The Strategy’s targeted blend may change from time to time without notice to shareholders based on the Adviser’s assessment of market conditions.

 

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The Adviser selects growth and value equity securities by drawing from a variety of its fundamental growth and value investment disciplines to produce a blended equity component. Within each equity investment discipline, the Adviser is able to draw on the resources and expertise of multiple growth and value equity investment teams, specializing in different capitalization ranges and geographic regions (U.S. and non-U.S.), which are supported by more than 50 equity research analysts specializing in growth research, and more than 50 equity research analysts specializing in value research.

Each growth investment team selects stocks using a process that seeks to identify companies with strong management, superior industry positions, excellent balance sheets and superior earnings growth prospects. This discipline relies heavily upon the fundamental analysis and research of the Adviser’s large internal growth research staff, which follows over 1,500 U.S. and non-U.S. companies. The Adviser’s growth analysts prepare their own earnings estimates and financial models for each company followed. Research emphasis is placed on identifying companies whose substantially above-average prospective earnings growth is not fully reflected in current market valuations. Each growth investment team constructs a portfolio that emphasizes equity securities of a limited number of carefully selected, high-quality companies that are judged likely to achieve superior earnings growth.

Each value investment team seeks to identify companies whose long-term earnings power and dividend paying capability are not reflected in the current market price of their securities. This fundamental value discipline relies heavily upon the large internal value research staff of the Adviser’s Bernstein unit (“Bernstein”), which follows over 1,500 U.S. and non-U.S. companies. Teams within the value research staff cover a given industry worldwide, to better understand each company’s competitive position in a global context. Bernstein’s staff of company and industry analysts prepares its own earnings estimates and financial models for each company analyzed. Bernstein identifies and quantifies the critical variables that control a business’s performance and analyzes the results in order to forecast each company’s long-term prospects and expected returns. Through application of this value investment process, each value investment team constructs a portfolio that emphasizes equity securities of a limited number of value companies.

In selecting fixed-income investments, the Adviser may draw on the capabilities of separate investment teams that specialize in different areas that are generally defined by the maturity of the debt securities and/or their ratings, which may include subspecialties (such as inflation-protected securities). These fixed-income teams draw on the resources and expertise of the Adviser’s large internal fixed-income research staff, which includes over 50 dedicated fixed-income research analysts and economists. All fixed-income securities of the Underlying Portfolios in which the Strategy invests will be of investment grade at the time of purchase. In the event that the rating of any security held by the Underlying Portfolios falls below investment grade, the Strategy will not be obligated to dispose of its investment in such Underlying Portfolio and may continue to hold such investment if, in the opinion of the Adviser, such investment is appropriate under the circumstances.

PRINCIPAL RISKS:

•  

Market Risk: The value of the Strategy’s assets will fluctuate as the stock or bond market fluctuates. The value of its investments may decline, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, simply because of economic changes or other events that affect large portions of the market. It includes the risk that a particular style of investing, such as growth or value, may be underperforming the stock market generally.

 

•  

Interest Rate Risk: Changes in interest rates will affect the value of the Strategy’s investments in Underlying Portfolios that invest in fixed-income securities. When interest rates rise, the value of investments in fixed-income securities tend to fall and this decrease in value may not be offset by higher income from new investments. Interest rate risk is generally greater for fixed-income securities with longer maturities or durations. Investments in fixed-income securities with lower credit ratings (“junk bonds”) tend to have a higher probability that an issuer will default or fail to meet its payment obligations.

 

•  

Credit Risk: An issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security, or the counterparty to a derivatives or other contract, may be unable or unwilling to make timely payments of interest or principal, or to otherwise honor its obligations. The issuer or guarantor may default causing a loss of the full principal amount of a security. The degree of risk for a particular security may be reflected in its credit rating. There is the possibility that the credit rating of a fixed-income security may be downgraded after purchase, which may adversely affect the value of the security. Investments in fixed-income securities with lower ratings tend to have a higher probability that an issuer will default or fail to meet its payment obligations.

 

•  

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Risk: The Strategy’s investments in Underlying Portfolios that invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers may involve more risk than those of U.S. issuers. These securities may fluctuate more widely in price and may be less liquid due to adverse market, economic, political, regulatory or other factors.

 

•  

Currency Risk: Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may negatively affect the value of the Strategy’s investments or reduce its returns.

 

•  

Capitalization Risk: Investments in small- and mid-capitalization companies by Underlying Portfolios may be more volatile than investments in large-cap companies. Investments in small-cap companies may have additional risks because these companies have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources.

As with all investments, you may lose money by investing in the Strategy.

 

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BAR CHART AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and performance information provide an indication of the historical risk of an investment in the Strategy by showing:

 

•  

how the Strategy’s performance changed from year to year over the life of the Strategy; and

 

•  

how the Strategy’s average annual returns for one and five years and over the life of the Strategy compare to those of a broad-based securities market index.

You may obtain updated performance information on the Strategy’s website at www.AllianceBernstein.com (click on “Pricing & Performance”).

The Strategy’s past performance before and after taxes, of course, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future.

BAR CHART

The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Strategy’s Class A shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were reflected, returns would be less than those shown. Through September 30, 2010, the year-to-date unannualized return for Class A shares was 5.64%.

LOGO

During the period shown in the bar chart, the Strategy’s:

Best Quarter was up 9.90%, 3rd quarter, 2009; and Worst Quarter was down -9.60%, 4th quarter, 2008.

Performance Table

Average Annual Total Returns

(For the periods ended December 31, 2009)

 

           1 Year        5 Years        Since
Inception*
 
Class A**   Return Before Taxes      14.06%           1.95%           3.53%   
     
  Return After Taxes on Distributions      13.01%           0.87%           2.54%   
     
    Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Strategy Shares      9.18%           1.12%           2.51%   
Class B   Return Before Taxes      14.16%           2.13%           3.51%   
Class C   Return Before Taxes      17.18%           2.11%           3.50%   
Advisor Class   Return Before Taxes      19.38%           3.15%           4.54%   
S&P 500 Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
     26.46%           0.42%           3.44%   
Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
     5.93%           4.97%           5.18%   
30% S&P 500 Index/70% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Index#
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
     12.20%           3.86%           4.89%   

 

* Inception Date for all Classes is 9/2/03.

 

** After-tax returns:

 

  – Are shown for Class A shares only and will vary for Class B, Class C and Advisor Class shares because these Classes have different expense ratios;

 

  – Are estimates based on the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes; actual after-tax returns depend on an individual investor’s tax situation and are likely to differ from those shown; and

 

  – Are not relevant to investors who hold Strategy shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

# The information in the 30% S&P 500 Index/ 70% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Index shows how the Strategy’s performance compares with the returns of an index of securities similar to those in which the Strategy invests.

 

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INVESTMENT ADVISER

AllianceBernstein L.P. is the investment adviser for the Strategy.

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The following table lists the persons responsible for day-to-day management of the Strategy’s portfolio:

 

Employee    Length of Service    Title
Thomas J. Fontaine    Since 2008    Senior Vice President of the Adviser
     
Dokyoung Lee    Since 2008    Senior Vice President of the Adviser
     
Seth J. Masters    Since 2003    Senior Vice President of the Adviser
     
Christopher H. Nikolich    Since 2003    Senior Vice President of the Adviser
     
Patrick J. Rudden    Since 2009    Senior Vice President of the Adviser

PURCHASE AND SALE OF STRATEGY SHARES

Purchase Minimums

 

      Initial    Subsequent
Class A/Class C Shares, including traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs
(Class B shares are not currently offered to new shareholders)
   $2,500    $50
Automatic Investment Program    Less than $2,500    $50
If initial investment is
less than $2,500, then $200
monthly until account balance
reaches $2,500
Advisor Class Shares (only available to fee-based programs or through other limited arrangements)    None    None

You may sell (redeem) your shares each day the New York Stock Exchange is open. You may sell your shares through your financial intermediary or by mail (AllianceBernstein Investor Services, Inc., P.O. Box 786003, San Antonio, TX 78278-6003) or telephone (800-221-5672).

TAX INFORMATION

Each Strategy may make income dividends or capital gains distributions, which may be subject to federal income taxes and taxable as ordinary income or capital gains and may also be subject to state and local taxes.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase shares of a Strategy through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Strategy and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Strategy shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Strategy over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

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