INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND
PERFORMANCE
Principal Investment Strategies. The Portfolio is a global asset allocation fund that pursues domestic and foreign equity and fixed income strategies emphasizing growth and emerging markets. Under normal circumstances,
approximately 50% of the Portfolio’s total assets are invested to provide exposure to equity securities and approximately 50% of its total assets are invested to provide exposure to fixed income securities. Such
exposures may be obtained through (i) the purchase of “physical” securities (such as common stocks and bonds), (ii) the use of derivatives (such as futures contracts, currency forwards, and equity index
options), and (iii) investments in affiliated or unaffiliated investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Derivative instruments of the Portfolio, underlying funds and ETFs may include futures,
foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, such as total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps. The specific allocation of assets among equity and fixed income asset classes will vary from
time to time, as determined by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (the Subadviser), based on a variety of factors such as the relative attractiveness of various securities based on market valuations, growth and
inflation prospects. Due to the Subadviser’s investment criteria, the Portfolio may at times have a lower risk profile than peer funds and, depending on market conditions, may underperform more aggressive
funds.
The Subadviser utilizes a variety
of different investment strategies in allocating the Portfolio’s assets across equity and fixed income investments. The Subadviser may change the strategies it uses for gaining exposure to these asset classes
and may reallocate the Portfolio’s assets among them from time to time in its sole discretion.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Portfolio. The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio. All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the
Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. While the Portfolio makes every
effort to achieve its objectives, the Portfolio cannot guarantee success.
Asset Allocation Risk. The Portfolio’s overall allocations to stocks and bonds, and the allocations to the various asset classes and market sectors within those broad categories, could cause the Portfolio
to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective. As a fund that has a larger allocation to equity securities relative to its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio risk of loss and share price
fluctuation (and potential for gain) will tend to be more closely aligned with funds investing a greater portion of assets in equity securities and notably more than funds investing primarily in fixed income
securities. Additionally, both equity and fixed income securities may decline in value.
Asset Transfer Program Risk. Predetermined, nondiscretionary mathematical formulas used by the Participating Insurance Companies to manage the guarantees offered in connection with certain benefit programs under the
Contracts may result in systematic transfers of assets among the investment options under the Contracts, including the Portfolio. These formulas may result in large-scale asset flows into and out of the Portfolio,
which could adversely affect the Portfolio, including its risk profile, expenses and performance. For example, the asset flows may adversely affect performance by requiring the Portfolio to purchase or sell securities
at inopportune times, by otherwise limiting the subadviser’s ability to fully implement the Portfolio’s investment strategies, or by requiring the Portfolio to hold a larger portion of its assets in highly
liquid securities than it otherwise would hold. The asset flows may also result in high turnover, low asset levels and high operating expense ratios for the Portfolio. The efficient operation of the asset flows
depends on active and liquid markets. If market liquidity is strained, the asset flows may not operate as intended which in turn could adversely affect performance.
Derivatives Risk. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying investments, such as an asset, reference rate, or index. The
use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves a variety of risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, including the risk that: the party on the
other side of a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation; leverage created by investing in derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio; derivatives may be difficult or impossible
for the Portfolio to buy or sell at an opportune time or price, and may be difficult to terminate or otherwise offset; derivatives used for hedging may reduce or magnify losses but also may reduce or eliminate gains;
and the price of commodity-linked derivatives may be more volatile than the prices of traditional equity and debt securities.
Economic and Market Events Risk. Events in the US and global financial markets, including actions taken by the US Federal Reserve or foreign central banks to stimulate or stabilize economic growth, may at times result in
periods of unusually high volatility in a market or a segment of a market, which could negatively impact performance. Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets could adversely affect issuers
worldwide.
Equity Securities Risk. The value of a particular stock or equity-related security held by the Portfolio could fluctuate, perhaps greatly, in response to a number of factors, such as changes in the
issuer’s financial condition or the value of the equity markets or a sector of those markets. Such events may result in losses to the Portfolio.
Emerging Markets Risk. The risks of non-US investments are greater for investments in or exposed to emerging markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic, political and social systems that are
less developed, and can be expected to be less stable, than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to currency devaluations and rapid and unpredictable (and in
some cases, extremely high) rates of inflation or