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Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund
Laudus® Mondrian International Equity Fund
Investment Objective
The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees
Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund
Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund
USD ($)
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) none
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund
Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund
Management fees 0.75%
Distribution (12b-1) fees none
Other expenses 0.24%
Total annual fund operating expenses 0.99%
Less expense reduction (0.09%)
Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reduction 0.90% [1]
[1] The investment adviser has contractually agreed to limit the total annual fund operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes and certain non-routine expenses) of the fund to 0.90% until at least July 30, 2020. During this term, the agreement may only be amended or terminated with the approval of the fund’s Board of Trustees. Any amounts waived or reimbursed in a particular fiscal year will be subject to reimbursement by the fund to the investment adviser during the next two fiscal years to the extent that the repayment will not cause the fund’s total annual fund operating expenses to exceed the limit (as stated in the agreement) during the respective year or the current year. The investment adviser may, but is not required to, extend the agreement for additional years. The information in the table has been restated to reflect current fees and expenses.
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 time periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The one-year figures are based on total annual fund operating expenses after expense reduction. The expenses would be the same whether you stayed in the fund or sold your shares at the end of each period. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.
Expenses on a $10,000 Investment
Expense Example
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund | Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund | USD ($) 92 297 529 1,196
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 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 23% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund pursues its investment objective primarily by investing in equity securities of non-U.S. large capitalization issuers, including the securities of emerging market companies, that, in the subadviser’s opinion, are undervalued at the time of purchase based on fundamental value analysis employed by the subadviser. Normally, the fund will invest primarily in common stocks. The fund may purchase securities of non-U.S. issuers directly or indirectly in the form of American, European or Global depositary receipts or other securities representing underlying shares of non-U.S. issuers. The fund may also invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

For purposes of investments to be made by the fund, large capitalization companies are currently defined by the subadviser to mean issuers that have a market capitalization of more than $7.5 billion at the time of purchase. This level is subject to market movements and is regularly reviewed by the subadviser. Typically, the fund invests in securities of approximately 30-40 companies.

Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including, for this purpose, any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The fund will notify its shareholders at least 60 days before changing this policy.

The subadviser’s approach in selecting investments for the fund is primarily oriented to individual stock selection and is value driven. In selecting stocks for the fund, the subadviser identifies those stocks that it believes will provide capital appreciation over a market cycle, taking into consideration movements in the price of the individual security and the impact of currency fluctuation on a United States domiciled, dollar-based investor. The subadviser conducts fundamental research on a global basis in order to identify securities that, in the subadviser’s opinion, have the potential for long-term capital appreciation. This research effort generally centers on a value-oriented dividend discount methodology with respect to individual securities and market analysis that isolates value across country boundaries. The approach focuses on future anticipated dividends and discounts the value of those dividends back to what they would be worth if they were being received today. In addition, the analysis typically includes a comparison of the values and current market prices of different possible investments. The subadviser’s general management strategy emphasizes long-term holding of securities, although securities may be sold in the subadviser’s discretion without regard to the length of time they have been held.

The fund may invest in securities issued in any currency and may hold foreign currency. The fund may carry out hedging activities and may invest in forward foreign currency exchange contracts to hedge currency risks associated with the purchase of individual securities denominated in a particular currency. Under normal circumstances, hedging is undertaken defensively back into the base currency of the fund.

The fund may invest in derivative instruments, principally futures contracts. The fund typically uses derivatives as a substitute for taking a position in the underlying asset or as part of a strategy designed to reduce exposure to other risks. The fund may lend its securities to certain financial institutions to earn additional income.

The fund may also invest in investment-grade and below investment-grade debt securities (sometimes called junk bonds) issued by government or corporate entities.

The fund may buy and sell portfolio securities actively. As a result, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs will rise, which may lower fund performance and may increase the likelihood of capital gain distributions.

For temporary defensive purposes, during unusual economic or market conditions or for liquidity purposes, the fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash, money market instruments, repurchase agreements and other short-term obligations. When the fund engages in such activities, it may not achieve its investment objective.
Principal Risks
The fund is subject to risks, any of which could cause an investor to lose money. The fund’s principal risks include:

Market Risk. Financial markets rise and fall in response to a variety of factors, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. As with any investment whose performance is tied to these markets, the value of an investment in the fund will fluctuate, which means that an investor could lose money over short or long periods.

Management Risk. As with all actively managed funds, the fund is subject to the risk that its subadviser will select investments or allocate assets in a manner that could cause the fund to underperform or otherwise not meet its objective. Poor stock selection or a focus on securities in a particular sector may cause the fund to underperform its benchmark or other funds with a similar investment objective.

Equity Risk. The prices of equity securities rise and fall daily. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles, which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.

Market Capitalization Risk. Securities issued by companies of different market capitalizations tend to go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. During a period when securities of a particular market capitalization fall behind other types of investments, the fund’s performance could be impacted.

Large-Cap Company Risk. Large-cap companies are generally more mature and the securities issued by these companies may not be able to reach the same levels of growth as the securities issued by small- or mid-cap companies.

Foreign Investment Risk. The fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers involve certain risks that may be greater than those associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers. These include risks of adverse changes in foreign economic, political, regulatory and other conditions; changes in currency exchange rates or exchange control regulations (including limitations on currency movements and exchanges); the imposition of economic sanctions or other government restrictions; differing accounting, auditing, financial reporting and legal standards and practices; differing securities market structures; and higher transaction costs. These risks may negatively impact the value or liquidity of the fund’s investments, and could impair the fund’s ability to meet its investment objective or invest in accordance with its investment strategy. There is a risk that investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency hedged, resulting in the dollar value of the fund’s investment being adversely affected. Foreign securities also include ADRs, GDRs and EDRs which may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets or securities of issuers that conduct their business in emerging markets.

Derivatives Risk. The fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. The fund’s use of derivatives could reduce the fund’s performance, increase the fund’s volatility, and could cause the fund to lose more than the initial amount invested. In addition, investments in derivatives may involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in derivatives can have a disproportionately large impact on the fund.

Fixed Income Risk. Interest rates rise and fall over time, which will affect the fund’s yield and share price. A change in a central bank’s monetary policy or improving economic conditions may result in an increase in interest rates.  A sharp rise in interest rates could cause the fund to lose value. The credit quality of a portfolio investment could also cause the fund’s share price to fall. The fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a portfolio investment or the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to make timely principal or interest payments or otherwise honor its obligations. Fixed income securities may be paid off earlier or later than expected. Either situation could cause the fund to hold securities paying lower than market rates of interest, which could hurt the fund’s yield or share price. Below investment-grade bonds (junk bonds) involve greater risks than investment-grade securities.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Risk. The fund may invest in REITs. The fund’s investments in REITs will be subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including fluctuations in the value of underlying properties, defaults by borrowers or tenants, access to capital, changes in interest rates and risks related to general or local economic conditions. REITs are also subject to certain additional risks, for example, REITs may have their investments in relatively few properties, a small geographic area or a single property type. In addition, REITs have their own expenses, and the fund will bear a proportionate share of those expenses.

Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) Risk. When the fund invests in an ETF, it will bear a proportionate share of the ETF’s expenses. In addition, lack of liquidity in the market for an ETF’s shares can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

Leverage Risk. Certain fund transactions, such as derivatives transactions, may give rise to a form of leverage and may expose the fund to greater risk. Leverage tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio securities, which means even a small amount of leverage can have a disproportionately large impact on the fund.

Liquidity Risk. The fund may be unable to sell certain securities, such as illiquid securities, readily at a favorable time or price, or the fund may have to sell them at a loss.

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in, or delay in recovery of, the loaned securities if the borrower fails to return the security loaned or becomes insolvent.

For more information on the risks of investing in the fund, please see the “Fund Details” section in the prospectus.
Performance
The bar chart below shows how the fund’s investment results have varied from year to year, and the following table shows how the fund’s average annual total returns for various periods compared to that of an index. This information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. All figures assume distributions were reinvested. Keep in mind that future performance (both before and after taxes) may differ from past performance. For current performance information, please see www.schwabfunds.com/laudusfunds_prospectus.

On July 25, 2017, the Investor Share class, Select Share class and Institutional Share class were combined into a single class of shares of the fund, and the fund no longer offers multiple classes of shares. The performance history of the fund is that of the fund’s former Institutional Shares. Accordingly, the past performance information of the fund’s former Institutional Shares is shown below.
Annual Total Returns (%) as of 12/31
Bar Chart
Best Quarter: 18.48% Q3 2009
Worst Quarter: (17.70%) Q1 2009
Year-to-date performance (non-annualized and before taxes) as of 6/30/2018: (4.65%)
Average Annual Total Returns as of 12/31/17
Average Annual Total Returns - Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund
1 Year
5 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund 21.05% 7.88% 2.13% Jun. 16, 2008
Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund | After taxes on distributions 20.36% 6.04% 1.11% Jun. 16, 2008
Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund | After taxes on distributions and sale of shares 13.04% 6.21% 1.79% Jun. 16, 2008
Comparative Indices (reflects no deduction for expenses or taxes) MSCI EAFE Index (Net) 25.03% [1] 7.90% [1] 2.93% [1] Jun. 16, 2008
Comparative Indices (reflects no deduction for expenses or taxes) MSCI EAFE Value Index (Net) 21.44% [1] 6.95% [1] 2.33% [1] Jun. 16, 2008
[1] The net version of the index reflects reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflects no deductions for expenses or other taxes.
The after-tax figures reflect the highest individual federal income tax rates in effect during the period and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. In addition, after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your fund shares through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan, IRA or other tax-advantaged account. In some cases, the return after taxes on distributions and sale of shares may exceed the fund’s other returns due to an assumed benefit from any losses on a sale of shares at the end of the measurement period.