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A Class Shares | Westwood Emerging Markets Fund
Westwood Emerging Markets Fund
Fund Investment Objective

The investment objective of the Westwood Emerging Markets Fund (the "Fund") is to seek long-term capital appreciation.

Fund Fees and Expenses

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold A Class 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 the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available (i) from your financial professional and (ii) in the section "Sales Charges" on page 63 of this Prospectus. Investors investing in the Fund through an intermediary should consult Appendix A - Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers, which includes information regarding broker-defined sales charges and related discount and/or waiver policies that apply to purchases through certain intermediaries.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees
A Class Shares
Westwood Emerging Markets Fund
A Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) 3.00%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of net asset value) none [1]
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions (as a percentage of offering price) none
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) none
[1] A Class Shares purchases of $250,000 or more made on or after March 1, 2020 may be subject to a 1.00% Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ("CDSC") if redeemed within 18 months of purchase.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
A Class Shares
Westwood Emerging Markets Fund
A Class Shares
Management Fees 0.95%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees 0.25%
Other Expenses 0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.47% [1],[2]
[1] The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses in this fee table do not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's Financial Highlights because the Financial Highlights include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, and exclude Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
[2] Westwood Management Corp. (the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce fees and reimburse expenses in order to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses for A Class Shares (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses (collectively, "excluded expenses")) from exceeding 1.45% of the Fund's A Class Shares' average daily net assets until February 28, 2021. In addition, the Adviser may receive from the Fund the difference between the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) and the expense cap to recoup all or a portion of its prior fee reductions or expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment if at any point Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) are below the expense cap (i) at the time of the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement and (ii) at the time of the recoupment. This Agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board of Trustees (the "Board") of The Advisors' Inner Circle Fund (the "Trust"), for any reason at any time; or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days' prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on February 28, 2021.
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:

Expense Example
One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
A Class Shares | Westwood Emerging Markets Fund | A Class Shares | USD ($) 445 751 1,079 2,005
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 total annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 51% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of emerging market companies. This investment policy may be changed by the Fund upon 60 days' prior written notice to shareholders. The Fund considers a company to be an emerging market company if (i) at least 50% of the company's assets are located in emerging markets; (ii) at least 50% of the company's revenues are generated in emerging markets; or (iii) the company is domiciled in an emerging market. "Emerging markets" include countries in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, and other countries that the Fund considers to be equivalent to those in that index based on their level of economic development or the size and experience of their securities markets. The equity securities in which the Fund invests are primarily common stocks, but may also include exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), preferred stock, warrants and real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). Equity securities also include participatory notes, which are derivative instruments with economic characteristics similar to equity securities designed to replicate equity market exposure in certain foreign markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local investment restrictions. The Fund typically invests in companies with market capitalizations exceeding $500 million.

 

The Fund invests in approximately 70-90 securities to achieve its investment objective. The Adviser utilizes a fundamental, bottom-up investment process and seeks to invest in securities of sound businesses that it believes are currently undervalued in the market and can generate positive and sustainable earnings growth and, thus, economic profits over time. Key characteristics that the Adviser looks for in evaluating an investment may include management aligned with an Economic Value Added ("EVA") philosophy, strong core franchise value, above average cash flow generation and consistency of earnings growth. The Adviser has disciplines in place that serve as sell signals, such as a security reaching its estimated fair value, an adverse change in a company's fundamentals, or when more attractive alternatives exist.

Principal Risks

As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency. The principal risk factors affecting shareholders' investments in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Emerging Markets Securities Risk – Investments in emerging markets securities are considered speculative and subject to heightened risks in addition to the general risks of investing in foreign securities. Unlike more established markets, emerging markets may have governments that are less stable, markets that are less liquid and economies that are less developed. In addition, the securities markets of emerging market countries may consist of companies with smaller market capitalizations and may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible restrictions on repatriation of investment income and capital. Furthermore, foreign investors may be required to register the proceeds of sales, and future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization or creation of government monopolies.

 

Foreign Company Risk – Investing in foreign companies, including direct investments and through ADRs and GDRs, which are traded on exchanges and represent an ownership interest in a foreign security, poses additional risks since political and economic events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These risks will not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the United States. Securities of foreign companies may not be registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and foreign companies are generally not subject to the regulatory controls imposed on U.S. issuers and, as a consequence, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign securities than is available about domestic securities. Income from foreign securities owned by the Fund may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source, which tax would reduce income received from the securities comprising the Fund's portfolio. Foreign securities may also be more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers. While ADRs and GDRs provide an alternative to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their respective national markets and currencies, investments in ADRs and GDRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities.

 

Foreign Currency Risk – As a result of the Fund's investments in securities or other investments denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign currencies, the Fund will be subject to currency risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, in which case, the dollar value of an investment in the Fund would be adversely affected.

 

Liquidity Risk – Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

 

Equity Risk – Since it purchases equity securities, the Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. Historically, the equity markets have moved in cycles, and the value of the Fund's equity securities may fluctuate drastically from day to day. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a decline in response. These factors contribute to price volatility, which is the principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

Large-Capitalization Company Risk – The large capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may lag the performance of smaller capitalization companies because large capitalization companies may experience slower rates of growth than smaller capitalization companies and may not respond as quickly to market changes and opportunities.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk – The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In particular, investments in these small- and mid-sized companies may pose additional risks, including liquidity risk, because these companies tend to have limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small- and mid-cap stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies. These securities may be traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

 

ETF Risk – ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. To the extent that the Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based and the value of the Fund's investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the underlying index. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund's investments in ETFs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the ETFs' operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses. Because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, shares may trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value and the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund's holdings at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance.

 

Credit Risk – The risk that the issuer of a security or the counterparty to a contract will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation.

 

Derivatives Risk – The Fund's use of participatory notes is subject to market risk, correlation risk, liquidity risk, credit risk and valuation risk. Liquidity risk and credit risk are described elsewhere in this section. Market risk is the risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Correlation risk is the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. Valuation risk is the risk that the derivative may be difficult to value. Each of these risks could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested in a derivative instrument.

 

Warrants Risk – Warrants in which the Fund may invest are instruments that entitle the holder to buy an equity security at a specific price for a specific period of time. Warrants may be more speculative than other types of investments. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and an investment in a warrant may therefore create greater potential for capital loss than an investment in the underlying security. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date.

 

REIT Risk – REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and usually operate, income-producing real estate. REITs are susceptible to the risks associated with direct ownership of real estate, such as the following: declines in property values; increases in property taxes, operating expenses, interest rates or competition; overbuilding; zoning changes; and losses from casualty or condemnation. REITs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund's investments 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. REIT operating expenses are not reflected in the fee table and example in this Prospectus.

Performance Information

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in A Class Shares of the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's A Class Shares' performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's A Class Shares' average annual total returns for 1 and 5 years and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart figures do not include sales charges that may have been paid when investors bought and sold A Class Shares of the Fund. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower. Of course, the Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at www.westwoodfunds.com or by calling 1-877-FUND-WHG (1-877-386-3944).

Bar Chart
BEST QUARTER WORST QUARTER
12.95% (18.98)%
(03/31/2017) (09/30/2015)
Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2019

This table compares the Fund's A Class Shares' average annual total returns (after applicable sales charges) for the periods ended December 31, 2019 to those of an appropriate broad-based index.

 

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 taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs").

 

The figures in the average annual total returns table below reflect the A Class Shares maximum front-end sales charge of 3.00%. Prior to March 1, 2020, A Class Shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 5.00%. If the prior maximum front-end sales charge of 5.00% was reflected, performance for A Class Shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.

Average Annual Total Returns - A Class Shares - Westwood Emerging Markets Fund
Label
1 Year
5 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
A Class Shares Fund Returns Before Taxes 13.04% 2.54% 0.42% Dec. 26, 2012
A Class Shares | After Taxes on Distributions Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions 13.05% 2.56% 0.43% Dec. 26, 2012
A Class Shares | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 8.35% 2.20% 0.54% Dec. 26, 2012
MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes (except foreign withholding taxes)) MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes (except foreign withholding taxes)) 18.42% 5.61% 3.37% Dec. 26, 2012

For information about related performance, please see the "Comparable Fund Performance" section of the Prospectus.