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C Class Shares | WESTWOOD INCOME OPPORTUNITY FUND
Westwood Income Opportunity Fund
Fund Investment Objectives

The primary investment objective of the Westwood Income Opportunity Fund (the "Fund") is to provide current income.

A secondary investment objective of the Fund is to provide the opportunity for long-term capital appreciation.

Fund Fees and Expenses

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold C Class Shares of the Fund. More information about sales charges is available (i) from your financial professional and (ii) in the section "Sales Charges" on page 32 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
C Class Shares
WESTWOOD INCOME OPPORTUNITY FUND
C CLASS SHARES
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of net asset value) 1.00% [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] C Class Shares may be subject to a 1.00% Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ("CDSC") if redeemed within 12 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
C Class Shares
WESTWOOD INCOME OPPORTUNITY FUND
C CLASS SHARES
Management Fees 0.75%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees 1.00%
Other Expenses 0.15%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.90% [1]
[1] Westwood Management Corp. (the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce fees and reimburse expenses in order to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses for C 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 1.90% of the Fund's C 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
C Class Shares | WESTWOOD INCOME OPPORTUNITY FUND | C CLASS SHARES | USD ($) 293 597 1,026 2,222

You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption
One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
C Class Shares | WESTWOOD INCOME OPPORTUNITY FUND | C CLASS SHARES | USD ($) 193 597 1,026 2,222
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 66% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund seeks to meet its investment objectives by investing generally more than 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in dividend-paying and/or interest-bearing securities. By utilizing income-producing securities from diverse asset classes, the Fund also seeks to maintain a lower volatility profile than traditional equity-only products. The Fund aims to invest in securities of companies with a strong and improving cash flow sufficient to support a sustainable or rising income stream for investors. In selecting securities for the Fund, the Adviser chooses among a diversified group of income-producing asset classes. Equity securities may include dividend-paying common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. Fixed income securities may include bonds and other debt securities, and money market instruments. Other types of income-producing securities may include interests in royalty trusts and master limited partnerships ("MLPs"), securities of real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), and shares of exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"). The Fund generally invests in securities of domestic companies, but may also invest in securities of foreign companies and American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"). In the event the Fund invests in foreign securities and ADRs, the Adviser expects that the Fund's investments in such securities would normally represent less than 25% of the Fund's assets.

 

The Fund is permitted to invest in companies of any capitalization range. The Fund's fixed income investments are, in the aggregate, of investment grade (i.e., those rated in one of the three highest rating categories by a rating agency), but may at times include securities rated below investment grade (high yield or "junk" bonds). In addition, the Fund's fixed income securities may include unrated securities, if deemed by the Adviser to be of comparable quality to investment grade.

 

The Fund seeks to provide a higher level of current income than that offered by traditional fixed income products such as U.S. government bonds and money market securities. The Adviser's investment process incorporates relative value analysis among capital instruments, as well as among asset classes, to determine where downside potential can be limited to achieve the goal of generating an attractive level of current income along with capital appreciation. Key metrics for evaluating the risk/return profile of an investment may include strong free cash flow, an improving return on equity, a strengthening balance sheet and, in the case of common equities, positive earnings surprises without a corresponding change in the stock price. The Adviser has disciplines in place that serve as sell signals, such as a security reaching a predetermined price target, a change to a company's fundamentals that makes the risk/return profile unattractive, or a need to improve the overall risk/return profile of the Fund.

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

MLP Risk – MLPs are limited partnerships in which the ownership units are publicly traded. MLPs often own several properties or businesses (or own interests) that are related to oil and gas industries or other natural resources, but they also may finance other projects. To the extent that an MLP's interests are all in a particular industry, the MLP will be negatively impacted by economic events adversely impacting that industry. Additional risks of investing in an MLP also include those involved in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation. For example, state law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing corporations. Accordingly, there may be fewer protections afforded to investors in a MLP than investors in a corporation. For example, investors in MLPs may have limited voting rights or be liable under certain circumstances for amounts greater than the amount of their investment. In addition, MLPs may be subject to state taxation in certain jurisdictions which will have the effect of reducing the amount of income paid by the MLP to its investors.

 

Convertible Securities Risk – The value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates (with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline) and the credit standing of the issuer. The price of a convertible security will also normally vary in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying common stock because of the conversion or exercise feature.

 

High Yield Bond Risk – High yield bonds (often called "junk bonds") are debt securities rated below investment grade. Junk bonds are speculative, involve greater risks of default, downgrade, or price declines and are more volatile and tend to be less liquid than investment-grade securities. Companies issuing high yield bonds are less financially strong, are more likely to encounter financial difficulties, and are more vulnerable to adverse market events and negative sentiments than companies with higher credit ratings.

 

Fixed Income Risk – Fixed income securities are subject to a number of risks, including credit and interest rate risks. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer or obligor will not make timely payments of principal and interest. Changes in an issuer's credit rating or the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund's investment in that issuer. The Fund is subject to greater levels of credit risk to the extent it holds below investment grade debt securities, or "junk bonds." Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a fixed income security will fall when interest rates rise. In general, the longer the maturity and the lower the credit quality of a fixed income security, the more likely its value will decline.

 

Foreign Company Risk – Investing in foreign companies, including direct investments and through ADRs, which are traded on U.S. 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 provide an alternative to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their respective national markets and currencies, investments in ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities.

 

Micro-Capitalization Company Risk – Micro-capitalization companies may be newly formed or in the early stages of development with limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Therefore, micro-capitalization companies may be less financially secure than large-, mid- and small- capitalization companies and may be more vulnerable to key personnel losses due to reliance on a smaller number of management personnel. In addition, there may be less public information available about these companies. Micro-cap stock prices may be more volatile than large-, mid- and small- capitalization companies and such stocks may be more thinly traded and thus difficult for the Fund to buy and sell in the market.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Royalty Trust Risk – The Fund may invest in royalty trusts. A royalty trust generally acquires an interest in natural resource companies and distributes the income it receives to the investors of the royalty trust. A sustained decline in demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products could adversely affect income and royalty trust revenues and cash flows. Factors that could lead to a decrease in market demand include a recession or other adverse economic conditions, an increase in the market price of the underlying commodity, higher taxes or other regulatory actions that increase costs, or a shift in consumer demand for such products. A rising interest rate environment could adversely impact the performance of royalty trusts. Rising interest rates could limit the capital appreciation of royalty trusts because of the increased availability of alternative investments at more competitive yields. The Fund's investment in royalty trusts may result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the royalty trusts' operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses. Royalty trust operating expenses are not reflected in the fee table and example in the Prospectus.

Performance Information

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for the past 10 years and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns for 1, 5 and 10 years and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and additional indexes, including a blended benchmark that represents the investment strategy of the Fund.

 

C Class Shares of the Fund commenced operations on September 3, 2019, and therefore do not have performance history for a full calendar year. Consequently, the bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Institutional Shares and the performance table compares the average annual total returns of the Fund's Institutional Shares to those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's Institutional Shares are offered in a separate prospectus. C Class Shares of the Fund would have substantially similar performance as Institutional Shares because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the expenses of C Class Shares are higher than the expenses of Institutional Shares and, therefore, returns for the C Class Shares would be lower than those of the Institutional Shares.

 

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
8.46% (6.31)%
(03/31/2013) (12/31/2018)
Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2019

This table compares the Fund's average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2019 to those of an appropriate broad-based index and additional indexes, including a blended benchmark that represents the investment strategy of the Fund.

 

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").

Average Annual Total Returns - C Class Shares - WESTWOOD INCOME OPPORTUNITY FUND
Label
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
C CLASS SHARES Fund Returns Before Taxes 17.67% 5.24% 7.81% 6.90% Dec. 19, 2005
C CLASS SHARES | After Taxes on Distributions Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions 11.10% 3.27% 6.51% 5.62% Dec. 19, 2005
C CLASS SHARES | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 14.91% 3.87% 6.16% 5.37% Dec. 19, 2005
FTSE 10-Year Treasury Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) [1] FTSE 10-Year Treasury Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 8.85% 2.29% 4.18% 4.38% Dec. 19, 2005
FTSE 3-Month Treasury Bill Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) [1] FTSE 3-Month Treasury Bill Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 2.25% 1.05% 0.56% 1.21% Dec. 19, 2005
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) [1] S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 31.49% 11.70% 13.56% 9.20% Dec. 19, 2005
FTSE NAREIT U.S. Equity Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) [1] FTSE NAREIT U.S. Equity Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 28.66% 8.43% 12.59% 8.09% Dec. 19, 2005
Blended 25/25/25/25 FTSE 10-Year Treasury Index/FTSE 3-Month Treasury Bill Index/S&P 500 Index/FTSE NAREIT U.S. Equity Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) [1] Blended 25/25/25/25 FTSE 10-Year Treasury Index/FTSE 3-Month Treasury Bill Index/S&P 500 Index/FTSE NAREIT U.S. Equity Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 17.52% 6.07% 7.94% 6.32% Dec. 19, 2005
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) [1] Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 8.72% 3.05% 3.75% 4.29% Dec. 19, 2005
Blended 60/40 Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index/S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) [1] Blended 60/40 Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index/S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 17.62% 6.64% 7.80% 6.50% Dec. 19, 2005
[1] As of September 3, 2019, to better reflect the Fund's principal investment strategies, (1) the Fund's broad-based index changed from the FTSE 10-Year Treasury Index to the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index; (2) the FTSE 3-Month Treasury Bill Index, FTSE NAREIT U.S. Equity Index and Blended 25/25/25/25 FTSE 10-Year Treasury Index/FTSE 3-Month Treasury Bill Index/S&P 500 Index/FTSE NAREIT U.S. Equity Index were removed as additional indexes of the Fund; and (3) the Blended 60/40 Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index/S&P 500 Index became an additional index of the Fund.

For information about related performance, please see the "Related Performance Data of the Adviser" section of the Prospectus.