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Flexible Income A Class Shares | Westwood Flexible Income Fund
WESTWOOD FLEXIBLE INCOME FUND
Fund Investment Objectives

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

A secondary investment objective of the Fund seeks to provide 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 58 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
Flexible Income A Class Shares
Westwood Flexible Income 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, if applicable) none
[1] A Class Shares purchases of $250,000 or more 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
Flexible Income A Class Shares
Westwood Flexible Income Fund
A Class Shares
Management Fees 0.69%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees 0.25%
Other Expenses 2.35%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.08%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 3.37%
Less Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements (2.25%) [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements 1.12%
[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 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 1.04% of the Fund's A Class Shares' average daily net assets until February 28, 2022. 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, 2022.
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 (including capped expenses for the period described in the footnote to the fee table) 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
Flexible Income A Class Shares | Westwood Flexible Income Fund | A Class Shares | USD ($) 411 881 1,610 3,538
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 the fiscal period from December 19, 2018 (commencement of Fund operations) to October 31, 2019, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 142% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests primarily in income-producing fixed income and equity securities, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") that invest primarily in income-producing securities.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 65% of its net assets in fixed income securities and preferred stocks. The fixed income securities in which the Fund invests include U.S. dollar-denominated corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. companies, bank loans, mortgage-backed securities, municipal bonds, U.S. government securities, and money market instruments. The Fund may invest in bank loans in the form of participations in the loans (participations) and assignments of all or a portion of the loans from third parties (assignments). The Fund may invest in fixed income securities with any maturity, duration or credit quality, including securities rated below investment grade or, if unrated, deemed by the Adviser to be of comparable quality ("junk bonds"). The preferred stocks in which the Fund invests include business development company ("BDC") preferred securities.

 

The Fund may invest up to 35% of its net assets in equity securities, other than preferred stocks. The equity securities, other than preferred stocks, in which the Fund invests include common stocks, convertible securities, master limited partnerships ("MLPs"), real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), BDCs and American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"). The Fund may take long and short positions in equity securities, and may invest in companies with any market capitalization.

 

The Fund may seek to generate income by writing (selling) "covered" call options on securities in which the Fund holds long positions, or writing (selling) "covered" put options on securities in which the Fund holds short positions. In addition, the Fund may purchase options, and utilize other derivatives, principally futures and swaps (including credit default swaps), to hedge risks or enhance the returns of the Fund.

 

In selecting securities to buy for the Fund, the Adviser employs a bottom-up research-focused investment process that seeks to identify securities with favorable risk/reward characteristics relative to other securities in a company's capital structure, and relative to other securities in its asset class. The Adviser may sell a security if it believes that the security no longer has favorable risk/reward characteristics, or it identifies a more attractive investment opportunity.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 25% of its assets in the financials sector. In addition, the Fund may, from time to time, focus its investments in one or more other sectors.

Principal Risks

As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. 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.

 

Preferred Stock Risk – Preferred stocks in which the Fund may invest are sensitive to interest rate changes, and are also subject to equity risk, which is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a company's assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a company's debt securities.

 

High Yield Bond Risk – The Fund may invest in high yield bonds (often called "junk bonds"), which 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.

 

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.

 

Bank Loans Risk – Investments in bank loans (through both assignments and participations) are generally subject to the same risks as investments in other types of debt instruments, including, in many cases, investments in junk bonds. There may be limited public information available regarding bank loans and bank loans may be difficult to value. If the Fund holds a bank loan through another financial institution, or relies on a financial institution to administer the loan, its receipt of principal and interest on the loan may be subject to the credit risk of that financial institution. It is possible that any collateral securing a loan may be insufficient or unavailable to the Fund, and that the Fund's rights to collateral may be limited by bankruptcy or insolvency laws. In addition, the secondary market for bank loans may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods, which may cause the Fund to be unable to realize the full value of its investment in a bank loan.

 

Bank loans may not be considered "securities," and purchasers, such as the Fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Convertible Securities Risk – The value of a convertible security in which the Fund invests 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.

 

ETF Risk – ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. and non-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 or the ETF's other holdings and the value of the Fund's investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the underlying index or holdings. 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.

 

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 or industries, such as the energy industries, the MLP will be negatively impacted by economic events adversely impacting that industry or industries. Additional risks of investing in an MLP also include those involved in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation, such as limited control of management, limited voting rights and tax risks. 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. The Fund's investment in MLPs may result in the layering of expenses, such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the MLPs' operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses. MLP operating expenses are not reflected in the fee table and example in this Prospectus.

 

Energy companies are affected by worldwide energy prices and costs related to energy production. These companies may have significant operations in areas at risk for natural disasters, social unrest and environmental damage. These companies may also be at risk for increased government regulation and intervention, energy conservation efforts, litigation and negative publicity and perception.

 

BDC Risk – BDCs are a type of closed-end investment company regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"). BDCs generally invest in less mature private companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies which involve greater risk than well-established publicly-traded companies. Generally, little public information exists for private and thinly traded companies in which a BDC may invest and there is a risk that investors may not be able to make a fully informed evaluation of a BDC and its portfolio of investments. Fund shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund's proportionate share of any management and other operating expenses, and of any performance based or incentive fees, charged by the BDCs in which the Fund invests, in addition to the fees and expenses that Fund shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund's own operations. BDC shares are not redeemable at the option of the BDC shareholder and, as with shares of other closed-end funds, they may trade in the secondary market at a discount or premium to their net asset value.

 

Financials Sector Risk – Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. The impact of more stringent capital requirements, recent or future regulation of any individual financial company, or recent or future regulation of the financials sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology malfunctions have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund.

 

Sector Focus Risk – Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors. As a result, the Fund's share price may fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors.

 

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.

 

U.S. Government Securities Risk – The Fund's investments in U.S. government obligations may include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, or its agencies or instrumentalities. Payment of principal and interest on U.S. government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself. There can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises) where it is not obligated to do so. In addition, U.S. government securities are not guaranteed against price movements due to changing interest rates.

 

Money Market Instruments Risk – The value of money market instruments may be affected by changing interest rates and by changes in the credit ratings of the investments. An investment in a money market fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by any bank, the FDIC or any other government agency. A money market fund's sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the fund, and there should be no expectation that the sponsor will provide financial support to the fund at any time.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Short Sales Risk – A short sale involves the sale of a security that the Fund does not own in the expectation of purchasing the same security (or a security exchangeable therefore) at a later date at a lower price. Short sales expose the Fund to the risk that it will be required to buy the security sold short (also known as "covering" the short position) at a time when the security has appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Fund. Investment in short sales may also cause the Fund to incur expenses related to borrowing securities. Reinvesting proceeds received from short selling may create leverage which can amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund and, therefore, the Fund's share price. Uncovered short sales have the potential to expose the Fund to unlimited losses.

 

Derivatives Risk – The Fund's use of futures contracts, options and swaps is subject to market risk, leverage risk, correlation risk, hedging risk and liquidity risk. Market risk is the risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Leverage risk is the risk that the use of leverage may amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price and may also cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations. Correlation risk is the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly or at all with the underlying asset, rate or index. Hedging risk is the risk that derivative instruments used for hedging purposes may also limit any potential gain that may result from the increase in value of the hedged asset. To the extent that the Fund engages in hedging strategies, there can be no assurance that such strategy will be effective or that there will be a hedge in place at any given time. Liquidity risk is described elsewhere in this section. The Fund's use of forwards and swaps is also subject to credit risk and valuation risk. Credit risk is the risk that the counterparty to a derivative contract will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation. 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.

 

Foreign Securities Risk – Investing in foreign securities, 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.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk – The mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest are affected by, among other things, interest rate changes and the possibility of prepayment of the underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to the risk that underlying borrowers will be unable to meet their obligations.

 

Municipal Bonds Risk – The value of municipal bonds in which the Fund may invest could be impacted by events in the municipal securities market. Negative events, such as severe fiscal difficulties, bankruptcy, an economic downturn, unfavorable legislation, court rulings or political developments could adversely affect the ability of municipal issuers to repay principal and to make interest payments.

 

Market Risk – The prices of and the income generated by the Fund's securities may decline in response to, among other things, investor sentiment, general economic and market conditions, regional or global instability, and currency and interest rate fluctuations. In addition, the impact of any epidemic, pandemic or natural disaster, or widespread fear that such events may occur, could negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund's performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

Performance Information

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks of an investment in the Fund by showing the Fund's performance for the 2019 calendar year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns for 1 year 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. The bar chart figures do not include sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.

 

A Class Shares of the Fund have not yet commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. 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 and additional indexes, including a blended benchmark that represents the investment strategy of the Fund. The Fund's Institutional Shares are offered in a separate prospectus. A 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 A Class Shares are higher than the expenses of Institutional Shares and, therefore, returns for the A 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
4.53% 2.99%
(03/31/2019) (09/30/2019)
Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December   31, 2019

This table compares the Fund's average annual total returns (after applicable sales charges) 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 - Flexible Income A Class Shares - Westwood Flexible Income Fund
Label
1 Year
Since Inception
Inception Date
A Class Shares Fund Returns Before Taxes 12.44% 12.03% Dec. 19, 2018
A Class Shares | After Taxes on Distributions Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions 10.28% 9.95% Dec. 19, 2018
A Class Shares | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 7.51% 8.36% Dec. 19, 2018
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 14.54% 13.68% Dec. 19, 2018
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Ba/B Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Ba/B Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 15.18% 13.47% Dec. 19, 2018
Blended 50/50 Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index/Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Ba/B Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) Blended 50/50 Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index/Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Ba/B Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 14.89% 13.61% Dec. 19, 2018