As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2020
REGISTRATION NO. 033-63560 and 811-7762
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | |
PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. | |
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 92 |
AND/OR
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | |
AMENDMENT NO. 94 |
(CHECK APPROPRIATE BOX OR BOXES)
FIRST EAGLE FUNDS
(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)
1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK, NY 10105
(ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
REGISTRANT’S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (212) 698-3300
SHEELYN MICHAEL
FIRST EAGLE FUNDS
1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK, NY 10105
(NAME AND ADDRESS OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
COPY TO:
NATHAN J. GREENE, ESQ.
SHEARMAN & STERLING LLP
599 LEXINGTON AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10022
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
o immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
x on March 1, 2020 pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
o 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485
o 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485 If appropriate, check the following box:
o this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
This filing under Rule 485(b) is the annual update relating to seven portfolios of the Registrant
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Prospectus |
March 1, 2020 |
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First Eagle Global Fund |
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund |
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Class A |
SGENX |
Class A |
FEBAX |
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Class C |
FESGX |
Class C |
FEBCX |
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Class I |
SGIIX |
Class I |
FEBIX |
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Class R3 |
EARGX |
Class R3 |
FBRRX |
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Class R4 |
EAGRX |
Class R4 |
FIBRX |
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Class R5 |
FRGLX |
Class R5 |
EABRX |
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Class R6 |
FEGRX |
Class R6 |
FEBRX |
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First Eagle Overseas Fund |
First Eagle High Income Fund (formerly |
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Class A |
SGOVX |
named First Eagle High Yield Fund) |
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Class C |
FESOX |
Class A |
FEHAX |
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Class I |
SGOIX |
Class C |
FEHCX |
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Class R3 |
EAROX |
Class I |
FEHIX |
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Class R4 |
FIORX |
Class R3 |
EARHX |
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Class R5 |
FEROX |
Class R4 |
FIHRX |
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Class R6 |
FEORX |
Class R5 |
FERHX |
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Class R6 |
FEHRX |
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First Eagle U.S. Value Fund |
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Class A |
FEVAX |
First Eagle Fund of America |
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Class C |
FEVCX |
Class A |
FEFAX |
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Class I |
FEVIX |
Class C |
FEAMX |
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Class R3 |
EARVX |
Class I |
FEAIX |
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Class R4 |
FIVRX |
Class Y |
FEAFX |
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Class R5 |
FERVX |
Class R3 |
EARFX |
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Class R6 |
FEVRX |
Class R4 |
EAFRX |
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Class R5 |
FERFX |
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First Eagle Gold Fund |
Class R6 |
FEFRX |
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Class A |
SGGDX |
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Class C |
FEGOX |
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Class I |
FEGIX |
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Class R3 |
EAURX |
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Class R4 |
FIURX |
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Class R5 |
FERUX |
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Class R6 |
FEURX |
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Beginning January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of each Funds shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on www.feim.com, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.
If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund or your financial intermediary electronically by notifying your financial intermediary directly or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 800.334.2143 or by visiting www.Fundreports.com.
You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, you can call 800.334.2143 or visit www.Fundreports.com. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with First Eagle or your financial intermediary.
Advised by First Eagle Investment Management, LLC
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Thank you for your interest in First Eagle Funds (the Trust or Funds), managed by First Eagle Investment Management, LLC (FEIM or the Adviser). The Trust consists of seven portfolios: First Eagle Global Fund, First Eagle Overseas Fund, First Eagle U.S. Value Fund, First Eagle Gold Fund, First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund, First Eagle High Income Fund (formerly named First Eagle High Yield Fund) and First Eagle Fund of America. This prospectus describes Fund shares designated as Classes A, C, I, R3, R4, R5, R6 and in the case of Fund of America, Class Y. Other classes of shares may be available by separate prospectus.
Table of Contents
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Summary Information about the Funds (Including Investment, Risk and Fee/Expense Information) |
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4 |
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12 |
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21 |
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29 |
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37 |
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First Eagle High Income Fund (formerly named First Eagle High Yield Fund) |
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47 |
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56 |
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65 |
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66 |
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66 |
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67 |
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75 |
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75 |
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75 |
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77 |
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80 |
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81 |
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82 |
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82 |
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86 |
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86 |
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87 |
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89 |
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94 |
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96 |
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97 |
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100 |
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100 |
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100 |
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100 |
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101 |
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101 |
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102 |
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102 |
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104 |
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107 |
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108 |
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109 |
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109 |
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111 |
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112 |
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114 |
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115 |
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Appendix - Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms |
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A-1 |
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Back Cover |
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Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle Global Fund (Global Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital by investing in a range of asset classes from markets in the United States and throughout the world.
Fees and Expenses of the Global Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Global Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you, together with certain related accounts, invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Global Fund. Information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class A Shares sections on pages 82 and 89, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
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Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R5 |
Class R6 |
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases (as a percentage of public offering price) |
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5.00 |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of your purchase or redemption price) |
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1.00 |
* |
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1.00 |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
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Management Fees |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
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0.25 |
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1.00 |
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None |
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0.35 |
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0.10 |
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None |
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None |
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Other Expenses** |
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0.11 |
0.12 |
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0.10 |
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0.04 |
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0.12 |
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0.60 |
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0.04 |
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Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
1.11 |
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1.87 |
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0.85 |
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1.14 |
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0.97 |
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1.35 |
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0.79 |
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A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $1,000,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
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Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
4First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Fund
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Global Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same. Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
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Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
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Class A |
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Sold or Held |
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$608 |
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$835 |
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$1,081 |
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$1,784 |
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Class C (shares have a one year contingent deferred sales charge) |
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Sold |
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$290 |
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$588 |
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$1,011 |
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$2,190 |
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Held |
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$190 |
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$588 |
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$1,011 |
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$2,190 |
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Class I |
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Sold or Held |
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$87 |
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$271 |
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$471 |
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$1,049 |
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Class R3 |
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Sold or Held |
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$116 |
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$362 |
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$628 |
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$1,386 |
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Class R4 |
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Sold or Held |
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$99 |
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$309 |
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$536 |
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$1,190 |
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Class R5 |
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Sold or Held |
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$137 |
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$428 |
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$739 |
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$1,624 |
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Class R6 |
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Sold or Held |
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$81 |
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$252 |
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$439 |
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$978 |
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Portfolio Turnover Rate
The Global 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 the Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 10.26% of the average value of its portfolio.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 20205 |
Summary Information about the Global Fund
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of long-term capital growth, the Global Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks (and securities convertible into common stocks) of U.S. and foreign companies.
Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The Fund may also invest in fixed-income instruments (without regard to credit rating or time to maturity), short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals. Under normal circumstances, the Fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount of its assets to foreign investments. That generally means that approximately 40% or more of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be allocated to foreign investments (unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Fund, in which case the Fund expects to invest at least 30% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign investments). For purposes of these 40% and 30% of assets allocations, the Fund counts relevant derivative positions on foreign investments, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
The investment philosophy and strategy of the Global Fund can be broadly characterized as a value approach, as it seeks a margin of safety in each investment purchase with the goal being to avoid permanent impairment of capital (as opposed to temporary losses in share value relating to shifting investor sentiment or other normal share price volatility). In particular, a discount to intrinsic value is sought even for the best of businesses, with a deeper discount demanded for companies that we view as under business model, balance sheet, management or other stresses. Intrinsic value is based on our judgment of what a prudent and rational business buyer would pay in cash for all of the company in normal markets. See also Defensive Investment Strategies.
The Fund makes some investments through a special purpose trading subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Generally, the Subsidiary will invest in commodities and related instruments (primarily gold bullion and other precious metals and related futures contracts).
6First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Fund
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the Global Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the Global Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
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Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
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Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. The risks may be more pronounced with respect to investments in emerging markets. |
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Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
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Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
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Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 20207 |
Summary Information about the Global Fund
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by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
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Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. To date, derivatives have been used mainly under a hedging program intended to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. |
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Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
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Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, the Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies. |
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Subsidiary Risk By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act) and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the Global Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
8First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Fund
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Global Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/global-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
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Best Quarter* |
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Worst Quarter* |
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First Quarter 2019 |
9.88% |
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Third Quarter 2011 |
-9.95% |
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* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The following table discloses after-tax returns only for Class A shares.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 20209 |
Summary Information about the Global Fund
After-tax returns for Class C, Class I, Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares will vary. While no or only partial information is shown for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares (because they are more recently organized), annual returns for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns differ only to the extent that Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares do not have the same expenses as the classes for which more extended performance is shown. Comparative expense information is in the Fees and Expenses table.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
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1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R6 |
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First Eagle Global Fund |
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Class A Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
14.16% |
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5.38% |
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7.38% |
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Return After Taxes on Distributions |
12.50% |
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4.29% |
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6.45% |
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Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
9.15% |
|
4.05% |
|
5.86% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class C Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
18.26% |
|
5.67% |
|
7.13% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class I Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
20.48% |
|
6.75% |
|
8.21% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R3 Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
20.08% |
|
|
|
|
|
6.19% |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R4 Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
20.33% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.12% |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R6 Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
20.57% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.57% |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MSCI World Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
27.67% |
|
8.74% |
9.47% |
9.69% |
5.96% |
|
10.94% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Global Funds Adviser.
10First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Fund
Matthew McLennan and Kimball Brooker, Jr. have served as the Funds Portfolio Managers since September 2008 and February 2011, respectively.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
The minimum initial investment amount generally required for the Global Fund is $2,500 for Classes A and C and $1 million for Class I. There is no minimum initial investment for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6. See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem or exchange Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed or exchanged through the dealer. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202011 |
|
|
|
|
|
Summary Information |
Investment Objective
First Eagle Overseas Fund (Overseas Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in equities issued by non-U.S. corporations.
Fees and Expenses of the Overseas Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Overseas Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you, together with certain related accounts, invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Overseas Fund. Information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class A Shares sections on pages 82 and 89, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
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|
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|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R5 |
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases (as a percentage of public offering price) |
|
5.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of your purchase or redemption price) |
|
|
1.00 |
* |
|
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
0.10 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Expenses** |
|
|
0.15 |
0.14 |
|
0.11 |
0.22 |
|
0.19 |
|
0.37 |
|
0.05 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
1.15 |
|
1.89 |
|
0.86 |
|
1.32 |
|
1.04 |
|
1.12 |
|
0.80 |
* |
A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $1,000,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
** |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
12First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Overseas Fund
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Overseas Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same. Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
|
$611 |
|
|
$847 |
|
|
$1,101 |
|
|
$1,828 |
||||||||||||||||
Class C (shares have a one year contingent deferred sales charge) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold |
|
$292 |
|
|
$594 |
|
|
$1,021 |
|
|
$2,212 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Held |
|
$192 |
|
|
$594 |
|
|
$1,021 |
|
|
$2,212 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class I |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
|
$88 |
|
|
$274 |
|
|
$477 |
|
|
$1,061 |
||||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$134 |
|
|
$418 |
|
|
$723 |
|
|
$1,590 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$106 |
|
|
$331 |
|
|
$574 |
|
|
$1,271 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$114 |
|
|
$356 |
|
|
$617 |
|
|
$1,363 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
|
$82 |
|
|
$255 |
|
|
$444 |
|
|
$990 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Portfolio Turnover Rate
The Overseas 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 6.99% of the average value of its portfolio.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202013 |
Summary Information about the Overseas Fund
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of long-term capital growth, the Overseas Fund will invest primarily in equity securities of non-U.S. companies, the majority of which are traded in mature markets (for example, Japan, Germany and France), and may invest in countries whose economies are still developing (sometimes called emerging markets). The Fund particularly seeks companies that have financial strength and stability, strong management and fundamental value. Normally, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign securities and counts relevant derivative positions towards this 80% of assets allocation, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price). The Fund also may invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt instruments. The Fund may invest in debt securities generally without regard to their credit rating or time to maturity. Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The Fund may invest in fixed-income instruments, short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals.
The investment philosophy and strategy of the Overseas Fund can be broadly characterized as a value approach, as it seeks a margin of safety in each investment purchase with the goal being to avoid permanent impairment of capital (as opposed to temporary losses in share value relating to shifting investor sentiment or other normal share price volatility). In particular, a discount to intrinsic value is sought even for the best of businesses, with a deeper discount demanded for companies that we view as under business model, balance sheet, management or other stresses. Intrinsic value is based on our judgment of what a prudent and rational business buyer would pay in cash for all of the company in normal markets. See also Defensive Investment Strategies.
The Fund makes some investments through a special purpose trading subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Generally, the Subsidiary will invest in commodities and related instruments (primarily gold bullion and other precious metals and related futures contracts).
14First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Overseas Fund
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the Overseas Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the Overseas Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
||
|
Emerging Market Risk When the Fund invests in emerging market securities (generally meaning those associated with less developed markets), the Fund may be exposed to market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, and generally greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets. Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers. |
||
|
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
||
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as junk |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202015 |
Summary Information about the Overseas Fund
|
bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. To date, derivatives have been used mainly under a hedging program intended to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, the Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Subsidiary Risk By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman |
16First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Overseas Fund
|
Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the Overseas Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Overseas Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/overseas-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202017 |
Summary Information about the Overseas Fund
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
Third Quarter 2010 |
9.38% |
|
Third Quarter 2011 |
-10.29% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The following table discloses after-tax returns only for Class A shares.
After-tax returns for Class C, Class I, Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares will vary. While no or only partial information is shown for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares (because they are more recently organized), annual returns for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns differ only to the extent that Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares do not have the same expenses as the classes for which more extended performance is shown. Comparative expense information is in the Fees and Expenses table.
18First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Overseas Fund
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
11.73% |
|
4.30% |
|
5.76% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
9.95% |
|
3.51% |
|
4.88% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
7.56% |
|
3.30% |
|
4.56% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class C Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
15.68% |
|
4.61% |
|
5.51% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class I Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
17.91% |
|
5.68% |
|
6.58% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R3 Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
17.24% |
|
|
|
|
|
3.44% |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R4 Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
17.68% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.02% |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R6 Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
17.94% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.31% |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MSCI EAFE Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
22.01% |
|
5.67% |
|
5.50% |
|
2.63% |
|
0.28% |
|
8.34% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Overseas Funds Adviser.
Matthew McLennan and Kimball Brooker, Jr. have served as the Funds Portfolio Managers since September 2008 and March 2010, respectively.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
The minimum initial investment amount generally required for the Overseas Fund is $2,500 for Classes A and C and $1 million for Class I. There is no minimum initial investment for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6. See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202019 |
Summary Information about the Overseas Fund
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem or exchange Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed or exchanged through the dealer. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
20First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund (U.S. Value Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in domestic equity and debt securities.
Fees and Expenses of the U.S. Value Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the U.S. Value Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you, together with certain related accounts, invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the U.S. Value Fund. Information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class A Shares sections on pages 82 and 89, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R5 |
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases (as a percentage of public offering price) |
|
5.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of your purchase or redemption price) |
|
|
1.00 |
* |
|
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Management Fees** |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
0.10 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Expenses*** |
0.16 |
|
0.17 |
|
0.13 |
|
0.16 |
|
0.66 |
|
0.65 |
|
0.08 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
|
1.16 |
|
1.92 |
|
0.88 |
|
1.26 |
|
1.51 |
|
1.40 |
|
0.83 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fee Waiver** |
|
|
-0.05 |
|
|
-0.05 |
|
|
-0.05 |
|
|
-0.05 |
|
|
-0.05 |
|
|
-0.05 |
|
|
-0.05 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver (%) |
|
1.11 |
|
1.87 |
|
0.83 |
|
1.21 |
|
1.46 |
|
1.35 |
|
0.78 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202021 |
Summary Information about the U.S. Value Fund
* |
A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $1,000,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
** |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.05% of the average daily value of the Funds net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. This waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.75% to 0.70%. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*** |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the U.S. Value Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same (except that the management fee waiver is taken into account only for the one-year expense example). Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$608 |
|
|
$845 |
|
|
$1,102 |
|
|
$1,834 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class C (shares have a one year contingent deferred sales charge) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold |
|
$290 |
|
|
$598 |
|
|
$1,032 |
|
|
$2,239 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Held |
|
$190 |
|
|
$598 |
|
|
$1,032 |
|
|
$2,239 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class I |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$85 |
|
|
$276 |
|
|
$483 |
|
|
$1,080 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$123 |
|
|
$395 |
|
|
$687 |
|
|
$1,518 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$149 |
|
|
$472 |
|
|
$819 |
|
|
$1,797 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$137 |
|
|
$438 |
|
|
$761 |
|
|
$1,675 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$80 |
|
|
$260 |
|
|
$456 |
|
|
$1,021 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
22First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
U.S. Value Fund
Portfolio Turnover Rate
The U.S. Value 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 8.65% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of long-term capital growth, the U.S. Value Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in domestic equity and debt instruments and may invest to a lesser extent in securities of non-U.S. issuers. In particular, the Fund seeks companies exhibiting financial strength and stability, strong management and fundamental value. Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The debt instruments in which the Fund may invest include fixed-income securities without regard to credit rating or time to maturity and short-term debt instruments. The Fund may also invest in gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals. The Fund counts relevant derivative positions towards its 80% of assets allocation, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
The investment philosophy and strategy of the U.S. Value Fund can be broadly characterized as a value approach, as it seeks a margin of safety in each investment purchase with the goal being to avoid permanent impairment of capital (as opposed to temporary losses in share value relating to shifting investor sentiment or other normal share price volatility). In particular, a discount to intrinsic value is sought even for the best of businesses, with a deeper discount demanded for companies that we view as under business model, balance sheet, management or other stresses. Intrinsic value is based on our judgment of what a prudent and rational business buyer would pay in cash for all of the company in normal markets. See also Defensive Investment Strategies.
The Fund makes some investments through a special purpose trading subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202023 |
Summary Information about the U.S. Value Fund
the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Generally, the Subsidiary will invest in commodities and related instruments (primarily gold bullion and other precious metals and related futures contracts).
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the U.S. Value Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the U.S. Value Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods |
24First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
U.S. Value Fund
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, the Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Subsidiary Risk By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the U.S. Value Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the U.S. Value Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202025 |
Summary Information about the U.S. Value Fund
tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/us-value-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
First Quarter 2019 |
10.46% |
|
Third Quarter 2011 |
-9.03% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The following table discloses after-tax returns only for Class A shares.
After-tax returns for Class C, Class I, Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares will vary. While no or only partial information is shown for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares (because they are more recently organized), annual returns for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns differ only to the extent that Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares do not have the same expenses as the classes for which more extended performance is shown. Comparative expense information is in the Fees and Expenses table.
26First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
U.S. Value Fund
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
Class R3 |
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
13.40% |
|
5.55% |
|
8.08% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
11.12% |
|
3.40% |
|
6.56% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
9.27% |
|
4.07% |
|
6.37% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class C Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
17.42% |
|
5.83% |
|
7.82% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class I Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
19.72% |
|
6.94% |
|
8.93% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R3 Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
19.28% |
|
|
|
|
|
7.26% |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R6 Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
19.77% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.23% |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
31.49% |
|
11.70% |
|
13.56% |
|
14.94% |
|
13.33% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the U.S. Value Funds Adviser.
Matthew McLennan, Kimball Brooker, Jr. and Matthew Lamphier have served as the Funds Portfolio Managers since January 2009, March 2010 and March 2014, respectively.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
The minimum initial investment amount generally required for the U.S. Value Fund is $2,500 for Classes A and C and $1 million for Class I. There is no minimum initial investment for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6. See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem or exchange Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202027 |
Summary Information about the U.S. Value Fund
of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed or exchanged through the dealer. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
28First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle Gold Fund (Gold Fund) seeks to provide investors the opportunity to participate in the investment characteristics of gold (and to a limited extent other precious metals) for a portion of their overall investment portfolio.
Fees and Expenses of the Gold Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Gold Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you, together with certain related accounts, invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Gold Fund. Information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class A Shares sections on pages 82 and 89, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R5 |
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases (as a percentage of public offering price) |
|
|
5.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of your purchase or redemption price) |
|
|
1.00 |
* |
|
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of the amount redeemed within 60 days of purchase) |
|
|
2.00 |
|
|
2.00 |
|
|
2.00 |
|
|
2.00 |
|
|
2.00 |
|
|
2.00 |
|
|
2.00 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
|
0.75 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
0.10 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Expenses** |
|
|
0.29 |
|
|
0.30 |
0.24 |
|
0.15 |
|
0.64 |
|
0.21 |
|
0.14 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
1.29 |
2.05 |
|
0.99 |
|
1.25 |
|
1.49 |
|
0.96 |
|
0.89 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202029 |
Summary Information about the Gold Fund
* |
A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $1,000,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
** |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Gold Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same. Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
|
$625 |
|
|
$889 |
|
|
$1,172 |
|
|
$1,979 |
||||||||||||||||
Class C (shares have a one year contingent deferred sales charge) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold |
|
|
$308 |
|
|
$643 |
|
|
$1,103 |
|
|
$2,379 |
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Held |
|
|
$208 |
|
|
$643 |
|
|
$1,103 |
|
|
$2,379 |
||||||||||||||||
Class I |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$101 |
|
|
$315 |
|
|
$547 |
|
|
$1,213 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$127 |
|
|
$397 |
|
|
$686 |
|
|
$1,511 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$152 |
|
|
$471 |
|
|
$813 |
|
|
$1,779 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$98 |
|
|
$306 |
|
|
$531 |
|
|
$1,178 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$91 |
|
|
$284 |
|
|
$493 |
|
|
$1,096 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Portfolio Turnover Rate
The Gold 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most
30First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Gold Fund
recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 20.01% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of providing investors the opportunity to participate in the investment characteristics of gold, the Gold Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in gold and/or securities (which may include both equity and, to a limited extent, debt instruments) directly related to gold or issuers principally engaged in the gold industry, including securities of gold mining finance companies as well as operating companies with long-, medium- or short-life mines. Up to 20% of the Funds assets may be invested in equity and, to a limited extent, debt instruments unrelated to gold or the gold industry. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt securities. Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The Fund may also invest in fixed-income instruments (without regard to credit rating or time to maturity), short-term debt instruments, other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals. The Fund counts relevant derivative positions towards its 80% of assets allocation, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
An investment in the Gold Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program. However, many investors believe that, historically, a limited exposure to investments in gold or gold-related instruments may provide some offset against the market impact of political and economic disruptions, as well as relieve inflationary or deflationary pressures.
The Fund makes some investments through a special purpose trading subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Generally, the Subsidiary will invest in commodities and related instruments (primarily gold bullion and other precious metals and related futures contracts). The Fund will invest in the Subsidiary in order to gain exposure to the commodities markets within the limitations of the federal tax laws, rules and regulations that apply to regulated investment companies. Unlike the Fund, the Subsidiary may invest without limitation in commodities and related instruments, however, the Subsidiary will comply with the same 1940 Act asset coverage requirements with respect to any investments in commodity-linked
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202031 |
Summary Information about the Gold Fund
derivatives that are applicable to the Funds transactions in derivatives. In addition, to the extent applicable to the investment activities of the Subsidiary, the Subsidiary will be subject to the same fundamental investment restrictions and will follow the same compliance policies and procedures as the Fund. Compliance with the Funds investment restrictions generally will be measured on an aggregate basis in respect of the Funds and the Subsidiarys portfolios. The Subsidiary will comply with the 1940 Act provisions governing affiliate transactions and custody of assets. The Fund is the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary and does not expect shares of the Subsidiary to be offered or sold to other investors.
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the Gold Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the Gold Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
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Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
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|
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. To date, derivatives have been used mainly under a hedging program intended to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. |
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|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. These risks may be more pronounced with respect to investments in emerging markets. Because of the Gold Funds policy of investing |
32First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Gold Fund
|
primarily in gold, securities directly related to gold and/or of companies engaged in the gold industry, a substantial part of the Gold Funds assets will generally be invested in securities of companies domiciled or operating in one or more foreign countries, including emerging markets. |
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|
Diversification Risk The Fund is a non-diversified mutual fund, and as a result, an investment in the Fund may expose your money to greater risks than if you invest in a diversified fund. The Fund may invest in a limited number of companies and industries, therefore gains or losses in a particular security may have a greater impact on their share price. |
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|
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
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|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
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|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
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|
Subsidiary Risk By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202033 |
Summary Information about the Gold Fund
For more information on the risks of investing in the Gold Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Gold Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of one or more broad measures of market performance, which have characteristics relevant to the Funds investment strategy. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/gold-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
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Best Quarter* |
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Worst Quarter* |
|||||
First Quarter 2016 |
32.55% |
|
Second Quarter 2013 |
-32.24% |
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|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
34First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Gold Fund
The following table discloses after-tax returns only for Class A shares.
After-tax returns for Class C, Class I, Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares will vary. While no or only partial information is shown for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares (because they are more recently organized), annual returns for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns differ only to the extent that Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares do not have the same expenses as the classes for which more extended performance is shown. Comparative expense information is in the Fees and Expenses table.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
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1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
Class R3 |
Class R6 |
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First Eagle Gold Fund |
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Class A Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
31.58% |
|
5.74% |
|
-2.50% |
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Return After Taxes on Distributions |
31.58% |
|
5.74% |
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-2.69% |
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|||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
18.69% |
|
4.49% |
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-1.72% |
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Class C Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
36.47% |
|
6.00% |
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-2.76% |
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Class I Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
38.98% |
|
7.14% |
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-1.74% |
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Class R3 Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
38.56% |
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13.70% |
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Class R6 Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
38.91% |
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5.28% |
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MSCI World Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
27.67% |
|
8.74% |
|
9.47% |
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9.69% |
|
10.94% |
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FTSE Gold Mines Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
41.21% |
|
11.38% |
-4.60% |
|
18.59% |
|
8.20% |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202035 |
Summary Information about the Gold Fund
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Gold Funds Adviser.
Matthew McLennan and Thomas Kertsos have served as the Funds Portfolio Managers since March 2013 and March 2016, respectively.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
The minimum initial investment amount generally required for the Gold Fund is $2,500 for Classes A and C and $1 million for Class I. There is no minimum initial investment for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6. See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem or exchange Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed or exchanged through the dealer. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
36First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund (Global Income Builder Fund) seeks current income generation and long-term growth of capital.
Fees and Expenses of the Global Income Builder Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Global Income Builder Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you, together with certain related accounts, invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Global Income Builder Fund. Information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class A Shares sections on pages 82 and 89, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
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Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R5 |
Class R6 |
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases (as a percentage of public offering price) |
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5.00 |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of your purchase or redemption price) |
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1.00 |
* |
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1.00 |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
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Management Fees |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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0.75 |
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Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
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0.25 |
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1.00 |
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None |
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0.35 |
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0.10 |
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None |
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None |
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Other Expenses** |
|
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0.18 |
0.19 |
|
0.18 |
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0.27 |
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0.64 |
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0.63 |
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0.18 |
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Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
|
1.18 |
|
1.94 |
|
0.93 |
|
1.37 |
|
1.49 |
|
1.38 |
|
0.93 |
* |
A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $250,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
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** |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202037 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Global Income Builder Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same. Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
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Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
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Class A |
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Sold or Held |
|
|
$614 |
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$856 |
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$1,117 |
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|
$1,860 |
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Class C (shares have a one year contingent deferred sales charge) |
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Sold |
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$297 |
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|
$609 |
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|
$1,047 |
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$2,264 |
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Held |
|
$197 |
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$609 |
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|
$1,047 |
|
|
$2,264 |
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Class I |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$95 |
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|
$296 |
|
|
$515 |
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|
$1,143 |
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Class R3 |
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Sold or Held |
|
$139 |
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|
$434 |
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|
$750 |
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|
$1,646 |
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Class R4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$152 |
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|
$471 |
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|
$813 |
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|
$1,779 |
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Class R5 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$140 |
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|
$437 |
|
|
$755 |
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|
$1,657 |
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Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$95 |
|
|
$296 |
|
|
$515 |
|
|
$1,143 |
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Portfolio Turnover Rate
There are transaction costs due to the bid/ask spread in the case of bonds or commissions in the case of stocks. The Global Income Builder Fund pays transaction costs when the Fund 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the Funds most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 25.54% of the average value of its portfolio.
38First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Income Builder Fund
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of current income generation and long-term growth of capital, the Global Income Builder Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks of U.S. and foreign companies that offer attractive dividend yields as well as a range of fixed income instruments, including high-yield, below investment grade instruments (commonly referred to as junk bonds), investment grade instruments and sovereign debt, from markets in the United States and multiple countries around the world.
Investment decisions for the Global Income Builder Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. Under normal circumstances, the Fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount of its assets to income-producing securities. That generally means that approximately 80% or more of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be allocated to such investments, which may include dividend paying equities, both high-yield (below investment grade) and investment grade debt, sovereign bonds, and various short-term debt instruments. The Fund may invest in securities with any maturity or investment rating, as well as unrated securities. The Fund may also invest (typically for hedging purposes) in derivative instruments such as options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, credit default swaps, and swaps and options on indices.
Additionally, under normal circumstances, the Fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount of its assets to foreign investments. That generally means that approximately 40% or more of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be allocated to foreign investments (unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Fund, in which case the Fund expects to invest at least 30% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign investments). For purposes of these 80%, 40% and 30% of assets allocations, the Fund counts relevant derivative positions on investments, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
The investment philosophy and strategy of the Global Income Builder Fund can be broadly characterized as a value approach, as it seeks a margin of safety in each investment purchase with the goal being to avoid permanent impairment of capital (as opposed to temporary losses in share value relating to shifting investor sentiment or other normal share price volatility). With respect to equity investments in particular, a discount to intrinsic value is sought even for what appear to be the
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202039 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
best of businesses, with a deeper discount demanded for companies that we view as under business model, balance sheet, management or other stresses. Intrinsic value is based on our judgment of what a prudent and rational business buyer would pay in cash for all of the company in normal markets. Investments in debt instruments are made after careful scrutiny of the underlying creditworthiness of the issuer, taking into account such factors as cash flow generation, liquidation value and structural protections. The Global Income Builder Fund seeks to own debt instruments that offer an attractive margin of safety on principal repayment relative to the total expected return of the security.
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the Global Income Builder Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the Global Income Builder Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund will invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments can be susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
||
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
||
|
Prepayment Risk Certain instruments, especially mortgage-backed securities, for example, are susceptible to the risk of prepayment by borrowers. During a period of declining interest rates, homeowners may refinance their high-rate mortgages and prepay the principal. Cash from these prepayments flows through |
40First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Income Builder Fund
|
to prepay the mortgage-backed securities, necessitating reinvestment in other assets, which may lower returns. Asset-backed securities, which are subject to risks similar to those of mortgage-backed securities, are also structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The market for mortgage-backed and asset-backed instruments may be volatile and limited, which may make them difficult to buy or sell. |
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|
Changes in Debt Ratings Risk If a rating agency gives a debt instrument a lower rating, the value of the instrument may decline because investors may demand a higher rate of return. |
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|
Defaulted Securities Risk The Fund may invest in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Such investments involve a substantial degree of risk. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Funds original investment, and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|
High Yield Risk The Fund intends to invest in high yield instruments (commonly known as junk bonds) which may be subject to greater levels of interest rate, credit (including issuer default) and liquidity risk than investment grade instruments and may experience extreme price fluctuations. The securities of such companies may be considered speculative and the ability of such companies to pay their debts on schedule may be uncertain. |
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||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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|
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202041 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
|
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|
by the counterparty to the contract. To date, derivatives have been used mainly under a hedging program that seeks to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. The Fund may at times also purchase derivatives as either a hedge or for investment purposes. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
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|
Bank Loan Risk The Fund may invest in bank loans. These investments potentially expose the Fund to the credit risk of the underlying borrower, and in certain cases, of the financial institution. The Funds ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. The market for bank loans may be illiquid and the Fund may have difficulty selling them, especially in the case of leveraged loans, which can be difficult to value. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. At times, the Fund may decline to receive non-public information relating to loans, which could disadvantage the Fund relative to other investors. |
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|
Real Estate Industry Risk The Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are subject to risks affecting the real estate industry generally (including market conditions, competition, property obsolescence, changes in interest rates and casualty to real estate), as well as risks specifically affecting REITs (the quality and skill of REIT management and the internal expenses of the REIT). |
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|
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|
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose favor with investors as compared to those that are more |
42First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Income Builder Fund
|
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|
growth oriented. In such an event, the Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies. |
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|
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the Global Income Builder Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Global Income Builder Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for the periods shown compare with those of one or more broad measures of market performance, which have characteristics relevant to the Funds investment strategy. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/global-income-builder-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202043 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
First Quarter 2019 |
7.40% |
|
Fourth Quarter 2018 |
-6.48% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The following table discloses after-tax returns only for Class A shares.
After-tax returns for Class C, Class I, Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares will vary. While no or only partial information is shown for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares (because they are more recently organized), annual returns for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns differ only to the extent that Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares do not have the same expenses as the classes for which more extended performance is shown. Comparative expense information is in the Fees and Expenses table.
44First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Income Builder Fund
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
Since |
Class R3 |
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
8.95% |
|
4.36% |
|
5.35% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
|
7.97% |
|
3.45% |
|
4.32% |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
5.33% |
|
3.04% |
|
3.82% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class C Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
12.73% |
|
4.63% |
|
5.26% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class I Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
14.87% |
|
5.69% |
|
6.33% |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R3 Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
14.36% |
|
|
|
|
|
4.58% |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class R6 Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
14.88% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.86% |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
60% MSCI World Index/40% Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
20.01% |
|
6.63% |
|
7.42% |
|
8.63% |
|
8.35% |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MSCI World Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
27.67% |
|
8.74% |
|
10.24% |
|
9.69% |
|
10.94% |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
8.72% |
|
3.05% |
|
2.85% |
|
6.54% |
|
4.15% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Adviser to the Global Income Builder Fund.
Kimball Brooker, Jr., Edward Meigs, Sean Slein and Julien Albertini are the Portfolio Managers for the Fund. Messrs. Meigs and Slein have been Portfolio Managers since the Funds inception on May 1, 2012, with Mr. Brooker joining as a Portfolio Manager in July 2016. Mr. Albertini joined as a Portfolio Manager in March 2019.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202045 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
The minimum initial investment amount generally required for the Global Income Builder Fund is $2,500 for Classes A and C and $1 million for Class I. There is no minimum initial investment for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6. See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem or exchange Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed or exchanged through the dealer. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
46First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
|
First Eagle High Income Fund
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle High Income Fund (High Income Fund) seeks to provide investors with a high level of current income.
Fees and Expenses of the High Income Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the High Income Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you, together with certain related accounts, invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in the High Income Fund. Information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class A Shares sections on pages 82 and 89, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R5 |
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases (as a percentage of public offering price) |
|
|
4.50 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of your purchase or redemption price) |
|
|
1.00 |
* |
|
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Management Fees** |
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
0.70 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
None |
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
0.10 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Expenses*** |
0.39 |
|
0.40 |
|
0.35 |
|
0.39 |
|
0.90 |
|
0.89 |
|
0.32 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
|
1.34 |
|
2.10 |
|
1.05 |
|
1.44 |
|
1.70 |
|
1.59 |
|
1.02 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fee Waiver** |
|
|
-0.10 |
|
|
-0.10 |
|
|
-0.10 |
|
|
-0.10 |
|
|
-0.10 |
|
|
-0.10 |
|
|
-0.10 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver (%) |
|
1.24 |
|
2.00 |
|
0.95 |
|
1.34 |
|
1.60 |
|
1.49 |
|
0.92 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202047 |
Summary Information about the High Income Fund
* |
A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $250,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
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** |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.10% of the average daily value of the Funds net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. This waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.70% to 0.60%. |
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*** |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
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|
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the High Income Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same (except that the management fee waiver is taken into account only for the one-year expense example). Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$571 |
|
|
$846 |
|
|
$1,142 |
|
|
$1,982 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class C (shares have a one year contingent deferred sales charge) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold |
|
$303 |
|
|
$648 |
|
|
$1,120 |
|
|
$2,423 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Held |
|
$203 |
|
|
$648 |
|
|
$1,120 |
|
|
$2,423 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class I |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$97 |
|
|
$324 |
|
|
$570 |
|
|
$1,274 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$136 |
|
|
$446 |
|
|
$777 |
|
|
$1,716 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$163 |
|
|
$526 |
|
|
$914 |
|
|
$2,000 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$152 |
|
|
$492 |
|
|
$856 |
|
|
$1,881 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$94 |
|
|
$315 |
|
|
$554 |
|
|
$1,239 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
48First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
High Income Fund
Portfolio Turnover Rate
There are transaction costs due to the bid/ask spread in the case of bonds or commissions in the case of stocks. The High Income Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when the Fund 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the Funds most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 24.19% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To pursue its investment objective, the High Income Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in high yield, below investment-grade securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds) and instruments. Such high yield instruments may include corporate bonds and loans, municipal bonds, and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. The Fund may invest in, and count for the purposes of this 80% allotment, unrated securities or other instruments deemed by the Funds Adviser to be below investment grade. The Fund counts relevant derivative positions towards its 80% of assets allocation and, in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
The Fund may invest its assets in the securities of both U.S. and foreign issuers. The Fund may also invest (typically for hedging purposes) in derivative instruments such as options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, credit default swaps, and swaps and options on indices.
The Fund may invest in securities with any investment rating or time to maturity.
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the High Income Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202049 |
Summary Information about the High Income Fund
Principal risks of investing in the High Income Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
High Yield Risk The Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) under normal market conditions in high yield instruments (commonly known as high yield or junk bonds) which may be subject to greater levels of interest rate, credit (including issuer default) and liquidity risk than investment grade securities and may experience extreme price fluctuations. The securities of such companies may be considered speculative and the ability of such companies to pay their debts on schedule may be uncertain. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments can be susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Convertible Security Risk Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. Convertible securities may gain or lose value due to changes in the issuers operating results, financial condition, credit rating and changes in interest rates and other general economic, industry and market conditions. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Illiquid Investment Risk Holding illiquid securities restricts or otherwise limits the ability for the Fund to freely dispose of its investments for specific periods of time. The Fund might not be able to sell illiquid securities at its desired price or time. Changes in the markets or in regulations governing the trading of illiquid instruments can cause rapid changes in the price or ability to sell an illiquid security. The market for lower-quality debt instruments, including junk bonds, is generally less liquid than the market for higher-quality debt instruments. |
50First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
High Income Fund
|
Prepayment Risk Certain instruments, especially mortgage-backed securities, for example, are susceptible to the risk of prepayment by borrowers. During a period of declining interest rates, homeowners may refinance their high-rate mortgages and prepay the principal. Cash from these prepayments flows through to prepay the mortgage-backed securities, necessitating reinvestment in other assets, which may lower returns. Asset-backed securities, which are subject to risks similar to those of mortgage-backed securities, are also structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The market for mortgage-backed and asset-backed instruments may be volatile and limited, which may make them difficult to buy or sell. |
||
|
Bank Loan Risk The Fund may invest in bank loans. These investments potentially expose the Fund to the credit risk of the underlying borrower, and in certain cases, of the financial institution. The Funds ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. The market for bank loans may be illiquid and the Fund may have difficulty selling them, especially in the case of leveraged loans, which can be difficult to value. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. At times, the Fund may decline to receive non-public information relating to loans, which could disadvantage the Fund relative to other investors. |
||
|
Changes in Debt Ratings Risk If a rating agency gives a debt instrument a lower rating, the value of the instrument may decline because investors may demand a higher rate of return. |
||
|
Defaulted Securities Risk The Fund may invest in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Such investments involve a substantial degree of risk. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Funds original investment, and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. |
||
|
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. The Fund may use derivatives in seeking to |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202051 |
Summary Information about the High Income Fund
|
reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. The Fund may at times also purchase derivatives linked to relevant market indices as either a hedge or for investment purposes. |
||
|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the High Income Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The High Income Fund commenced operations in its present form on or about December 30, 2011 and is the successor to the Old Mutual High Yield Fund (the Predecessor Fund) pursuant to a reorganization on or about that same date. The Predecessor Fund had similar investment objectives and strategies as the Fund, but was managed by another investment adviser.
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/high-income-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
52First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
High Income Fund
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass I
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Best Quarter* |
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Worst Quarter* |
|||||
Second Quarter 2016 |
7.08% |
|
Third Quarter 2011 |
-5.97% |
||||
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|
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* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The following average annual total returns table discloses after-tax returns only for Class I shares.
After-tax returns for Class A, Class C, Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares will vary. Returns shown for Class I shares assume commencement of operations on November 19, 2007, which is the date of organization of the Predecessor Fund. Returns shown for Class A and Class C assume commencement of operations on January 3, 2012, which is the date of inception for these share classes. Returns shown for Class I shares include the returns of the Predecessor Fund for periods prior to January 1, 2012. While no or only partial information is shown for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares (because they are more recently organized), annual returns for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns differ only to the extent that Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares do not have the same expenses as the classes for which more extended performance is shown. Comparative expense information is in the Fees and Expenses table.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202053 |
Summary Information about the High Income Fund
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
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1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
Classes |
Class R3 |
Class R6 |
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First Eagle High Income Fund |
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Class A Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
3.72% |
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3.10% |
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4.34% |
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Class C Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
6.81% |
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3.31% |
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4.14% |
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Class I Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
8.93% |
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4.38% |
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6.25% |
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Return After Taxes on Distributions |
6.85% |
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1.93% |
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3.17% |
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Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
5.25% |
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2.21% |
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3.51% |
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Class R3 Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
8.50% |
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3.97% |
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Class R6 Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
8.96% |
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4.02% |
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Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
14.32% |
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6.13% |
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7.57% |
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6.99% |
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7.12% |
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5.58% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Adviser to the High Income Fund.
Edward Meigs joined First Eagle Investment Management, LLC as a Portfolio Manager in 2011. Previously, Mr. Meigs served as a Portfolio Manager at Dwight Asset Management, LLC, where he managed the Predecessor Fund since its inception on November 19, 2007.
Sean Slein joined First Eagle Investment Management, LLC as a Portfolio Manager in 2011. Previously, Mr. Slein served as a Portfolio Manager at Dwight Asset Management, LLC, where he managed the Predecessor Fund since its inception on November 19, 2007.
54First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
High Income Fund
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
The minimum initial investment amount generally required for the High Income Fund is $2,500 for Classes A and C and $1 million for Class I. There is no minimum initial investment for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6. See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem or exchange Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed or exchanged through the dealer. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202055 |
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle Fund of America (Fund of America) seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in domestic stocks and, to a lesser extent, in debt and foreign equity securities.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund of America
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of Fund of America.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you, together with certain related accounts, invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in Fund of America. Information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class A Shares sections on pages 82 and 89, respectively, and in the appendix to the Funds Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
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Class A |
Class C |
Class Y |
Class I |
Class R3 |
Class R4 |
Class R5 |
Class R6 |
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases (as a percentage of public offering price) |
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5.00 |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of your purchase or redemption price) |
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1.00 |
* |
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1.00 |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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None |
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
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Management Fees** |
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0.90 |
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0.90 |
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0.90 |
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0.90 |
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0.90 |
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0.90 |
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0.90 |
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0.90 |
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Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
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0.25 |
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1.00 |
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0.25 |
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None |
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0.35 |
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0.10 |
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None |
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None |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Expenses*** |
0.23 |
|
0.22 |
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0.20 |
|
0.15 |
|
0.19 |
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0.66 |
|
0.65 |
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0.10 |
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Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
|
1.38 |
|
2.12 |
|
1.35 |
|
1.05 |
|
1.44 |
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1.66 |
|
1.55 |
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1.00 |
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Fee Waiver** |
|
-0.05 |
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-0.05 |
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-0.05 |
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-0.05 |
|
-0.05 |
|
-0.05 |
|
-0.05 |
|
-0.05 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver (%) |
|
1.33 |
|
2.07 |
|
1.30 |
|
1.00 |
|
1.39 |
|
1.61 |
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1.50 |
|
0.95 |
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|
56First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund of America
|
Closed to new investors. |
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* |
A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $1,000,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
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** |
0.90% (waived to 0.85%) of the first $2.25 billion of the Funds average daily net assets, 0.85% of the next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets, and 0.80% of average daily net assets in excess of $5 billion. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.05% of the first $2.25 billion of the Funds average daily net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.90% to 0.85%. The other breakpoints in excess of $2.25 billion remain unchanged. |
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*** |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
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Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Fund of America with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same (except that the management fee waiver is taken into account only for the one-year expense example). Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202057 |
Summary Information about the Fund of America
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||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A |
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Sold or Held |
|
$629 |
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$910 |
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|
$1,213 |
|
|
$2,070 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class C (shares have a one year contingent deferred sales charge) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold |
|
$310 |
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|
$659 |
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|
$1,134 |
|
|
$2,448 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Held |
|
$210 |
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$659 |
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|
$1,134 |
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|
$2,448 |
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Class Y |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$132 |
|
|
$423 |
|
|
$735 |
|
|
$1,620 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class I |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$102 |
|
|
$329 |
|
|
$575 |
|
|
$1,278 |
|||||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$142 |
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|
$451 |
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$782 |
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$1,720 |
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Class R4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$164 |
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$519 |
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$897 |
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$1,961 |
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Class R5 |
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Sold or Held |
|
$153 |
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$485 |
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$840 |
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|
$1,841 |
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Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$97 |
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|
$313 |
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$548 |
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|
$1,220 |
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Portfolio Turnover Rate
Fund of America 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, Fund of Americas portfolio turnover rate was 26.42% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of capital appreciation, Fund of America will primarily invest in domestic stocks and, to a lesser extent, debt and foreign equity instruments. Normally, at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) are invested in domestic equity and debt instruments. The Fund counts derivative positions on these instruments for purposes of this 80% allocation, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price). Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks,
58First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund of America
convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements and derivatives.
Derivatives include investing in options, futures and swaps and related products. Specifically, the Fund may enter into interest rate, credit default, currency, equity, fixed income and index swaps and the purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars.
In addition, the Fund may enter into options on securities and on stock indices to limit the Funds investment risk and augment its investment return. Further, the Fund may write covered call options on equity or debt securities and on stock indices in seeking to enhance investment return or to hedge against declines in the prices of portfolio securities or may write put options to hedge against increases in the prices of securities which it intends to purchase. The Fund also may write call options on broadly based stock and bond market indices if at the time of writing it holds a portfolio of stocks or bonds listed on such index. Finally, the Fund may utilize futures contracts and options on futures on securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market.
The Fund may enter into certain types of repurchase agreements, primarily as a cash management strategy.
The investment philosophy and strategy of Fund of America can be broadly characterized as a bottom-up, event-driven approach to choose securities that the Fund believes are undervalued and should perform well. In a bottom-up approach, companies and securities are researched and chosen individually. In an event-driven approach, one looks for companies that appear to be undervalued in relation to their potential value in light of positive corporate changes. Signals of corporate change can be management changes, large share repurchases, potential acquisitions or mergers. If changes are successful, these companies should realize a rise in the stock price. Fund of America invests in the securities of companies that it believes are undervalued relative to their overall financial and managerial strength. Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The Fund may invest in debt securities generally without regard to their credit rating or time to maturity. However, the Fund has no current intention of investing more than 5% of its net assets in high yield bonds.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202059 |
Summary Information about the Fund of America
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in Fund of America. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in Fund of America, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which Fund of America invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
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Event-Driven Style Risk The event-driven investment style carries the additional risk that the event anticipated occurs later than expected, does not occur at all, or does not have the desired effect on the market price of the securities. |
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|
Diversification Risk The Fund is a non-diversified mutual fund, and as a result, an investment in Fund of America may expose your money to greater risks than if you invest in a diversified fund. Fund of America will invest in a limited number of companies and industries, therefore gains or losses in a particular security may have a greater impact on their share price. |
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|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as high yield or junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
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Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with |
60First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund of America
|
market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
||
|
Repurchase Agreements Risk The Fund may enter into certain types of repurchase agreements, primarily as a cash management strategy. If the seller fails to repurchase the security and the market value declines, the Fund may lose money. |
||
|
Options Risk The Fund may engage in various options transactions in which the Fund seeks to limit investment risk or increase investment returns by purchasing the right to buy or sell, or by selling the obligation to buy or sell, a security at a set price in the future. The Fund pays a premium when buying options and receives a premium when selling options. When trading options, the Fund may incur losses or forego otherwise realizable gains if market prices do not move as expected. |
||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in Fund of America, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in Fund of America by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202061 |
Summary Information about the Fund of America
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/fund-america or by calling 800.334.2143.
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass Y
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
First Quarter 2019 |
18.66% |
|
Fourth Quarter 2018 |
-21.67% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The following table discloses after-tax returns only for Class Y shares.
After-tax returns for Class C, Class A, Class I, Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares will vary. While no or only partial information is shown for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares (because they are more recently organized), annual returns for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns differ only to the extent that Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares do not have the same expenses as the classes for which more extended performance is shown. Comparative expense information is in the Fees and Expenses table.
62First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund of America
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
Class I |
Class R3 |
Class R6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Y Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
28.39% |
|
2.39% |
|
9.00% |
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
28.08% |
|
0.52% |
|
7.59% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
16.98% |
|
1.66% |
|
7.20% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class C Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
26.41% |
|
1.64% |
|
8.19% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
21.92% |
|
1.35% |
|
8.44% |
|
|
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Class I Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
28.74% |
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2.71% |
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6.55% |
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Class R3 Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
28.19% |
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0.63% |
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Class R6 Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
28.77% |
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3.82% |
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S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
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31.49% |
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11.70% |
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13.56% |
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13.74% |
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14.94% |
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13.33% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as Fund of Americas Adviser.
Portfolio Managers Harold Levy, Eric Stone and Lukasz Thieme of Iridian Asset Management LLC, a subadviser retained by First Eagle Investment Management, LLC, have responsibility for the day-to-day management of Fund of America and are assisted by their colleague Portfolio Manager David Cohen. Messrs. Levy and Cohen have served as Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Funds inception in April 1987 and since 1989, respectively. Mr. Stone has served as a Portfolio Manager since March 2014 and Mr. Thieme has served as a Portfolio Manager since March 2018.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202063 |
Summary Information about the Fund of America
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
The minimum initial investment amount generally required for the Fund of America is $2,500 for Classes A, C, and Y and $1 million for Class I. There is no minimum initial investment for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6. See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information. Class Y shares are closed to new investors subject to the limited exceptions described in the About Your InvestmentFund of America Class Y Shares (closed to new investors) section.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem or exchange Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed or exchanged through the dealer. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
64First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Summary Information about the Funds
Information about Taxes and Financial Intermediaries
Tax Information
It is the Funds policy to make periodic distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any. Unless you elect otherwise, your ordinary income dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in additional shares of the same share class of a Fund at net asset value calculated as of the date immediately preceding the payment date. The Funds distributions are taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Amounts withdrawn from a tax-deferred account may be subject to tax, including a penalty on pre-retirement distributions that are not properly rolled over to other tax-deferred accounts. See the Information on Dividends, Distributions and Taxes section for more information.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Funds through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial adviser to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial adviser or visit your financial intermediarys website for more information. See the About Your InvestmentDistribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses section for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202065 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Investment Objectives and Strategies of the Funds
Global Fund. The Global Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing in a range of asset classes from markets in the United States and throughout the world. In seeking to achieve this objective, the Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks (and securities convertible into common stocks) of U.S. and foreign companies. The Fund may also invest in short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals, and fixed-income instruments of domestic or foreign issuers.
Overseas Fund. The Overseas Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in equities issued by non-U.S. corporations. In seeking to achieve this objective, the Fund invests primarily in equity securities of non-U.S. companies, the majority of which are traded in mature markets, and may invest in emerging markets. Normally, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign securities. The Fund may invest in fixed-income instruments, short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals.
U.S. Value Fund. The U.S. Value Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in domestic equity and debt securities. The Fund may also invest in gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals.
Gold Fund. The Gold Fund seeks to provide investors the opportunity to participate in the investment characteristics of gold (and to a limited extent other precious metals) for a portion of their overall investment portfolio. At least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be invested in gold and/or securities (which may include both equity and, to a limited extent, debt instruments) directly related to gold or issuers principally engaged in the gold industry, including securities of gold mining finance companies as well as operating companies with long, medium or short-life mines. The Fund may also invest in debt and equity instruments unrelated to the gold industry, other precious metals and futures contracts related to precious metals.
Global Income Builder Fund. The Global Income Builder Fund seeks current income generation and long-term growth of capital. The Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks of U.S. and foreign companies that offer attractive dividend yields as well as a range of fixed income instruments, including high yield, below investment grade instruments (commonly referred to as junk bonds),
66First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
investment grade instruments, sovereign debt and various short-term debt instruments from markets in the United States and multiple countries around the world.
High Income Fund. The High Income Fund seeks to provide investors with a high level of current income. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in high yield, below investment-grade securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds) and instruments. Such high yield instruments may include corporate bonds and loans, municipal bonds, and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. The Fund may also invest in other types of instruments including unrated debt securities and derivatives and may also employ certain investment techniques which create market exposure.
Fund of America. The Fund of America seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in domestic stocks and to a lesser extent in debt and foreign equity securities. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements and derivatives.
All FundsChange in Investment Objective. Although no change is anticipated, the investment objective of each of the Funds, except for the Global Fund, can be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified a minimum of 60 days in advance of any change in investment objective or of any change in a Funds 80% of assets investment policies.
Some of the principal investment risks of the Funds are described below in greater detail than in the Fund Summaries at the beginning of this Prospectus. The chart identifies which of these risks are applicable to a particular Fund. Other investment risks and practices also apply and are described in the Statement of Additional Information (the SAI), which is available on request (see back cover).
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202067 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
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Global |
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Market Risk |
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Credit and Interest Rate Risk |
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Foreign Investment Risk |
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Emerging Market Risk |
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Small and Medium-Size Company Risk |
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Illiquid Investment Risk |
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Derivatives Risk |
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Subsidiary Risk |
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Options Risk |
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Gold Risk |
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Diversification Risk |
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High Yield Risk |
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Prepayment Risk |
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Currency Risk |
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Changes in Debt Ratings Risk |
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Bank Loan Risk |
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Convertible Security Risk |
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Defaulted Securities Risk |
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Real Estate Industry Risk |
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Event-Drive Style Risk |
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Repurchase Agreements Risk |
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Value Investment Strategy Risk |
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Market Risk All securities may be subject to adverse market trends. The value of a Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or stock or bond markets in which a Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. This may cause a Funds portfolio to be worth less than the price originally paid for it, or less than it was worth at an earlier time. Market risk may affect a single issuer or the market as a whole. As a result, a portfolio of such securities may underperform the market as a whole.
68First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of a Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The value of the debt securities held by a Fund fluctuates with the credit quality of the issuers of those securities. A Fund could lose money if the issuer of a security is unable to meet its financial obligations or goes bankrupt. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations.
Foreign Investment Risks Foreign investments involve certain inherent risks that are different from those of domestic investments, including political or economic instability of the issuer or the country of issue, less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, changes in foreign currency and exchange rates, less public information about foreign companies, greater price fluctuations, and the possibility of adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations. Currency fluctuations may also affect the net asset value of a Fund irrespective of the performance of the underlying investments in foreign issuers. Foreign governments can also levy confiscatory taxes, expropriate assets and limit repatriations of assets. These risks may be more pronounced with respect to investments in emerging markets, as described below. As a result of these and other factors, foreign securities may be subject to greater price fluctuation than securities of U.S. companies.
Emerging Market Risk To the extent a Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, and generally greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets. Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers.
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk In addition to investments in larger companies, each Fund may invest in smaller and medium-size companies, which historically have been more volatile in price than larger company securities, especially over the short term. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. Among the reasons for the greater price volatility are the less certain growth
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202069 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
prospects of smaller companies, the lower degree of liquidity in the markets for such securities and the greater sensitivity of smaller companies to changing economic conditions. In addition, smaller companies may lack depth of management, they may be unable to generate funds necessary for growth or development, or they may be developing or marketing new products or services for which markets are not yet established and may never become established. The Funds consider small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion.
Illiquid Investment Risk Holding illiquid securities restricts or otherwise limits the ability for a Fund to freely dispose of its investments for specific periods of time. A Fund might not be able to sell illiquid securities at its desired price or time. Changes in the markets or in regulations governing the trading of illiquid instruments can cause rapid changes in the price or ability to sell an illiquid security. The market for lower-quality debt instruments, including junk bonds and leveraged loans, is generally less liquid than the market for higher-quality debt instruments.
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. Derivatives are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that a loss may be sustained by a Fund as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the other party to the transaction or the failure of the other party to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the transaction. Changing conditions in a particular market area, such as those experienced in the subprime and non-agency mortgage market over recent years, whether or not directly related to the referenced assets that underlie the transaction, may have an adverse impact on the creditworthiness of the counterparty. If a Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Funds return or result in a loss, which could also lead to an increase in redemptions of Fund shares. The Fund also could experience losses if its derivatives were poorly correlated with its other investments, or if the Fund was unable to liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for some derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid, especially in times of financial stress. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives.
Subsidiary Risk By investing in its Subsidiary, each of the Global Fund, Overseas Fund, U.S. Value Fund, and Gold Fund are indirectly exposed to the risks associated with that Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiaries are not registered under the 1940 Act and are not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act.
70First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of a Fund and/or a Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund.
Options Risk When trading options, a Fund may incur losses or forego otherwise realizable gains if market prices do not move as expected.
Gold Risk The Gold Fund maintains a policy of concentrating its investments in gold and gold-related issues. The other Funds may also invest in assets of this nature. Each Fund is therefore susceptible to specific political and economic risks affecting the price of gold and other precious metals including changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, tax, currency or mining laws, increased environmental costs, international monetary and political policies, economic conditions within an individual country, trade imbalances, and trade or currency restrictions between countries. The price of gold, in turn, is likely to affect the market prices of securities of companies mining or processing gold, and accordingly, the value of a Funds investments in such securities may also be affected. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets.
Although the risks related to investing in gold and other precious metals directly (as each of the Funds other than Fund of America are authorized to do) are similar to those of investing in precious metal finance and operating companies, as just described, there are additional considerations, including custody and transaction costs that may be higher than those involving securities. Moreover, holding gold results in no income being derived from such holding, unlike certain securities which may pay dividends or make other current payments. Although the Funds have contractual protections with respect to the credit risk of their custodian, gold held in physical form (even in a segregated account) involves the risk of delay in obtaining the assets in the case of bankruptcy or insolvency of the custodian. This could impair disposition of the assets under those circumstances. In addition, income derived from trading in gold and certain contracts and derivatives relating to gold may result in negative tax consequences. Finally, although not currently anticipated, if gold in the future were held in a book account, it would involve risks of the credit of the party holding the gold.
Diversification Risk The Gold Fund and Fund of America are non-diversified mutual funds, and as a result, an investment in these Funds may expose your money to greater risks than if you invest in a diversified fund. These Funds may invest in a
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202071 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
limited number of companies and industries, and therefore gains or losses in a particular security may have a greater impact on their share price.
High Yield Risk The High Income Fund maintains a policy of concentrating its investments in high yield debt instruments. The other Funds may also invest in assets of this nature. Instruments with the lowest investment grade ratings are considered to have speculative characteristics. Certain debt instruments that have not been rated also are considered by the Adviser to be equivalent to below investment grade (often referred to as high yield or junk bonds). On balance, debt instruments that are below investment grade are considered predominately speculative with respect to the issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal according to the terms of the obligation and, therefore, carry greater investment risk, including the possibility of default and bankruptcy. In the event of a high yield issuers bankruptcy, claims of other creditors may have priority over the claims of high yield bond holders, leaving few or no assets available to repay high yield bond holders. Prices of high yield instruments are subject to extreme price fluctuations and are likely to be less marketable and more adversely affected by economic downturns than higher-quality debt instruments. Adverse publicity and investors perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of lower-rated debt instruments, especially in a thinly traded market. Analyses of the creditworthiness of issuers of lower-rated debt instruments may be more complex than for issuers of higher-rated instruments, and the ability of each Fund to achieve its investment objective may, to the extent of investment in lower-rated debt instruments, be more dependent upon such creditworthiness analyses than would be the case if this Fund were investing in higher-rated instruments.
Prepayment Risk Certain instruments, especially mortgage-backed securities, for example, are susceptible to the risk of prepayment by borrowers. During a period of declining interest rates, homeowners may refinance their high rate mortgages and prepay the principal. Cash from these prepayments flows through to prepay the mortgage-backed securities, necessitating reinvestment in other assets, which may lower returns. Asset-backed securities, which are subject to risks similar to those of mortgage-backed securities, are also structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The market for mortgage-backed and asset-backed instruments may be volatile and limited, which may make them difficult to buy or sell.
72First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect a Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies.
Changes in Debt Ratings Risk Investments can be subject to the risk of downgrade by a ratings agency. Ratings downgrades generally affect the value of the downgraded security and are likely to result in both decreased demand for the security and an investor expectation of a higher rate of return on the security.
Bank Loan Risk The Funds may invest in bank loans. These investments potentially expose a Fund to the credit risk of the underlying borrower, and in certain cases, of the financial institution. A Funds ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. Even investments in secured loans present risk, as there is no assurance that the collateral securing the loan will be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligation. The market for bank loans may be illiquid and a Fund may have difficulty selling them. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. In some instances, other accounts managed by the Adviser or an affiliate may hold other securities issued by borrowers whose loans may be held in the Funds portfolio. If the credit quality of the issuer deteriorates, the Adviser may owe conflicting fiduciary duties to the Fund and other client accounts. At times, the Fund may decline to receive non-public information relating to loans, which could disadvantage the Fund relative to other investors. Alternatively, the Adviser may come into possession of material, non-public information about the issuers of loans that may be held in the Funds portfolio. The Advisers ability to trade in these loans for the account of the Fund could be limited by its possession of such information. Limitations on the Advisers ability to trade could have an adverse effect on the Fund by preventing the Fund from selling a loan that is experiencing a material decline in value.
Convertible Security Risk The Funds may be susceptible to convertible security risk. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. Convertible securities may gain or lose value due to changes in the issuers operating results, financial condition, and credit rating and changes in interest rates and other general economic, industry and market conditions. Convertible securities generally have higher yields than common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities. They may be less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying stock because they have fixed income characteristics, and provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202073 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Defaulted Securities Risk A Fund may invest in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Such investments involve a substantial degree of risk. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Funds original investment, and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. A wide variety of considerations render the outcome of any investment in a financially distressed company uncertain, and the level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties, is unusually high. There is no assurance that the Adviser will correctly evaluate the intrinsic values of the distressed companies in which the Fund may invest.
Real Estate Industry Risk A Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are subject to risks affecting the real estate industry. REITs are subject to substantial cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the risk of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Internal Revenue Code), and/or to maintain exemptions from the 1940 Act. A Funds investments in REITs present certain further risks that are unique and in addition to the risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future.
Event-Driven Style Risk The event-driven investment style of the Fund of America carries the additional risk that the event anticipated occurs later than expected, does not occur at all, or does not have the desired effect on the market price of the securities.
Repurchase Agreements Risk A Fund may enter into certain types of repurchase agreements, primarily as a cash management strategy. If the seller fails to repurchase the security and the market value declines, the Fund may lose money.
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment strategy that employs a value approach may pose a risk to a Fund that such investment strategy may not be successfully achieved. In any Fund, an investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose
74First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, a Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies.
Defensive Investment Strategies
The Funds have the flexibility to respond promptly to changes in market and economic conditions. For example, a defensive strategy may be warranted during periods of unfavorable market or economic conditions, including periods of market turbulence or periods when prevailing market valuations are higher than those deemed attractive under the investment criteria generally applied on behalf of the Funds. Under a defensive strategy, the Funds may hold cash and/or invest up to 100% of their assets in high quality debt securities or money market instruments of U.S. or foreign issuers. In such a case, a Fund may not be able to pursue, and may not achieve, its investment objective. It is impossible to predict whether, when or for how long a Fund will employ defensive strategies.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
A description of the Funds policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of their portfolio securities is available in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (in the section titled Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings), which is available to you without charge. Top position holdings (generally either top 10 or top five depending on the concentration represented), as well as certain statistical information relating to portfolio holdings such as region or sector breakdowns, for the Funds are posted to the website on a monthly basis within 30 days after the end of each month. These postings can be located behind the Portfolio tab on each Funds page of the website and generally are available for at least 30 days from their date of posting. Certain archived top holding postings are also available.
The Average Annual Total Returns tables earlier in this Prospectus illustrate how each Funds average annual returns for different calendar periods compare to the returns of one of the specified indices. These indices are not available for purchase. Additional information on each is set out below.
The MSCI World Index is a widely followed, unmanaged group of stocks from 23 developed markets countries. The index provides total returns in U.S. dollars with net dividends reinvested. One cannot invest directly in an index.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202075 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
The MSCI EAFE Index is an unmanaged total return index, reported in U.S. dollars, based on share prices and reinvested net dividends of companies from 21 developed market countries, excluding the United States and Canada. One cannot invest directly in an index.
The S&P 500 Index is a widely recognized unmanaged index including a representative sample of 500 leading companies in leading sectors of the U.S. economy. Although the S&P 500 Index focuses on the large-cap segment of the market, with approximately 80% coverage of U.S. equities, it is also considered a proxy for the total market. The S&P 500 Index includes dividends reinvested. One cannot invest directly in an index.
The FTSE Gold Mines Index Series is designed to reflect the performance of the worldwide market in the shares of companies whose principal activity is the mining of gold. The FTSE Gold Mines Index encompasses all gold mining companies that have a sustainable, attributable gold production of at least 300,000 ounces a year and that derive 51% or more of their revenue from mined gold. The Index is unmanaged, and includes dividends reinvested. One cannot invest directly in an index.
The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged broad-based benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market, including Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, MBS (agency fixed-rate and hybrid ARM passthroughs), ABS, and CMBS. One cannot invest directly in an index.
The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index is composed of fixed-rate, publicly issued, non-investment grade debt and is unmanaged, with dividends reinvested. The index includes both corporate and non-corporate sectors. The corporate sectors are Industrial, Utility, and Finance, which include both U.S. and non-U.S. corporations. One cannot invest directly in an index.
76First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
The Adviser of each Fund is First Eagle Investment Management, LLC, a subsidiary of First Eagle Holdings, Inc. (FE Holdings). Based in New York City since 1937, FE Holdings, formerly Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder Holdings, Inc., is the successor firm to two German banking housesGebr. Arnhold, founded in Dresden in 1864, and S. Bleichroeder, founded in Berlin in 1803. A controlling interest in FE Holdings is owned by BCP CC Holdings L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (BCP CC Holdings). BCP CC Holdings GP L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (BCP CC Holdings GP), is the general partner of BCP CC Holdings and has two managing members, Blackstone Capital Partners VI L.P. (BCP VI) and Corsair IV Financial Services Capital Partners L.P. (Corsair IV). BCP VI and Corsair IV are indirectly controlled by The Blackstone Group Inc. (Blackstone) and Corsair Capital LLC (Corsair), respectively. Investment vehicles indirectly controlled by Blackstone and Corsair and certain co-investors own a majority economic interest in FE Holdings and the Adviser through BCP CC Holdings. The Adviser offers a variety of investment management services. In addition to the Funds, its clients include the First Eagle Variable Funds, other pooled vehicles, corporations, foundations, major retirement plans and high net worth individuals. As of January 31, 2020, the Adviser had over $93 billion under management. The Advisers address is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105.
Matthew McLennan and Kimball Brooker, Jr. manage Global Fund and Overseas Fund. Matthew McLennan, Kimball Brooker, Jr. and Matthew Lamphier manage U.S. Value Fund. Matthew McLennan and Thomas Kertsos manage Gold Fund. Kimball Brooker, Jr., Edward Meigs, Sean Slein and Julien Albertini manage Global Income Builder Fund. Edward Meigs and Sean Slein manage High Income Fund. Their professional backgrounds are below.
Matthew McLennan is Head of the First Eagle Global Value Team, manages Global Fund and Overseas Fund with Mr. Brooker, manages U.S. Value Fund with Messrs. Brooker and Lamphier and manages Gold Fund with Mr. Kertsos. Mr. McLennan joined the Adviser in September 2008 after having held various senior positions with Goldman Sachs Asset Management in London and New York. While at his predecessor firm for over fourteen years, Mr. McLennan was Chief Investment Officer of a London-based investment team from 2003 to 2008 where he was responsible for managing a focused value-oriented global equity product and held positions from 1994 to 2003 that included portfolio management and investment analyst responsibilities for small-cap and mid-cap value equity portfolios.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202077 |
Fund Management
Kimball Brooker, Jr. manages Global Fund and Overseas Fund with Mr. McLennan, manages U.S. Value Fund with Messrs. McLennan and Lamphier and manages the Global Income Builder Fund with Messrs. Meigs, Slein and Albertini. Mr. Brooker joined the Adviser in January 2009 and is also a member of the First Eagle Global Value analyst team. For the three years prior to that, Mr. Brooker was Chief Investment Officer of Corsair Capital.
Matthew Lamphier manages U.S. Value Fund with Messrs. McLennan and Brooker. He joined the Adviser in May 2007 and is also a member of the First Eagle Global Value analyst team. Prior to that, Mr. Lamphier worked as a research analyst at various financial institutions, most recently, Trilogy Global Advisors.
Thomas Kertsos manages Gold Fund with Mr. McLennan. He joined the Adviser in May 2014 and is also a member of the First Eagle Global Value analyst team. Prior to that, Mr. Kertsos worked as an analyst at Fidelity Management & Research.
Edward Meigs joined First Eagle Investment Management, LLC in 2011. Prior to serving as Portfolio Manager to High Income Fund with Mr. Slein and Global Income Builder Fund with Messrs. Brooker, Slein and Albertini, Mr. Meigs held various portfolio management positions at Dwight Asset Management, LLC, the investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund to the High Income Fund, since 2001, where he managed the Predecessor Fund since its inception.
Sean Slein joined First Eagle Investment Management, LLC in 2011. Prior to serving as Portfolio Manager to High Income Fund with Mr. Meigs and Global Income Builder Fund with Messrs. Brooker, Meigs and Albertini, Mr. Slein held various portfolio management positions at Dwight Asset Management, LLC, the investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund to the High Income Fund, since 2001, where he managed the Predecessor Fund since its inception.
Julien Albertini manages Global Income Builder Fund with Messrs. Booker, Meigs and Slein. He joined the Adviser in 2013 and is also a member of the First Eagle Global Value analyst team. Prior to that, Mr. Albertini worked in various roles at various financial institutions, most recently Tiger Veda LP.
Additional information regarding these portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of securities in the First Eagle Funds is available in the Statement of Additional Information. The portfolio managers are supported in their duties by a team of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. Also available in the Statement of Additional Information is certain background information regarding these investment professionals. The personnel responsible for
78First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund Management
the day-to-day management of Fund of America are described under The Subadviser.
Pursuant to an advisory agreement with the Funds, the Adviser is responsible for the management of each of the Funds portfolios or, in the case of Fund of America, oversees and supervises the investment management services provided by the Subadviser. In return for its investment management services, each Fund pays the Adviser a fee at the annual rate of the average daily value of its net assets as follows:
|
|
|
|||||
Management Fee |
|||||||
Global Fund |
|
|
0.75 |
% |
|
||
|
|||||||
Overseas Fund |
|
|
0.75 |
% |
|
||
|
|||||||
U.S. Value Fund |
|
|
0.75 |
%* |
|
||
|
|||||||
Gold Fund |
|
|
0.75 |
% |
|
||
|
|||||||
Global Income Builder Fund |
|
|
0.75 |
% |
|
||
|
|||||||
High Income Fund |
|
0.70 |
%** |
|
|||
|
|||||||
Fund of America |
|
|
0.90 |
%*** |
|
||
|
* |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.05% of the average daily value of the U.S. Value Funds net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. This waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.75% to 0.70%. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
** |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.10% of the average daily value of the High Income Funds net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. This waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.70% to 0.60%. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*** |
0.90% (waived to 0.85%) of the first $2.25 billion of the Funds average daily net assets, 0.85% of the next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets, and 0.80% of average daily net assets in excess of $5 billion. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.05% of the first $2.25 billion of the Funds average daily net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.90% to 0.85%. The other breakpoints in excess of $2.25 billion remain unchanged. |
The Adviser also performs certain administrative, accounting, operations, compliance and other services on behalf of the Funds, and in accordance with its agreements with them, the Funds (other than the Global Income Builder Fund and the High Income Fund) reimburse the Adviser for costs (including personnel, related overhead and other costs) related to those services. Those reimbursements may not exceed an annual rate of 0.05% of the value of a Funds average daily net assets. Each of the Global Income Builder Fund and the High Income Fund pays a fee to the Adviser
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202079 |
Fund Management
related to those services. The fee is an annual rate of 0.05% of the value of each of the Global Income Builder Funds and the High Income Funds average daily net assets. These fees and reimbursements comprise a portion, and sometimes a substantial portion, of each Funds Other Expenses in the fees and expenses tables at the beginning of this Prospectus.
Pursuant to a subadvisory agreement with the Adviser, Iridian Asset Management LLC (Iridian or the Subadviser) manages the investments of Fund of America. Iridian is a registered investment adviser whose primary office is at 276 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06880. Harold J. Levy, Eric Stone and Lukasz Thieme are the portfolio managers primarily responsible for Fund of America. Mr. Levy was, as an employee of FEIM, a portfolio manager of the Fund in its prior format as a series of the former First Eagle Funds Trust since its inception in April 1987. David L. Cohen assists Mr. Levy, Mr. Stone and Mr. Thieme and also is a portfolio manager of the Fund and, as an employee of FEIM was a portfolio manager of the Fund in its prior format as a series of the former First Eagle Funds Trust since 1989. Prior to 2002, Messrs. Levy and Cohen were employed by FEIM since 1985 and 1989, respectively. Iridian is wholly owned by entities controlled by Messrs. Levy and Cohen. Mr. Stone joined Iridian in April 2012 and for the three years prior to that, Mr. Stone worked as a portfolio manager with Plural Investments. Mr. Thieme joined Iridian in August 2007 as a research analyst and for the two years prior to that worked as an analyst with LRL/Ritchie Capital.
The fees paid to Iridian by the Adviser under the Subadvisory Agreement are based on a reference amount equal to 50% of the combined (i) fees received by the Adviser for advisory services on behalf of the Fund and (ii) fees received by the Funds distributor for its shareholder liaison services on behalf of the Fund. These amounts are reduced by certain direct marketing costs borne by the Adviser in connection with the Fund and are further reduced by the amount paid by the Adviser for certain administrative expenses incurred in providing services to the Fund.
Additional information regarding these portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed by these portfolio managers and their ownership of securities in Fund of America is available in the Statement of Additional Information.
80First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund Management
Approval of Advisory and Subadvisory Agreements
A discussion regarding the basis of the Funds Board of Trustees (Board of Trustees) approval of the Advisory and Subadvisory Agreements between the Funds and the Adviser or Subadviser is available in the Annual or Semi-Annual Report to shareholders for financial reporting periods in which the Agreements were acted upon by the Board of Trustees.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202081 |
Investing requires a plan. Whether you invest on your own or use the services of a financial professional, you should create a strategy designed to meet your short-term and long-term financial goals.
The minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts generally required for share classes of each Fund are included in the table below. If you invest through a financial intermediary, your financial intermediary may establish higher or lower minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts.
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
Minimum Investments |
Initial* |
Subsequent |
||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Fund |
||||||||||||||
Class A |
|
|
$2,500 |
|
|
$100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class C |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class I |
|
|
1,000,000 |
** |
|
|
|
100 |
||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund |
||||||||||||||
Class A |
|
|
$2,500 |
|
|
$100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class C |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class I |
|
|
1,000,000 |
** |
|
|
|
100 |
||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
See footnotes on page 84.
82First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
Minimum Investments |
Initial* |
Subsequent |
||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund |
||||||||||||||
Class A |
|
|
$2,500 |
|
|
$100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class C |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class I |
|
|
1,000,000 |
** |
|
|
|
100 |
||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund |
||||||||||||||
Class A |
|
|
$2,500 |
|
|
$100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class C |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class I |
|
|
1,000,000 |
** |
|
|
|
100 |
||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund |
||||||||||||||
Class A |
|
|
$2,500 |
|
|
$100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class C |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class I |
|
|
1,000,000 |
** |
|
|
|
100 |
||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
See footnotes on next page.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202083 |
About Your Investment
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
Minimum Investments |
Initial* |
Subsequent |
||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund |
||||||||||||||
Class A |
|
|
$2,500 |
|
|
$100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class C |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class I |
|
|
1,000,000 |
** |
|
|
|
100 |
||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America |
||||||||||||||
Class A |
|
|
$2,500 |
|
|
$100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class C |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class Y*** |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
100 |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class I |
|
|
1,000,000 |
** |
|
|
|
100 |
||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R3 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R4 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R5 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Class R6 |
|
|
None |
|
|
None |
||||||||
|
* |
Minimum initial investment is $1,000 for Class A and Class C shares in an individual retirement account (instead of $2,500 as is otherwise required). |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
** |
The current aggregate net asset value of a shareholders accounts in any of the Funds may qualify for purposes of meeting the initial minimum investment amount for those Funds which have Class I shares. The minimum may be waived for Class I shares for certain wrap fee programs if approved by FEF Distributors, LLC and for certain intermediaries that have entered into a relevant agreement with FEF Distributors, LLC. With respect to the High Income Fund, the minimum also will be waived for certain legacy investors who were invested in the Predecessor Fund to the High Income Fund. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*** |
Closed to new investors, subject to limited exceptions described in the About Your InvestmentFund of America Class Y Shares (closed to new investors) section. |
84First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
The Trust typically does not offer or sell its shares to non-U.S. residents. For purposes of this policy, a U.S. resident is defined as an account with (i) a U.S. address of record (including Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO) and Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) addresses) and (ii) all account owners residing in the United States at the time of sale. Any existing account that is updated to reflect a non-U.S. address may also be restricted from making additional investments. Starter checks and third-party checks will not be accepted for purposes of purchasing shares, but third-party checks may be accepted in connection with individual retirement account rollovers. Third-party transactions, except those for the benefit of custodial accounts or participants in employee benefit plans, are not permitted. The Trust reserves the right to waive the initial minimum investment amounts, at the discretion of the principal underwriter, for certain investors, including Trust employees and trustees, and employees and officers of the Adviser and its affiliates. A Funds shares may be purchased through authorized dealers or, in limited circumstances, through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems Inc. (DST or the Transfer Agent). A completed and signed application is required to open an account with the Funds. If there is no application accompanying this Prospectus, please call 800.334.2143 to obtain one.
FEF Distributors, LLC (FEF Distributors or the Distributor), the Funds principal underwriter (and a subsidiary of the Adviser), reserves the right to limit the purchase of a Funds shares when it is in the best interest of the Fund.
The Trust and the Distributor reserve the right to refuse any share purchase order for any reason they deem appropriate. For example, the Trust or Distributor may reject purchase orders due to nonpayment, and they may refuse orders from investors identified as money-laundering risks and those responsible for potentially disruptive trading practices, such as market timing. Share purchases are not binding on the Trust or the Distributor (and accordingly may be rejected) until they are confirmed as paid by the Transfer Agent. All payments must be made in U.S. dollars, and all checks must be drawn on U.S. banks.
Cash or cash equivalents (such as travelers checks, cashiers checks, bankers official checks or money orders) will generally not be accepted, however certain cash equivalents will be permitted for IRA transfers and retirement asset rollovers. As a condition of this offering, if an investors purchase is canceled due to nonpayment or because his or her check or Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer does not clear, the investor will be responsible for any loss a Fund may incur as a result thereof. In limited circumstances, completed purchases also may be cancelled when the Distributor or Transfer Agent receives satisfactory instructions that a trade order was placed in error.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202085 |
About Your Investment
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
The Trust and the Distributor are required to comply with various anti-money laundering laws and regulations. Consequently, the Trust or the Distributor may request additional information from you to verify your identity and source of funds. For individual investors, such information typically will include name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. Such information also may include requests for documents such as drivers license or other government-issued identification. For entity investors, such information typically will include name, principal business address, taxpayer identification number, corporate documents such as articles of incorporation, trust or partnership agreements, by-laws and similar documents, and also may include requests for documents confirming the authority and identity of those having control over the entity or its trading.
If the Trust or Distributor believes the information submitted does not provide adequate identity verification, it reserves the right to reject the establishment of your account or close the account at its current net asset value. If, at any time, the Trust believes an investor may be involved in suspicious activity, or if certain account information matches data on government lists of suspicious persons, the Trust or Distributor may choose to prohibit the establishment of a new account for the purchase of Fund shares or may be required to freeze an account. They also may be required to provide a governmental agency or another financial institution with information about transactions that have occurred in a shareholders account or to transfer monies received to establish a new account, transfer an existing account or transfer the proceeds of an existing account to a governmental agency. In some circumstances, the law may not permit the Trust or the Distributor to inform the investor it has taken the actions described above.
How Fund Share Prices Are Calculated
Each Fund computes its net asset value once daily as of the close of trading on each day the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading. Net asset value for purchase or sale orders which are received by each Fund on any business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be calculated as of that same day. If the purchase or sale request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a non-business day (weekend or financial market holiday), net asset value will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the next business day. The net asset value per share is computed by dividing the total current value of the assets of a Fund, less its liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding at the time of such computation. Because the Funds may invest in securities listed on foreign exchanges that may trade on weekends or other days when the Funds do not
86First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
price their shares, the Funds share values may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem shares.
The Funds use pricing services to identify the market prices of publicly traded securities in their portfolios. When market prices are determined to be stale as a result of limited market activity for a particular holding, or in other circumstances when market prices are unavailable, such as for private placements, or when market prices have been materially affected by events occurring after the close of trading on the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded but before a Funds NAV is calculated, or determined to be unreliable for a particular holding, such holdings may be fair valued in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Additionally, trading of foreign equity securities on most foreign markets is completed before the close in trading in U.S. markets. The Funds have implemented fair value pricing on a daily basis for all foreign securities, as available, to account for the market movement between the close of the foreign market and the close of the NYSE. The fair value pricing utilizes factors provided by an independent pricing service. The values assigned to a Funds foreign holdings therefore may differ on occasion from reported market values. The Board and the Adviser believe relying on the procedures as just described will result in prices that are more reflective of the actual market value of portfolio securities held by the Funds than relying solely on reported market values.
The Distributor may authorize certain dealers to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders (authorized dealers). In turn, these authorized dealers may designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Distributors behalf (designated intermediaries). Orders for shares received by DST, authorized dealers, or designated intermediaries prior to the close of trading on the NYSE will be processed based on that days net asset value determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE that day. If an order is received by DST, an authorized dealer, or a designated intermediary after the close of the NYSE, it will be priced the next day the NYSE is open for trading.
Purchases Through Dealers and Financial Intermediaries
You may purchase a Funds shares from selected securities dealers with whom the Distributor has sales agreements. You also may obtain additional new account applications from such authorized dealers. For a list of authorized dealers, please contact the Distributor at 800.747.2008. Authorized dealers and financial services firms are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase orders to FEF Distributors and for monitoring applicable breakpoint or sales charge reductions for their accounts. Certain broker-dealers or financial services firms may purchase shares at their net asset value, without a sales commission, and charge investors a transaction charge or other advisory fee through a wrap-fee or similar program.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202087 |
About Your Investment
Class A shares of each Fund are sold with a front-end sales commission and a Rule 12b-1 annual distribution fee. Class C shares of each Fund are sold with a level-load (consisting of a Rule 12b-1 annual distribution fee and annual service fee). Class Y shares of Fund of America are sold with a Rule 12b-1 annual distribution fee. Class I shares of each Fund are made available primarily to investors purchasing through a fee-based program with their investment adviser or broker-dealer, through a group retirement plan in which they participate, or, for certain investors, by direct purchases through the Transfer Agent in quantities of $1 million or more. Class I shares may also be available on certain brokerage platforms (pursuant to a relevant agreement with FEF Distributors). An investor transacting in Class I shares through a broker acting as an agent for the investor may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares of each Fund are sold primarily to group retirement plans. (Class R6 shares may be available to non-group retirement plans through certain fee-based platforms that have entered into an agreement with FEF Distributors.) Class R3 shares of each Fund are sold with a Rule 12b-1 annual distribution fee and annual service fee. Class R4 shares of each Fund are sold with a Rule 12b-1 annual service fee.
Authorized dealers and financial services firms may impose a charge for handling purchase transactions and may have particular requirements concerning purchases. Contact your authorized dealer or financial services firm for more information.
The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly through the Transfer Agent or through an authorized dealer or other financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load waivers. In all instances, it is the purchasers responsibility to notify the Fund or the purchasers financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts. See the Appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms for more information.
If you purchase any Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), each Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial adviser to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial adviser or visit your financial intermediarys website for more information.
88First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
Public Offering Price of Class A Shares
The public offering price of Class A shares equals the net asset value per share plus a sales charge. The Class A sales charges* for each Fund, except the Global Income Builder Fund and the High Income Fund, are as follows:
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Class A Shares Dollars Invested |
Sales Charge as a Percentage of |
Dealer Allowance |
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Offering Price |
Net Amount |
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Less than $25,000 |
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5.00 |
% |
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5.26 |
% |
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4.50 |
% |
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$25,000 but less than $50,000 |
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4.50 |
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4.71 |
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4.25 |
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$50,000 but less than $100,000 |
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4.00 |
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4.17 |
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3.75 |
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$100,000 but less than $250,000 |
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3.25 |
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3.36 |
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3.00 |
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$250,000 but less than $500,000 |
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2.50 |
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2.56 |
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2.25 |
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$500,000 but less than $1,000,000 |
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1.50 |
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1.52 |
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1.25 |
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$1,000,000 and over** |
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0.00 |
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0.00 |
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0.00 |
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The Class A sales charges* for the Global Income Builder Fund are as follows:
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Class A Shares Dollars Invested |
Sales Charge as a Percentage of |
Dealer Allowance |
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Offering Price |
Net Amount |
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Less than $25,000 |
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5.00 |
% |
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5.26 |
% |
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4.50 |
% |
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$25,000 but less than $50,000 |
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4.50 |
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4.71 |
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4.25 |
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$50,000 but less than $100,000 |
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4.00 |
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4.17 |
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3.75 |
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$100,000 but less than $250,000 |
3.25 |
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3.36 |
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3.00 |
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$250,000 and over** |
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0.00 |
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0.00 |
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0.00 |
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The Class A sales charges* for the High Income Fund are as follows:
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Class A Shares Dollars Invested |
Sales Charge as a Percentage of |
Dealer Allowance |
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Offering Price |
Net Amount |
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Less than $100,000 |
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4.50 |
% |
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4.71 |
% |
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4.00 |
% |
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$100,000 but less than $250,000 |
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3.50 |
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3.63 |
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3.00 |
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$250,000 and over** |
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0.00 |
0.00 |
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0.00 |
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The Distributor re-allows discounts to selected dealers with whom it has sales agreements and is entitled to retain the balance over dealer discounts. The Distributor may re-allow the entire sales load, and, as described in Distribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses, may provide additional promotional incentives to dealers selling a Funds shares. In some instances, the entire reallowance or incentive may be offered only to certain dealers that have sold or may sell significant amounts of a Funds shares. Authorized dealers to whom substantially the entire sales charge is reallowed may be deemed to be underwriters, according to the definition under the Securities Act of 1933.
* |
Information relating to sales charges is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors. |
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** |
See the following section titled Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202089 |
About Your Investment
Class A shares of each Fund also carry a Rule 12b-1 annual 0.25% distribution fee. Because the Rule 12b-1 fee is paid from your investment on an ongoing basis, over time these fees ultimately may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plans and agreements adopted by each Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act are described in Distribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses.
Class A is closed to new investors who purchase shares directly through the Transfer Agent (without the use of an intermediary).
Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
There is no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares of one or more of the Global Fund, Overseas Fund, U.S. Value Fund, Gold Fund and Fund of America aggregating $1 million or more. There is no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares of one or more of the Global Income Builder Fund and High Income Fund aggregating $250,000 or more. The Distributor may pay dealers of record finders fee commissions of up to 1.00% of purchases of Class A shares not previously subject to a front-end sales charge or dealer commission paid by the investor.***
These finders fee commissions will be paid with respect to (i) purchases aggregating (on a single trade date) $1 million or more ($250,000 or more for the Global Income Builder Fund and High Income Fund) by any person, which term includes any account having the same mailing address or tax identification number; (ii) accounts with completed letters of intention of $1 million or more ($250,000 or more for the Global Income Builder Fund and High Income Fund); and (iii) certain group retirement plans investing through an omnibus account making any single purchase of Class A shares of $1 million or more ($250,000 or more for the Global Income Builder Fund and High Income Fund). Subsequent purchases will need to aggregate $1 million or more ($250,000 or more for the Global Income Builder Fund and High Income Fund) to be eligible for this commission (and appropriate documentation will be required to verify additional aggregations).
Finders fee commissions also may be paid under certain other circumstances. Your dealer will advise you if any such commissions are paid with respect to your account. If you redeem any shares as to which such a finders fee commission was paid within 18 months of the end of the calendar month of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge (called the Class A contingent deferred sales charge) may be deducted
*** |
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Dealers should call the Distributor at 800.747.2008 to discuss the further terms that apply to this commission. |
90First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
from the redemption proceeds. The Class A contingent deferred sales charge will not exceed 1.00% of the lesser of (i) the aggregate net asset value of the redeemed shares at the time of redemption (excluding shares purchased with reinvested dividends or capital gain distributions), or (ii) the original net asset value of the redeemed shares.
If you are investing through a retirement plan, your plan administrator can advise you whether such a finders fee commission has been charged against the plan. If so, the plan may be subject to the Class A contingent deferred sales charge if fully redeemed within 18 months of the end of the calendar month of the relevant share purchase.
In determining whether a Class A contingent deferred sales charge is payable when shares are redeemed, shares that are not subject to the sales charge, including those purchased with reinvested dividends and capital gains, will be redeemed first. The remaining shares will be redeemed in the order in which you purchased them.
The Class A contingent deferred sales charge is not charged on Class A exchanges. However, if the shares acquired by exchange are redeemed within 18 calendar months of the end of the calendar month in which the exchanged shares were originally purchased, then the Class A contingent deferred sales charges will apply.
The Class A contingent deferred sales charge will be in addition to any applicable redemption fee described in Once You Become a ShareholderRedemption Fee.
As the table in Public Offering Price of Class A Shares shows, larger investments in Class A shares of a Fund will reduce the sales charge on the investment, resulting in what are frequently called sales charge breakpoints. Not all terms are available through all of the Funds authorized dealers or other intermediaries. To claim a breakpoint or other reduced sales charge, notify your dealer, the Distributor or DST at the time of purchase that one of the following applies (including, if relevant, the existence of all accounts or balances applicable to the calculation of any breakpoints or other sales charge reductions):
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Aggregation. The sales charge schedule applies to the total amount invested in Class A shares by any person, which, for purposes of calculating sales charges, includes any account having the same mailing address or tax identification number. Therefore, if you purchase shares for several accounts at the same time, you may combine these investments into a single transaction to reduce the applicable sales charge. You may not combine individual accounts with corporate/partnership accounts for purposes of reducing the sales charge. |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202091 |
About Your Investment
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Rights of Accumulation. If you already are a First Eagle Funds shareholder, you may purchase Class A shares at a reduced sales charge by combining the amount being invested with the current net asset value of any share class you already own. If the current net asset value of the qualifying shares already held plus the net asset value of the current purchase exceeds a point in the sales charge schedule at which the charge is reduced, the entire current purchase is eligible for the reduced sales charge. To take advantage of your rights of accumulation, notify your dealer, the Distributor or DST at the time of purchase. |
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Letter of Intention. You may qualify for a reduced sales charge by completing the Letter of Intention contained in the New Account Application or the Special Options Form, which you may obtain by contacting the Trust at 800.334.2143. This process allows you to combine aggregate purchases of Class A shares of any Fund during a 13-month period, for purposes of calculating the applicable sales charge. Shares you currently own will be credited as purchases toward the completion of the Letter of Intention at their net asset value on the date the letter is executed. No retroactive adjustments will be made. For each investment you make, you must notify your dealer, the Distributor or DST that such a letter is on file along with all account numbers associated with the letter. The letter is not a binding obligation. Nevertheless, 5% (or 4.50% in the case of the High Income Fund) of the amount specified in the Letter of Intention will be held in escrow, and if your purchases are less than the amount specified, you must remit to the appropriate Fund an amount equal to the difference between the sales charge paid and the sales charge applicable to the total purchases actually made. If you do not remit the payment within 20 days after written request, the Trust will redeem an appropriate number of escrowed shares to realize the difference. The sales charge applicable to the investment will not be higher than if you had not submitted a Letter of Intention. Either you (subject to these escrow rules) or the Trust may cancel the arrangement at will. |
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Sales at Net Asset Value. Class A shares of each Fund can be sold at net asset value (without a sales charge) to: |
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registered representatives or employees of authorized dealers; or the immediate family members of such persons; or any trust, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for only such persons; |
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banks or trust companies or their affiliates, when the bank, trust company or affiliate is authorized to make investment decisions on behalf of a client; |
92First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
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investment advisers and financial planners who place trades for their own accounts or the accounts of their clients and who charge a management, consulting or other fee for their services; |
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clients of such investment advisers and financial planners who place trades for their own accounts, if the accounts are linked to the master account of the investment adviser or financial planner on the books and records of the broker, agent, investment adviser or financial institution; |
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a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer the Funds shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts and that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers. A listing of these intermediaries is included in the appendix to the Funds Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms. |
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retirement and deferred compensation plans and trusts used to fund those plans, including, but not limited to, those defined in Section 401(a), 401(k), 403(b) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code and rabbi trusts. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent; |
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current accounts in which shares of each Fund are purchased directly through FEF Distributors; and |
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current officers, trustees, directors, and employees of the Trust, FE Holdings, the Adviser, FEF Distributors, certain other subsidiaries of FE Holdings, The Blackstone Group Inc., Corsair Capital LLC, employees of certain firms providing services to the Trust (such as the custodian and the shareholder servicing agent), and to the immediate family members of any such persons or to any trust, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for only such persons. |
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A Fund also may issue Class A shares at net asset value in connection with the acquisition of or merger or consolidation with another investment company. At the Distributors discretion, the sales of Class A shares at net asset value may require written assurance that the purchase is being made for investment purposes and the shares will not be resold except through redemption. If required, you must provide such notice to the Distributor or DST at the time of purchase on a form available from the Trust.
Certain financial intermediaries may exchange Class I shares for Class A shares (on a load-waived basis) of the same Fund in connection with a change in account type or otherwise in accordance with the financial intermediarys policies and procedures that
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202093 |
About Your Investment
renders a shareholder ineligible for Class I shares. The availability of this sales charge waiver depends on the policies, procedures and trading platforms of the intermediary.
Reinstatement Privilege
You are entitled to a one-time per account privilege to reinvest in Class A shares of any First Eagle Fund the proceeds of a full or partial redemption of shares from the same Fund (and the same account) at the then-applicable net asset value per share without payment of a sales charge. To exercise this privilege, you must submit to DST or your broker of record, within 90 calendar days after the redemption, a written request for reinstatement and a check or bank wire in an amount not exceeding the redemption proceeds.
Please note that reinstatement will not prevent recognition of a gain realized on the redemption, and a loss may be disallowed for tax purposes. The gain or loss resulting from the redemption may be affected by exercising the reinstatement privilege if you held the redeemed shares for 90 days or less, or if you reinvest within 30 days.
Purchasing Level-Load Class C Shares
You may purchase level-load Class C shares of a Fund through an investment professional at net asset value. You do not have to pay sales charges on Class C shares, but you may have to pay a contingent deferred sales charge equal to 1.00% of the original purchase price or the current market value, whichever is less (the Class C contingent deferred sales charge), on shares you sell or redeem within the first year of purchase.
Investors who purchase Fund shares directly through the Funds Transfer Agent without a broker of record are not eligible to purchase Class C shares. Any Class C shares currently held in accounts with the Transfer Agent without a broker of record will be subject to automatic conversion to Class A shares over time.
Class C shares of each Fund carry a Rule 12b-1 annual 0.25% service fee and annual 0.75% distribution fee. Because the Rule 12b-1 fees are paid from your investment on an ongoing basis, over time these fees ultimately may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plans and agreements adopted by each Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act are described in Distribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses.
In addition to the fees described above, the underwriter normally pays to distributors of Fund shares a separate initial 1.00% fee on the sale of Class C shares. The Class C contingent deferred sales charge is intended to compensate the underwriter for these
94First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
payments, if investors hold shares for less than one year. Distributors of Class C shares that are not subject to a Class C contingent deferred sales charge will be paid the distribution and service fees on a quarterly basis.
The Class C contingent deferred sales charge is in addition to any applicable redemption fee described under Once You Become a ShareholderRedemption Fee.
Fund of America Class Y Shares (closed to new investors)
You may purchase Fund of America no-load Class Y shares through an investment professional or directly from the Trust at net asset value. You do not have to pay sales charges, but you will pay an annual 0.25% distribution (Rule 12b-1) fee. Class Y shares are also available through some 401(k) plans.
Class Y is currently closed to new investors, subject to limited exceptions for:
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participants in certain employee benefit plans that were invested (at the plan level) in Class Y prior to its close; |
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accounts opened with distributions or rollovers from individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or other group retirement plans invested in Class Y; |
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accounts benefiting employees, officers, directors and trustees of the First Eagle Funds, the investment adviser or the investment advisers affiliates and their immediate family members; |
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accounts opened through a fee-based, asset allocation, discretionary and/or advisory investment program sponsored by a broker-dealer having a Selling Agreement with the Distributor; and |
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accounts associated with certain mutual fund sales platforms designed to facilitate investments by clients of investment advisers. |
Except for the exceptions above, no new Class Y share accounts will be opened by way of share exchange, transfer or purchase.
The Funds ability either to permit or decline purchases (or, in some cases, to limit purchases) in accord with the exceptions set out above relating to accounts held by intermediaries may vary depending upon system capabilities, applicable contractual and legal restrictions and cooperation of those intermediaries. These terms may be modified in the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202095 |
About Your Investment
Purchasing Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 Shares
Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares are offered without any sales charge and are generally made available to the following types of investors:
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qualified 401(a) plans (including 401(k) plans, Keogh plans, profit-sharing pension plans, money purchase pension plans, target benefit plans, defined benefit pension plans, and Taft-Hartley multi-employer pension plans); |
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certain non-qualified plans; |
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457 plans, including 457(a) governmental entity plans and tax-exempt plans; |
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403(b) retirement plans; |
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health savings accounts (HSA); |
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voluntary employees beneficiary association (VEBA) plan trusts; |
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investment companies, both affiliated and not affiliated with the adviser; and |
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trustees of the Funds and other individuals who are affiliated with the Funds. |
Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares may not be available through certain intermediaries. The availability of Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares for 401(a), 457, and 403(b) plan investors will depend upon the policies of your financial intermediary and/or the recordkeeper for your group retirement plan. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares also are generally available only to group retirement plan investors where plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares generally are not available to Traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts (IRAs), Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, and 529 college savings plans. While Class R3, Class R4 and Class R5 shares generally are not available to non-retirement accounts, Class R6 shares may be available to non-retirement accounts through certain fee-based platforms that have entered into an agreement with FEF Distributors.
Class R3 shares of each Fund carry a Rule 12b-1 annual 0.25% distribution fee and annual 0.10% service fee. Class R4 shares of each Fund carry a Rule 12b-1 annual 0.10% service fee. Because the Rule 12b-1 fees are paid from your investment on an ongoing basis, over time these fees ultimately may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plans and agreements adopted by each Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act are described in Distribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses.
96First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
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Distribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses
The shares of each of the Funds are offered to investors, in states and countries in which such offer is lawful, either through selected securities dealers or directly through DST. Class A shares of the Funds are subject to the front-end sales charges described in About Your InvestmentPublic Offering Price of Class A Shares.
Each of the Funds has adopted distribution plans and agreements pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the Plans) under the 1940 Act. Under the Plans, each Fund pays FEF Distributors as the Funds Distributor the following annual distribution-related and service fees:
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Class A shares: 0.25% of the share classs average daily net assets. |
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Class C shares: 1.00% of the share classs average daily net assets (distribution and service fees). |
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Class Y shares (Fund of America): 0.25% of the share classs average daily net assets. |
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Class R3 shares: 0.35% of the share classs average daily net assets (distribution and service fees). |
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Class R4 shares: 0.10% of the share classs average daily net assets. |
FEF Distributors is paid these distribution-related and service fees on a monthly basis. FEF Distributors is obligated to use these collected fees to pay qualifying dealers for their assistance in distributing the Funds shares, providing shareholder services and in connection with other expenses incurred by such dealers, such as advertising costs and the printing and distribution of prospectuses to prospective investors. However, FEF Distributors will not pay dealers 12b-1, distribution-related and service fees for any quarter in which a dealer has less than $50,000 in First Eagle Fund accounts. FEF Distributors or its affiliates bear distribution expenses to the extent they are not covered by payments under the Plans. Any distribution expenses incurred by FEF Distributors or its affiliates in any Funds fiscal year that are not reimbursed from payments accrued during that fiscal year will not be carried over for payment in any subsequent year. Class I, Class R5 and Class R6 shares of the Funds do not participate in the Plans and are not charged with any portion of the payments made under the Plans. Because the fees are paid from Fund assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Funds and ultimately may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. Any distribution-related (Rule 12b-1) fee may be used in whole or in part to finance distribution activities, including sales compensation, and/or shareholder account liaison and servicing activities.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202097 |
About Your Investment
Certain broker-dealers or other intermediaries perform services that otherwise could be handled by the Funds Transfer Agent. These services may include preparing and distributing client statements, tax reporting, order-processing and client relations. As a result, these third parties may charge fees (sometimes called sub-transfer agency fees or sub-accounting fees) to the First Eagle Funds for these services. The Funds may pay for such services outside of a Rule 12b-1 Plan (meaning in addition to or instead of as Rule 12b-1 fees) so long as such compensation does not exceed certain limits set from time to time by the Board of Trustees in consultation with management. Arrangements may involve a dollar per-account fee, an asset-based fee, transaction or other charges, cost reimbursement or, in some cases, a combination of these inputs.
Sub-transfer agency fees can comprise a substantial portion of the Funds ongoing expenses (except in the case of Class R6 shares, where such fees are not paid). While the Adviser and the Distributor consider sub-transfer agency fees to be payments for services rendered, they represent an additional business relationship between these sub-transfer agents and the Funds that often results, at least in part, from past or present sales of Fund shares by the sub-transfer agents or their affiliates. The Adviser, the Distributor or an affiliate may make additional payments to intermediaries for these and other services, and their payments may be based on the same or other methods of calculation. See Revenue Sharing below.
Revenue Sharing
The Distributor, Adviser or an affiliate may make cash payments from their own resources to broker-dealers or financial intermediaries for various reasons. These payments, often referred to as revenue sharing, may support the delivery of services to the Funds or shareholders in the Funds, including transaction processing and sub-accounting services.
These payments also may serve as an incentive to sell Fund shares or to promote shareholder retention. As such, the payments may go to firms providing various marketing support or other promotional services relating to the Funds, including advertising and sales meetings, as well as inclusion of the Funds in various promotional and sales programs. Marketing support services also may include business planning assistance, broker-dealer education about the Funds and shareholder financial planning assistance.
Revenue sharing payments may include any portion of the sub-transfer agency fees (described in the preceding section) that exceed the limits for those fees established by the Board of Trustees in consultation with management and which, accordingly,
98First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
the Funds do not pay. They also may include any other payment requirement of a broker-dealer or another third-party intermediary, including certain agreed upon finders fees as described in greater detail under Public Offering Price of Class A SharesClass A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. The Distributor, Adviser or an affiliate pay all such payments out of its (or their) own resources. Such payments are in addition to any recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency/networking fees payable by each Fund (through the Distributor or otherwise) to others for performing such services and Rule 12b-1 or service plan payments described elsewhere in this Prospectus. Revenue sharing payments may be structured, among other means, as: (i) a percentage of sales; (ii) a percentage of net assets; (iii) a flat fee per transaction; (iv) a fixed dollar amount; or (v) some combination of any of these. In many cases, revenue sharing arrangements may be viewed as encouraging sales activity or retention of assets in the Funds. Generally, any revenue sharing or similar payments are requested by the party receiving them, often as a condition of distribution, but they are subject to negotiation as to their structure and scope. No such payments are made by reference to Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 or Class R6 shares or to the assets of these share classes.
The Distributor, Adviser or an affiliate also may pay from their own resources for travel and other expenses, including lodging, entertainment and meals, incurred by brokers for attending diligence or informational meetings with the Funds investment professionals. The Distributor, Adviser or an affiliate also may pay for costs of organizing and holding such meetings and also may make payments to or on behalf of brokers or other financial intermediaries for other types of events, including pre-approved conferences, seminars or sales or training programs (and payments for travel, lodging, etc.), and may provide small gifts and/or entertainment as permitted by applicable rules. The Distributor, the Adviser or an affiliate also may pay fixed fees for the listing of a Fund on a broker-dealers or financial intermediarys system. This compensation is not included in, and is made in addition to, the compensation described in the preceding paragraph.
Please be aware that revenue sharing arrangements or other payments to intermediaries could create incentives on the part of the parties receiving the payments to more positively consider the Funds relative to mutual funds either not making payments of this nature or making smaller such payments. A shareholder or prospective investor with questions regarding revenue sharing or other such payments may obtain more details by contacting his or her broker representative or other financial intermediary directly. The Funds Statement of Additional Information includes a listing of certain parties receiving revenue sharing payments in respect of the Funds.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202099 |
About Your Investment
To facilitate the handling of shareholder transactions, the Funds use a bookshare account plan for shareholder accounts. DST, as the Funds Transfer Agent, opens and maintains an account for each shareholder of the Funds directly registered with a Fund. All your interests in shares, full and fractional (rounded to three decimal places), are reflected in your book account. After any purchase, DST mails you a confirmation indicating the amount of full and fractional shares purchased, the price per share and a statement of your account. DST will not issue stock certificates for the shares of any Fund.
The Trust can deliver your account statements and fund financial reports electronically. If you are a registered user of feim.com, you can consent to the electronic delivery of these documents by logging on and changing your mailing preference under eDelivery. (Should you later wish to receive these documents by mail you can revoke your electronic consent at any time, and we will begin to send paper copies of these documents within 30 days of receiving your notice.)
Where To Send Your Application
You may purchase a Funds shares through selected securities dealers with whom the Distributor has sales agreements. You may obtain additional New Account Applications from these authorized dealers. For a list of authorized dealers, please call the Distributor at 800.747.2008. Authorized dealers and financial services firms may charge you a transaction fee in addition to any applicable sales loads. Authorized dealers and financial services firms are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase orders to the Distributor.
If eligible, you may purchase Fund shares directly through the Funds Transfer Agent by mailing a check made payable to First Eagle Funds along with the completed New Account Application to First Eagle Funds, P.O. Box 219324, Kansas City, MO 64121-9324. You also may purchase shares directly through the Funds Transfer Agent by ACH transfer or by bank wire. Please call 800.334.2143 to establish and administer the ACH purchase option, and please call prior to wiring any funds.
Due to the high cost of maintaining smaller accounts, the Trust reserves the right to redeem shares in any account if, as the result of a withdrawal, the value of that
100First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
account drops below $2,500 (except for Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 accounts where generally no minimum is applied). This does not apply to accounts participating in the Automatic Investment Program or to retirement accounts. The Trust also reserves the right to redeem shares in any Class I account if the value of that Class I account drops below $100,000. You will have at least 30 days to make an additional investment to bring the account value to the stated minimum before the redemption is processed.
You may make semi-monthly, monthly or quarterly investments of $100 (or more) in shares of any Fund automatically from a checking or savings account on or about the fifth and/or 20th of the month. Upon written authorization, DST will debit your designated bank account as indicated and use the proceeds to purchase Fund shares. Because your bank must provide approval for the transfer process, establishing an Automatic Investment Program may take at least 30 days. You must indicate your desire to establish an Automatic Investment Program on the New Account Application or Special Options Form. You also must include a voided check, a savings account deposit slip or savings account statement. Shares purchased through Automatic Investment Program payments are subject to the redemption restrictions for recent purchases described in Once You Become a ShareholderRedemption of Shares. The Trust may amend or cease to offer the Automatic Investment Program at any time.
The Funds are parties to contractual arrangements with various parties who provide services to the Funds, including the Adviser, the Subadviser, the Distributor, the custodian, and the transfer agents, among others. Fund shareholders are not parties to, or intended (third party) beneficiaries of, any such contractual arrangements, and such contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any individual investor or group of investors any right to enforce them against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Funds.
Also, while this Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this Prospectus nor the Statement of Additional Information represents a contract between the Trust or a Fund and any shareholder or any other party.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020101 |
After you have opened an account with us, you can exchange or sell your shares to meet your changing investment goals or other needs.
You may exchange some or all of your shares of any Fund for shares of another Fund, subject to limitations described elsewhere in this Prospectus and in the following paragraphs in respect of Funds or share classes closed to new investors (currently Class Y shares of Fund of America). You may exchange:
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Class A shares of a Fund for Class A shares of another Fund; |
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Class C shares of a Fund for Class C shares of another Fund; |
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Class I shares of a Fund for Class I shares of another Fund; |
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Class Y shares of the Fund of America for Class A shares of another Fund (if the exchange involves Class Y shares valued at less than $1 million) or for Class I shares of another Fund (if the exchange involves Class Y shares valued at $1 million or more); |
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Class R3 shares of a Fund for Class R3 shares of another Fund. |
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Class R4 shares of a Fund for Class R4 shares of another Fund; |
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Class R5 shares of a Fund for Class R5 shares of another Fund; and |
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Class R6 shares of a Fund for Class R6 shares of another Fund. |
Shares will be exchanged at their net asset value, computed as of the close of trading on the NYSE (normally 4 p.m. Eastern time). Share exchange orders received after the close of trading on a particular day will be exchanged at the next days close of trading net asset value. There is generally no charge for the exchange privilege except in the case of Class Y shares of the Fund of America. Class Y shareholders exchanging for Class A shares of another Fund will be subject to the front-end sales load applicable to those Class A shares. Any exchange must meet the applicable minimum investment amount for the Fund and share class into which the exchange is being made. In addition, because you may be subject to different fees, expenses and investment risks when you make an exchange, you should carefully review the description of the Fund into which you plan to exchange. Also, exchanges may constitute a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For additional information concerning exchanges or to initiate exchanges, contact the Trust at 800.334.2143.
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Once You Become a Shareholder
Exchanges may be limited in the case of shares to be exchanged for those of any Fund or share class closed to, or otherwise restricted for, new investors and new accounts (as currently is the case for shares to be exchanged for Fund of America Class Y shares). In addition, the Funds depend on cooperation from intermediaries in reviewing certain accounts (such as those of retirement plan sponsors, wrap program sponsors and certain omnibus position holders) for short-term trading practices, which limits the Funds ability to monitor the frequency of exchanges by those investing through such accounts (see the Short-Term Trading Policies section).
Automatic Exchange Program
If you wish to automatically exchange shares of one Fund for shares of another on a monthly basis, you can do so via the Automatic Exchange Program. The minimum exchange amount is $100. If the balance in the account you are exchanging from falls below the designated automatic exchange amount, all remaining shares will be exchanged, and the program will be discontinued. All conditions with respect to exchange transactions apply, as discussed in Exchanging Your Shares.
Conversion
Optional conversions to Class I. You may convert Class A shares and Class C shares of a Fund and Class Y shares of Fund of America having an aggregate value of $1 million or more into Class I shares of the same Fund. Class A shares and Class C shares of these Funds held through certain wrap fee programs and 401(k) plans also may be eligible to be converted to Class I shares of the same Fund.
Optional conversions to Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 or Class R6. Shares of any other class may be converted to Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 or Class R6 shares of the same Fund, provided eligibility requirements for these share classes are met.
Automatic conversions from Class C to Class A. Class C shares of a Fund automatically convert to Class A shares of that Fund ten years after the end of the month of original purchase provided that the applicable holding period can be identified. If you purchased such Class C shares by exchange for Class C shares of another First Eagle Fund, the conversion period runs from the date of original purchase. Such conversions will take place on the 25th day of the month (or if the 25th is not a business day, the next business day thereafter). In the case of shares held through certain intermediary accounts, such as group retirement plan recordkeeping platforms, a Fund may not be able to independently determine the holding period for the shares to assess eligibility for the conversion. In addition, a financial
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020103 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
intermediary may sponsor and/or control accounts, programs or platforms that impose a different conversion schedule or eligibility requirements in regards to the conversion of Class C shares into Class A shares. A Fund may not be able to initiate a conversion without the assistance of the intermediary in those circumstances. Shareholders holding shares of the Funds through such accounts may contact their intermediary with questions regarding conversions.
Important information for all conversions. Other share classes beyond those listed here may be offered by separate prospectus, which should be requested and reviewed carefully before considering any conversion to such a share class. Fees, expenses and eligibility and other terms among share classes will vary. All conversions will take place at net asset value and generally should not result in the realization of income or gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For additional information concerning conversions, or to initiate a conversion, contact your dealer, financial intermediary or the First Eagle Funds at 800.334.2143. More information concerning conversions is also available in the SAI, which is available upon request (see back cover). Certain intermediary-related terms also are described in the appendix to the Funds Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
Dividend Direction Plan
Unless you elect otherwise, your ordinary income dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in additional shares of the same share class of the Fund at the net asset value calculated as of the date immediately preceding the payment date.
Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, all reinvested dividends and distributions remain taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes as though received in cash. For further information about dividend reinvestment, contact DST by telephone at 800.334.2143.
You have the right to redeem all or any part of your Fund shares for cash at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the redemption request. You may redeem via telephone through your authorized dealer or FEF Distributors. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer, as described in the following paragraph.
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If you have an account with an authorized dealer you may submit a redemption request to that dealer. Authorized dealers are responsible for promptly transmitting your redemption requests to the Distributor. Dealers may impose a charge for handling redemption transactions, and they may have particular requirements concerning redemptions. Accordingly, shareholders should contact their authorized dealers for more information.
If you have an account with the Funds, you may redeem your shares through DST by transmitting written redemption instructions to First Eagle Funds, P.O. Box 219324, Kansas City, MO 64121-9324. Redemption requests must meet all the following requirements to be considered in the proper form:
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Written and signed instructions must be received from the registered owner(s). |
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A letter or a stock power signed by the registered owner(s) must include a signature guarantee by an acceptable guarantor. A guarantee is required for redemptions greater than $100,000 to be paid by check or when you want the redemption proceeds sent to an address other than the address of record, to a person other than the registered shareholder(s) for the account or to a bank account number other than the one previously designated. A signature guarantee is not required for any amount redeemed by ACH transfer or bank wire, as long as you previously designated a bank. |
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In the case of shares held in the name of a corporation, trust, fiduciary or partnership, DST must receive evidence of authority to sign and a stock power with signature(s) guaranteed. |
Redemption Proceeds
Payment of the redemption price will generally be made within three business days after receipt of the redemption request in proper form, but may take up to seven days. The Trust will not mail redemption proceeds for any shares until checks or ACH transfers received in payment for those shares have cleared, which may take up to 15 days. The Trust normally pays redemption proceeds in the form of a check. If you wish to avoid any such delays, you should purchase your shares via bank wire. You also may have your proceeds sent to your bank account by ACH transfer or bank wire, as long as you identified your bank on the New Account Application or Special Options Form. Proceeds sent by ACH transfer generally will be credited to your account on the second business day after the redemption. Proceeds sent by bank wire generally will be credited on the business day following the redemption, but there is a wire fee that will be deducted from such proceeds. In times of extreme
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020105 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
market stress, it may take longer to provide payment of redemption requests. Ask your financial professional for more information.
Redemptions in Kind
The Funds normally pay redemption proceeds in cash up to $250,000 or 1% of a Funds total value, whichever is less. The Trust reserves the right to make higher redemption payments in the form of marketable securities or, as needed, other traded assets, which is known as a redemption in kind. If your shares are redeemed in kind, you should expect to incur transaction costs upon the disposition of the securities received in the distribution. Such securities remain subject to market risk until they are sold. You may recognize capital gain or loss upon the disposition of such securities.
Beginning on May 1, 2020, shareholders of the Gold Fund will no longer be subject to the redemption fee described in the following paragraphs. Until then, if you sell shares of the Gold Fund within 60 days of purchasing them, you will be subject to a 2% redemption fee on the gross redemption proceeds. The fee is determined using the first-in-first-out, or FIFO, calculation methodology, comparing the date of redemption with the earliest purchase date of shares. The Fund may collect the redemption fees by deducting them from the redemption proceeds or, if assessed after a completed redemption transaction (and upon notice to the account holder), by deducting them from any remaining account balance or by directly billing for them. A redemption fee is not charged upon an exchange of shares of one Fund for shares of another Fund, but shares that have been so exchanged will be subject to the fee if sold within 60 days of the exchange date.
The Fund may waive or reverse the redemption fee for qualified retirement plans, systematic redemption programs, wrap programs and certain accounts investing through omnibus positions. At the same time, the Fund reserves the right to impose redemption fees on such shares. The Fund generally will be dependent on the relevant intermediary (for example, the wrap program sponsor or omnibus account holder) in monitoring trading frequency and therefore in applying redemption fees to these shareholders. The ability to assess a redemption fee on the underlying shareholders of such an account, or otherwise monitor and discourage inappropriate short-term trading, may be further limited by systems limitations applicable to these types of accounts.
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The Fund may reverse or waive the redemption fee upon application to the Fund. Historically, most such exceptions have been granted in the event of transactions documented as inadvertent or prompted by bona-fide emergencies. The Funds may modify redemption fee policies at any time.
Redemption fees are intended to defray transaction and other expenses caused by early redemptions and to facilitate portfolio management. The fees do not represent a deferred sales charge nor a commission paid to the Distributor. Any fees collected will be retained by the particular Fund (and share class) for the benefit of the remaining shareholders.
The Funds are not vehicles for frequent traders. Frequent trading (including exchanging) of Fund shares, also known as market timing, may increase Fund transaction and administration costs and otherwise negatively affect a Funds investment program, possibly diluting a Funds value to its longer-term investors. For example, short-term investments moving in and out of a Fund may (i) prompt otherwise unnecessary purchases and sales of portfolio securities, thus increasing brokerage costs; (ii) affect the level of cash held by a Fund over time; (iii) affect taxable gains and losses realized by a Fund; or (iv) distract a portfolio manager from the Funds longer-term investment strategy.
The Global Fund, Overseas Fund, Global Income Builder Fund and High Income Fund may be particularly susceptible to these risks due to their significant investments in foreign securities. Similarly, the Gold Fund may be susceptible to short-term trading due to the nature of its portfolio holdings. Foreign securities and any relatively illiquid or volatile securities are considered those most likely to be subject to inappropriate short-term trading strategies.
Pursuant to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees, the Funds routinely review shareholder trades to seek to identify and deter inappropriate trading. Specifically, the Funds seek to identify the types of transactions that may be harmful to a Fund, either on an individual basis or as part of a pattern. In certain circumstances, and on occasion even involving a trade or exchange for which no redemption fee is assessed, the Funds may deem a single trade or exchange inappropriate and subject to these procedures. When the Funds identify inappropriate trading activities, the Funds will suspend trading and exchange privileges or close the relevant account. At the discretion of the Funds, such a suspension or account closure may be temporary or permanent and may or may not be subject to appeal.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020107 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
The Funds also may deem investors potential short-term traders (and subject to trading suspensions or account closures without advance notice) based on information unrelated to the specific trades in the investors accounts. For example, the Funds may obtain information linking an account to an account previously suspended or closed for inappropriate trading. In addition, a reliable third party may report short-term trading concerns regarding a particular account to the Funds.
The Funds cannot guarantee to identify or prevent every instance of inappropriate trading. Nonetheless, the Funds guiding principle is that trading deemed not in the interests of longer-term Fund shareholders will be actively deterred and, when possible, prevented.
In most cases the Funds depend on cooperation from intermediaries in reviewing certain accounts, thereby limiting the Funds ability to monitor and discourage inappropriate trading. Although the Funds are committed to seeking the cooperation of intermediaries, the Funds often do not have immediate access to individual account-level activity for those investing through an intermediary (and generally must request information about this account activity rather than receiving it automatically). In addition, not all intermediaries maintain the types of sophisticated transaction tracking systems that permit them to apply the types of reviews applied by the Funds. The Funds do not have any arrangements intended to permit trading in contravention of the policies described in this section. The Funds may modify the short-term trading policies at any time.
Unless you make contrary instructions on the New Account Application or Special Options Form, you will be entitled to make telephone redemptions, exchanges, conversions and account maintenance requests if you have a preauthorized form on file with the transfer agent. Neither the Funds nor their agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that the Trust or its agents believe are genuine. The Trust will employ reasonable procedures to confirm the instructions are genuine. Such procedures may include (i) written confirmation of telephone transactions; (ii) tape recording telephone conversations; and/or (iii) requiring specific personal information prior to acting upon telephone instructions.
Any owner(s), trustee(s) or other fiduciary entity named in the account registration, investment professional of record and/or other parties who can provide specific personal information will be allowed to initiate telephone transactions. Personal information may include a combination of the following items: (i) the Fund and account number, (ii) the account registration, (iii) the Social Security or tax
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identification number on the account, (iv) the address of record, (v) designated bank account information and (vi) any other information deemed appropriate to allow access to the account.
Telephone redemption requests received by the Trust or their agents (including authorized dealers, retirement plan administrators or other intermediaries) prior to the close of business on the NYSE on any business day will be processed that day. Such requests received after the close of business on the NYSE will be effective the following business day. Shareholders may not make redemption requests by telephone if the proceeds will be wired to a bank account number or mailed to an address other than the one previously designated by the shareholder. There is a $100,000 maximum for telephone redemptions by check. Certain retirement accounts are not eligible for all the telephone privileges referenced above. Please call 800.334.2143 for more information on telephone privileges.
If you own Fund shares with a current net asset value of $10,000 or more, you may use those shares to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan that executes withdrawals monthly, quarterly, or annually. A check in a stated amount of at least $50 will be mailed to you on or about the third, 15th, or 25th day of the month. You may not take dividends and distributions on shares invested through a Systematic Withdrawal Plan in cash; instead, you must reinvest them, which will occur at net asset value. A Funds shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal payments.
Withdrawals in excess of dividends and distributions will reduce and may deplete the invested principal, which may result in a gain or loss for tax purposes. It may be inefficient to purchase additional shares while concurrently withdrawing shares, due to the sales charges incurred on purchases. Accordingly, you may not maintain a Systematic Withdrawal Plan while simultaneously making regular purchases. If you establish a new account by check within 15 days of an expected withdrawal date, the Funds will not begin withdrawals until the following month, due to the Funds 15-day hold on check purchases. The Funds may amend or cease to offer the Systematic Withdrawal Plan at any time.
The Trust offers a variety of plans that allow investors to save for retirement and defer taxes on any investment income. These offerings include IRAs, Roth IRAs,
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020109 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
SEPs and SIMPLE IRAs. Certain investors may not realize the tax benefits of these plans. Therefore, you should consult your tax adviser regarding your eligibility.
Eligible group retirement plans may purchase Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 and Class R6 shares. Retirement plans may also purchase Class I shares of the Funds provided they meet the minimum initial investment amount of $1 million in an omnibus or pooled account within the relevant Fund. Retirement plans that will require the Fund to pay any type of administrative fee or payment per participant account to any third party are generally not eligible for Class I, but may be able to purchase certain Class R shares or Class A shares of the Funds without an initial sales charge. If a Class A finders fee was paid, such a plan may be subject to a Class A contingent deferred sales charge on these investments. See About Your InvestmentPublic Offering Price of Class A SharesClass A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge.
Information Regarding State Escheatment Laws
Mutual fund accounts can be considered abandoned property. States increasingly are looking at inactive mutual fund accounts as possible abandoned or unclaimed property. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may be legally obligated to escheat (or transfer) an investors account to the appropriate states unclaimed property administrator. The Fund will not be liable to investors or their representatives for good faith compliance with state unclaimed or abandoned property (escheatment) laws. If you invest in the Fund through a financial intermediary, we encourage you to contact the financial intermediary regarding applicable state escheatment laws.
Escheatment laws vary by state, and states have different criteria for defining inactivity and abandoned property. Generally, a mutual fund account may be subject to escheatment (i.e., considered to be abandoned or unclaimed property) if the account owner has not initiated any activity in the account or contacted the fund for an inactivity period as specified in applicable state laws. If the Fund is unable to establish contact with an investor, the Fund will determine whether the investors account must legally be considered abandoned and whether the assets in the account must be transferred to the appropriate states unclaimed property administrator. Typically, an investors last known address of record determines the state that has jurisdiction.
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Information on Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
It is each Funds policy to make periodic distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any. Unless you elect otherwise, your ordinary income dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in additional shares of the same share class of the Fund at net asset value calculated as of the payment date. The Funds pay ordinary income dividends and capital gains distributions on a per-share basis. As a result, on the ex-dividend date of such a payment, the net asset value of the Funds will be reduced by the amount of the payment.
Each Fund intends to qualify and has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify, a Fund must meet certain income, diversification and distribution requirements. As a regulated investment company, a Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or excise taxes on ordinary income and capital gains distributed to shareholders within applicable time limits, although foreign-source income received by a Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes.
Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in general, you will be taxed on the ordinary income dividends and capital gains distributions you receive from a Fund, whether you take them as additional shares or in cash. Capital gains distributions may be taxed at different rates, depending on the types of appreciated assets and the length of time the Fund holds the appreciated assets. For example, while capital gain distributions with respect to gain on the sale of appreciated assets held by a Fund for more than one year generally will be taxed to individual shareholders at a maximum rate of 20%, capital gain distributions with respect to the sale of collectibles (such as gold bullion) held by a Fund for more than one year will be taxed to individual shareholders at a maximum rate of 28%. Certain ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund to non-corporate shareholders (including individuals) may be eligible for preferential tax treatment at the rate applied to long-term capital gains. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by a Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year.
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions from the Funds, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates and trusts.
Tax issues can be complicated. Exchanges of Fund shares are treated as sales and purchases and are subject to taxes. Please consult your tax adviser about federal, state, or local tax consequences or with any other tax questions you may have.
By February 15 of each year, the Trust will send you a statement showing the tax status of your dividends and distributions for the prior year. There may be tax consequences for shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities. Please see the Statement of Additional Information for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020111 |
Privacy Notice for Individual Shareholders
The Trust is committed to protecting your privacy. We are providing you with this privacy notice to inform you of how we handle your personal information that we collect and may disclose to our affiliates. If the Trust changes its information practices, we will provide you with notice of any material changes. This privacy policy supersedes any of our previous policies relating to the information you disclose to us.
Why this Privacy Policy Applies to You
You obtained a financial product or service from or through us for personal, family or household purposes when you opened a shareholder account with the Trust, and are therefore covered by this privacy policy.
What We do to Protect Your Personal Information
We protect personal information provided to us by our individual shareholders according to strict standards of security and confidentiality. These standards apply to both our physical facilities and any online services we may provide. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal standards to guard consumer information. We permit only authorized individuals, who are trained in the proper handling of individual shareholder information and need to access this information to do their job, to have access to this information.
Personal Information that We Collect and May Disclose
As part of providing you with the Trusts products and services, we may obtain nonpublic personal information about you from the following sources:
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Information we receive from you on subscription applications or other forms, such as your name, address, telephone number, Social Security number, occupation, assets and income; |
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Information about your transactions with us, our affiliates, or unaffiliated third parties, such as your account balances, payment history and account activity; |
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Information from public records we may access in the ordinary course of business; and |
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Information collected from you online, such as your IP address and data gathered from your browsing activity and location. |
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Categories of Affiliates to Whom We May Disclose Personal Information
We may share personal information about you with affiliates. Our affiliates do business under names that include First Eagle Holdings, Inc., First Eagle Investment
112First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Privacy Notice for Individual Shareholders
Management, LLC, FEF Distributors, LLC, First Eagle Private Credit, LLC, First Eagle Private Credit Advisors LLC and First Eagle Alternative Credit LLC.
You May Limit Marketing Solicitations By Choosing To Opt Out
We offer you the right to opt out from many types of marketing by our affiliates based on your personal information that we collect and share in accordance with this privacy policy. To limit those marketing solicitations, you may call 800.334.2143 indicating your desire not to receive marketing from our affiliates. Should you choose to opt out, your choice will remain in our records until you notify us otherwise, although we may choose to contact you in the future to modify your preference.
When We May Disclose Your Personal Information to Unaffiliated Third Parties
We will only share your personal information collected, as described above, with unaffiliated third parties:
|
At your request; |
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When you authorize us to process or service a transaction or product (unaffiliated third parties in this instance may include service providers such as the Trusts distributors, registrar and transfer agent for shareholder transactions, and other parties providing individual shareholder servicing, accounting and recordkeeping services); |
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With companies that perform sales and marketing services on our behalf with whom we have agreements to protect the confidentiality of your information and to use the information only for the purposes for which we disclose the information to them; or |
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When required by law to disclose such information to appropriate authorities. |
We do not otherwise provide information about you to outside firms, organizations or individuals except to our attorneys, accountants and auditors, and as permitted by law.
What We do with Personal Information about Our Former Customers
If you decide to discontinue doing business with us, the Trust will continue to adhere to this privacy policy with respect to the information we have in our possession about you and your account following the termination of our shareholder relationship.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020113 |
How to Reach First Eagle Funds
How to Reach First Eagle Funds
You can send all requests for information or transactions to:
Regular Mail:
First Eagle Funds
P.O. Box 219324
Kansas City, MO 64121-9324
or
Overnight Mail:
First Eagle Funds
c/o DST Systems, Inc.
330 West 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105-1807
You can contact us by telephone at 800.334.2143.
Please visit us online at www.feim.com/individual-investors
114First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
The Financial Highlights Table is intended to help you understand the financial performance of each Fund for the past five fiscal years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The Financial Highlights Table shown was audited by the Funds independent accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 300 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10017-6204. The report of PricewaterhouseCoopers (for the Funds fiscal year ending October 31, 2019), together with the Funds financial statements, are contained in the annual reports for the Funds for that period and are incorporated by reference in the Statement of Additional Information.
Information for Class R3 shares is shown only for the year ended October 31, 2019, and from their inception at May 1, 2018, for Class R4 shares only for the year ended October 31, 2019, and from their inception at January 17, 2018 (Global Fund and Overseas Fund) and at July 29, 2019 (U.S. Value Fund, Gold Fund, Global Income Builder Fund, High Income Fund and Fund of America), and for Class R5 shares from their inception at July 29, 2019 (Global Fund, U.S. Value Fund, Gold Fund, Global Income Builder Fund, High Income Fund and Fund of America) and at March 11, 2019 (Overseas Fund). Annual reports and the Statement of Additional Information are available upon request.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020115 |
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First Eagle Funds |
Financial Highlights
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Per share operating performance* |
Ratio/Supplemental data |
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Investment operations |
Less dividends and distributions |
Ratios to Average Net Assets of: |
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Selected per |
Net asset |
Net |
Net |
Total |
From net |
From |
Return of |
Total |
Net asset |
Total |
Net assets, |
Operating |
Operating |
Net |
Net |
Portfolio |
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First Eagle Global Fund Class A |
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October 31, 2019 |
|
$56.37 |
|
0.64 |
|
5.37 |
|
6.01 |
|
(0.43 |
) |
|
|
(2.80 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(3.23 |
) |
|
|
$59.15 |
|
11.44 |
% |
|
|
$13,638,545 |
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
1.13 |
% |
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|
1.13 |
% |
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|
10.26 |
% |
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October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$60.46 |
|
|
0.49 |
|
|
(2.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.59 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.44 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.06 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.50 |
) |
|
|
|
$56.37 |
|
|
(2.82 |
)% |
|
|
|
$12,357,124 |
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
1.11 |
% |
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|
0.84 |
% |
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|
0.84 |
% |
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|
14.91 |
% |
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October 31, 2017 |
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|
$56.36 |
|
|
0.25 |
|
|
6.41 |
|
|
6.66 |
|
|
(0.21 |
) |
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(2.35 |
) |
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|
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|
(2.56 |
) |
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|
|
$60.46 |
|
|
12.35 |
% |
|
|
|
$14,907,330 |
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
0.44 |
% |
|
|
|
0.44 |
% |
|
|
|
9.67 |
% |
|
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October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$53.10 |
|
|
0.30 |
|
|
3.56 |
|
|
3.86 |
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.60 |
) |
|
|
|
$56.36 |
|
|
7.38 |
% |
|
|
|
$15,833,531 |
|
|
1.10 |
% |
|
|
|
1.10 |
% |
|
|
|
0.55 |
% |
|
|
|
0.55 |
% |
|
|
|
11.54 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$54.90 |
|
|
0.28 |
|
|
0.60 |
|
|
0.88 |
|
|
(0.30 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.38 |
) |
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|
|
|
|
|
(2.68 |
) |
|
|
|
$53.10 |
|
|
1.78 |
% |
|
|
|
$16,274,867 |
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
0.52 |
% |
|
|
|
0.52 |
% |
|
|
|
11.28 |
% |
|
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First Eagle Global Fund Class C |
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October 31, 2019 |
|
$54.11 |
|
0.18 |
|
5.20 |
|
5.38 |
|
|
|
(2.80 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(2.80 |
) |
|
|
$56.69 |
|
10.58 |
% |
|
|
$5,619,288 |
|
1.87 |
% |
|
|
1.86 |
% |
|
|
0.33 |
% |
|
|
0.33 |
% |
|
|
10.26 |
% |
|
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October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$58.14 |
|
|
0.05 |
|
|
(2.02 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.97 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.06 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.06 |
) |
|
|
|
$54.11 |
|
|
(3.54 |
)% |
|
|
|
$8,667,512 |
|
|
1.86 |
% |
|
|
|
1.86 |
% |
|
|
|
0.09 |
% |
|
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|
0.09 |
% |
|
|
|
14.91 |
% |
|
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October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$54.47 |
|
|
(0.16 |
) |
|
|
|
6.18 |
|
|
6.02 |
|
|
|
|
|
(2.35 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.35 |
) |
|
|
|
$58.14 |
|
|
11.52 |
% |
|
|
|
$10,589,991 |
|
|
1.85 |
% |
|
|
|
1.85 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.29 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.29 |
)% |
|
|
|
9.67 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$51.66 |
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
3.45 |
|
|
3.34 |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.53 |
) |
|
|
|
$54.47 |
|
|
6.56 |
% |
|
|
|
$11,505,279 |
|
|
1.86 |
% |
|
|
|
1.86 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.21 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.21 |
)% |
|
|
|
11.54 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$53.57 |
|
|
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
|
0.59 |
|
|
0.47 |
|
|
|
|
|
(2.38 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.38 |
) |
|
|
|
$51.66 |
|
|
1.02 |
% |
|
|
|
$11,662,706 |
|
|
1.86 |
% |
|
|
|
1.86 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.23 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.23 |
)% |
|
|
|
11.28 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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|
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First Eagle Global Fund Class I |
|
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October 31, 2019 |
|
$56.73 |
|
0.78 |
|
5.41 |
|
6.19 |
|
(0.60 |
) |
|
|
(2.80 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(3.40 |
) |
|
|
$59.52 |
|
11.72 |
% |
|
|
$30,133,165 |
|
0.85 |
% |
|
|
0.85 |
% |
|
|
1.38 |
% |
|
|
1.38 |
% |
|
|
10.26 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$60.85 |
|
|
0.66 |
|
|
(2.11 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.45 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.61 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.06 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.67 |
) |
|
|
|
$56.73 |
|
|
(2.54 |
)% |
|
|
|
$29,334,134 |
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
14.91 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$56.70 |
|
|
0.43 |
|
|
6.42 |
|
|
6.85 |
|
|
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.35 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.70 |
) |
|
|
|
$60.85 |
|
|
12.64 |
% |
|
|
|
$30,858,477 |
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.74 |
% |
|
|
|
0.74 |
% |
|
|
|
9.67 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$53.43 |
|
|
0.44 |
|
|
3.57 |
|
|
4.01 |
|
|
(0.21 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.74 |
) |
|
|
|
$56.70 |
|
|
7.65 |
% |
|
|
|
$22,357,335 |
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.81 |
% |
|
|
|
0.81 |
% |
|
|
|
11.54 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$55.23 |
|
|
0.43 |
|
|
0.60 |
|
|
1.03 |
|
|
(0.45 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.38 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.83 |
) |
|
|
|
$53.43 |
|
|
2.07 |
% |
|
|
|
$19,998,978 |
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.79 |
% |
|
|
|
0.79 |
% |
|
|
|
11.28 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Fund Class R3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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For The Year
Ended |
|
$56.62 |
|
0.60 |
|
5.38 |
|
5.98 |
|
(0.46 |
) |
|
|
(2.80 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(3.26 |
) |
|
|
|
$59.34 |
|
11.31 |
% |
|
|
|
$11,813 |
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
10.26 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$58.95 |
|
|
0.28 |
|
|
(2.61 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.33 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$56.62 |
|
|
(3.95 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$48 |
|
|
1.25 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.25 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.95 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.95 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
14.91 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Fund Class R4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Year
Ended |
|
$56.70 |
|
0.74 |
|
5.36 |
|
6.10 |
|
(0.52 |
) |
|
|
(2.80 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(3.32 |
) |
|
|
$59.48 |
|
11.53 |
% |
|
|
$1,825 |
|
0.97 |
% |
|
|
0.97 |
% |
|
|
1.28 |
% |
|
|
1.28 |
% |
|
|
10.26 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$61.60 |
|
|
0.55 |
|
|
(5.45 |
) |
|
|
|
(4.90 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$56.70 |
|
|
(7.95 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$117 |
|
|
1.02 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.02 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.18 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.18 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
14.91 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Fund Class R5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$58.99 |
|
0.12 |
|
0.36 |
|
0.48 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$59.47 |
|
|
0.81 |
%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
1.35 |
%(c) |
|
|
1.35 |
%(c) |
|
|
0.82 |
%(c) |
|
|
0.82 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
10.26 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Fund Class R6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$56.76 |
|
0.82 |
|
5.41 |
|
6.23 |
|
(0.64 |
) |
|
|
(2.80 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(3.44 |
) |
|
|
$59.55 |
|
11.79 |
% |
|
|
$944,249 |
|
0.79 |
% |
|
|
0.79 |
% |
|
|
1.44 |
% |
|
|
1.44 |
% |
|
|
10.26 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$60.88 |
|
|
0.72 |
|
(2.14 |
) |
|
|
(1.42 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.64 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.06 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.70 |
) |
|
|
|
$56.76 |
|
|
(2.49 |
)% |
|
|
|
$782.213 |
|
|
0.78 |
% |
|
|
|
0.78 |
% |
|
|
|
1.21 |
% |
|
|
|
1.21 |
% |
|
|
|
14.91 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$57.33 |
|
|
0.37 |
|
|
3.18 |
|
|
3.55 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$60.88 |
|
|
6.19 |
%(b) |
|
|
|
$848.431 |
|
|
0.78 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.78 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.94 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.94 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
9.67 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
|
$22.71 |
|
0.32 |
|
2.28 |
|
2.60 |
|
|
(0.27 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.66 |
) |
|
|
$24.65 |
|
11.82 |
% |
|
|
$2,125,742 |
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
1.38 |
% |
|
|
1.38 |
% |
|
|
6.99 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$25.33 |
|
0.25 |
|
(2.03 |
) |
|
|
(1.78 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.40 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.44 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.84 |
) |
|
|
$22.71 |
|
|
(7.27 |
)% |
|
|
|
$2,173,765 |
|
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
|
1.04 |
% |
|
|
|
1.04 |
% |
|
|
|
12.10 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$23.86 |
|
0.12 |
|
2.16 |
|
2.28 |
|
|
(0.26 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.55 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.81 |
) |
|
|
$25.33 |
|
|
9.99 |
% |
|
|
|
$3,102,414 |
|
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
|
0.51 |
% |
|
|
|
0.51 |
% |
|
|
|
8.45 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$22.62 |
|
0.19 |
|
1.34 |
|
1.53 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
|
$23.86 |
|
|
6.90 |
% |
|
|
|
$3,654,512 |
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
9.30 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$23.18 |
|
0.14 |
|
0.39 |
|
0.53 |
|
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.86 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1.09 |
) |
|
|
$22.62 |
|
|
2.59 |
% |
|
|
|
$4,142,588 |
|
|
1.16 |
% |
|
|
|
1.16 |
% |
|
|
|
0.60 |
% |
|
|
|
0.60 |
% |
|
|
|
12.95 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
116First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020117 |
|
First Eagle Funds |
Financial Highlights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Per share operating performance* |
Ratio/Supplemental data |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Investment operations |
Less dividends and distributions |
Ratios to Average Net Assets of: |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected per |
Net asset |
Net |
Net |
Total |
From net |
From |
Return of |
Total |
Net asset |
Total |
Net assets, |
Operating |
Operating |
Net |
Net |
Portfolio |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$21.73 |
|
0.11 |
|
2.22 |
|
2.33 |
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.48 |
) |
|
|
$23.58 |
|
10.98 |
% |
|
|
$378,755 |
|
1.89 |
% |
|
|
1.89 |
% |
|
|
0.50 |
% |
|
|
0.50 |
% |
|
|
6.99 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$24.29 |
|
|
0.08 |
|
|
(1.95 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.87 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.44 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.69 |
) |
|
|
|
$21.73 |
|
|
(7.92 |
)% |
|
|
|
$687,318 |
|
|
1.88 |
% |
|
|
|
1.88 |
% |
|
|
|
0.32 |
% |
|
|
|
0.32 |
% |
|
|
|
12.10 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$22.91 |
|
|
(0.05 |
) |
|
|
|
2.07 |
|
|
2.02 |
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.55 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.64 |
) |
|
|
|
$24.29 |
|
|
9.14 |
% |
|
|
|
$899,654 |
|
|
1.88 |
% |
|
|
|
1.88 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.20 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.20 |
)% |
|
|
|
8.45 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$21.84 |
|
|
0.02 |
|
|
1.30 |
|
|
1.32 |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
$22.91 |
|
|
6.14 |
% |
|
|
|
$992,573 |
|
|
1.89 |
% |
|
|
|
1.89 |
% |
|
|
|
0.10 |
% |
|
|
|
0.10 |
% |
|
|
|
9.30 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$22.42 |
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|
0.39 |
|
|
0.36 |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.86 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.94 |
) |
|
|
|
$21.84 |
|
|
1.82 |
% |
|
|
|
$1,036,295 |
|
|
1.89 |
% |
|
|
|
1.89 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.13 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.13 |
)% |
|
|
|
12.95 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$23.26 |
|
0.39 |
|
2.33 |
|
2.72 |
|
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.74 |
) |
|
|
$25.24 |
|
12.12 |
% |
|
|
$10,694,125 |
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
1.64 |
% |
|
|
1.64 |
% |
|
|
6.99 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$25.91 |
|
|
0.34 |
|
|
(2.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.74 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.47 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.44 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.91 |
) |
|
|
|
$23.26 |
|
|
(6.98 |
)% |
|
|
|
$11,093,973 |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
|
12.10 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$24.40 |
|
|
0.21 |
|
|
2.17 |
|
|
2.38 |
|
|
(0.32 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.55 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.87 |
) |
|
|
|
$25.91 |
|
|
10.24 |
% |
|
|
|
$13,831,360 |
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
8.45 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$23.12 |
|
|
0.26 |
|
|
1.38 |
|
|
1.64 |
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.36 |
) |
|
|
|
$24.40 |
|
|
7.22 |
% |
|
|
|
$10,608,351 |
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
1.12 |
% |
|
|
|
1.12 |
% |
|
|
|
9.30 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$23.62 |
|
|
0.20 |
|
|
0.41 |
|
|
0.61 |
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.86 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.11 |
) |
|
|
|
$23.12 |
|
|
2.88 |
% |
|
|
|
$8,702,209 |
|
|
0.88 |
% |
|
|
|
0.88 |
% |
|
|
|
0.88 |
% |
|
|
|
0.88 |
% |
|
|
|
12.95 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund Class R3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Year
Ended |
|
$23.22 |
|
0.44 |
|
2.16 |
|
2.60 |
|
(0.30 |
) |
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.69 |
) |
|
|
|
$25.13 |
|
11.59 |
% |
|
|
|
$96 |
|
1.32 |
% |
|
|
1.32 |
% |
|
|
1.84 |
% |
|
|
1.84 |
% |
|
|
6.99 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
|
$25.10 |
|
|
0.16 |
|
|
(2.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.88 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$23.22 |
|
|
(7.49 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$46 |
|
|
1.21 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.21 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.32 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.32 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
12.10 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund Class R4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Year
Ended |
|
$23.23 |
|
0.35 |
|
2.33 |
|
2.68 |
|
(0.32 |
) |
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.71 |
) |
|
|
$25.20 |
|
11.92 |
% |
|
|
$91 |
|
1.04 |
% |
|
|
1.04 |
% |
|
|
1.48 |
% |
|
|
1.48 |
% |
|
|
6.99 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
|
$26.15 |
|
|
0.31 |
|
|
(3.23 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.92 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$23.23 |
|
|
(11.17 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$78 |
|
|
1.03 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.03 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.60 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.60 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
12.10 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund Class R5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$23.37 |
|
0.28 |
|
1.55 |
|
1.83 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$25.20 |
|
7.83 |
%(b) |
|
|
$16 |
|
|
1.12 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.12 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.79 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.79 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
6.99 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund Class R6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$23.27 |
|
0.41 |
|
2.33 |
|
2.74 |
|
(0.37 |
) |
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.76 |
) |
|
|
$25.25 |
|
12.21 |
% |
|
|
$759,773 |
|
0.80 |
% |
|
|
0.80 |
% |
|
|
1.74 |
% |
|
|
1.74 |
% |
|
|
6.99 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
$25.92 |
|
|
0.36 |
|
|
(2.09 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.73 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.48 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.44 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.92 |
) |
|
|
|
$23.27 |
|
|
(6.92 |
)% |
|
|
|
$592,247 |
|
|
0.80 |
% |
|
|
|
0.80 |
% |
|
|
|
1.44 |
% |
|
|
|
1.44 |
% |
|
|
|
12.10 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$23.99 |
|
|
0.17 |
|
|
1.76 |
|
|
1.93 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$25.92 |
|
|
8.04 |
%(b) |
|
|
|
$544,632 |
|
|
0.79 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.79 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.01 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.01 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
8.45 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$19.89 |
|
0.16 |
|
1.44 |
|
1.60 |
|
|
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(2.65 |
) |
|
|
$18.84 |
|
9.43 |
% |
|
|
$613,548 |
|
1.16 |
% |
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
0.81 |
% |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
8.65 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$21.26 |
|
0.11 |
|
0.31 |
|
0.42 |
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.76 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1.79 |
) |
|
|
$19.89 |
|
|
2.01 |
% |
|
|
|
$590,922 |
|
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
|
1.10 |
% |
|
|
|
0.51 |
% |
|
|
|
0.56 |
% |
|
|
|
9.05 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$20.08 |
|
0.06 |
|
2.80 |
|
2.86 |
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
(1.64 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1.68 |
) |
|
|
$21.26 |
|
|
14.94 |
% |
|
|
|
$716,820 |
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
1.09 |
% |
|
|
|
0.24 |
% |
|
|
|
0.29 |
% |
|
|
|
5.85 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$19.82 |
|
0.08 |
|
1.07 |
|
1.15 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.85 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.89 |
) |
|
|
$20.08 |
|
|
6.21 |
% |
|
|
|
$817,481 |
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
0.40 |
% |
|
|
|
0.37 |
% |
|
|
|
10.65 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$21.10 |
|
0.10 |
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.20 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1.28 |
) |
|
|
$19.82 |
|
|
0.04 |
% |
|
|
|
$966,396 |
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
0.49 |
% |
|
|
|
0.49 |
% |
|
|
|
15.14 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$19.03 |
|
0.02 |
|
1.37 |
|
1.39 |
|
|
|
(2.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(2.53 |
) |
|
|
|
$17.89 |
|
8.59 |
% |
|
|
|
$194,380 |
|
1.92 |
% |
|
|
1.87 |
% |
|
|
0.06 |
% |
|
|
0.11 |
% |
|
|
8.65 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$20.54 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
0.29 |
|
0.25 |
|
|
|
(1.76 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1.76 |
) |
|
|
|
$19.03 |
|
1.20 |
% |
|
|
|
$361,606 |
|
1.90 |
% |
|
|
1.85 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.24 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.19 |
)% |
|
|
9.05 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$19.55 |
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
2.72 |
|
2.63 |
|
|
|
(1.64 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1.64 |
) |
|
|
|
$20.54 |
|
14.13 |
% |
|
|
|
$448,462 |
|
1.89 |
% |
|
|
1.84 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.51 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.46 |
)% |
|
|
5.85 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$19.43 |
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
1.04 |
|
0.97 |
|
|
|
(0.85 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.85 |
) |
|
|
|
$19.55 |
|
5.38 |
% |
|
|
|
$516,405 |
|
1.87 |
% |
|
|
1.90 |
% |
|
|
(0.37 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.40 |
)% |
|
|
10.65 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$20.78 |
|
|
(0.05 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.15 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
(1.20 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(1.20 |
) |
|
|
|
$19.43 |
|
(0.70 |
)% |
|
|
|
$592,960 |
|
1.90 |
% |
|
|
1.90 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.27 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.27 |
)% |
|
|
15.14 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
118First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020119 |
|
First Eagle Funds |
Financial Highlights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Per share operating performance* |
Ratio/Supplemental data |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Investment operations |
Less dividends and distributions |
Ratios to Average Net Assets of: |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected per |
Net asset |
Net |
Net |
Total |
From net |
From |
Return of |
Total |
Net asset |
Total |
Net assets, |
Operating |
Operating |
Net |
Net |
Portfolio |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$20.23 |
|
0.21 |
|
1.48 |
|
1.69 |
|
(0.18 |
) |
|
|
(2.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(2.71 |
) |
|
|
$19.21 |
|
9.79 |
% |
|
|
$749,245 |
|
0.88 |
% |
|
|
0.83 |
% |
|
|
1.09 |
% |
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
8.65 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$21.61 |
|
|
0.18 |
|
|
0.29 |
|
|
0.47 |
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.76 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.85 |
) |
|
|
|
$20.23 |
|
|
2.24 |
% |
|
|
|
$875,239 |
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
0.82 |
% |
|
|
|
0.79 |
% |
|
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
9.05 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$20.38 |
|
|
0.12 |
|
|
2.84 |
|
|
2.96 |
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.64 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.73 |
) |
|
|
|
$21.61 |
|
|
15.27 |
% |
|
|
|
$983,508 |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
0.81 |
% |
|
|
|
0.51 |
% |
|
|
|
0.56 |
% |
|
|
|
5.85 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$20.11 |
|
|
0.13 |
|
|
1.08 |
|
|
1.21 |
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.85 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.94 |
) |
|
|
|
$20.38 |
|
|
6.49 |
% |
|
|
|
$841,199 |
|
|
0.84 |
% |
|
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
0.67 |
% |
|
|
|
0.64 |
% |
|
|
|
10.65 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$21.40 |
|
|
0.16 |
|
|
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
|
0.04 |
|
|
(0.13 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.20 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.33 |
) |
|
|
|
$20.11 |
|
|
0.28 |
% |
|
|
|
$942,370 |
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
0.76 |
% |
|
|
|
0.76 |
% |
|
|
|
15.14 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund Class R3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Year
Ended |
|
|
$20.20 |
|
0.14 |
|
1.48 |
|
1.62 |
|
|
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(2.67 |
) |
|
|
|
$19.15 |
|
9.37 |
% |
|
|
|
$54 |
|
1.26 |
% |
|
|
1.21 |
% |
|
|
0.71 |
% |
|
|
0.76 |
% |
|
|
8.65 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$20.37 |
|
0.06 |
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
(0.17 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$20.20 |
|
|
(0.83 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$50 |
|
|
1.24 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.19 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.50 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.55 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
9.05 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund Class R4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
|
$19.40 |
|
0.02 |
|
|
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.22 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.18 |
|
|
(1.13 |
)%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
|
1.51 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.47 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.39 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.43 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
8.65 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund Class R5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$19.40 |
|
0.03 |
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
(0.22 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.18 |
|
|
(1.13 |
)%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
1.40 |
%(c) |
|
|
1.36 |
%(c) |
|
|
0.50 |
%(c) |
|
|
0.54 |
%(c) |
|
|
8.65 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund Class R6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$20.24 |
|
0.21 |
|
1.49 |
|
1.70 |
|
(0.19 |
) |
|
|
(2.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(2.72 |
) |
|
|
$19.22 |
|
9.83 |
% |
|
|
$15,949 |
|
0.83 |
% |
|
|
0.78 |
% |
|
|
1.09 |
% |
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
8.65 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$21.62 |
|
|
0.18 |
|
|
0.30 |
|
|
0.48 |
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.76 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.86 |
) |
|
|
|
$20.24 |
|
|
2.28 |
% |
|
|
|
$1,362 |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
0.81 |
% |
|
|
|
0.82 |
% |
|
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
9.05 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$20.66 |
|
|
0.09 |
|
|
0.87 |
|
|
0.96 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$21.62 |
|
|
4.65 |
%(b) |
|
|
|
$833 |
|
|
0.85 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.80 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.56 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.61 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
5.85 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
|
$13.08 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
5.62 |
|
5.58 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$18.66 |
|
42.66 |
% |
|
|
$386,633 |
|
1.29 |
% |
|
|
1.29 |
% |
|
|
(0.27 |
)% |
|
|
(0.27 |
)% |
|
|
20.01 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$16.50 |
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.35 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.42 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$13.08 |
|
|
(20.73 |
)% |
|
|
|
$294,509 |
|
|
1.29 |
% |
|
|
|
1.29 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.45 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.45 |
)% |
|
|
|
9.43 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$17.99 |
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
(1.40 |
) |
|
|
(1.49 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$16.50 |
|
|
(8.28 |
)% |
|
|
|
$451,039 |
|
|
1.26 |
% |
|
|
|
1.26 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.53 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.53 |
)% |
|
|
|
7.90 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$12.36 |
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
5.74 |
|
5.63 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$17.99 |
|
|
45.55 |
% |
|
|
|
$566,708 |
|
|
1.27 |
% |
|
|
|
1.27 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.65 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.65 |
)% |
|
|
|
15.82 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$13.45 |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.01 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.09 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$12.36 |
|
|
(8.10 |
)% |
|
|
|
$390,521 |
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.57 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.57 |
)% |
|
|
12.47 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
|
$12.09 |
|
|
(0.15 |
) |
|
|
5.17 |
|
5.02 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$17.11 |
|
41.52 |
% |
|
|
$115,624, |
|
2.05 |
% |
|
|
2.05 |
% |
|
|
(1.02 |
)% |
|
|
(1.02 |
)% |
|
|
20.01 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$15.36 |
|
|
(0.17 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.10 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.27 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$12.09 |
|
|
(21.29 |
)% |
|
|
|
$111,685 |
|
|
2.05 |
% |
|
|
|
2.05 |
% |
|
|
|
(1.21 |
)% |
|
|
|
(1.21 |
)% |
|
|
|
9.43 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$16.89 |
|
|
(0.21 |
) |
|
|
(1.32 |
) |
|
|
(1.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$15.36 |
|
|
(9.06 |
)% |
|
|
|
$166,043 |
|
|
2.04 |
% |
|
|
|
2.03 |
% |
|
|
|
(1.30 |
)% |
|
|
|
(1.30 |
)% |
|
|
|
7.90 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$11.70 |
|
|
(0.22 |
) |
|
|
5.41 |
|
5.19 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$16.89 |
|
|
44.36 |
% |
|
|
|
$206,225 |
|
|
2.04 |
% |
|
|
|
2.04 |
% |
|
|
|
(1.42 |
)% |
|
|
|
(1.42 |
)% |
|
|
|
15.82 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$12.84 |
|
|
(0.18 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.96 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.14 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$11.70 |
|
|
(8.88 |
)% |
|
|
|
$148,119 |
|
|
2.14 |
% |
|
|
|
2.14 |
% |
|
|
|
(1.39 |
)% |
|
|
|
(1.39 |
)% |
|
|
12.47 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$13.44 |
|
0.00 |
** |
|
|
5.78 |
|
5.78 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.22 |
|
43.01 |
% |
|
|
$553,633 |
|
0.99 |
% |
|
|
0.99 |
% |
|
|
0.01 |
% |
|
|
0.01 |
% |
|
|
20.01 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$16.90 |
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.44 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.46 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$13.44 |
|
|
(20.47 |
)% |
|
|
|
$392,310 |
|
|
1.00 |
% |
|
|
|
1.00 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.15 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.15 |
)% |
|
|
|
9.43 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$18.38 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.44 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.48 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$16.90 |
|
|
(8.05 |
)% |
|
|
|
$559,784 |
|
|
0.99 |
% |
|
|
|
0.99 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.25 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.25 |
)% |
|
|
|
7.90 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$12.59 |
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|
5.85 |
|
|
5.79 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$18.38 |
|
|
45.99 |
% |
|
|
|
$509,635 |
|
|
0.98 |
% |
|
|
|
0.98 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.36 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.36 |
)% |
|
|
|
15.82 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$13.66 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.03 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.07 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$12.59 |
|
|
(7.83 |
)% |
|
|
|
$306,131 |
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.27 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.27 |
)% |
|
|
|
12.47 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund Class R3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Year
Ended |
|
$13.44 |
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
5.82 |
|
5.73 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.17 |
|
42.63 |
% |
|
|
|
$491 |
|
1.25 |
% |
|
|
1.25 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.51 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.51 |
)% |
|
|
20.01 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
|
$16.35 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.87 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.91 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$13.44 |
|
|
(17.80 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$41 |
|
|
1.32 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.32 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
(0.59 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
(0.59 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
9.43 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
120First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020121 |
|
First Eagle Funds |
Financial Highlights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Per share operating performance* |
Ratio/Supplemental data |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Investment operations |
Less dividends and distributions |
Ratios to Average Net Assets of: |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected per |
Net asset |
Net |
Net |
Total |
From net |
From |
Return of |
Total |
Net asset |
Total |
Net assets, |
Operating |
Operating |
Net |
Net |
Portfolio |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund Class R4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$18.54 |
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
0.76 |
|
0.72 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.26 |
|
|
3.88 |
%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
1.49 |
%(c) |
|
|
1.49 |
%(c) |
|
|
(0.84 |
)%(c) |
|
|
(0.84 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
20.01 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund Class R5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$18.54 |
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
0.77 |
|
0.74 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.28 |
|
|
3.99 |
%(b) |
|
|
$166 |
|
0.96 |
%(c) |
|
|
0.96 |
%(c) |
|
|
(0.65 |
)%(c) |
|
|
(0.64 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
20.01 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund Class R6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$13.46 |
|
0.01 |
|
5.79 |
|
5.80 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.26 |
|
43.09 |
% |
|
|
$163,259 |
|
0.89 |
% |
|
|
0.89 |
% |
|
|
0.03 |
% |
|
|
0.03 |
% |
|
|
20.01 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$16.91 |
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.43 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.45 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$13.46 |
|
|
(20.40 |
)% |
|
|
|
$74,414 |
|
|
0.91 |
% |
|
|
|
0.91 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.14 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.14 |
)% |
|
|
|
9.43 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$17.60 |
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.63 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.69 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$16.91 |
|
|
(3.92 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$15,650 |
|
|
0.90 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.91 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
(0.51 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
(0.51 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
7.90 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$11.45 |
|
0.25 |
|
0.70 |
|
0.95 |
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
$12.15 |
|
8.40 |
% |
|
|
$392,942 |
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
25.54 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$12.05 |
|
|
0.25 |
|
|
(0.56 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.31 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
|
|
$11.45 |
|
|
(2.64 |
)% |
|
|
|
$319,003 |
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
|
2.11 |
% |
|
|
|
2.11 |
% |
|
|
|
22.15 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$10.99 |
|
|
0.28 |
|
|
1.07 |
|
|
1.35 |
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
|
|
$12.05 |
|
|
12.39 |
% |
|
|
|
$339,792 |
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
2.43 |
% |
|
|
|
2.43 |
% |
|
|
|
23.18 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$10.73 |
|
|
0.34 |
|
|
0.27 |
|
|
0.61 |
|
|
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
|
$10.99 |
|
|
5.76 |
% |
|
|
|
$361,605 |
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
|
3.16 |
% |
|
|
|
3.16 |
% |
|
|
|
29.76 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$11.41 |
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
(0.51 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.16 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.37 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.15 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.52 |
) |
|
|
|
$10.73 |
|
|
(1.39 |
)% |
|
|
|
$410,153 |
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
3.16 |
% |
|
|
|
3.16 |
% |
|
|
29.68 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$11.42 |
|
0.16 |
|
0.69 |
|
0.85 |
|
(0.16 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.16 |
) |
|
|
$12.11 |
|
7.53 |
% |
|
|
$289,037 |
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
1.36 |
% |
|
|
1.36 |
% |
|
|
25.54 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$12.02 |
|
|
0.16 |
|
|
(0.56 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.40 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.20 |
) |
|
|
|
$11.42 |
|
|
(3.38 |
)% |
|
|
|
$297,716 |
|
|
1.93 |
% |
|
|
|
1.93 |
% |
|
|
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
|
22.15 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$10.96 |
|
|
0.19 |
|
|
1.07 |
|
|
1.26 |
|
|
(0.20 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.20 |
) |
|
|
|
$12.02 |
|
|
11.58 |
% |
|
|
|
$334,473 |
|
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
|
1.69 |
% |
|
|
|
1.69 |
% |
|
|
|
23.18 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$10.71 |
|
|
0.25 |
|
|
0.26 |
|
|
0.51 |
|
|
(0.26 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.26 |
) |
|
|
|
$10.96 |
|
|
4.87 |
% |
|
|
|
$344,660 |
|
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
|
2.40 |
% |
|
|
|
2.40 |
% |
|
|
|
29.76 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$11.38 |
|
|
0.26 |
|
|
(0.50 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.28 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.15 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.43 |
) |
|
|
|
$10.71 |
|
|
(2.07 |
)% |
|
|
|
$382,467 |
|
|
1.96 |
% |
|
|
|
1.96 |
% |
|
|
|
2.41 |
% |
|
|
|
2.41 |
% |
|
|
29.68 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
|
$11.43 |
|
0.28 |
|
0.69 |
|
0.97 |
|
|
(0.28 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.28 |
) |
|
|
$12.12 |
|
8.60 |
% |
|
|
$793,440 |
|
0.93 |
% |
|
|
0.93 |
% |
|
|
2.36 |
% |
|
|
2.36 |
% |
|
|
25.54 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
$12.02 |
|
|
0.28 |
|
|
(0.55 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.27 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.26 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.32 |
) |
|
|
|
$11.43 |
|
|
(2.31 |
)% |
|
|
|
$742,408 |
|
|
0.92 |
% |
|
|
|
0.92 |
% |
|
|
|
2.38 |
% |
|
|
|
2.38 |
% |
|
|
|
22.15 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$10.96 |
|
|
0.31 |
|
|
1.07 |
|
|
1.38 |
|
|
(0.32 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.32 |
) |
|
|
|
$12.02 |
|
|
12.71 |
% |
|
|
|
$717,643 |
|
|
0.93 |
% |
|
|
|
0.93 |
% |
|
|
|
2.68 |
% |
|
|
|
2.68 |
% |
|
|
|
23.18 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$10.71 |
|
|
0.36 |
|
|
0.26 |
|
|
0.62 |
|
|
(0.37 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.37 |
) |
|
|
|
$10.96 |
|
|
5.93 |
% |
|
|
|
$509,250 |
|
|
0.92 |
% |
|
|
|
0.92 |
% |
|
|
|
3.39 |
% |
|
|
|
3.39 |
% |
|
|
|
29.76 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$11.39 |
|
|
0.38 |
|
|
(0.52 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.15 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.54 |
) |
|
|
|
$10.71 |
|
|
(1.14 |
)% |
|
|
|
$470,802 |
|
|
0.94 |
% |
|
|
|
0.94 |
% |
|
|
|
3.41 |
% |
|
|
|
3.41 |
% |
|
|
|
29.68 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund Class R3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Year Ended |
|
|
$11.43 |
|
0.23 |
|
0.69 |
|
0.92 |
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
$12.12 |
|
|
8.12 |
% |
|
|
$52 |
|
1.37 |
% |
|
|
1.37 |
% |
|
|
1.92 |
% |
|
|
1.92 |
% |
|
|
25.54 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$11.92 |
|
0.13 |
|
(0.49 |
) |
|
|
(0.36 |
) |
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
(0.13 |
) |
|
|
$11.43 |
|
|
(3.02 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$48 |
|
|
1.27 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.27 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
2.23 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
2.23 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
22.15 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund Class R4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
|
$12.08 |
|
0.04 |
|
0.03 |
|
0.07 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
$12.11 |
|
|
0.59 |
%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
|
1.49 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.49 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.34 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.34 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
25.54 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund Class R5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$12.08 |
|
0.04 |
|
0.03 |
|
0.07 |
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
$12.11 |
|
|
0.62 |
%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
|
1.38 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.38 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.45 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.45 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
25.54 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund Class R6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$11.42 |
|
0.27 |
|
0.70 |
|
0.97 |
|
(0.28 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.28 |
) |
|
|
$12.11 |
|
8.62 |
% |
|
|
$1,233 |
|
0.93 |
% |
|
|
0.93 |
% |
|
|
2.31 |
% |
|
|
2.31 |
% |
|
|
25.54 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$12.01 |
|
|
0.28 |
|
|
(0.54 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.26 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.27 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.33 |
) |
|
|
|
$11.42 |
|
|
(2.27 |
)% |
|
|
|
$912 |
|
|
0.88 |
% |
|
|
|
0.88 |
% |
|
|
|
2.38 |
% |
|
|
|
2.38 |
% |
|
|
|
22.15 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$11.37 |
|
|
0.20 |
|
|
0.67 |
|
|
0.87 |
|
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
12.01 |
|
|
7.68 |
%(b) |
|
|
|
$965 |
|
|
0.89 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.89 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
2.55 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
2.55 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
23.18 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
|
$8.81 |
|
0.41 |
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
0.30 |
|
|
(0.40 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.40 |
) |
|
|
$8.71 |
|
3.54 |
% |
|
|
$73,567 |
|
1.34 |
% |
|
|
1.24 |
% |
|
|
4.55 |
% |
|
|
4.65 |
% |
|
|
24.19 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$9.03 |
|
0.47 |
|
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
0.23 |
|
(0.45 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.45 |
) |
|
|
$8.81 |
|
|
2.56 |
% |
|
|
|
$78,360 |
|
|
1.26 |
% |
|
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
5.17 |
% |
|
|
|
5.24 |
% |
|
|
|
24.82 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$8.99 |
|
0.46 |
|
0.04 |
|
0.50 |
|
|
(0.45 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.46 |
) |
|
|
$9.03 |
|
|
5.71 |
% |
|
|
|
$98,548 |
|
|
1.21 |
% |
|
|
|
1.16 |
% |
|
|
|
5.02 |
% |
|
|
|
5.07 |
% |
|
|
|
25.77 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$8.90 |
|
0.55 |
0.12 |
|
0.67 |
|
|
(0.54 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.58 |
) |
|
|
$8.99 |
|
|
8.24 |
% |
|
|
|
$158,102 |
|
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
|
1.20 |
% |
|
|
|
6.45 |
% |
|
|
|
6.40 |
% |
|
|
|
36.88 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
$9.96 |
|
0.55 |
|
|
(0.96 |
) |
|
|
(0.41 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.56 |
) |
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(0.65 |
) |
|
|
$8.90 |
|
|
(4.24 |
)% |
|
|
|
$201,685 |
|
|
1.12 |
% |
|
|
|
1.16 |
% |
|
|
|
5.81 |
% |
|
|
|
5.77 |
% |
|
|
31.62 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
122First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020123 |
|
First Eagle Funds |
Financial Highlights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Per share operating performance* |
Ratio/Supplemental data |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Investment operations |
Less dividends and distributions |
Ratios to Average Net Assets of: |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected per |
Net asset |
Net |
Net |
Total |
From net |
From |
Return of |
Total |
Net asset |
Total |
Net assets, |
Operating |
Operating |
Net |
Net |
Portfolio |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$8.80 |
|
0.34 |
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
0.24 |
|
(0.34 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.34 |
) |
|
|
$8.70 |
|
2.77 |
% |
|
|
$50,100 |
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
2.00 |
% |
|
|
3.83 |
% |
|
|
3.93 |
% |
|
|
24.19 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$9.02 |
|
|
0.40 |
|
|
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
0.16 |
|
|
(0.38 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.38 |
) |
|
|
|
$8.80 |
|
|
1.68 |
% |
|
|
|
$62,749 |
|
|
2.01 |
% |
|
|
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
|
4.43 |
% |
|
|
|
4.50 |
% |
|
|
|
24.82 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$8.98 |
|
|
0.39 |
|
|
0.05 |
|
|
0.44 |
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.40 |
) |
|
|
|
$9.02 |
|
|
5.06 |
% |
|
|
|
$87,479 |
|
|
1.95 |
% |
|
|
|
1.90 |
% |
|
|
|
4.30 |
% |
|
|
|
4.35 |
% |
|
|
|
25.77 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$8.89 |
|
|
0.49 |
|
|
0.12 |
|
|
0.61 |
|
|
(0.48 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.52 |
) |
|
|
|
$8.98 |
|
|
7.46 |
% |
|
|
|
$114,139 |
|
|
1.89 |
% |
|
|
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
|
5.74 |
% |
|
|
|
5.69 |
% |
|
|
|
36.88 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$9.95 |
|
|
0.48 |
|
|
(0.96 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.48 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.49 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.58 |
) |
|
|
$8.89 |
|
(4.96 |
)% |
|
|
|
$129,214 |
|
|
1.87 |
% |
|
|
|
1.91 |
% |
|
|
|
5.07 |
% |
|
|
|
5.03 |
% |
|
|
|
31.62 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$8.81 |
|
0.43 |
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
0.33 |
|
(0.43 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.43 |
) |
|
|
$8.71 |
|
3.84 |
% |
|
|
$144,532 |
|
1.05 |
% |
|
|
0.95 |
% |
|
|
4.86 |
% |
|
|
4.96 |
% |
|
|
24.19 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$9.04 |
|
|
0.49 |
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
0.24 |
|
|
(0.47 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.47 |
) |
|
|
|
$8.81 |
|
|
2.74 |
% |
|
|
|
$184,351 |
|
|
0.97 |
% |
|
|
|
0.90 |
% |
|
|
|
5.46 |
% |
|
|
|
5.53 |
% |
|
|
|
24.82 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$8.99 |
|
|
0.49 |
|
|
0.05 |
|
|
0.54 |
|
|
(0.48 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.49 |
) |
|
|
|
$9.04 |
|
|
6.15 |
% |
|
|
|
$278,660 |
|
|
0.91 |
% |
|
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
5.33 |
% |
|
|
|
5.38 |
% |
|
|
|
25.77 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$8.90 |
|
|
0.58 |
|
|
0.12 |
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
(0.57 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.61 |
) |
|
|
|
$8.99 |
|
|
8.54 |
% |
|
|
|
$315,023 |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
0.91 |
% |
|
|
|
6.83 |
% |
|
|
|
6.78 |
% |
|
|
|
36.88 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$9.96 |
|
|
0.58 |
|
|
(0.96 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.38 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.59 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.68 |
) |
|
|
|
$8.90 |
|
|
(3.97 |
)% |
|
|
|
$472,930 |
|
|
0.83 |
% |
|
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
6.10 |
% |
|
|
|
6.06 |
% |
|
|
|
31.62 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund Class R3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Year
Ended |
|
$8.82 |
|
0.40 |
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
0.29 |
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.39 |
) |
|
|
|
$8.72 |
|
3.44 |
% |
|
|
|
$52 |
|
1.44 |
% |
|
|
1.34 |
% |
|
|
4.44 |
% |
|
|
4.54 |
% |
|
|
24.19 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$8.91 |
|
0.23 |
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
0.13 |
|
(0.22 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.22 |
) |
|
|
$8.82 |
|
|
1.41 |
%(b) |
|
|
|
$51 |
|
|
1.36 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.27 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
4.99 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
5.08 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
24.82 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund Class R4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$8.78 |
|
0.08 |
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
0.02 |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
$8.72 |
|
0.24 |
%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
1.70 |
%(c) |
|
|
1.59 |
%(c) |
|
|
3.43 |
%(c) |
|
|
3.54 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
24.19 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund Class R5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$8.78 |
|
0.08 |
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
0.01 |
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
$8.71 |
|
0.11 |
%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
|
1.59 |
%(c) |
|
|
1.48 |
%(c) |
|
|
3.54 |
%(c) |
|
|
3.65 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
24.19 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund Class R6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$8.82 |
|
0.43 |
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
0.32 |
|
(0.43 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.43 |
) |
|
|
$8.71 |
|
3.75 |
% |
|
|
$1,907 |
|
1.02 |
% |
|
|
0.92 |
% |
|
|
4.78 |
% |
|
|
4.89 |
% |
|
|
24.19 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$9.04 |
|
|
0.49 |
|
|
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
0.25 |
|
|
(0.47 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.47 |
) |
|
|
|
$8.82 |
|
|
2.80 |
% |
|
|
|
$401 |
|
|
1.01 |
% |
|
|
|
0.93 |
% |
|
|
|
5.36 |
% |
|
|
|
5.44 |
% |
|
|
|
24.82 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$9.10 |
|
|
0.32 |
|
|
(0.05 |
) |
|
|
|
0.27 |
|
|
(0.33 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.00 |
)** |
|
|
|
(0.33 |
) |
|
|
|
$9.04 |
|
|
2.99 |
%(b) |
|
|
|
$114 |
|
|
0.92 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.87 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
5.29 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
5.34 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
25.77 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$30.53 |
|
0.03 |
|
1.50 |
|
1.53 |
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
$26.45 |
|
7.58 |
% |
|
|
$273,446 |
|
1.38 |
% |
|
|
1.37 |
% |
|
|
0.11 |
% |
|
|
0.13 |
% |
|
|
26.42 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$38.18 |
|
|
0.08 |
|
|
(4.15 |
) |
|
|
|
(4.07 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
$30.53 |
|
|
(11.84 |
)% |
|
|
|
$388,961 |
|
|
1.32 |
% |
|
|
|
1.32 |
% |
|
|
|
0.23 |
% |
|
|
|
0.23 |
% |
|
|
|
60.29 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$32.93 |
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
7.41 |
|
|
7.39 |
|
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.07 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.14 |
) |
|
|
|
$38.18 |
|
|
23.56 |
% |
|
|
|
$622,389 |
|
|
1.31 |
% |
|
|
|
1.31 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.07 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.07 |
)% |
|
|
|
57.02 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$35.79 |
|
|
0.14 |
|
|
(1.99 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.85 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.00 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.01 |
) |
|
|
|
$32.93 |
|
|
(5.30 |
)%(d) |
|
|
|
$865,109 |
|
|
1.32 |
% |
|
|
|
1.32 |
% |
|
|
|
0.43 |
% |
|
|
|
0.43 |
% |
|
|
|
55.06 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$38.58 |
|
|
0.05 |
|
|
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
|
0.04 |
|
|
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.71 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.83 |
) |
|
|
|
$35.79 |
|
|
0.19 |
% |
|
|
|
$1,331,912 |
|
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
|
0.12 |
% |
|
|
|
0.12 |
% |
|
|
|
32.23 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$24.09 |
|
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
1.01 |
|
0.89 |
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
$19.37 |
|
6.77 |
% |
|
|
$115,146 |
|
2.12 |
% |
|
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
(0.61 |
)% |
|
|
(0.60 |
)% |
|
|
26.42 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$31.08 |
|
|
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.27 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.41 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
$24.09 |
|
|
(12.48 |
)% |
|
|
|
$244,240 |
|
|
2.06 |
% |
|
|
|
2.06 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.51 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.51 |
)% |
|
|
|
60.29 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$27.32 |
|
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
6.06 |
|
|
5.83 |
|
|
|
|
|
(2.07 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.07 |
) |
|
|
|
$31.08 |
|
|
22.61 |
% |
|
|
|
$401,699 |
|
|
2.06 |
% |
|
|
|
2.06 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.81 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.81 |
)% |
|
|
|
57.02 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$30.07 |
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.65 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.75 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.00 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.00 |
) |
|
|
|
$27.32 |
|
|
(5.99 |
)%(d) |
|
|
|
$509,568 |
|
|
2.08 |
% |
|
|
|
2.08 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.35 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.35 |
)% |
|
|
|
55.06 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$32.98 |
|
|
(0.20 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.00 |
)** |
|
|
|
(0.20 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.71 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.71 |
) |
|
|
|
$30.07 |
|
|
(0.55 |
)% |
|
|
|
$742,365 |
|
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.63 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.63 |
)% |
|
|
|
32.23 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$31.46 |
|
0.13 |
|
1.56 |
|
1.69 |
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
$27.54 |
|
7.88 |
% |
|
|
$384,510 |
|
1.05 |
% |
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
0.45 |
% |
|
|
0.46 |
% |
|
|
26.42 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$39.15 |
|
|
0.21 |
|
|
(4.30 |
) |
|
|
|
(4.09 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.60 |
) |
|
|
|
$31.46 |
|
|
(11.53 |
)% |
|
|
|
$612,845 |
|
|
1.02 |
% |
|
|
|
1.02 |
% |
|
|
|
0.58 |
% |
|
|
|
0.58 |
% |
|
|
|
60.29 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$33.72 |
|
|
0.08 |
|
|
7.59 |
|
|
7.67 |
|
|
(0.17 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.07 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.24 |
) |
|
|
|
$39.15 |
|
|
23.91 |
% |
|
|
|
$829,414 |
|
|
1.01 |
% |
|
|
|
1.01 |
% |
|
|
|
0.22 |
% |
|
|
|
0.22 |
% |
|
|
|
57.02 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$36.62 |
|
|
0.24 |
|
|
(2.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.80 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.00 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.10 |
) |
|
|
|
$33.72 |
|
|
(5.01 |
)%(d) |
|
|
|
$808,426 |
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
|
0.71 |
% |
|
|
|
0.71 |
% |
|
|
|
55.06 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$39.39 |
|
|
0.16 |
|
|
(0.00 |
)** |
|
|
|
0.16 |
|
|
(0.22 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.71 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.93 |
) |
|
|
$36.62 |
|
0.48 |
% |
|
|
|
$1,167,750 |
|
|
1.05 |
% |
|
|
|
1.05 |
% |
|
|
|
0.41 |
% |
|
|
|
0.41 |
% |
|
|
32.23 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
124First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020125 |
|
First Eagle Funds |
Financial Highlights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Per share operating performance* |
Ratio/Supplemental data |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Investment operations |
Less dividends and distributions |
Ratios to Average Net Assets of: |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected per |
Net asset |
Net |
Net |
Total |
From net |
From |
Return of |
Total |
Net asset |
Total |
Net assets, |
Operating |
Operating |
Net |
Net |
Portfolio |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$31.31 |
|
0.04 |
|
1.56 |
|
1.60 |
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
$27.30 |
|
7.62 |
% |
|
|
$247,674 |
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
0.13 |
% |
|
|
0.15 |
% |
|
|
26.42 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$39.07 |
|
|
0.09 |
|
|
(4.27 |
) |
|
|
|
(4.18 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
$31.31 |
|
|
(11.85 |
)% |
|
|
|
$280,977 |
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
0.26 |
% |
|
|
|
0.26 |
% |
|
|
|
60.29 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
|
$33.67 |
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|
7.58 |
|
|
7.55 |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.07 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.15 |
) |
|
|
|
$39.07 |
|
|
23.54 |
% |
|
|
|
$397,293 |
|
|
1.31 |
% |
|
|
|
1.31 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.09 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.09 |
)% |
|
|
|
57.02 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
|
$36.56 |
|
|
0.14 |
|
|
(2.03 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.89 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.00 |
)** |
|
|
|
(1.00 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.00 |
) |
|
|
|
$33.67 |
|
|
(5.28 |
)%(d) |
|
|
|
$385,995 |
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
0.40 |
% |
|
|
|
0.40 |
% |
|
|
|
55.06 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
|
$39.35 |
|
|
0.05 |
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
0.03 |
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.71 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.82 |
) |
|
|
|
$36.56 |
|
|
0.18 |
% |
|
|
|
$495,822 |
|
|
1.36 |
% |
|
|
|
1.36 |
% |
|
|
|
0.12 |
% |
|
|
|
0.12 |
% |
|
|
|
32.23 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class R3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Year
Ended |
|
|
$31.40 |
|
0.02 |
|
1.56 |
|
1.58 |
|
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
|
$27.37 |
|
7.48 |
% |
|
|
|
$48 |
|
1.44 |
% |
|
|
1.42 |
% |
|
|
0.04 |
% |
|
|
0.06 |
% |
|
|
26.42 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$35.19 |
|
0.14 |
|
(3.93 |
) |
|
|
(3.79 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$31.40 |
|
|
(10.74 |
)%(b) |
|
|
|
$45 |
|
|
1.38 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.38 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.79 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.79 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
60.29 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class R4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
|
$28.16 |
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.62 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.64 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$27.52 |
|
(2.27 |
)%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
1.66 |
%(c) |
|
|
1.62 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
(0.25 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
(0.22 |
)%(c) |
|
|
26.42 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class R5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$28.16 |
|
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
(0.62 |
) |
|
|
(0.63 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$27.53 |
|
|
(2.24 |
)%(b) |
|
|
$10 |
|
1.55 |
%(c) |
|
|
1.51 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
(0.14 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
(0.10 |
)%(c) |
|
|
|
26.42 |
%(b) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class R6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$31.46 |
|
0.09 |
|
1.63 |
|
1.72 |
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
$27.57 |
|
8.00 |
% |
|
|
$2,656 |
|
1.00 |
% |
|
|
0.99 |
% |
|
|
0.32 |
% |
|
|
0.32 |
% |
|
|
26.42 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
|
$39.15 |
|
|
0.65 |
|
|
(4.73 |
) |
|
|
|
(4.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.61 |
) |
|
|
|
$31.46 |
|
|
(11.53 |
)% |
|
|
|
$4,362 |
|
|
0.98 |
% |
|
|
|
0.98 |
% |
|
|
|
1.85 |
% |
|
|
|
1.86 |
% |
|
|
|
60.29 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For The Period |
|
$35.44 |
|
|
0.02 |
|
|
3.69 |
|
|
3.71 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$39.15 |
|
|
10.47 |
%(b) |
|
|
|
$397 |
|
|
1.00 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
1.00 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.09 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
0.09 |
%(c) |
|
|
|
57.02 |
%(b) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
^ |
Commenced investment operations on May 1, 2018. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
^^ |
Commenced investment operations on January 17, 2018. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
^^^ |
Commenced investment operations on July 29, 2019. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
^^^^ |
Commenced investment operations on March 1, 2017. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
^^^^^ |
Commenced investment operations on March 11, 2019 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
* |
Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
** |
Amount represents less than $0.01 per share. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(a) |
Does not take into account the sales charge of 5.00% for Class A shares for all Funds, except First Eagle High Income Fund, which has a sales charge of 4.50% and the CDSC (Contingent Deferred Sales Charge) of 1.00% for Class C shares. A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $1,000,000 or more without an initial sales charge. Effective July 8, 2019, with respect to the First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund and the First Eagle High Income Fund, a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $250,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(b) |
Not Annualized |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(c) |
Annualized |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(d) |
In 2016, the Fund received a voluntary reimbursement by the subadviser for a realized investment loss. By excluding this reimbursement, total returns would have been -5.30%, -6.02%, -5.01% and -5.31% for Class A, Class C, Class I and Class Y, respectively. |
See Notes to Financial Statements.
126First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020127 |
APPENDIX
Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms
The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from a Fund (typically meaning through FEF Distributors as a Funds principal underwriter) or through an authorized dealer or other financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load (CDSC) waivers, which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchasers responsibility to notify the Fund or the purchasers financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts.
* * * * *
Class A Shares Front-end Sales Charge Waivers Available at Ameriprise Financial
The following information applies to Class A shares purchases if you have an account with or otherwise purchase Fund shares through Ameriprise Financial:
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account will be eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Funds prospectus or SAI:
|
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs. |
||
|
Shares purchased through an Ameriprise Financial investment advisory program (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available). |
||
|
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Ameriprise Financials platform (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available). |
||
|
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family). |
||
|
Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this |
A-1
|
prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to such shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply to exchanges following such shorter period. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares for load waived shares, that waiver will also apply to such exchanges. |
||
|
Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members. |
||
|
Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisors spouse, advisors lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisors lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant. |
||
|
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement). |
* * * * *
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account are eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the prospectus or SAI.
A-2
Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch
|
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares purchased by a 529 Plan (does not include 529 Plan units or 529-specific share classes or equivalents). |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares exchanged due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynchs policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynchs platform. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable). |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family.) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund pursuant to Merrill Lynchs policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Funds investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in the this prospectus. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Eligible shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (i.e. systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill Lynchs account maintenance fees are not eligible for reinstatement. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
CDSC Waivers on Class A and Class C Shares available at Merrill Lynch
|
Death or disability of the shareholder. |
A-3
|
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Funds prospectus. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to certain fee based accounts or platforms (applicable to A and C shares only). |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares received through an exchange due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynchs policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Front-end load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent
|
Breakpoints as described in this prospectus. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts as described in the Funds prospectus will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts (including 529 program holdings, where applicable) within the purchasers household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable). |
* * * * *
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account will be eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from
A-4
and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
|
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans. |
||
|
Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanleys account linking rules. |
||
|
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund. |
||
|
Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account. |
||
|
Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Managements share class conversion program. |
||
|
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge. |
* * * * *
Shareholders Purchasing Fund shares through a Raymond James & Associates, Inc. platform or account
Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this funds prospectus or SAI. As used here, Raymond James refers to Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services and Raymond James affiliates.
Front-end sales load waivers on Class A shares available at Raymond James
|
Shares purchased in an investment advisory program. |
||
|
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family). |
A-5
|
Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James. |
||
|
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement). |
||
|
A shareholder in the Funds Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James. |
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares available at Raymond James
|
Death or disability of the shareholder. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the funds prospectus. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the funds prospectus. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
Front-end load discounts available at Raymond James: breakpoints, and/or rights of accumulation
|
Breakpoints as described in this prospectus. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchasers household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
* * * * *
A-6
Edward D. Jones & Co. Mutual Fund Policies Sales Waivers and Reductions in Sales Charges
Effective on or after May 1, 2020, clients of Edward Jones (also referred to as shareholders) purchasing fund shares on the Edward Jones commission and fee-based platforms are eligible only for the following sales charge discounts (also referred to as breakpoints) and waivers, which can differ from breakpoints and waivers described elsewhere in the mutual fund prospectus or SAI or through another broker-dealer. In all instances, it is the shareholders responsibility to inform Edward Jones at the time of purchase of any relationship, holdings of First Eagle Funds or other facts qualifying the purchaser for breakpoints or waivers. Edward Jones can ask for documentation of such circumstance.
Breakpoints
Rights of Accumulation (ROA)
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The applicable sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares is determined by taking into account all share classes (except any money market funds and retirement plan share classes) of First Eagle Funds held by the shareholder or in an account grouped by Edward Jones with other accounts for the purpose of providing certain pricing considerations (pricing groups). This includes all share classes held on the Edward Jones platform and/or held on another platform. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the rights of accumulation calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying his or her financial advisor of such assets at the time of calculation. |
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ROA is determined by calculating the higher of cost or market value (current shares x NAV). |
Letter of Intent (LOI)
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Through a LOI, shareholders can receive the sales charge and breakpoint discounts for purchases shareholders intend to make over a 13-month period from the date Edward Jones receives the LOI. The LOI is determined by calculating the higher of cost or market value of qualifying holdings at LOI initiation in combination with the value that the shareholder intends to buy over a 13-month period to calculate the front-end sales charge and any breakpoint discounts. Each purchase the shareholder makes during that 13-month period will receive the sales charge and breakpoint discount that applies to the total amount. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the LOI calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying his or her financial advisor of such assets at the time of calculation. Purchases made before the LOI is received by Edward Jones are not covered under the LOI and will not reduce the sales charge previously paid. Sales charges will be adjusted if LOI is not met. |
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A-7
Sales Charge Waivers
Sales charges are waived for the following shareholders and in the following situations:
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Associates of Edward Jones and its affiliates and their family members who are in the same pricing group (as determined by Edward Jones under its policies and procedures) as the associate. This waiver will continue for the remainder of the associates life if the associate retires from Edward Jones in good-standing. |
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Shares purchased in an Edward Jones fee-based program. |
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Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment. |
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Shares purchased from the proceeds of redeemed shares of the same fund family so long as the following conditions are met: 1) the proceeds are from the sale of shares within 60 days of the purchase, and 2) the sale and purchase are made in the same share class and the same account or the purchase is made in an individual retirement account with proceeds from liquidations in a non-retirement account. |
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Shares exchanged into class A shares from another share class so long as the exchange is into the same fund and was initiated at the discretion of Edward Jones. Edward Jones is responsible for any remaining CDSC due to the fund company, if applicable. Any future purchases are subject to the applicable sales charge as disclosed in the prospectus. |
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Exchanges from class C shares to class A shares of the same fund, generally, in the 84th month following the anniversary of the purchase date or earlier at the discretion of Edward Jones. |
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) Waivers
If the shareholder purchases shares that are subject to a CDSC and those shares are redeemed before the CDSC is expired, the shareholder is responsible to pay the CDSC except in the following conditions:
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The death or disability of the shareholder |
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Systematic withdrawals with up to 10% per year of the account value |
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Return of excess contributions from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) |
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Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts if the redemption is taken in or after the year the shareholder reaches qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations |
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A-8
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Shares sold to pay Edward Jones fees or costs in such cases where the transaction is initiated by Edward Jones |
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Shares exchanged in an Edward Jones fee-based program |
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Shares acquired through NAV reinstatement |
Other Important Information
Minimum Purchase Amounts
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$250 initial purchase minimum |
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$50 subsequent purchase minimum |
Minimum Balances
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Edward Jones has the right to redeem at its discretion fund holdings with a balance of $250 or less. The following are examples of accounts that are not included in this policy: |
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A fee-based account held on an Edward Jones platform |
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A 529 account held on an Edward Jones platform |
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An account with an active systematic investment plan or letter of intent (LOI) |
Changing Share Classes
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At any time it deems necessary, Edward Jones has the authority to exchange at NAV a shareholders holdings in a fund to Class A shares. |
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Front-end sales charge* waivers on Class A shares available at Janney Montgomery Scott LLC (Janney)
Effective May 1, 2020, if you purchase fund shares through a Janney brokerage account, you will be eligible for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), or back-end sales charge, waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this funds Prospectus or SAI.
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Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family). |
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Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Janney. |
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A-9
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Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within ninety (90) days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e., right of reinstatement). |
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Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans. |
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Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
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Class C shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Janneys policies and procedures. |
CDSC waivers on Class A and C shares available at Janney
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Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder. |
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Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the funds Prospectus. |
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Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account. |
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Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and other retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 701/2 as described in the funds Prospectus. |
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Shares sold to pay Janney fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney. |
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Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
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Shares exchanged into the same share class of a different fund. |
Front-end sales charge* discounts available at Janney: breakpoints, rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent
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Breakpoints as described in the funds Prospectus. |
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Rights of accumulation (ROA), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchasers household at Janney. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the ROA |
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A-10
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calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
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Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney Montgomery Scott may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
*Also referred to as an initial sales charge.
* * * * *
Class A Sales Charge Waivers Available Only Through Specified Intermediaries (Certain Self-Directed Brokerage Programs)
As described in the prospectus, Class A shares may be purchased at net asset value without a sales charge through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer the Funds shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts and that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers. As of the date of this Appendix, the following intermediaries have entered into such an agreement:
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Charles Schwab & Co, Inc. |
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JP Morgan Securities, Inc. |
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Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC |
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Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. |
A-11
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How to Obtain Our Shareholder Reports
You will be sent copies of the Funds annual and semi-annual reports on a regular basis, once you become a shareholder. Semi-annual and annual reports are also available upon request without charge by contacting First Eagle Funds. The annual reports discuss the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each Funds performance during the last fiscal year. The annual reports also contain audited financial statements by the First Eagle Funds independent accountants.
How to Obtain Our Statement of Additional Information
The Statement of Additional Information is incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and includes additional information about the Funds. The SAI is available to you without charge. To obtain a copy, please contact us via mail or phone, or visit the website (www.feim.com/individual-investors). In addition, you may visit the Securities and Exchange Commissions (SECs) website (www.sec.gov) to view the SAI and other information. Also, you can obtain copies of the SAI, after paying a duplicating fee, by e-mailing: publicinfo@sec.gov.
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Distributor |
Investment Adviser |
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How to Reach First Eagle Funds |
Investment Company Act File Number: 811-07762
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First Eagle Investment Management, LLC |
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Prospectus |
March 1, 2020 |
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First Eagle Global Fund |
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund |
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Class T |
FEGTX |
Class T |
FEITX |
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First Eagle Overseas Fund |
First Eagle High Income Fund (formerly |
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Class T |
FEOTX |
Class T |
FEHTX |
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First Eagle U.S. Value Fund |
First Eagle Fund of America |
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Class T |
FEVTX |
Class T |
FEFTX |
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First Eagle Gold Fund |
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Class T |
FEUTX |
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Beginning January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of each Funds shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on www.feim.com, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.
If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund or your financial intermediary electronically by notifying your financial intermediary directly or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 800.334.2143 or by visiting www.Fundreports.com.
You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, you can call 800.334.2143 or visit www.Fundreports.com. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with First Eagle or your financial intermediary.
Advised by First Eagle Investment Management, LLC
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Thank you for your interest in First Eagle Funds (the Trust or Funds), managed by First Eagle Investment Management, LLC (FEIM or the Adviser). The Trust consists of seven portfolios: First Eagle Global Fund, First Eagle Overseas Fund, First Eagle U.S. Value Fund, First Eagle Gold Fund, First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund, First Eagle High Income Fund (formerly named First Eagle High Yield Fund) and First Eagle Fund of America. This prospectus describes Fund shares designated as Class T. Other classes of shares are available by separate prospectus.
Table of Contents
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Summary Information about the Funds (Including Investment, Risk and Fee/Expense Information) |
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4 |
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11 |
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18 |
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25 |
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32 |
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First Eagle High Income Fund (formerly named First Eagle High Yield Fund) |
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41 |
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49 |
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56 |
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57 |
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57 |
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58 |
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66 |
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66 |
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66 |
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68 |
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68 |
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71 |
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73 |
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78 |
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90 |
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91 |
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92 |
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95 |
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96 |
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Appendix - Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms |
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A-1 |
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Back Cover |
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Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle Global Fund (Global Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital by investing in a range of asset classes from markets in the United States and throughout the world.
Fees and Expenses of the Global Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Global Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you invest at least $250,000 in the Global Fund. Information about these discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class T Shares sections on pages 73 and 78, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
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Class T |
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases |
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2.50 |
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Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) |
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None |
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
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Management Fees |
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0.75 |
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Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
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0.25 |
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Other Expenses* |
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0.11 |
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Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
1.11 |
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Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
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Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Global Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The
4First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Fund
example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same. Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
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Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
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Class T |
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Sold or Held |
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$360 |
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$594 |
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$846 |
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$1,568 |
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Portfolio Turnover Rate
The Global 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 the Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 10.26% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of long-term capital growth, the Global Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks (and securities convertible into common stocks) of U.S. and foreign companies.
Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The Fund may also invest in fixed-income instruments (without regard to credit rating or time to maturity), short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals. Under normal circumstances, the Fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount of its assets to foreign investments. That generally means that approximately 40% or more of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be allocated to foreign investments (unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Fund, in which case the Fund expects to invest at least 30% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign investments). For purposes of these 40% and 30% of assets allocations, the Fund counts relevant derivative positions on foreign investments, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
The investment philosophy and strategy of the Global Fund can be broadly characterized as a value approach, as it seeks a margin of safety in each
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 20205 |
Summary Information about the Global Fund
investment purchase with the goal being to avoid permanent impairment of capital (as opposed to temporary losses in share value relating to shifting investor sentiment or other normal share price volatility). In particular, a discount to intrinsic value is sought even for the best of businesses, with a deeper discount demanded for companies that we view as under business model, balance sheet, management or other stresses. Intrinsic value is based on our judgment of what a prudent and rational business buyer would pay in cash for all of the company in normal markets. See also Defensive Investment Strategies.
The Fund makes some investments through a special purpose trading subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Generally, the Subsidiary will invest in commodities and related instruments (primarily gold bullion and other precious metals and related futures contracts).
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the Global Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the Global Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
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Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
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Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. The risks may be more pronounced with respect to investments in emerging markets. |
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Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
6First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Fund
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Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
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Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
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Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. To date, derivatives have been used mainly under a hedging program intended to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, the Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies. |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 20207 |
Summary Information about the Global Fund
|
Subsidiary Risk By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act) and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the Global Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Global Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/global-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
8First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Fund
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
First Quarter 2019 |
9.88% |
|
Third Quarter 2011 |
-9.95% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The bar chart above and table below disclose returns only for Class A shares (which are not offered by this prospectus).
While no information is shown for the Class T shares (because they have no or partial performance as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Class T shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class T shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class T shares do not have the same expenses.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 20209 |
Summary Information about the Global Fund
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Fund |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
14.16% |
|
5.38% |
|
7.38% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
12.50% |
|
4.29% |
|
6.45% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
9.15% |
|
4.05% |
|
5.86% |
||||||||||||||||
MSCI World Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
27.67% |
|
8.74% |
|
9.47% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Global Funds Adviser.
Matthew McLennan and Kimball Brooker, Jr. have served as the Funds Portfolio Managers since September 2008 and February 2011, respectively.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
Class T shares are available when purchased and held through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary in an omnibus account (generally meaning the intermediary holds your shares in the dealers street name) and also may be available through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. The minimum initial investment amount is generally $2,500 ($1,000 for individual retirement accounts). See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer. Class T shares are not yet available for sale to the general public. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
10First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
|
|
|
|
|
Summary Information |
Investment Objective
First Eagle Overseas Fund (Overseas Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in equities issued by non-U.S. corporations.
Fees and Expenses of the Overseas Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Overseas Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you invest at least $250,000 in the Overseas Fund. Information about these discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class T Shares sections on pages 73 and 78, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
|
|
|
|||||
|
Class T |
||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases |
|
|
2.50 |
||||
|
|||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
None |
||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||
Management Fees |
|
|
0.75 |
||||
|
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
||||
|
|||||||
Other Expenses* |
|
|
0.15 |
||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
1.15 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
* |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202011 |
Summary Information about the Overseas Fund
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Overseas Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same. Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class T |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
|
$364 |
|
|
$606 |
|
|
$867 |
|
|
$1,613 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Portfolio Turnover Rate
The Overseas 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 6.99% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of long-term capital growth, the Overseas Fund will invest primarily in equity securities of non-U.S. companies the majority of which are traded in mature markets (for example, Japan, Germany and France) and may invest in countries whose economies are still developing (sometimes called emerging markets). The Fund particularly seeks companies that have financial strength and stability, strong management and fundamental value. Normally, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign securities and counts relevant derivative positions towards this 80% of assets allocation, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price). The Fund also may invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt instruments. The Fund may invest in debt securities generally without regard to their credit rating or time to maturity. Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The Fund may invest in fixed-income instruments, short-term
12First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Overseas Fund
debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals.
The investment philosophy and strategy of the Overseas Fund can be broadly characterized as a value approach, as it seeks a margin of safety in each investment purchase with the goal being to avoid permanent impairment of capital (as opposed to temporary losses in share value relating to shifting investor sentiment or other normal share price volatility). In particular, a discount to intrinsic value is sought even for the best of businesses, with a deeper discount demanded for companies that we view as under business model, balance sheet, management or other stresses. Intrinsic value is based on our judgment of what a prudent and rational business buyer would pay in cash for all of the company in normal markets. See also Defensive Investment Strategies.
The Fund makes some investments through a special purpose trading subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Generally, the Subsidiary will invest in commodities and related instruments (primarily gold bullion and other precious metals and related futures contracts).
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the Overseas Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the Overseas Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
||
|
Emerging Market Risk When the Fund invests in emerging market securities (generally meaning those associated with less developed markets), the Fund may be |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202013 |
Summary Information about the Overseas Fund
|
exposed to market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, and generally greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets. Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. To date, derivatives have been used mainly |
14First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Overseas Fund
|
under a hedging program intended to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, the Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Subsidiary Risk By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the Overseas Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Overseas Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202015 |
Summary Information about the Overseas Fund
to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/overseas-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
Third Quarter 2010 |
9.38% |
|
Third Quarter 2011 |
-10.29% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The bar chart above and table below disclose returns only for Class A shares (which are not offered by this prospectus).
While no information is shown for the Class T shares (because they have no or partial performance as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Class T shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class T shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class T shares do not have the same expenses.
16First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Overseas Fund
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Overseas Fund |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
11.73% |
|
4.30% |
|
5.76% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
9.95% |
|
3.51% |
|
4.88% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
7.56% |
|
3.30% |
|
4.56% |
||||||||||||||||
MSCI EAFE Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
22.01% |
|
5.67% |
|
5.50% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Overseas Funds Adviser.
Matthew McLennan and Kimball Brooker, Jr. have served as the Funds Portfolio Managers since September 2008 and March 2010, respectively.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
Class T shares are available when purchased and held through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary in an omnibus account (generally meaning the intermediary holds your shares in the dealers street name) and also may be available through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. The minimum initial investment amount is generally $2,500 ($1,000 for individual retirement accounts). See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer. Class T shares are not yet available for sale to the general public. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202017 |
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund (U.S. Value Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in domestic equity and debt securities.
Fees and Expenses of the U.S. Value Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the U.S. Value Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you invest at least $250,000 in the U.S. Value Fund. Information about these discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class T Shares sections on pages 73 and 78, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
|
|
|
|||||
|
Class T |
||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases |
|
|
2.50 |
||||
|
|||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
None |
||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||
Management Fees** |
|
|
0.75 |
||||
|
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
||||
|
|||||||
Other Expenses* |
0.16 |
||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
|
1.16 |
|||||
Fee Waiver** |
|
|
-0.05 |
||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver (%) |
|
1.11 |
* |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
** |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.05% of the average daily value of the Funds net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. This waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.75% to 0.70%. |
18First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
U.S. Value Fund
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the U.S. Value Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same (except that the management fee waiver is taken into account only for the one-year expense example). Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class T |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$360 |
|
|
$604 |
|
|
$868 |
|
|
$1,619 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Portfolio Turnover Rate
The U.S. Value 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 8.65% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of long-term capital growth, the U.S. Value Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in domestic equity and debt instruments and may invest to a lesser extent in securities of non-U.S. issuers. In particular, the Fund seeks companies exhibiting financial strength and stability, strong management and fundamental value. Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The debt instruments in which the Fund may invest include fixed-income securities without regard to credit rating or time to maturity and short-term debt instruments. The Fund may also invest in gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals. The Fund counts relevant derivative positions towards its 80% of assets
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202019 |
Summary Information about the U.S. Value Fund
allocation, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
The investment philosophy and strategy of the U.S. Value Fund can be broadly characterized as a value approach, as it seeks a margin of safety in each investment purchase with the goal being to avoid permanent impairment of capital (as opposed to temporary losses in share value relating to shifting investor sentiment or other normal share price volatility). In particular, a discount to intrinsic value is sought even for the best of businesses, with a deeper discount demanded for companies that we view as under business model, balance sheet, management or other stresses. Intrinsic value is based on our judgment of what a prudent and rational business buyer would pay in cash for all of the company in normal markets. See also Defensive Investment Strategies.
The Fund makes some investments through a special purpose trading subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Generally, the Subsidiary will invest in commodities and related instruments (primarily gold bullion and other precious metals and related futures contracts).
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the U.S. Value Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the U.S. Value Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
||
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt |
20First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
U.S. Value Fund
|
instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
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|
Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
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|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
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|
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, the Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies. |
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|
Subsidiary Risk By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202021 |
Summary Information about the U.S. Value Fund
|
Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the U.S. Value Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the U.S. Value Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/us-value-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
22First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
U.S. Value Fund
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
First Quarter 2019 |
10.46% |
|
Third Quarter 2011 |
-9.03% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The bar chart above and table below disclose returns only for Class A shares (which are not offered by this prospectus).
While no information is shown for the Class T shares (because they have no or partial performance as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Class T shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class T shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class T shares do not have the same expenses.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202023 |
Summary Information about the U.S. Value Fund
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
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|
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|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
13.40% |
|
5.55% |
|
8.08% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
11.12% |
|
3.40% |
|
6.56% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
9.27% |
|
4.07% |
|
6.37% |
||||||||||||||||
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
31.49% |
|
11.70% |
|
13.56% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the U.S. Value Funds Adviser.
Matthew McLennan, Kimball Brooker, Jr. and Matthew Lamphier have served as the Funds Portfolio Managers since January 2009, March 2010 and March 2014, respectively.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
Class T shares are available when purchased and held through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary in an omnibus account (generally meaning the intermediary holds your shares in the dealers street name) and also may be available through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. The minimum initial investment amount is generally $2,500 ($1,000 for individual retirement accounts). See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer. Class T shares are not yet available for sale to the general public. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
24First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle Gold Fund (Gold Fund) seeks to provide investors the opportunity to participate in the investment characteristics of gold (and to a limited extent other precious metals) for a portion of their overall investment portfolio.
Fees and Expenses of the Gold Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Gold Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you invest at least $250,000 in the Gold Fund. Information about these discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class T Shares sections on pages 73 and 78, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
|
|
|
|||||
|
Class T |
||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases |
|
|
2.50 |
||||
|
|||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
None |
||||
|
|||||||
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of the amount redeemed within 60 days of purchase) |
|
|
2.00 |
||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||
Management Fees |
|
|
0.75 |
||||
|
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
||||
|
|||||||
Other Expenses* |
|
|
0.29 |
||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
1.29 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
* |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
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|
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Gold Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202025 |
Summary Information about the Gold Fund
then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same. Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class T |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
|
$378 |
|
|
$649 |
|
|
$940 |
|
|
$1,768 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Portfolio Turnover Rate
The Gold 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 20.01% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of providing investors the opportunity to participate in the investment characteristics of gold, the Gold Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in gold and/or securities (which may include both equity and, to a limited extent, debt instruments) directly related to gold or issuers principally engaged in the gold industry, including securities of gold mining finance companies as well as operating companies with long-, medium- or short-life mines. Up to 20% of the Funds assets may be invested in equity and, to a limited extent, debt instruments unrelated to gold or the gold industry. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt securities. Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The Fund may also invest in fixed-income instruments (without regard to credit rating or time to maturity), short-term debt instruments, other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals. The Fund counts relevant derivative positions towards its 80% of assets allocation, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
An investment in the Gold Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program. However, many investors believe that, historically, a limited exposure to
26First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Gold Fund
investments in gold or gold-related instruments may provide some offset against the market impact of political and economic disruptions, as well as relieve inflationary or deflationary pressures.
The Fund makes some investments through a special purpose trading subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Generally, the Subsidiary will invest in commodities and related instruments (primarily gold bullion and other precious metals and related futures contracts). The Fund will invest in the Subsidiary in order to gain exposure to the commodities markets within the limitations of the federal tax laws, rules and regulations that apply to regulated investment companies. Unlike the Fund, the Subsidiary may invest without limitation in commodities and related instruments, however, the Subsidiary will comply with the same 1940 Act asset coverage requirements with respect to any investments in commodity-linked derivatives that are applicable to the Funds transactions in derivatives. In addition, to the extent applicable to the investment activities of the Subsidiary, the Subsidiary will be subject to the same fundamental investment restrictions and will follow the same compliance policies and procedures as the Fund. Compliance with the Funds investment restrictions generally will be measured on an aggregate basis in respect of the Funds and the Subsidiarys portfolios. The Subsidiary will comply with the 1940 Act provisions governing affiliate transactions and custody of assets. The Fund is the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary and does not expect shares of the Subsidiary to be offered or sold to other investors.
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the Gold Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the Gold Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
||
|
Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202027 |
Summary Information about the Gold Fund
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
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|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. To date, derivatives have been used mainly under a hedging program intended to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. These risks may be more pronounced with respect to investments in emerging markets. Because of the Gold Funds policy of investing primarily in gold, securities directly related to gold and/or of companies engaged in the gold industry, a substantial part of the Gold Funds assets will generally be invested in securities of companies domiciled or operating in one or more foreign countries, including emerging markets. |
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|
Diversification Risk The Fund is a non-diversified mutual fund, and as a result, an investment in the Fund may expose your money to greater risks than if you invest in a diversified fund. The Fund may invest in a limited number of companies and industries, therefore gains or losses in a particular security may have a greater impact on their share price. |
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|
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
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|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In |
28First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Gold Fund
|
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|
addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer- duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
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|
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|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
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|
Subsidiary Risk By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the Gold Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Gold Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of one or more broad measures of market performance, which have characteristics relevant to the Funds investment strategy. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/gold-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202029 |
Summary Information about the Gold Fund
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
First Quarter 2016 |
32.55% |
|
Second Quarter 2013 |
-32.24% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The bar chart above and table below disclose returns only for Class A shares (which are not offered by this prospectus).
While no information is shown for the Class T shares (because they have no or partial performance as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Class T shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class T shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class T shares do not have the same expenses.
30First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Gold Fund
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
31.58% |
|
5.74% |
|
-2.50% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
31.58% |
|
5.74% |
|
-2.69% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
18.69% |
|
4.49% |
|
|
-1.72% |
|||||||||||||||
MSCI World Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
27.67% |
|
8.74% |
|
9.47% |
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
FTSE Gold Mines Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
41.21% |
|
11.38% |
-4.60% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Gold Funds Adviser.
Matthew McLennan and Thomas Kertsos have served as the Funds Portfolio Managers since March 2013 and March 2016, respectively.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
Class T shares are available when purchased and held through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary in an omnibus account (generally meaning the intermediary holds your shares in the dealers street name) and also may be available through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. The minimum initial investment amount is generally $2,500 ($1,000 for individual retirement accounts). See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer. Class T shares are not yet available for sale to the general public. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202031 |
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund (Global Income Builder Fund) seeks current income generation and long-term growth of capital.
Fees and Expenses of the Global Income Builder Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Global Income Builder Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you invest at least $250,000 in the Global Income Builder Fund. Information about these discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class T Shares sections on pages 73 and 78, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
|
|
|
|||||
|
Class T |
||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases |
|
|
2.50 |
||||
|
|||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
None |
||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||
Management Fees |
|
|
0.75 |
||||
|
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
||||
|
|||||||
Other Expenses* |
|
|
0.18 |
||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
|
1.18 |
* |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Global Income Builder Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating
32First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Income Builder Fund
expenses remain the same. Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class T |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
|
$367 |
|
|
$615 |
|
|
$883 |
|
|
$1,646 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Portfolio Turnover Rate
There are transaction costs due to the bid/ask spread in the case of bonds or commissions in the case of stocks. The Global Income Builder Fund pays transaction costs when the Fund 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the Funds most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 25.54% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of current income generation and long-term growth of capital, the Global Income Builder Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks of U.S. and foreign companies that offer attractive dividend yields as well as a range of fixed income instruments, including high-yield, below investment grade instruments (commonly referred to as junk bonds), investment grade instruments and sovereign debt, from markets in the United States and multiple countries around the world.
Investment decisions for the Global Income Builder Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. Under normal circumstances, the Fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount of its assets to income-producing securities. That generally means that approximately 80% or more of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be allocated to such investments, which may include dividend paying equities, both high-yield (below investment grade) and investment grade debt, sovereign bonds, and various short-term debt instruments. The Fund may invest in securities with any maturity or investment rating, as well as unrated securities. The Fund may also invest (typically for hedging purposes) in derivative instruments such as options, futures
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202033 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
contracts and options on futures contracts, credit default swaps, and swaps and options on indices.
Additionally, under normal circumstances, the Fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount of its assets to foreign investments. That generally means that approximately 40% or more of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be allocated to foreign investments (unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Fund, in which case the Fund expects to invest at least 30% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign investments). For purposes of these 80%, 40% and 30% of assets allocations, the Fund counts relevant derivative positions on investments, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
The investment philosophy and strategy of the Global Income Builder Fund can be broadly characterized as a value approach, as it seeks a margin of safety in each investment purchase with the goal being to avoid permanent impairment of capital (as opposed to temporary losses in share value relating to shifting investor sentiment or other normal share price volatility). With respect to equity investments in particular, a discount to intrinsic value is sought even for what appear to be the best of businesses, with a deeper discount demanded for companies that we view as under business model, balance sheet, management or other stresses. Intrinsic value is based on our judgment of what a prudent and rational business buyer would pay in cash for all of the company in normal markets. Investments in debt instruments are made after careful scrutiny of the underlying creditworthiness of the issuer, taking into account such factors as cash flow generation, liquidation value and structural protections. The Global Income Builder Fund seeks to own debt instruments that offer an attractive margin of safety on principal repayment relative to the total expected return of the security.
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the Global Income Builder Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
34First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Income Builder Fund
Principal risks of investing in the Global Income Builder Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund will invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments can be susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
||
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
||
|
Prepayment Risk Certain instruments, especially mortgage-backed securities, for example, are susceptible to the risk of prepayment by borrowers. During a period of declining interest rates, homeowners may refinance their high-rate mortgages and prepay the principal. Cash from these prepayments flows through to prepay the mortgage-backed securities, necessitating reinvestment in other assets, which may lower returns. Asset-backed securities, which are subject to risks similar to those of mortgage-backed securities, are also structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The market for mortgage-backed and asset-backed instruments may be volatile and limited, which may make them difficult to buy or sell. |
||
|
Changes in Debt Ratings Risk If a rating agency gives a debt instrument a lower rating, the value of the instrument may decline because investors may demand a higher rate of return. |
||
|
Defaulted Securities Risk The Fund may invest in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Such |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202035 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
|
investments involve a substantial degree of risk. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Funds original investment, and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. |
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|
High Yield Risk The Fund intends to invest in high yield instruments (commonly known as junk bonds) which may be subject to greater levels of interest rate, credit (including issuer default) and liquidity risk than investment grade instruments and may experience extreme price fluctuations. The securities of such companies may be considered speculative and the ability of such companies to pay their debts on schedule may be uncertain. |
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|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gold Risk The Fund may invest in both physical gold and the securities of companies in the gold mining sector. Prices of gold-related issues are susceptible to changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, taxes, currencies, mining laws, inflation, and various other market conditions. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets. |
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|
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. To date, derivatives have been used mainly under a hedging program that seeks to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. The Fund may at times also purchase derivatives as either a hedge or for investment purposes. |
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|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
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|
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
36First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Income Builder Fund
|
Bank Loan Risk The Fund may invest in bank loans. These investments potentially expose the Fund to the credit risk of the underlying borrower, and in certain cases, of the financial institution. The Funds ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. The market for bank loans may be illiquid and the Fund may have difficulty selling them, especially in the case of leveraged loans, which can be difficult to value. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. At times, the Fund may decline to receive non-public information relating to loans, which could disadvantage the Fund relative to other investors. |
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|
Real Estate Industry Risk The Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are subject to risks affecting the real estate industry generally (including market conditions, competition, property obsolescence, changes in interest rates and casualty to real estate), as well as risks specifically affecting REITs (the quality and skill of REIT management and the internal expenses of the REIT). |
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|
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, the Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies. |
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|
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the Global Income Builder Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Global Income Builder Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for the periods shown compare with those of one or more broad measures of market performance, which have characteristics relevant to the Funds investment strategy. As with all
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202037 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/global-income-builder-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total Returns Class A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
First Quarter 2019 |
7.40% |
|
Fourth Quarter 2018 |
-6.48% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The bar chart above and table below disclose returns only for Class A shares (which are not offered by this prospectus).
While no information is shown for the Class T shares (because they have no or partial performance as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Class T shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class T shares are
38First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Global Income Builder Fund
invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class T shares do not have the same expenses.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
Since |
||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Class A Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
8.95% |
|
4.36% |
|
5.35% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
7.97% |
|
3.45% |
|
4.32% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
5.33% |
|
3.04% |
|
3.82% |
||||||||||||||||
60% MSCI World Index/40% Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
20.01% |
|
6.63% |
|
7.42% |
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
MSCI World Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects net of taxes) |
|
27.67% |
|
8.74% |
|
10.24% |
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
8.72% |
|
3.05% |
|
2.85% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Adviser to the Global Income Builder Fund.
Kimball Brooker, Jr., Edward Meigs, Sean Slein and Julien Albertini are the Portfolio Managers for the Fund. Messrs. Meigs and Slein have been Portfolio Managers since the Funds inception on May 1, 2012, with Mr. Brooker joining as a Portfolio Manager in July 2016. Mr. Albertini joined as a Portfolio Manager in March 2019.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
Class T shares are available when purchased and held through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary in an omnibus account (generally meaning the intermediary holds your shares in the dealers street name) and also may be available through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. The minimum initial investment amount is generally $2,500 ($1,000 for individual retirement accounts). See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem Fund shares on any
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202039 |
Summary Information about the Global Income Builder Fund
business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer. Class T shares are not yet available for sale to the general public. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
40First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
|
First Eagle High Income Fund
|
Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle High Income Fund (High Income Fund) seeks to provide investors with a high level of current income.
Fees and Expenses of the High Income Fund
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the High Income Fund.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you invest at least $250,000 in the High Income Fund. Information about these discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class T Shares sections on pages 73 and 78, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
|
|
|
|||||
|
Class T |
||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases |
|
|
2.50 |
||||
|
|||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
None |
||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||
Management Fees* |
|
|
0.70 |
||||
|
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
|
|
0.25 |
||||
|
|||||||
Other Expenses** |
0.39 |
||||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
|
1.34 |
|||||
Fee Waiver* |
|
|
-0.10 |
||||
Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver (%) |
|
1.24 |
* |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.10% of the average daily value of the Funds net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. This waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.70% to 0.60%. |
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** |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202041 |
Summary Information about the High Income Fund
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the High Income Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same (except that the management fee waiver is taken into account only for the one-year expense example). Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
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||||||||||||||||||||
Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class T |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sold or Held |
|
$373 |
|
|
$654 |
|
|
$956 |
|
|
$1,814 |
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|
Portfolio Turnover Rate
There are transaction costs due to the bid/ask spread in the case of bonds or commissions in the case of stocks. The High Income Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when the Fund 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the Funds most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 24.19% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To pursue its investment objective, the High Income Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in high yield, below investment-grade securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds) and instruments. Such high yield instruments may include corporate bonds and loans, municipal bonds, and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. The Fund may invest in, and count for the purposes of this 80% allotment, unrated securities or other instruments deemed by the Funds Adviser to be below investment grade. The Fund counts relevant derivative positions towards its 80% of assets allocation and, in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price).
The Fund may invest its assets in the securities of both U.S. and foreign issuers. The Fund may also invest (typically for hedging purposes) in derivative instruments such
42First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
High Income Fund
as options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, credit default swaps, and swaps and options on indices.
The Fund may invest in securities with any investment rating or time to maturity.
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in the High Income Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Principal risks of investing in the High Income Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
|
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
High Yield Risk The Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) under normal market conditions in high yield instruments (commonly known as high yield or junk bonds) which may be subject to greater levels of interest rate, credit (including issuer default) and liquidity risk than investment grade securities and may experience extreme price fluctuations. The securities of such companies may be considered speculative and the ability of such companies to pay their debts on schedule may be uncertain. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which the Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments can be susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202043 |
Summary Information about the High Income Fund
|
Convertible Security Risk Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. Convertible securities may gain or lose value due to changes in the issuers operating results, financial condition, credit rating and changes in interest rates and other general economic, industry and market conditions. |
||
|
Illiquid Investment Risk Holding illiquid securities restricts or otherwise limits the ability for the Fund to freely dispose of its investments for specific periods of time. The Fund might not be able to sell illiquid securities at its desired price or time. Changes in the markets or in regulations governing the trading of illiquid instruments can cause rapid changes in the price or ability to sell an illiquid security. The market for lower-quality debt instruments, including junk bonds, is generally less liquid than the market for higher-quality debt instruments. |
||
|
Prepayment Risk Certain instruments, especially mortgage-backed securities, for example, are susceptible to the risk of prepayment by borrowers. During a period of declining interest rates, homeowners may refinance their high-rate mortgages and prepay the principal. Cash from these prepayments flows through to prepay the mortgage-backed securities, necessitating reinvestment in other assets, which may lower returns. Asset-backed securities, which are subject to risks similar to those of mortgage-backed securities, are also structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The market for mortgage-backed and asset-backed instruments may be volatile and limited, which may make them difficult to buy or sell. |
||
|
Bank Loan Risk The Fund may invest in bank loans. These investments potentially expose the Fund to the credit risk of the underlying borrower, and in certain cases, of the financial institution. The Funds ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. The market for bank loans may be illiquid and the Fund may have difficulty selling them, especially in the case of leveraged loans, which can be difficult to value. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. At times, the Fund may decline to receive non-public information relating to loans, which could disadvantage the Fund relative to other investors. |
44First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
High Income Fund
|
Changes in Debt Ratings Risk If a rating agency gives a debt instrument a lower rating, the value of the instrument may decline because investors may demand a higher rate of return. |
||
|
Defaulted Securities Risk The Fund may invest in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Such investments involve a substantial degree of risk. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Funds original investment, and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. |
||
|
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. The Fund may use derivatives in seeking to reduce the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on the Funds value. The Fund may at times also purchase derivatives linked to relevant market indices as either a hedge or for investment purposes. |
||
|
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect the Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in the High Income Fund, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The High Income Fund commenced operations in its present form on or about December 30, 2011 and is the successor to the Old Mutual High Yield Fund (the Predecessor Fund) pursuant to a reorganization on or about that same date. The Predecessor Fund had similar investment objectives and strategies as the Fund, but was managed by another investment adviser.
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202045 |
Summary Information about the High Income Fund
As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/high-income-fund or by calling 800.334.2143.
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass I
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best Quarter* |
|
|
Worst Quarter* |
|||||
Second Quarter 2016 |
7.08% |
|
Third Quarter 2011 |
-5.97% |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The bar chart above and table below disclose returns only for Class I shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). Returns shown for Class I shares assume commencement of operations on November 19, 2007, which is the date of organization of the Predecessor Fund and includes the returns of the Predecessor Fund for periods prior to January 1, 2012.
46First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
High Income Fund
While no information is shown for the Class T shares (because they have no or partial performance as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Class T shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class T shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class T shares do not have the same expenses. Because the Class T share expenses are anticipated to be higher than Class I, Class T share performance would be lower.
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Class I Shares |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
8.93% |
|
4.38% |
|
6.25% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
6.85% |
|
1.93% |
|
3.17% |
||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
5.25% |
|
2.21% |
|
3.51% |
||||||||||||||||
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
|
14.32% |
|
6.13% |
|
7.57% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as the Adviser to the High Income Fund.
Edward Meigs joined First Eagle Investment Management, LLC as a Portfolio Manager in 2011. Previously, Mr. Meigs served as a Portfolio Manager at Dwight Asset Management, LLC, where he managed the Predecessor Fund since its inception on November 19, 2007.
Sean Slein joined First Eagle Investment Management, LLC as Portfolio Manager in 2011. Previously, Mr. Slein served as a Portfolio Manager at Dwight Asset Management, LLC, where he managed the Predecessor Fund since its inception on November 19, 2007.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
Class T shares are available when purchased and held through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary in an omnibus account (generally meaning the intermediary holds your shares in the dealers street name) and also may be available through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. The minimum initial investment amount is generally $2,500 ($1,000 for individual retirement accounts).
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202047 |
Summary Information about the High Income Fund
See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer. Class T shares are not yet available for sale to the general public. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
48First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
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Summary Information
Investment Objective
First Eagle Fund of America (Fund of America) seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in domestic stocks and, to a lesser extent, in debt and foreign equity securities.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund of America
The following information describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of Fund of America.
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you invest at least $250,000 in Fund of America. Information about these discounts is available from your financial professional and in the How to Purchase Shares and Public Offering Price of Class T Shares sections on pages 73 and 78, respectively, and in the appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
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Class T |
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) on Purchases |
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2.50 |
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Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) |
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None |
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
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Management Fees** |
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0.90 |
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Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
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0.25 |
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Other Expenses* |
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0.23 |
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Total Annual Operating Expenses (%) |
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1.38 |
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Fee Waiver** |
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-0.05 |
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Total Annual Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver (%) |
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1.33 |
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* |
Other Expenses shown generally reflect actual expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. |
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** |
0.90% (waived to 0.85%) of the first $2.25 billion of the Funds average daily net assets, 0.85% of the next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets, and 0.80% of average daily net assets in excess of $5 billion. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.05% of the first $2.25 billion of the Funds average daily net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The waiver has the effect of reducing the |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202049 |
Summary Information about the Fund of America
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management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.90% to 0.85%. The other breakpoints in excess of $2.25 billion remain unchanged. |
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Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Fund of America with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This hypothetical example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem all shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes the average annual return is 5% and operating expenses remain the same (except that the management fee waiver is taken into account only for the one-year expense example). Please keep in mind your actual costs may be higher or lower.
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Share Status |
1 Year |
3 Years |
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Sold or Held |
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$382 |
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$671 |
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$982 |
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$1,862 |
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Portfolio Turnover Rate
Fund of America 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 Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example above, affect the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, Fund of Americas portfolio turnover rate was 26.42% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
To achieve its objective of capital appreciation, Fund of America will primarily invest in domestic stocks and, to a lesser extent, debt and foreign equity instruments. Normally, at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) are invested in domestic equity and debt instruments. The Fund counts derivative positions on these instruments for purposes of this 80% allocation, and in doing so, values each position at the price at which it is held on the Funds books (generally market price). Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements and derivatives.
50First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund of America
Derivatives include investing in options, futures and swaps and related products. Specifically, the Fund may enter into interest rate, credit default, currency, equity, fixed income and index swaps and the purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars.
In addition, the Fund may enter into options on securities and on stock indices to limit the Funds investment risk and augment its investment return. Further, the Fund may write covered call options on equity or debt securities and on stock indices in seeking to enhance investment return or to hedge against declines in the prices of portfolio securities or may write put options to hedge against increases in the prices of securities which it intends to purchase. The Fund also may write call options on broadly based stock and bond market indices if at the time of writing it holds a portfolio of stocks or bonds listed on such index. Finally, the Fund may utilize futures contracts and options on futures on securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market.
The Fund may enter into certain types of repurchase agreements, primarily as a cash management strategy.
The investment philosophy and strategy of Fund of America can be broadly characterized as a bottom-up, event-driven approach to choose securities that the Fund believes are undervalued and should perform well. In a bottom-up approach, companies and securities are researched and chosen individually. In an event-driven approach, one looks for companies that appear to be undervalued in relation to their potential value in light of positive corporate changes. Signals of corporate change can be management changes, large share repurchases, potential acquisitions or mergers. If changes are successful, these companies should realize a rise in the stock price. Fund of America invests in the securities of companies that it believes are undervalued relative to their overall financial and managerial strength. Investment decisions for the Fund are made without regard to the capitalization (size) of the companies in which it invests. The Fund may invest in any size company, including large, medium and smaller companies. The Fund may invest in debt securities generally without regard to their credit rating or time to maturity. However, the Fund has no current intention of investing more than 5% of its net assets in high yield bonds.
Principal Investment Risks
As with any mutual fund investment, you may lose money by investing in Fund of America. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time. An investment in the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202051 |
Summary Information about the Fund of America
Principal risks of investing in Fund of America, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
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Market Risk The value of the Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or markets in which Fund of America invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. |
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Event-Driven Style Risk The event-driven investment style carries the additional risk that the event anticipated occurs later than expected, does not occur at all, or does not have the desired effect on the market price of the securities. |
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Diversification Risk The Fund is a non-diversified mutual fund, and as a result, an investment in Fund of America may expose your money to greater risks than if you invest in a diversified fund. Fund of America will invest in a limited number of companies and industries, therefore gains or losses in a particular security may have a greater impact on their share price. |
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Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of the Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The Fund may invest in debt instruments that are below investment grade, commonly known as high yield or junk bonds, which are considered speculative, and carry a higher risk of default. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations. |
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Small and Medium-Size Company Risk The Fund may invest in small and medium-size companies, the securities of which can be more volatile in price than those of larger companies. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. The Fund considers small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. |
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Repurchase Agreements Risk The Fund may enter into certain types of repurchase agreements, primarily as a cash management strategy. If the seller fails to repurchase the security and the market value declines, the Fund may lose money. |
52First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund of America
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Options Risk The Fund may engage in various options transactions in which the Fund seeks to limit investment risk or increase investment returns by purchasing the right to buy or sell, or by selling the obligation to buy or sell, a security at a set price in the future. The Fund pays a premium when buying options and receives a premium when selling options. When trading options, the Fund may incur losses or forego otherwise realizable gains if market prices do not move as expected. |
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Foreign Investment Risk The Fund may invest in foreign investments. Foreign investments are susceptible to less politically, economically and socially stable environments, foreign currency and exchange rate changes, and adverse changes to government regulations. |
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
For more information on the risks of investing in Fund of America, please see the More Information about the Funds Investments section.
Investment Results
The following information provides an indication of the risks of investing in Fund of America by showing changes in the Funds performance from year to year, and by showing how the Funds average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. As with all mutual funds, past performance is not an indication of future performance (before or after taxes).
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual U.S. federal income tax rate for each year, and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Updated performance information is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors/fund/fund-america or by calling 800.334.2143.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202053 |
Summary Information about the Fund of America
The following bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions and does not reflect any sales charges. If sales charges were included, the returns would be lower.
Calendar Year Total ReturnsClass Y
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Best Quarter* |
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Worst Quarter* |
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First Quarter 2019 |
18.66% |
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Fourth Quarter 2018 |
-21.67% |
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* |
For the period presented in the bar chart above. |
The bar chart above and table below disclose returns only for Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus).
While no information is shown for the Class T shares (because they have no or partial performance as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Class T shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Class T shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class T shares do not have the same expenses.
54First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund of America
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019
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1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
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First Eagle Fund of America |
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Class Y Shares |
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Return Before Taxes |
28.39% |
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2.39% |
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9.00% |
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Return After Taxes on Distributions |
28.08% |
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0.52% |
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7.59% |
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Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares |
16.98% |
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1.66% |
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7.20% |
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S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
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31.49% |
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11.70% |
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13.56% |
Our Management Team
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC serves as Fund of Americas Adviser.
Portfolio Managers Harold Levy, Eric Stone and Lukasz Thieme of Iridian Asset Management LLC, a subadviser retained by First Eagle Investment Management, LLC, have responsibility for the day-to-day management of Fund of America and are assisted by their colleague Portfolio Manager David Cohen. Messrs. Levy and Cohen have served as Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Funds inception in April 1987 and since 1989, respectively. Mr. Stone has served as a Portfolio Manager since March 2014 and Mr. Thieme has served as a Portfolio Manager since March 2018.
How to Purchase and Redeem Shares
Class T shares are available when purchased and held through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary in an omnibus account (generally meaning the intermediary holds your shares in the dealers street name) and also may be available through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. The minimum initial investment amount is generally $2,500 ($1,000 for individual retirement accounts). See the About Your InvestmentHow to Purchase Shares section for more information.
You may purchase Fund shares on any business day at their public offering price next computed after proper receipt of the order. You may redeem Fund shares on any business day at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the order. Transaction orders may be submitted via telephone, through your authorized dealer or through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer. Class T shares are not yet available for sale to the general public. See the Once You Become a Shareholder section for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202055 |
Summary Information about the Funds
Information about Taxes and Financial Intermediaries
Tax Information
It is the Funds policy to make periodic distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any. Unless you elect otherwise, your ordinary income dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in additional shares of the same share class of a Fund at net asset value calculated as of the date immediately preceding the payment date. The Funds distributions are taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Amounts withdrawn from a tax-deferred account may be subject to tax, including a penalty on pre-retirement distributions that are not properly rolled over to other tax-deferred accounts. See the Information on Dividends, Distributions and Taxes section for more information.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Funds through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial adviser to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial adviser or visit your financial intermediarys website for more information. See the About Your InvestmentDistribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses section for more information.
56First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Investment Objectives and Strategies of the Funds
Global Fund. The Global Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing in a range of asset classes from markets in the United States and throughout the world. In seeking to achieve this objective, the Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks (and securities convertible into common stocks) of U.S. and foreign companies. The Fund may also invest in short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals, and fixed-income instruments of domestic or foreign issuers.
Overseas Fund. The Overseas Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in equities issued by non-U.S. corporations. In seeking to achieve this objective, the Fund invests primarily in equity securities of non-U.S. companies, the majority of which are traded in mature markets, and may invest in emerging markets. Normally, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign securities. The Fund may invest in fixed-income instruments, short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals.
U.S. Value Fund. The U.S. Value Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in domestic equity and debt securities. The Fund may also invest in gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals.
Gold Fund. The Gold Fund seeks to provide investors the opportunity to participate in the investment characteristics of gold (and to a limited extent other precious metals) for a portion of their overall investment portfolio. At least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be invested in gold and/or securities (which may include both equity and, to a limited extent, debt instruments) directly related to gold or issuers principally engaged in the gold industry, including securities of gold mining finance companies as well as operating companies with long, medium or short-life mines. The Fund may also invest in debt and equity instruments unrelated to the gold industry, other precious metals and futures contracts related to precious metals.
Global Income Builder Fund. The Global Income Builder Fund seeks current income generation and long-term growth of capital. The Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks of U.S. and foreign companies that offer attractive dividend yields as well as a range of fixed income instruments, including high yield, below investment grade instruments (commonly referred to as junk bonds),
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202057 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
investment grade instruments, sovereign debt and various short-term debt instruments from markets in the United States and multiple countries around the world.
High Income Fund. The High Income Fund seeks to provide investors with a high level of current income. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in high yield, below investment-grade securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds) and instruments. Such high yield instruments may include corporate bonds and loans, municipal bonds, and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. The Fund may also invest in other types of instruments including unrated debt securities and derivatives and may also employ certain investment techniques which create market exposure.
Fund of America. The Fund of America seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in domestic stocks and to a lesser extent in debt and foreign equity securities. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements and derivatives.
All Funds Change in Investment Objective. Although no change is anticipated, the investment objective of each of the Funds, except for the Global Fund, can be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified a minimum of 60 days in advance of any change in investment objective or of any change in a Funds 80% of assets investment policies.
Some of the principal investment risks of the Funds are described below in greater detail than in the Fund Summaries at the beginning of this Prospectus. The chart identifies which of these risks are applicable to a particular Fund. Other investment risks and practices also apply and are described in the Statement of Additional Information (the SAI), which is available on request (see back cover).
58First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
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Gold Risk |
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High Yield Risk |
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Currency Risk |
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Market Risk All securities may be subject to adverse market trends. The value of a Funds portfolio holdings may fluctuate in response to events specific to the companies or stock or bond markets in which a Fund invests, as well as economic, political, or social events in the United States or abroad. This may cause a Funds portfolio to be worth less than the price originally paid for it, or less than it was worth at an earlier time. Market risk may affect a single issuer or the market as a whole. As a result, a portfolio of such securities may underperform the market as a whole.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202059 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Credit and Interest Rate Risk The value of a Funds portfolio may fluctuate in response to the risk that the issuer of a bond or other instrument will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. The value of the debt securities held by a Fund fluctuates with the credit quality of the issuers of those securities. A Fund could lose money if the issuer of a security is unable to meet its financial obligations or goes bankrupt. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates can affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt instruments, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Longer-duration instruments tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter durations.
Foreign Investment Risks Foreign investments involve certain inherent risks that are different from those of domestic investments, including political or economic instability of the issuer or the country of issue, less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, changes in foreign currency and exchange rates, less public information about foreign companies, greater price fluctuations, and the possibility of adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations. Currency fluctuations may also affect the net asset value of a Fund irrespective of the performance of the underlying investments in foreign issuers. Foreign governments can also levy confiscatory taxes, expropriate assets and limit repatriations of assets. These risks may be more pronounced with respect to investments in emerging markets as described below. As a result of these and other factors, foreign securities may be subject to greater price fluctuation than securities of U.S. companies.
Emerging Market Risk To the extent a Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, and generally greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets. Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers.
Small and Medium-Size Company Risk In addition to investments in larger companies, each Fund may invest in smaller and medium-size companies, which historically have been more volatile in price than larger company securities, especially over the short term. Positions in smaller companies, especially when the Fund is a large holder of a small companys securities, also may be more difficult or expensive to trade. Among the reasons for the greater price volatility are the less certain growth
60First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
prospects of smaller companies, the lower degree of liquidity in the markets for such securities and the greater sensitivity of smaller companies to changing economic conditions. In addition, smaller companies may lack depth of management, they may be unable to generate funds necessary for growth or development, or they may be developing or marketing new products or services for which markets are not yet established and may never become established. The Funds consider small companies to be companies with market capitalizations of less than $1 billion and medium-size companies to have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion.
Illiquid Investment Risk Holding illiquid securities restricts or otherwise limits the ability for a Fund to freely dispose of its investments for specific periods of time. A Fund might not be able to sell illiquid securities at its desired price or time. Changes in the markets or in regulations governing the trading of illiquid instruments can cause rapid changes in the price or ability to sell an illiquid security. The market for lower-quality debt instruments, including junk bonds and leveraged loans, is generally less liquid than the market for higher-quality debt instruments.
Derivatives Risk Futures contracts or other derivatives, including hedging strategies, present risks related to their significant price volatility and risk of default by the counterparty to the contract. Derivatives are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that a loss may be sustained by a Fund as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the other party to the transaction or the failure of the other party to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the transaction. Changing conditions in a particular market area, such as those experienced in the subprime and non-agency mortgage market over recent years, whether or not directly related to the referenced assets that underlie the transaction, may have an adverse impact on the creditworthiness of the counterparty. If a Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Funds return or result in a loss, which could also lead to an increase in redemptions of Fund shares. The Fund also could experience losses if its derivatives were poorly correlated with its other investments, or if the Fund was unable to liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for some derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid, especially in times of financial stress. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives.
Subsidiary Risk By investing in its Subsidiary, each of the Global Fund, Overseas Fund, U.S. Value Fund, and Gold Fund are indirectly exposed to the risks associated with that Subsidiarys investments. The Subsidiaries are not registered under the 1940 Act and are not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202061 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of a Fund and/or a Subsidiary to operate as expected and could adversely affect the Fund.
Options Risk When trading options, a Fund may incur losses or forego otherwise realizable gains if market prices do not move as expected.
Gold Risk The Gold Fund maintains a policy of concentrating its investments in gold and gold-related issues. The other Funds may also invest in assets of this nature. Each Fund is therefore susceptible to specific political and economic risks affecting the price of gold and other precious metals including changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, tax, currency or mining laws, increased environmental costs, international monetary and political policies, economic conditions within an individual country, trade imbalances, and trade or currency restrictions between countries. The price of gold, in turn, is likely to affect the market prices of securities of companies mining or processing gold, and accordingly, the value of a Funds investments in such securities may also be affected. Gold-related investments as a group have not performed as well as the stock market in general during periods when the U.S. dollar is strong, inflation is low and general economic conditions are stable. In addition, returns on gold-related investments have traditionally been more volatile than investments in broader equity or debt markets.
Although the risks related to investing in gold and other precious metals directly (as each of the Funds other than Fund of America are authorized to do) are similar to those of investing in precious metal finance and operating companies, as just described, there are additional considerations, including custody and transaction costs that may be higher than those involving securities. Moreover, holding gold results in no income being derived from such holding, unlike certain securities which may pay dividends or make other current payments. Although the Funds have contractual protections with respect to the credit risk of their custodian, gold held in physical form (even in a segregated account) involves the risk of delay in obtaining the assets in the case of bankruptcy or insolvency of the custodian. This could impair disposition of the assets under those circumstances. In addition, income derived from trading in gold and certain contracts and derivatives relating to gold may result in negative tax consequences. Finally, although not currently anticipated, if gold in the future were held in a book account, it would involve risks of the credit of the party holding the gold.
Diversification Risk The Gold Fund and Fund of America are non-diversified mutual funds, and as a result, an investment in these Funds may expose your money to greater risks than if you invest in a diversified fund. These Funds may invest in a
62First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
limited number of companies and industries, and therefore gains or losses in a particular security may have a greater impact on their share price.
High Yield Risk The High Income Fund maintains a policy of concentrating its investments in high yield debt instruments. The other Funds may also invest in assets of this nature. Instruments with the lowest investment grade ratings are considered to have speculative characteristics. Certain debt instruments that have not been rated also are considered by the Adviser to be equivalent to below investment grade (often referred to as high yield or junk bonds). On balance, debt instruments that are below investment grade are considered predominately speculative with respect to the issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal according to the terms of the obligation and, therefore, carry greater investment risk, including the possibility of default and bankruptcy. In the event of a high yield issuers bankruptcy, claims of other creditors may have priority over the claims of high yield bond holders, leaving few or no assets available to repay high yield bond holders. Prices of high yield instruments are subject to extreme price fluctuations and are likely to be less marketable and more adversely affected by economic downturns than higher-quality debt instruments. Adverse publicity and investors perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of lower-rated debt instruments, especially in a thinly traded market. Analyses of the creditworthiness of issuers of lower-rated debt instruments may be more complex than for issuers of higher-rated instruments, and the ability of each Fund to achieve its investment objective may, to the extent of investment in lower-rated debt instruments, be more dependent upon such creditworthiness analyses than would be the case if this Fund were investing in higher-rated instruments.
Prepayment Risk Certain instruments, especially mortgage-backed securities, for example, are susceptible to the risk of prepayment by borrowers. During a period of declining interest rates, homeowners may refinance their high rate mortgages and prepay the principal. Cash from these prepayments flows through to prepay the mortgage-backed securities, necessitating reinvestment in other assets, which may lower returns. Asset-backed securities, which are subject to risks similar to those of mortgage-backed securities, are also structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The market for mortgage-backed and asset-backed instruments may be volatile and limited, which may make them difficult to buy or sell.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202063 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Currency Risk Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to that of the U.S. dollar and affect a Funds non-U.S. currencies or securities that trade in and receive revenue in non-U.S. currencies.
Changes in Debt Ratings Risk Investments can be subject to the risk of downgrade by a ratings agency. Ratings downgrades generally affect the value of the downgraded security and are likely to result in both decreased demand for the security and an investor expectation of a higher rate of return on the security.
Bank Loan Risk The Funds may invest in bank loans. These investments potentially expose a Fund to the credit risk of the underlying borrower, and in certain cases, of the financial institution. A Funds ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. Even investments in secured loans present risk, as there is no assurance that the collateral securing the loan will be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligation. The market for bank loans may be illiquid and a Fund may have difficulty selling them. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. In some instances, other accounts managed by the Adviser or an affiliate may hold other securities issued by borrowers whose loans may be held in the Funds portfolio. If the credit quality of the issuer deteriorates, the Adviser may owe conflicting fiduciary duties to the Fund and other client accounts. At times, the Fund may decline to receive non-public information relating to loans, which could disadvantage the Fund relative to other investors. Alternatively, the Adviser may come into possession of material, non-public information about the issuers of loans that may be held in the Funds portfolio. The Advisers ability to trade in these loans for the account of the Fund could be limited by its possession of such information. Limitations on the Advisers ability to trade could have an adverse effect on the Fund by preventing the Fund from selling a loan that is experiencing a material decline in value.
Convertible Security Risk The Funds may be susceptible to convertible security risk. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. Convertible securities may gain or lose value due to changes in the issuers operating results, financial condition, and credit rating and changes in interest rates and other general economic, industry and market conditions. Convertible securities generally have higher yields than common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities. They may be less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying stock because they have fixed income characteristics, and provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.
64First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
Defaulted Securities Risk A Fund may invest in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Such investments involve a substantial degree of risk. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Funds original investment, and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. A wide variety of considerations render the outcome of any investment in a financially distressed company uncertain, and the level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties, is unusually high. There is no assurance that the Adviser will correctly evaluate the intrinsic values of the distressed companies in which the Fund may invest.
Real Estate Industry Risk A Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are subject to risks affecting the real estate industry. REITs are subject to substantial cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the risk of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Internal Revenue Code), and/or to maintain exemptions from the 1940 Act. A Funds investments in REITs present certain further risks that are unique and in addition to the risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future.
Event-Driven Style Risk The event-driven investment style of the Fund of America carries the additional risk that the event anticipated occurs later than expected, does not occur at all, or does not have the desired effect on the market price of the securities.
Repurchase Agreements Risk A Fund may enter into certain types of repurchase agreements, primarily as a cash management strategy. If the seller fails to repurchase the security and the market value declines, the Fund may lose money.
Value Investment Strategy Risk An investment strategy that employs a value approach may pose a risk to a Fund that such investment strategy may not be successfully achieved. In any Fund, an investment made at a perceived margin of safety or discount to intrinsic or fundamental value can trade at prices substantially lower than when an investment is made, so that any perceived margin of safety or discount to value is no guarantee against loss. Value investments, as a category, or entire industries or sectors associated with such investments, may lose
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202065 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
favor with investors as compared to those that are more growth oriented. In such an event, a Funds investment returns would be expected to lag relative to returns associated with more growth-oriented investment strategies.
Defensive Investment Strategies
The Funds have the flexibility to respond promptly to changes in market and economic conditions. For example, a defensive strategy may be warranted during periods of unfavorable market or economic conditions, including periods of market turbulence or periods when prevailing market valuations are higher than those deemed attractive under the investment criteria generally applied on behalf of the Funds. Under a defensive strategy, the Funds may hold cash and/or invest up to 100% of their assets in high quality debt securities or money market instruments of U.S. or foreign issuers. In such a case, a Fund may not be able to pursue, and may not achieve, its investment objective. It is impossible to predict whether, when or for how long a Fund will employ defensive strategies.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
A description of the Funds policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of their portfolio securities is available in the Funds Statement of Additional Information (in the section titled Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings), which is available to you without charge. Top position holdings (generally either top 10 or top five depending on the concentration represented), as well as certain statistical information relating to portfolio holdings such as region or sector breakdowns, for the Funds are posted to the website on a monthly basis within 30 days after the end of each month. These postings can be located behind the Portfolio tab on each Funds page of the website and generally are available for at least 30 days from their date of posting. Certain archived top holding postings are also available.
The Average Annual Total Returns tables earlier in this Prospectus illustrate how each Funds average annual returns for different calendar periods compare to the returns of one of the specified indices. These indices are not available for purchase. Additional information on each is set out below.
The MSCI World Index is a widely followed, unmanaged group of stocks from 23 developed markets countries. The index provides total returns in U.S. dollars with net dividends reinvested. One cannot invest directly in an index.
66First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
More Information about the Funds Investments
The MSCI EAFE Index is an unmanaged total return index, reported in U.S. dollars, based on share prices and reinvested net dividends of companies from 21 developed market countries, excluding the United States and Canada. One cannot invest directly in an index.
The S&P 500 Index is a widely recognized unmanaged index including a representative sample of 500 leading companies in leading sectors of the U.S. economy. Although the S&P 500 Index focuses on the large-cap segment of the market, with approximately 80% coverage of U.S. equities, it is also considered a proxy for the total market. The S&P 500 Index includes dividends reinvested. One cannot invest directly in an index.
The FTSE Gold Mines Index Series is designed to reflect the performance of the worldwide market in the shares of companies whose principal activity is the mining of gold. The FTSE Gold Mines Index encompasses all gold mining companies that have a sustainable, attributable gold production of at least 300,000 ounces a year and that derive 51% or more of their revenue from mined gold. The Index is unmanaged, and includes dividends reinvested. One cannot invest directly in an index.
The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged broad-based benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market, including Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, MBS (agency fixed-rate and hybrid ARM passthroughs), ABS, and CMBS. One cannot invest directly in an index.
The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index is composed of fixed-rate, publicly issued, non-investment grade debt and is unmanaged, with dividends reinvested. The index includes both corporate and non-corporate sectors. The corporate sectors are Industrial, Utility, and Finance, which include both U.S. and non-U.S. corporations. One cannot invest directly in an index.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202067 |
The Adviser of each Fund is First Eagle Investment Management, LLC, a subsidiary of First Eagle Holdings, Inc. (FE Holdings). Based in New York City since 1937, FE Holdings, formerly Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder Holdings, Inc., is the successor firm to two German banking housesGebr. Arnhold, founded in Dresden in 1864, and S. Bleichroeder, founded in Berlin in 1803. A controlling interest in FE Holdings is owned by BCP CC Holdings L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (BCP CC Holdings). BCP CC Holdings GP L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (BCP CC Holdings GP), is the general partner of BCP CC Holdings and has two managing members, Blackstone Capital Partners VI L.P. (BCP VI) and Corsair IV Financial Services Capital Partners L.P. (Corsair IV). BCP VI and Corsair IV are indirectly controlled by The Blackstone Group Inc. (Blackstone) and Corsair Capital LLC (Corsair), respectively. Investment vehicles indirectly controlled by Blackstone and Corsair and certain co-investors own a majority economic interest in FE Holdings and the Adviser through BCP CC Holdings. The Adviser offers a variety of investment management services. In addition to the Funds, its clients include the First Eagle Variable Funds, other pooled vehicles, corporations, foundations, major retirement plans and high net worth individuals. As of January 31, 2020, the Adviser had over $93 billion under management. The Advisers address is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105.
Matthew McLennan and Kimball Brooker, Jr. manage Global Fund and Overseas Fund. Matthew McLennan, Kimball Brooker, Jr. and Matthew Lamphier manage U.S. Value Fund. Matthew McLennan and Thomas Kertsos manage Gold Fund. Kimball Brooker, Jr., Edward Meigs, Sean Slein and Julien Albertini manage Global Income Builder Fund. Edward Meigs and Sean Slein manage High Income Fund. Their professional backgrounds are below.
Matthew McLennan is Head of the First Eagle Global Value Team, manages Global Fund and Overseas Fund with Mr. Brooker, manages U.S. Value Fund with Messrs. Brooker and Lamphier and manages Gold Fund with Mr. Kertsos. Mr. McLennan joined the Adviser in September 2008 after having held various senior positions with Goldman Sachs Asset Management in London and New York. While at his predecessor firm for over fourteen years, Mr. McLennan was Chief Investment Officer of a London-based investment team from 2003 to 2008 where he was responsible for managing a focused value-oriented global equity product and held positions from 1994 to 2003 that included portfolio management and investment analyst responsibilities for small-cap and mid-cap value equity portfolios.
68First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund Management
Kimball Brooker, Jr. manages Global Fund and Overseas Fund with Mr. McLennan, manages U.S. Value Fund with Messrs. McLennan and Lamphier and manages the Global Income Builder Fund with Messrs. Meigs, Slein and Albertini. Mr. Brooker joined the Adviser in January 2009 and is also a member of the First Eagle Global Value analyst team. For the three years prior to that, Mr. Brooker was Chief Investment Officer of Corsair Capital.
Matthew Lamphier manages U.S. Value Fund with Messrs. McLennan and Brooker. He joined the Adviser in May 2007 and is also a member of the First Eagle Global Value analyst team. Prior to that, Mr. Lamphier worked as a research analyst at various financial institutions, most recently, Trilogy Global Advisors.
Thomas Kertsos manages Gold Fund with Mr. McLennan. He joined the Adviser in May 2014 and is also a member of the First Eagle Global Value analyst team. Prior to that, Mr. Kertsos worked as an analyst at Fidelity Management & Research.
Edward Meigs joined First Eagle Investment Management, LLC in 2011. Prior to serving as Portfolio Manager to High Income Fund with Mr. Slein and Global Income Builder Fund with Messrs. Brooker, Slein and Albertini, Mr. Meigs held various portfolio management positions at Dwight Asset Management, LLC, the investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund to the High Income Fund, since 2001, where he managed the Predecessor Fund since its inception.
Sean Slein joined First Eagle Investment Management, LLC in 2011. Prior to serving as Portfolio Manager to High Income Fund with Mr. Meigs and Global Income Builder Fund with Messrs. Brooker, Meigs and Albertini, Mr. Slein held various portfolio management positions at Dwight Asset Management, LLC, the investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund to the High Income Fund, since 2001, where he managed the Predecessor Fund since its inception.
Julien Albertini manages Global Income Builder Fund with Messrs. Booker, Meigs and Slein. He joined the Adviser in 2013 and is also a member of the First Eagle Global Value analyst team. Prior to that, Mr. Albertini worked in various roles at various financial institutions, most recently Tiger Veda LP.
Additional information regarding these portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of securities in the First Eagle Funds is available in the Statement of Additional Information. The portfolio managers are supported in their duties by a team of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. Also available in the Statement of Additional Information is certain background information regarding these investment professionals. The personnel responsible for
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202069 |
Fund Management
the day-to-day management of Fund of America are described under The Subadviser.
Pursuant to an advisory agreement with the Funds, the Adviser is responsible for the management of each of the Funds portfolios or, in the case of Fund of America, oversees and supervises the investment management services provided by the Subadviser. In return for its investment management services, each Fund pays the Adviser a fee at the annual rate of the average daily value of its net assets as follows:
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Management Fee |
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Global Fund |
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0.75 |
% |
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Overseas Fund |
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0.75 |
% |
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U.S. Value Fund |
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0.75 |
%* |
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Gold Fund |
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0.75 |
% |
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Global Income Builder Fund |
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0.75 |
% |
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High Income Fund |
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0.70 |
%** |
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Fund of America |
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0.90 |
%*** |
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* |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.05% of the average daily value of the U.S. Value Funds net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. This waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.75% to 0.70%. |
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** |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.10% of the average daily value of the High Income Funds net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. This waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.70% to 0.60%. |
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*** |
0.90% (waived to 0.85%) of the first $2.25 billion of the Funds average daily net assets, 0.85% of the next $2.75 billion of average daily net assets, and 0.80% of average daily net assets in excess of $5 billion. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee at an annual rate in the amount of 0.05% of the first $2.25 billion of the Funds average daily net assets for the period through February 28, 2021. This agreement may not be terminated during its term without the consent of the Board of Trustees. The waiver has the effect of reducing the management fee shown in the table for the term of the waiver from 0.90% to 0.85%. The other breakpoints in excess of $2.25 billion remain unchanged. |
The Adviser also performs certain administrative, accounting, operations, compliance and other services on behalf of the Funds, and in accordance with its agreements with them, the Funds (other than the Global Income Builder Fund and the High Income Fund) reimburse the Adviser for costs (including personnel, related overhead and other costs) related to those services. Those reimbursements may not exceed an annual rate of 0.05% of the value of a Funds average daily net assets. Each of the Global Income Builder Fund and the High Income Fund pays a fee to the Adviser
70First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Fund Management
related to those services. The fee is an annual rate of 0.05% of the value of each of the Global Income Builder Funds and the High Income Funds average daily net assets. These fees and reimbursements comprise a portion, and sometimes a substantial portion, of each Funds Other Expenses in the fees and expenses tables at the beginning of this Prospectus.
Pursuant to a subadvisory agreement with the Adviser, Iridian Asset Management LLC (Iridian or the Subadviser) manages the investments of Fund of America. Iridian is a registered investment adviser whose primary office is at 276 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06880. Harold J. Levy, Eric Stone and Lukasz Thieme are the portfolio managers primarily responsible for Fund of America. Mr. Levy was, as an employee of FEIM, a portfolio manager of the Fund in its prior format as a series of the former First Eagle Funds Trust since its inception in April 1987. David L. Cohen assists Mr. Levy, Mr. Stone and Mr. Thieme and also is a portfolio manager of the Fund and, as an employee of FEIM was a portfolio manager of the Fund in its prior format as a series of the former First Eagle Funds Trust since 1989. Prior to 2002, Messrs. Levy and Cohen were employed by FEIM since 1985 and 1989, respectively. Iridian is wholly owned by entities controlled by Messrs. Levy and Cohen. Mr. Stone joined Iridian in April 2012 and for the three years prior to that, Mr. Stone worked as a portfolio manager with Plural Investments. Mr. Thieme joined Iridian in August 2007 as a research analyst and for the two years prior to that worked as an analyst with LRL/Ritchie Capital.
The fees paid to Iridian by the Adviser under the Subadvisory Agreement are based on a reference amount equal to 50% of the combined (i) fees received by the Adviser for advisory services on behalf of the Fund and (ii) fees received by the Funds distributor for its shareholder liaison services on behalf of the Fund. These amounts are reduced by certain direct marketing costs borne by the Adviser in connection with the Fund and are further reduced by the amount paid by the Adviser for certain administrative expenses incurred in providing services to the Fund.
Additional information regarding these portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed by these portfolio managers and their ownership of securities in Fund of America is available in the Statement of Additional Information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202071 |
Fund Management
Approval of Advisory and Subadvisory Agreements
A discussion regarding the basis of the Funds Board of Trustees (Board of Trustees) approval of the Advisory and Subadvisory Agreements between the Funds and the Adviser or Subadviser is available in the Annual or Semi-Annual Report to shareholders for financial reporting periods in which the Agreements were acted upon by the Board of Trustees.
72First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Investing requires a plan. Whether you invest on your own or use the services of a financial professional, you should create a strategy designed to meet your short-term and long-term financial goals.
This Prospectus describes Fund shares designated as Class T. Other classes of shares are available by separate prospectus.
Class T shares are not yet available for sale to the general public.
Class T shares are available when purchased and held through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary in an omnibus account (generally meaning the intermediary holds your shares in the dealers street name) and also may be available through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems, Inc. The minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts generally required for share classes of each Fund are as follows:
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Minimum Investments |
Initial* |
Subsequent |
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First Eagle Global Fund |
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Class T |
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$2,500 |
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$100 |
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First Eagle Overseas Fund |
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Class T |
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$2,500 |
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$100 |
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First Eagle U.S. Value Fund |
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Class T |
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$2,500 |
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$100 |
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First Eagle Gold Fund |
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Class T |
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$2,500 |
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$100 |
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First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund |
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Class T |
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$2,500 |
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$100 |
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First Eagle High Income Fund |
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Class T |
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$2,500 |
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$100 |
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First Eagle Fund of America |
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Class T |
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$2,500 |
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$100 |
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See footnotes on next page.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202073 |
About Your Investment
* |
Minimum initial investment is $1,000 for Class T shares in an individual retirement account (instead of $2,500 as is otherwise required). |
The Trust typically does not offer or sell its shares to non-U.S. residents. For purposes of this policy, a U.S. resident is defined as an account with (i) a U.S. address of record (including Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO) and Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) addresses) and (ii) all account owners residing in the United States at the time of sale. Any existing account that is updated to reflect a non-U.S. address may also be restricted from making additional investments. Starter checks and third-party checks will not be accepted for purposes of purchasing shares, but third-party checks may be accepted in connection with individual retirement account rollovers. Third-party transactions, except those for the benefit of custodial accounts or participants in employee benefit plans, are not permitted. The Trust reserves the right to waive the initial minimum investment amounts, at the discretion of the principal underwriter, for certain investors, including Trust employees and trustees, and employees and officers of the Adviser and its affiliates. Once made available, a Funds Class T shares may be purchased through authorized dealers or, in limited circumstances, through the Funds transfer agent, DST Systems Inc. (DST or the Transfer Agent). A completed and signed application is required to open an account with the Funds. If there is no application accompanying this Prospectus, please call 800.334.2143 to obtain one.
FEF Distributors, LLC (FEF Distributors or the Distributor), the Funds principal underwriter (and a subsidiary of the Adviser), reserves the right to limit the purchase of a Funds shares when it is in the best interest of the Fund.
The Trust and the Distributor reserve the right to refuse any share purchase order for any reason they deem appropriate. For example, the Trust or Distributor may reject purchase orders due to nonpayment, and they may refuse orders from investors identified as money-laundering risks and those responsible for potentially disruptive trading practices, such as market timing. Share purchases are not binding on the Trust or the Distributor (and accordingly may be rejected) until they are confirmed as paid by the Transfer Agent. All payments must be made in U.S. dollars, and all checks must be drawn on U.S. banks.
Cash or cash equivalents (such as travelers checks, cashiers checks, bankers official checks or money orders) will generally not be accepted, however certain cash equivalents will be permitted for IRA transfers and retirement asset rollovers. As a condition of this offering, if an investors purchase is canceled due to nonpayment or because his or her check or Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer does not clear, the investor will be responsible for any loss a Fund may incur as a result
74First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
thereof. In limited circumstances, completed purchases also may be cancelled when the Distributor or Transfer Agent receives satisfactory instructions that a trade order was placed in error.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
The Trust and the Distributor are required to comply with various anti-money laundering laws and regulations. Consequently, the Trust or the Distributor may request additional information from you to verify your identity and source of funds. For individual investors, such information typically will include name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. Such information also may include requests for documents such as drivers license or other government-issued identification. For entity investors, such information typically will include name, principal business address, taxpayer identification number, corporate documents such as articles of incorporation, trust or partnership agreements, by-laws and similar documents, and also may include requests for documents confirming the authority and identity of those having control over the entity or its trading.
If the Trust or Distributor believes the information submitted does not provide adequate identity verification, it reserves the right to reject the establishment of your account or close the account at its current net asset value. If, at any time, the Trust believes an investor may be involved in suspicious activity, or if certain account information matches data on government lists of suspicious persons, the Trust or Distributor may choose to prohibit the establishment of a new account for the purchase of Fund shares or may be required to freeze an account. They also may be required to provide a governmental agency or another financial institution with information about transactions that have occurred in a shareholders account or to transfer monies received to establish a new account, transfer an existing account or transfer the proceeds of an existing account to a governmental agency. In some circumstances, the law may not permit the Trust or the Distributor to inform the investor it has taken the actions described above.
How Fund Share Prices Are Calculated
Each Fund computes its net asset value once daily as of the close of trading on each day the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading. Net asset value for purchase or sale orders which are received by each Fund on any business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be calculated as of that same day. If the purchase or sale request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a non-business day (weekend or financial market holiday), net
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202075 |
About Your Investment
asset value will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the next business day. The net asset value per share is computed by dividing the total current value of the assets of a Fund, less its liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding at the time of such computation. Because the Funds may invest in securities listed on foreign exchanges that may trade on weekends or other days when the Funds do not price their shares, the Funds share values may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem shares.
The Funds use pricing services to identify the market prices of publicly traded securities in their portfolios. When market prices are determined to be stale as a result of limited market activity for a particular holding, or in other circumstances when market prices are unavailable, such as for private placements, or when market prices have been materially affected by events occurring after the close of trading on the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded but before a Funds NAV is calculated, or determined to be unreliable for a particular holding, such holdings may be fair valued in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Additionally, trading of foreign equity securities on most foreign markets is completed before the close in trading in U.S. markets. The Funds have implemented fair value pricing on a daily basis for all foreign securities, as available, to account for the market movement between the close of the foreign market and the close of the NYSE. The fair value pricing utilizes factors provided by an independent pricing service. The values assigned to a Funds foreign holdings therefore may differ on occasion from reported market values. The Board and the Adviser believe relying on the procedures as just described will result in prices that are more reflective of the actual market value of portfolio securities held by the Funds than relying solely on reported market values.
The Distributor may authorize certain dealers to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders (authorized dealers). In turn, these authorized dealers may designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Distributors behalf (designated intermediaries). Orders for shares received by DST, authorized dealers, or designated intermediaries prior to the close of trading on the NYSE will be processed based on that days net asset value determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE that day. If an order is received by DST, an authorized dealer, or a designated intermediary after the close of the NYSE, it will be priced the next day the NYSE is open for trading.
76First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
Purchases Through Dealers and Financial Intermediaries
You may purchase a Funds shares from selected securities dealers with whom the Distributor has sales agreements. You also may obtain additional new account applications from such authorized dealers. Not all financial intermediaries will be authorized to sell and hold Class T shares. For a list of authorized dealers, please contact the Distributor at 800.747.2008. Authorized dealers and financial services firms are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase orders to FEF Distributors and for monitoring applicable breakpoint or sales charge reductions for their accounts.
Class T shares of each Fund generally are sold with a front-end sales commission and Rule 12b-1 annual distribution fee. Certain broker-dealers or financial services firms may purchase shares at their net asset value, without a sales commission, and may charge investors a transaction charge or other advisory fee through a wrap-fee or similar program.
Authorized dealers and financial services firms may impose a charge for handling purchase transactions and may have particular requirements concerning purchases. Contact your authorized dealer or financial services firm for more information.
The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly through the Transfer Agent or through an authorized dealer or other financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load waivers. In all instances, it is the purchasers responsibility to notify the Fund or the purchasers financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts. See the Appendix to this Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms for more information.
If you purchase any Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), each Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial adviser to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial adviser or visit your financial intermediarys website for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202077 |
About Your Investment
Public Offering Price of Class T Shares
The public offering price of Class T shares equals the net asset value per share plus a sales charge. The Class T sales charges* for each Fund are as follows:
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Class T Shares Dollars Invested |
Sales Charge as a Percentage of |
Dealer Allowance |
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Offering Price |
Net Amount |
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Less than $250,000 |
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2.50 |
% |
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2.50 |
% |
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4.00 |
% |
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$250,000 but less than $500,000 |
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2.00 |
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2.00 |
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3.00 |
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$500,000 but less than $1,000,000 |
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1.50 |
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1.50 |
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2.25 |
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$1,000,000 and over |
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1.00 |
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1.00 |
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1.75 |
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* |
Information relating to sales charges is available at www.feim.com/individual-investors. |
Class T shares of each Fund also carry a Rule 12b-1 annual 0.25% distribution fee. Because the Rule 12b-1 fee is paid from your investment on an ongoing basis, over time these fees ultimately may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plans and agreements adopted by each Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act are described in Distribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses.
As the table in Public Offering Price of Class T Shares shows, larger investments in Class T shares of a Fund will reduce the sales charge on the investment, resulting in what are frequently called sales charge breakpoints. Not all terms are available through all of the Funds authorized dealers or other intermediaries. Breakpoints are calculated based solely on your purchase amount in the relevant transaction, regardless of any other Fund holdings you may have or intend to make.
A Fund also may issue Class T shares at net asset value in connection with the acquisition of or merger or consolidation with another investment company. At the Distributors discretion, the sales of Class T shares at net asset value may require written assurance that the purchase is being made for investment purposes and the shares will not be resold except through redemption. If required, you must provide such notice to the Distributor or DST at the time of purchase on a form available from the Trust.
Certain financial intermediaries may support transfers from other share classes of the Funds into Class T shares. Generally front-end sales loads do not apply to those transfers when made in connection with a determination by the intermediary to no longer allow you to hold the original share class.
78First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services Expenses
The shares of each of the Funds are offered to investors, in states and countries in which such offer is lawful, either through selected securities dealers or directly through DST. Class T shares of the Funds are subject to the front-end sales charges described in About Your InvestmentPublic Offering Price of Class T Shares.
Each of the Funds has adopted distribution plans and agreements pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the Plans) under the 1940 Act. Under the Plans, each Fund pays FEF Distributors as the Funds Distributor the following annual distribution-related and service fees:
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Class T shares: 0.25% of the share classs average daily net assets. |
FEF Distributors is paid these distribution-related and service fees on a monthly basis. FEF Distributors is obligated to use these collected fees to pay qualifying dealers for their assistance in distributing the Funds shares, providing shareholder services and in connection with other expenses incurred by such dealers, such as advertising costs and the printing and distribution of prospectuses to prospective investors. However, FEF Distributors will not pay dealers 12b-1, distribution-related and service fees for any quarter in which a dealer has less than $50,000 in First Eagle Fund accounts. FEF Distributors or its affiliates bear distribution expenses to the extent they are not covered by payments under the Plans. Any distribution expenses incurred by FEF Distributors or its affiliates in any Funds fiscal year that are not reimbursed from payments accrued during that fiscal year will not be carried over for payment in any subsequent year. Because the fees are paid from Fund assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Funds and ultimately may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. Any distribution-related (Rule 12b-1) fee may be used in whole or in part to finance distribution activities, including sales compensation, and/or shareholder account liaison and servicing activities. Certain shares of the Funds offered by a separate prospectus do not participate in the Plans and are not charged with any portion of the payments made under the Plans.
Certain broker-dealers or other intermediaries perform services that otherwise could be handled by the Funds Transfer Agent. These services may include preparing and distributing client statements, tax reporting, order-processing and client relations. As a result, these third parties may charge fees (sometimes called sub-transfer agency fees or sub-accounting fees) to the First Eagle Funds for these services. The Funds may pay for such services outside of a Rule 12b-1 Plan (meaning in addition to or instead of as Rule 12b-1 fees) so long as such compensation does not exceed certain
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202079 |
About Your Investment
limits set from time to time by the Board of Trustees in consultation with management. Arrangements may involve a dollar per-account fee, an asset-based fee, transaction or other charges, cost reimbursement or, in some cases, a combination of these inputs. Sub-transfer agency fees can comprise a substantial portion of the Funds ongoing. While the Adviser and the Distributor consider sub-transfer agency fees to be payments for services rendered, they represent an additional business relationship between these sub-transfer agents and the Funds that often results, at least in part, from past or present sales of Fund shares by the sub-transfer agents or their affiliates. The Adviser, the Distributor or an affiliate may make additional payments to intermediaries for these and other services, and their payments may be based on the same or other methods of calculation. See Revenue Sharing below.
Revenue Sharing
The Distributor, Adviser or an affiliate may make cash payments from their own resources to broker-dealers or financial intermediaries for various reasons. These payments, often referred to as revenue sharing, may support the delivery of services to the Funds or shareholders in the Funds, including transaction processing and sub-accounting services.
These payments also may serve as an incentive to sell Fund shares or to promote shareholder retention. As such, the payments may go to firms providing various marketing support or other promotional services relating to the Funds, including advertising and sales meetings, as well as inclusion of the Funds in various promotional and sales programs. Marketing support services also may include business planning assistance, broker-dealer education about the Funds and shareholder financial planning assistance.
Revenue sharing payments may include any portion of the sub-transfer agency fees (described in the preceding section) that exceed the limits for those fees established by the Board of Trustees in consultation with management and which, accordingly, the Funds do not pay. They also may include any other payment requirement of a broker-dealer or another third-party intermediary, as described in greater detail under Public Offering Price of Class T Shares. The Distributor, Adviser or an affiliate pay all such payments out of its (or their) own resources. Such payments are in addition to any recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency/networking fees payable by each Fund (through the Distributor or otherwise) to others for performing such services and Rule 12b-1 or service plan payments described elsewhere in this Prospectus. Revenue sharing payments may be structured, among other means, as: (i) a percentage of sales; (ii) a percentage of net assets; (iii) a flat fee per transaction; (iv) a fixed dollar
80First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
amount; or (v) some combination of any of these. In many cases, revenue sharing arrangements may be viewed as encouraging sales activity or retention of assets in the Funds. Generally, any revenue sharing or similar payments are requested by the party receiving them, often as a condition of distribution, but they are subject to negotiation as to their structure and scope.
The Distributor, Adviser or an affiliate also may pay from their own resources for travel and other expenses, including lodging, entertainment and meals, incurred by brokers for attending diligence or informational meetings with the Funds investment professionals. The Distributor, Adviser or an affiliate also may pay for costs of organizing and holding such meetings and also may make payments to or on behalf of brokers or other financial intermediaries for other types of events, including pre-approved conferences, seminars or sales or training programs (and payments for travel, lodging, etc.), and may provide small gifts and/or entertainment as permitted by applicable rules. The Distributor, the Adviser or an affiliate also may pay fixed fees for the listing of a Fund on a broker-dealers or financial intermediarys system. This compensation is not included in, and is made in addition to, the compensation described in the preceding paragraph.
Please be aware that revenue sharing arrangements or other payments to intermediaries could create incentives on the part of the parties receiving the payments to more positively consider the Funds relative to mutual funds either not making payments of this nature or making smaller such payments. A shareholder or prospective investor with questions regarding revenue sharing or other such payments may obtain more details by contacting his or her broker representative or other financial intermediary directly. The Funds Statement of Additional Information includes a listing of certain parties receiving revenue sharing payments in respect of the Funds.
To facilitate the handling of shareholder transactions, the Funds use a bookshare account plan for shareholder accounts. DST, as the Funds Transfer Agent, opens and maintains an account for each shareholder of the Funds directly registered with a Fund (which would not include Class T shareholders participating through dealer street name accounts). All interests in shares, full and fractional (rounded to three decimal places), are reflected in book accounts. After any purchase, DST mails you a confirmation indicating the amount of full and fractional shares purchased, the price per share and a statement of your account. DST will not issue stock certificates for the shares of any Fund.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202081 |
About Your Investment
The Trust can deliver account statements and fund financial reports electronically. If you are a registered user of feim.com, you can consent to the electronic delivery of these documents by logging on and changing your mailing preference under eDelivery. (Should you later wish to receive these documents by mail you can revoke your electronic consent at any time, and we will begin to send paper copies of these documents within 30 days of receiving your notice.)
Where To Send Your Application
You may purchase Fund shares through selected securities dealers with whom the Distributor has sales agreements. You may obtain additional New Account Applications from these authorized dealers. For a list of authorized dealers, please call the Distributor at 800.747.2008. Authorized dealers and financial services firms may charge you a transaction fee in addition to any applicable sales loads. Authorized dealers and financial services firms are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase orders to the Distributor.
If eligible, you may purchase Fund shares directly through the Funds Transfer Agent by mailing a check made payable to First Eagle Funds along with the completed New Account Application to First Eagle Funds, P.O. Box 219324, Kansas City, MO 64121-9324. You also may purchase shares directly through the Funds Transfer Agent by ACH transfer or by bank wire. Please call 800.334.2143 to establish and administer the ACH purchase option, and please call prior to wiring any funds.
Due to the high cost of maintaining smaller accounts, the Trust reserves the right to redeem shares in any account if, as the result of a withdrawal, the value of that account drops below $1,000. This does not apply to accounts participating in the Automatic Investment Program or to retirement accounts. You will have at least 30 days to make an additional investment to bring the account value to the stated minimum before the redemption is processed.
You may make semi-monthly, monthly or quarterly investments of $100 (or more) in shares of any Fund automatically from a checking or savings account on or about the fifth and/or 20th of the month. Upon written authorization, DST will debit your designated bank account as indicated and use the proceeds to purchase Fund shares.
82First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
About Your Investment
Because your bank must provide approval for the transfer process, establishing an Automatic Investment Program may take at least 30 days. You must indicate your desire to establish an Automatic Investment Program on the New Account Application or Special Options Form. You also must include a voided check, a savings account deposit slip or savings account statement. Shares purchased through Automatic Investment Program payments are subject to the redemption restrictions for recent purchases described in Once You Become a ShareholderRedemption of Shares. The Trust may amend or cease to offer the Automatic Investment Program at any time.
The Funds are parties to contractual arrangements with various parties who provide services to the Funds, including the Adviser, the Subadviser, the Distributor, the custodian, and the transfer agents, among others. Fund shareholders are not parties to, or intended (third party) beneficiaries of, any such contractual arrangements, and such contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any individual investor or group of investors any right to enforce them against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Funds.
Also, while this Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this Prospectus nor the Statement of Additional Information represents a contract between the Trust or a Fund and any shareholder or any other party.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202083 |
After you have opened an account with us, you can sell your shares to meet your changing investment goals or other needs. Exchanges of Class T shares from one Fund to another are generally not permitted.
Conversion
The other share classes of each Fund described here are offered by separate prospectus, which should be requested and reviewed carefully before considering any conversion. Fees, expenses and eligibility and other terms among share classes will vary. You may convert Class A shares and Class I shares of each Fund and Class Y shares of Fund of America into Class T shares, provided you meet the eligibility requirements for investment in the Class T shares. Class T shares of a Fund may be converted into Class A shares, Class I shares or (in the case of Fund of America only) Class Y shares of the same Fund, provided that such conversion is taking place in a broker-dealer sponsored fee-based or wrap account or for accounts investing through an investment adviser or financial planner who charges a consulting, management or other fee for its services. Class T shares also may be converted to Class R3, Class R4, Class R5 or Class R6 shares of the same Fund, provided you meet the eligibility requirements for investment in those shares. All conversions will take place at net asset value and generally should not result in the realization of income or gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This should be confirmed with your tax advisor. The Funds reserve the right to refuse any conversion request. Financial intermediaries may impose restrictions on conversions, or may not make conversions available at all. For additional information concerning conversions, or to initiate a conversion, contact your dealer, financial intermediary or the First Eagle Funds at 800.334.2143. More information concerning conversions is also available in the SAI, which is available upon request (see back cover). Certain intermediary-related terms also are described in the appendix to the Funds Prospectus titled Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms.
Dividend Direction Plan
Unless you elect otherwise, your ordinary income dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in additional shares of the same share class of the Fund at the net asset value calculated as of the date immediately preceding the payment date.
Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, all reinvested dividends and distributions remain taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes as though received in cash. For further
84First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
information about dividend reinvestment, contact DST by telephone at 800.334.2143.
You have the right to redeem all or any part of your Fund shares for cash at their net asset value next computed after proper receipt of the redemption request. You may redeem via telephone through your authorized dealer or FEF Distributors. Shares held in the dealers street name must be redeemed through the dealer, as described in the following paragraph.
If you have an account with an authorized dealer you may submit a redemption request to that dealer. Authorized dealers are responsible for promptly transmitting your redemption requests to the Distributor. Dealers may impose a charge for handling redemption transactions, and they may have particular requirements concerning redemptions. Accordingly, shareholders should contact their authorized dealers for more information.
If you have an account with the Funds, you may redeem your Fund shares through DST by transmitting written redemption instructions to First Eagle Funds, P.O. Box 219324, Kansas City, MO 64121-9324. Redemption requests must meet all the following requirements to be considered in the proper form:
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Written and signed instructions must be received from the registered owner(s). |
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A letter or a stock power signed by the registered owner(s) must include a signature guarantee by an acceptable guarantor. A guarantee is required for redemptions greater than $100,000 to be paid by check or when you want the redemption proceeds sent to an address other than the address of record, to a person other than the registered shareholder(s) for the account or to a bank account number other than the one previously designated. A signature guarantee is not required for any amount redeemed by ACH transfer or bank wire, as long as you previously designated a bank. |
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In the case of shares held in the name of a corporation, trust, fiduciary or partnership, DST must receive evidence of authority to sign and a stock power with signature(s) guaranteed. |
Redemption Proceeds
Payment of the redemption price will generally be made within three business days after receipt of the redemption request in proper form, but may take up to seven
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202085 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
days. The Trust will not mail redemption proceeds for any shares until checks or ACH transfers received in payment for those shares have cleared, which may take up to 15 days. The Trust normally pays redemption proceeds in the form of a check. If you wish to avoid any such delays, you should purchase your shares via bank wire. You also may have your proceeds sent to your bank account by ACH transfer or bank wire, as long as you identified your bank on the New Account Application or Special Options Form. Proceeds sent by ACH transfer generally will be credited to your account on the second business day after the redemption. Proceeds sent by bank wire generally will be credited on the business day following the redemption, but there is a wire fee that will be deducted from such proceeds. In times of extreme market stress, it may take longer to provide payment of redemption requests. Ask your financial professional for more information.
Redemptions in Kind
The Funds normally pay redemption proceeds in cash up to $250,000 or 1% of a Funds total value, whichever is less. The Trust reserves the right to make higher redemption payments in the form of marketable securities or, as needed, other traded assets, which is known as a redemption in kind. If your shares are redeemed in kind, you should expect to incur transaction costs upon the disposition of the securities received in the distribution. Such securities remain subject to market risk until they are sold. You may recognize capital gain or loss upon the disposition of such securities.
Beginning on May 1, 2020, shareholders of the Gold Fund will no longer be subject to the redemption fee described in the following paragraphs. Until then, if you sell shares of the Gold Fund within 60 days of purchasing them, you will be subject to a 2% redemption fee on the gross redemption proceeds. The fee is determined using the first-in-first-out, or FIFO, calculation methodology, comparing the date of redemption with the earliest purchase date of shares. The Fund may collect the redemption fees by deducting them from the redemption proceeds or, if assessed after a completed redemption transaction (and upon notice to the account holder), by deducting them from any remaining account balance or by directly billing for them.
The Fund may waive or reverse the redemption fee for qualified retirement plans, systematic redemption programs, wrap programs and certain accounts investing through omnibus positions. At the same time, the Fund reserves the right to impose
86First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
redemption fees on such shares. The Fund generally will be dependent on the relevant intermediary (for example, the wrap program sponsor or omnibus account holder) in monitoring trading frequency and therefore in applying redemption fees to these shareholders. The ability to assess a redemption fee on the underlying shareholders of such an account, or otherwise monitor and discourage inappropriate short-term trading, may be further limited by systems limitations applicable to these types of accounts.
The Fund may reverse or waive the redemption fee upon application to the Fund. Historically, most such exceptions have been granted in the event of transactions documented as inadvertent or prompted by bona-fide emergencies. The Funds may modify redemption fee policies at any time.
Redemption fees are intended to defray transaction and other expenses caused by early redemptions and to facilitate portfolio management. The fees do not represent a deferred sales charge nor a commission paid to the Distributor. Any fees collected will be retained by the particular Fund (and share class) for the benefit of the remaining shareholders.
The Funds are not vehicles for frequent traders. Frequent trading (including exchanging) of Fund shares, also known as market timing, may increase Fund transaction and administration costs and otherwise negatively affect a Funds investment program, possibly diluting a Funds value to its longer-term investors. For example, short-term investments moving in and out of a Fund may (i) prompt otherwise unnecessary purchases and sales of portfolio securities, thus increasing brokerage costs; (ii) affect the level of cash held by a Fund over time; (iii) affect taxable gains and losses realized by a Fund; or (iv) distract a portfolio manager from the Funds longer-term investment strategy.
The Global Fund, Overseas Fund, Global Income Builder Fund and High Income Fund may be particularly susceptible to these risks due to their significant investments in foreign securities. Similarly, the Gold Fund may be susceptible to short-term trading due to the nature of its portfolio holdings. Foreign securities and any relatively illiquid or volatile securities are considered those most likely to be subject to inappropriate short-term trading strategies.
Pursuant to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees, the Funds routinely review shareholder trades to seek to identify and deter inappropriate trading. Specifically, the Funds seek to identify the types of transactions that may be harmful
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202087 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
to a Fund, either on an individual basis or as part of a pattern. In certain circumstances, and on occasion even involving a trade for which no redemption fee is assessed, the Funds may deem a single trade inappropriate and subject to these procedures. When the Funds identify inappropriate trading activities, the Funds will suspend trading privileges or close the relevant account. At the discretion of the Funds, such a suspension or account closure may be temporary or permanent and may or may not be subject to appeal.
The Funds also may deem investors potential short-term traders (and subject to trading suspensions or account closures without advance notice) based on information unrelated to the specific trades in the investors accounts. For example, the Funds may obtain information linking an account to an account previously suspended or closed for inappropriate trading. In addition, a reliable third party may report short-term trading concerns regarding a particular account to the Funds.
The Funds cannot guarantee to identify or prevent every instance of inappropriate trading. Nonetheless, the Funds guiding principle is that trading deemed not in the interests of longer-term Fund shareholders will be actively deterred and, when possible, prevented.
In most cases the Funds depend on cooperation from intermediaries in reviewing certain accounts, thereby limiting the Funds ability to monitor and discourage inappropriate trading. Although the Funds are committed to seeking the cooperation of intermediaries, the Funds often do not have immediate access to individual account-level activity for those investing through an intermediary (and generally must request information about this account activity rather than receiving it automatically). In addition, not all intermediaries maintain the types of sophisticated transaction tracking systems that permit them to apply the types of reviews applied by the Funds. The Funds do not have any arrangements intended to permit trading in contravention of the policies described in this section. The Funds may modify the short-term trading policies at any time.
Unless you make contrary instructions on the New Account Application or Special Options Form, you will be entitled to make telephone redemptions, conversions and account maintenance requests if you have a preauthorized form on file with the transfer agent. Neither the Funds nor their agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that the Trust or its agents believe are genuine. The Trust will employ reasonable procedures to confirm the instructions are genuine. Such procedures may include (i) written confirmation of telephone
88First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
transactions; (ii) tape recording telephone conversations; and/or (iii) requiring specific personal information prior to acting upon telephone instructions.
Any owner(s), trustee(s) or other fiduciary entity named in the account registration, investment professional of record and/or other parties who can provide specific personal information will be allowed to initiate telephone transactions. Personal information may include a combination of the following items: (i) the Fund and account number, (ii) the account registration, (iii) the Social Security or tax identification number on the account, (iv) the address of record, (v) designated bank account information and (vi) any other information deemed appropriate to allow access to the account.
Telephone redemption requests received by the Trust or their agents (including authorized dealers, retirement plan administrators or other intermediaries) prior to the close of business on the NYSE on any business day will be processed that day. Such requests received after the close of business on the NYSE will be effective the following business day. Shareholders may not make redemption requests by telephone if the proceeds will be wired to a bank account number or mailed to an address other than the one previously designated by the shareholder. There is a $100,000 maximum for telephone redemptions by check. Certain retirement accounts are not eligible for all the telephone privileges referenced above. Please call 800.334.2143 for more information on telephone privileges.
If you own Fund shares with a current net asset value of $10,000 or more, you may use those shares to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan that executes withdrawals monthly, quarterly, or annually. A check in a stated amount of at least $50 will be mailed to you on or about the third, 15th, or 25th day of the month. You may not take dividends and distributions on shares invested through a Systematic Withdrawal Plan in cash; instead, you must reinvest them, which will occur at net asset value. A Funds shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal payments. Withdrawals in excess of dividends and distributions will reduce and may deplete the invested principal, which may result in a gain or loss for tax purposes. It may be inefficient to purchase additional shares while concurrently withdrawing shares, due to the sales charges incurred on purchases. Accordingly, you may not maintain a Systematic Withdrawal Plan while simultaneously making regular purchases. If you establish a new account by check within 15 days of an expected withdrawal date, the Funds will not begin withdrawals until the following month, due to the Funds
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202089 |
Once You Become a Shareholder
15-day hold on check purchases. The Funds may amend or cease to offer the Systematic Withdrawal Plan at any time.
The Trust offers a variety of plans that allow investors to save for retirement and defer taxes on any investment income. These offerings include IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEPs and SIMPLE IRAs. Certain investors may not realize the tax benefits of these plans. Therefore, you should consult your tax adviser regarding your eligibility.
Information Regarding State Escheatment Laws
Mutual fund accounts can be considered abandoned property. States increasingly are looking at inactive mutual fund accounts as possible abandoned or unclaimed property. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may be legally obligated to escheat (or transfer) an investors account to the appropriate states unclaimed property administrator. The Fund will not be liable to investors or their representatives for good faith compliance with state unclaimed or abandoned property (escheatment) laws. If you invest in the Fund through a financial intermediary, we encourage you to contact the financial intermediary regarding applicable state escheatment laws.
Escheatment laws vary by state, and states have different criteria for defining inactivity and abandoned property. Generally, a mutual fund account may be subject to escheatment (i.e., considered to be abandoned or unclaimed property) if the account owner has not initiated any activity in the account or contacted the fund for an inactivity period as specified in applicable state laws. If the Fund is unable to establish contact with an investor, the Fund will determine whether the investors account must legally be considered abandoned and whether the assets in the account must be transferred to the appropriate states unclaimed property administrator. Typically an investors last known address of record determines the state that has jurisdiction.
90First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Information on Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
It is each Funds policy to make periodic distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any. Unless you elect otherwise, your ordinary income dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in additional shares of the same share class of the Fund at net asset value calculated as of the payment date. The Funds pay ordinary income dividends and capital gains distributions on a per-share basis. As a result, on the ex-dividend date of such a payment, the net asset value of the Funds will be reduced by the amount of the payment.
Each Fund intends to qualify and has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify, a Fund must meet certain income, diversification and distribution requirements. As a regulated investment company, a Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or excise taxes on ordinary income and capital gains distributed to shareholders within applicable time limits, although foreign-source income received by a Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes.
Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in general, you will be taxed on the ordinary income dividends and capital gains distributions you receive from a Fund, whether you take them as additional shares or in cash. Capital gains distributions may be taxed at different rates, depending on the types of appreciated assets and the length of time the Fund holds the appreciated assets. For example, while capital gain distributions with respect to gain on the sale of appreciated assets held by a Fund for more than one year generally will be taxed to individual shareholders at a maximum rate of 20%, capital gain distributions with respect to the sale of collectibles (such as gold bullion) held by a Fund for more than one year will be taxed to individual shareholders at a maximum rate of 28%. Certain ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund to non-corporate shareholders (including individuals) may be eligible for preferential tax treatment at the rate applied to long-term capital gains. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by a Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year.
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions from the Funds, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates and trusts.
Tax issues can be complicated. Please consult your tax adviser about federal, state, or local tax consequences or with any other tax questions you may have.
By February 15 of each year, the Trust will send you a statement showing the tax status of your dividends and distributions for the prior year. There may be tax consequences for shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities. Please see the Statement of Additional Information for more information.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202091 |
Privacy Notice for Individual Shareholders
The Trust is committed to protecting your privacy. We are providing you with this privacy notice to inform you of how we handle your personal information that we collect and may disclose to our affiliates. If the Trust changes its information practices, we will provide you with notice of any material changes. This privacy policy supersedes any of our previous policies relating to the information you disclose to us.
Why this Privacy Policy Applies to You
You obtained a financial product or service from or through us for personal, family or household purposes when you opened a shareholder account with the Trust, and are therefore covered by this privacy policy.
What We do to Protect Your Personal Information
We protect personal information provided to us by our individual shareholders according to strict standards of security and confidentiality. These standards apply to both our physical facilities and any online services we may provide. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal standards to guard consumer information. We permit only authorized individuals, who are trained in the proper handling of individual shareholder information and need to access this information to do their job, to have access to this information.
Personal Information that We Collect and May Disclose
As part of providing you with the Trusts products and services, we may obtain nonpublic personal information about you from the following sources:
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Information we receive from you on subscription applications or other forms, such as your name, address, telephone number, Social Security number, occupation, assets and income; |
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Information about your transactions with us, our affiliates, or unaffiliated third parties, such as your account balances, payment history and account activity; |
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Information from public records we may access in the ordinary course of business; and |
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Information collected from you online, such as your IP address and date gathered from your browsing activity and location. |
92First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
Privacy Notice for Individual Shareholders
Categories of Affiliates to Whom We May Disclose Personal Information
We may share personal information about you with affiliates. Our affiliates do business under names that include First Eagle Holdings, Inc., First Eagle Investment Management, LLC, FEF Distributors, LLC, First Eagle Private Credit, LLC, First Eagle Private Credit Advisors LLC and First Eagle Alternative Credit LLC.
You May Limit Marketing Solicitations By Choosing To Opt Out
We offer you the right to opt out from many types of marketing by our affiliates based on your personal information that we collect and share in accordance with this privacy policy. To limit those marketing solicitations, you may call 800.334.2143 indicating your desire not to receive marketing from our affiliates. Should you choose to opt out, your choice will remain in our records until you notify us otherwise, although we may choose to contact you in the future to modify your preference.
When We May Disclose Your Personal Information to Unaffiliated Third Parties
We will only share your personal information collected, as described above, with unaffiliated third parties:
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At your request; |
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When you authorize us to process or service a transaction or product (unaffiliated third parties in this instance may include service providers such as the Trusts distributors, registrar and transfer agent for shareholder transactions, and other parties providing individual shareholder servicing, accounting and recordkeeping services); |
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With companies that perform sales and marketing services on our behalf with whom we have agreements to protect the confidentiality of your information and to use the information only for the purposes for which we disclose the information to them; or |
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When required by law to disclose such information to appropriate authorities. |
We do not otherwise provide information about you to outside firms, organizations or individuals except to our attorneys, accountants and auditors, and as permitted by law.
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202093 |
Privacy Notice for Individual Shareholders
What We do with Personal Information about Our Former Customers
If you decide to discontinue doing business with us, the Trust will continue to adhere to this privacy policy with respect to the information we have in our possession about you and your account following the termination of our shareholder relationship.
94First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
How to Reach First Eagle Funds
You can send all requests for information or transactions to:
Regular Mail:
First Eagle Funds
P.O. Box 219324
Kansas City, MO 64121-9324
or
Overnight Mail:
First Eagle Funds
c/o DST Systems, Inc.
330 West 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105-1807
You can contact us by telephone at 800.334.2143.
Please visit us online at www.feim.com/individual-investors
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202095 |
The Financial Highlights Table is intended to help you understand the financial performance of each Fund for the past five fiscal years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
Financial highlights information is not available for Class T shares as of the date of this prospectus. These financial highlights describe the performance of a single class of the respective Fund, as indicated, for the fiscal periods indicated. Share classes shown are offered through a separate prospectus. Total return shows how much an investment in the fund would have increased (or decreased) during each period, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions.
The Financial Highlights Table shown was audited by the Funds independent accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 300 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10017-6204. The report of PricewaterhouseCoopers (for the Funds fiscal year ending October 31, 2019), together with the Funds financial statements, are contained in the annual reports for the Funds for that period and are incorporated by reference in the Statement of Additional Information. Annual reports and the Statement of Additional Information are available upon request.
96First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
[This Page Intentionally Left Blank]
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202097 |
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First Eagle Funds |
Financial Highlights
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Per share operating performance* |
Ratio/Supplemental data |
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Investment operations |
Less dividends and distributions |
Ratios to Average Net Assets of: |
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Selected per |
Net asset |
Net |
Net |
Total |
From net |
From |
Return of |
Total |
Net asset |
Total |
Net assets, |
Operating |
Operating |
Net |
Net |
Portfolio |
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First Eagle Global Fund Class A |
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October 31, 2019 |
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$56.37 |
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0.64 |
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5.37 |
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6.01 |
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(0.43 |
) |
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(2.80 |
) |
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(3.23 |
) |
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$59.15 |
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11.44 |
% |
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$13,638,545 |
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1.11 |
% |
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1.11 |
% |
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1.13 |
% |
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1.13 |
% |
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10.26 |
% |
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October 31, 2018 |
$60.46 |
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0.49 |
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(2.08 |
) |
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(1.59 |
) |
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(0.44 |
) |
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(2.06 |
) |
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(2.50 |
) |
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$56.37 |
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(2.82 |
)% |
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$12,357,124 |
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1.11 |
% |
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1.11 |
% |
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0.84 |
% |
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0.84 |
% |
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14.91 |
% |
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October 31, 2017 |
$56.36 |
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0.25 |
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6.41 |
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6.66 |
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(0.21 |
) |
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(2.35 |
) |
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(2.56 |
) |
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$60.46 |
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12.35 |
% |
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$14,907,330 |
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1.11 |
% |
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1.11 |
% |
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0.44 |
% |
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0.44 |
% |
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9.67 |
% |
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October 31, 2016 |
$53.10 |
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0.30 |
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3.56 |
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3.86 |
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(0.07 |
) |
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(0.53 |
) |
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(0.60 |
) |
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$56.36 |
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7.38 |
% |
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$15,833,531 |
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1.10 |
% |
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1.10 |
% |
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0.55 |
% |
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0.55 |
% |
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11.54 |
% |
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October 31, 2015 |
$54.90 |
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0.28 |
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0.60 |
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0.88 |
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(0.30 |
) |
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(2.38 |
) |
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(2.68 |
) |
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$53.10 |
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1.78 |
% |
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$16,274,867 |
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1.11 |
% |
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1.11 |
% |
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0.52 |
% |
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0.52 |
% |
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11.28 |
% |
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First Eagle Overseas Fund Class A |
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October 31, 2019 |
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$22.71 |
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0.32 |
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2.28 |
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2.60 |
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(0.27 |
) |
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(0.39 |
) |
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(0.66 |
) |
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$24.65 |
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11.82 |
% |
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$2,125,742 |
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1.15 |
% |
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1.15 |
% |
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1.38 |
% |
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1.38 |
% |
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6.99 |
% |
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October 31, 2018 |
$25.33 |
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0.25 |
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(2.03 |
) |
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(1.78 |
) |
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(0.40 |
) |
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(0.44 |
) |
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(0.84 |
) |
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$22.71 |
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(7.27 |
)% |
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$2,173,765 |
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1.15 |
% |
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1.15 |
% |
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1.04 |
% |
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1.04 |
% |
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12.10 |
% |
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October 31, 2017 |
$23.86 |
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0.12 |
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2.16 |
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2.28 |
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(0.26 |
) |
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(0.55 |
) |
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(0.81 |
) |
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$25.33 |
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9.99 |
% |
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$3,102,414 |
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1.15 |
% |
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1.15 |
% |
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0.51 |
% |
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0.51 |
% |
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8.45 |
% |
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October 31, 2016 |
$22.62 |
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0.19 |
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1.34 |
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1.53 |
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(0.04 |
) |
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(0.25 |
) |
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(0.29 |
) |
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$23.86 |
|
6.90 |
% |
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$3,654,512 |
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|
1.14 |
% |
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1.14 |
% |
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|
0.84 |
% |
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|
0.84 |
% |
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9.30 |
% |
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October 31, 2015 |
$23.18 |
|
0.14 |
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0.39 |
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0.53 |
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(0.23 |
) |
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(0.86 |
) |
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(1.09 |
) |
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$22.62 |
|
2.59 |
% |
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$4,142,588 |
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|
1.16 |
% |
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1.16 |
% |
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0.60 |
% |
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0.60 |
% |
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12.95 |
% |
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First Eagle U.S. Value Fund Class A |
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October 31, 2019 |
|
$19.89 |
|
0.16 |
|
1.44 |
|
1.60 |
|
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
(2.53 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(2.65 |
) |
|
|
$18.84 |
|
9.43 |
% |
|
|
$613,548 |
|
1.16 |
% |
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
0.81 |
% |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
8.65 |
% |
|
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October 31, 2018 |
$21.26 |
|
0.11 |
|
|
0.31 |
|
|
0.42 |
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.76 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.79 |
) |
|
$19.89 |
|
2.01 |
% |
|
|
|
$590,922 |
|
|
1.15 |
% |
|
|
|
1.10 |
% |
|
|
|
0.51 |
% |
|
|
|
0.56 |
% |
|
|
|
9.05 |
% |
|
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October 31, 2017 |
$20.08 |
|
0.06 |
|
|
2.80 |
|
|
2.86 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.64 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.68 |
) |
|
$21.26 |
|
14.94 |
% |
|
|
|
$716,820 |
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
1.09 |
% |
|
|
|
0.24 |
% |
|
|
|
0.29 |
% |
|
|
|
5.85 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
$19.82 |
|
0.08 |
|
|
1.07 |
|
|
1.15 |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.85 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.89 |
) |
|
$20.08 |
|
6.21 |
% |
|
|
|
$817,481 |
|
|
1.11 |
% |
|
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
0.40 |
% |
|
|
|
0.37 |
% |
|
|
|
10.65 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
$21.10 |
|
0.10 |
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
0.00 |
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.20 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.28 |
) |
|
$19.82 |
|
0.04 |
% |
|
|
|
$966,396 |
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
1.14 |
% |
|
|
|
0.49 |
% |
|
|
|
0.49 |
% |
|
|
|
15.14 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Gold Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$13.08 |
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
5.62 |
|
5.58 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$18.66 |
|
42.66 |
% |
|
|
$386,633 |
|
1.29 |
% |
|
|
1.29 |
% |
|
|
(0.27 |
)% |
|
|
(0.27 |
)% |
|
|
20.01 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
$16.50 |
|
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.35 |
) |
|
|
|
(3.42 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$13.08 |
|
(20.73 |
)% |
|
|
|
$294,509 |
|
|
1.29 |
% |
|
|
|
1.29 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.45 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.45 |
)% |
|
|
|
9.43 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
$17.99 |
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.40 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.49 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$16.50 |
|
(8.28 |
)% |
|
|
|
$451,039 |
|
|
1.26 |
% |
|
|
|
1.26 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.53 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.53 |
)% |
|
|
|
7.90 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
$12.36 |
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
5.74 |
|
|
5.63 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$17.99 |
|
45.55 |
% |
|
|
|
$566,708 |
|
|
1.27 |
% |
|
|
|
1.27 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.65 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.65 |
)% |
|
|
|
15.82 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
$13.45 |
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.01 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.09 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$12.36 |
|
(8.10 |
)% |
|
|
|
$390,521 |
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.57 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.57 |
)% |
|
|
|
12.47 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$11.45 |
|
0.25 |
|
0.70 |
|
0.95 |
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
$12.15 |
|
8.40 |
% |
|
|
$392,942 |
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
25.54 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
$12.05 |
|
0.25 |
|
|
(0.56 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.31 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.23 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
$11.45 |
|
(2.64 |
)% |
|
|
|
$319,003 |
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
|
2.11 |
% |
|
|
|
2.11 |
% |
|
|
|
22.15 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
$10.99 |
|
0.28 |
|
|
1.07 |
|
|
1.35 |
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.29 |
) |
|
$12.05 |
|
12.39 |
% |
|
|
|
$339,792 |
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
2.43 |
% |
|
|
|
2.43 |
% |
|
|
|
23.18 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
$10.73 |
|
0.34 |
|
|
0.27 |
|
|
0.61 |
|
|
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.35 |
) |
|
$10.99 |
|
5.76 |
% |
|
|
|
$361,605 |
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
|
3.16 |
% |
|
|
|
3.16 |
% |
|
|
|
29.76 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
$11.41 |
|
0.35 |
|
|
(0.51 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.16 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.37 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.15 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.52 |
) |
|
$10.73 |
|
(1.39 |
)% |
|
|
|
$410,153 |
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
1.19 |
% |
|
|
|
3.16 |
% |
|
|
|
3.16 |
% |
|
|
29.68 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle High Income Fund Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$8.81 |
|
0.43 |
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
0.33 |
|
(0.43 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.43 |
) |
|
|
$8.71 |
|
3.84 |
% |
|
|
$144,532 |
|
1.05 |
% |
|
|
0.95 |
% |
|
|
4.86 |
% |
|
|
4.96 |
% |
|
|
24.19 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
|
$9.04 |
|
|
0.49 |
|
|
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
|
0.24 |
|
|
(0.47 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.47 |
) |
|
$8.81 |
|
2.74 |
% |
|
|
|
$184,351 |
|
|
0.97 |
% |
|
|
|
0.90 |
% |
|
|
|
5.46 |
% |
|
|
|
5.53 |
% |
|
|
|
24.82 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
|
$8.99 |
|
|
0.49 |
|
|
0.05 |
|
|
0.54 |
|
|
(0.48 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.49 |
) |
|
$9.04 |
|
6.15 |
% |
|
|
|
$278,660 |
|
|
0.91 |
% |
|
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
5.33 |
% |
|
|
|
5.38 |
% |
|
|
|
25.77 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
|
$8.90 |
|
|
0.58 |
|
|
0.12 |
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
(0.57 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.61 |
) |
|
$8.99 |
|
8.54 |
% |
|
|
|
$315,023 |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
|
0.91 |
% |
|
|
|
6.83 |
% |
|
|
|
6.78 |
% |
|
|
|
36.88 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
|
$9.96 |
|
|
0.58 |
|
|
(0.96 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.38 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.59 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.68 |
) |
|
|
$8.90 |
|
(3.97 |
)% |
|
|
|
$472,930 |
|
|
0.83 |
% |
|
|
|
0.87 |
% |
|
|
|
6.10 |
% |
|
|
|
6.06 |
% |
|
|
31.62 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
98First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 202099 |
|
First Eagle Funds |
Financial Highlights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Per share operating performance* |
Ratio/Supplemental data |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Investment operations |
Less dividends and distributions |
Ratios to Average Net Assets of: |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected per |
Net asset |
Net |
Net |
Total |
From net |
From |
Return of |
Total |
Net asset |
Total |
Net assets, |
Operating |
Operating |
Net |
Net |
Portfolio |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Eagle Fund of America Class Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2019 |
|
$31.31 |
|
0.04 |
|
1.56 |
|
1.60 |
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
|
|
(5.61 |
) |
|
|
$27.30 |
|
7.62 |
% |
|
|
$247,674 |
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
0.13 |
% |
|
|
0.15 |
% |
|
|
26.42 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2018 |
$39.07 |
|
0.09 |
|
|
(4.27 |
) |
|
|
|
(4.18 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3.58 |
) |
|
|
|
$31.31 |
|
|
(11.85 |
)% |
|
$280,977 |
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
0.26 |
% |
|
|
|
0.26 |
% |
|
|
|
60.29 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2017 |
$33.67 |
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|
7.58 |
|
|
7.55 |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.07 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.15 |
) |
|
|
|
$39.07 |
|
|
23.54 |
% |
|
$397,293 |
|
1.31 |
% |
|
|
|
1.31 |
% |
|
|
|
(0.09 |
)% |
|
|
|
(0.09 |
)% |
|
|
|
57.02 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2016 |
$36.56 |
|
0.14 |
|
|
(2.03 |
) |
|
|
|
(1.89 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.00 |
)** |
|
|
|
(1.00 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.00 |
) |
|
|
|
$33.67 |
|
(5.28 |
)%(d) |
|
|
$385,995 |
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
1.33 |
% |
|
|
|
0.40 |
% |
|
|
|
0.40 |
% |
|
|
|
55.06 |
% |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 31, 2015 |
$39.35 |
|
0.05 |
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
|
0.03 |
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|
|
(2.71 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.82 |
) |
|
|
|
$36.56 |
|
|
0.18 |
% |
|
$495,822 |
|
1.36 |
% |
|
|
|
1.36 |
% |
|
|
|
0.12 |
% |
|
|
|
0.12 |
% |
|
|
32.23 |
% |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
* |
Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
** |
Amount represents less than $0.01 per share. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(a) |
Does not take into account the sales charge of 5.00% for Class A shares for all Funds, except First Eagle High Income Fund, which has a sales charge of 4.50% and the CDSC (Contingent Deferred Sales Charge) of 1.00% for Class C shares. A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $1,000,000 or more without an initial sales charge. Effective July 8, 2019, with respect to the First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund and the First Eagle Income Yield Fund, a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may apply on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months following a purchase of $250,000 or more without an initial sales charge. |
(d) |
In 2016, the Fund received a voluntary reimbursement by the subadviser for a realized investment loss. By excluding this reimbursement, total returns would have been -5.31% for Class Y. |
See Notes to Financial Statements.
100First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020 |
First Eagle Funds | Prospectus | March 1, 2020101 |
APPENDIX
Intermediary-Specific Front-End Sales Load and Waiver Terms
The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from a Fund (typically meaning through FEF Distributors as a Funds principal underwriter) or through an authorized dealer or other financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers, which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchasers responsibility to notify the Fund or the purchasers financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts.
* * * * *
Terms described below for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management may differ from those described elsewhere in the prospectus or SAI.
Morgan Stanley:
Class T shares are available to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management clients who purchase fund shares through a transactional brokerage account, although Class T shares are not yet available as of the date of this prospectus. Other share classes offered through a separate prospectus will not be available to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management clients who purchase mutual funds through a transactional brokerage account.
Sales Charge Waivers
In the event that Class T shares become available for purchase by Morgan Stanley Wealth Management clients the front-end sales charge is waived as follows:
|
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans; however these plans are eligible to purchase Class T shares through a transactional brokerage account. |
||
|
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanleys account linking rules. |
||
|
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund. |
A-1
|
Mutual fund shares exchanged from an existing position in the same fund as part of a share class conversion instituted by Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. |
Unless specifically described above, no other front-end load waivers are available to mutual fund purchases by Morgan Stanley Wealth Management clients in transactional brokerage accounts.
A-2
|
How to Obtain Our Shareholder Reports
You will be sent copies of the Funds annual and semi-annual reports on a regular basis, once you become a shareholder. Semi-annual and annual reports are also available upon request without charge by contacting First Eagle Funds. The annual reports discuss the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each Funds performance during the last fiscal year. The annual reports also contain audited financial statements by the First Eagle Funds independent accountants.
How to Obtain Our Statement of Additional Information
The Statement of Additional Information is incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and includes additional information about the Funds. The SAI is available to you without charge. To obtain a copy, please contact us via mail or phone, or visit the website (www.feim.com/individual-investors). In addition, you may visit the Securities and Exchange Commissions (SECs) website (www.sec.gov) to view the SAI and other information. Also, you can obtain copies of the SAI, after paying a duplicating fee, by e-mailing: publicinfo@sec.gov.
|
|
|
Distributor |
Investment Adviser |
|
How to Reach First Eagle Funds |
Investment Company Act File Number: 811-07762
|
|
|
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First Eagle Investment Management, LLC |
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
First Eagle Funds
First Eagle Global Fund
Class A Ticker SGENX Class C Ticker FESGX Class I Ticker SGIIX Class R3 Ticker EARGX
Class R4 Ticker EAGRX Class R5 Ticker FRGLX Class R6 Ticker FEGRX Class T Ticker FEGTX
First Eagle Overseas Fund
Class A Ticker SGOVX
Class C Ticker FESOX Class I Ticker SGOIX Class R3 Ticker EAROX
Class R4 Ticker FIORX Class R5 Ticker FEROX Class R6 Ticker FEORX Class T Ticker FEOTX
First Eagle U.S. Value Fund
Class A Ticker FEVAX Class C Ticker FEVCX Class I Ticker FEVIX Class R3 Ticker EARVX
Class R4 Ticker FIVRX Class R5 Ticker FERVX Class R6 Ticker FEVRX Class T Ticker FEVTX
First Eagle Gold Fund
Class A Ticker SGGDX Class C Ticker FEGOX Class I Ticker FEGIX Class R3 Ticker EAURX
Class R4 Ticker FIURX Class R5 Ticker FERUX Class R6 Ticker FEURX Class T Ticker FEUTX
First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund
Class A Ticker FEBAX Class C Ticker FEBCX Class I Ticker FEBIX Class R3 Ticker FBRRX
Class R4 Ticker FIBRX Class R5 Ticker EABRX Class R6 Ticker FEBRX Class T Ticker FEITX
First Eagle High Income Fund
(formerly named First Eagle High Yield Fund)
Class A Ticker FEHAX Class C Ticker FEHCX Class I Ticker FEHIX Class R3 Ticker EARHX
Class R4 Ticker FIHRX Class R5 Ticker FERHX Class R6 Ticker FEHRX Class T Ticker FEHTX
First Eagle Fund of America
Class A Ticker FEFAX Class C Ticker FEAMX Class Y Ticker FEAFX Class I Ticker FEAIX
Class R3 Ticker EARFX Class R4 Ticker EAFRX Class R5 Ticker FERFX
Class R6 Ticker FEFRX Class T Ticker FEFTX
March 1, 2020
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
800.334.2143
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
Investment Adviser
FEF Distributors, LLC
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
Distributor
This Statement of Additional Information provides information about First Eagle Global Fund, First Eagle Overseas Fund, First Eagle U.S. Value Fund, First Eagle Gold Fund, First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund, First Eagle High Income Fund (formerly named First Eagle High Yield Fund) and First Eagle Fund of America, separate portfolios of First Eagle Funds (the Trust), an open-end management investment company, which information is in addition to that contained in the Prospectuses of the Trust dated March 1, 2020. This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus. It relates to and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses of the Trust, copies of which can be obtained by calling the Trust at 800.334.2143 or by visiting www.feim.com/individual-investors.
Certain disclosures, including the Funds financial statements and the notes thereto have been incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information from the Trusts annual reports. For a free copy of the annual reports, please call the Trust at 800.334.2143 or visit www.feim.com/individual-investors.
The Prospectus and the annual reports for Class T shares will not, however, be available on the www.feim.com website until the Funds Class T shares are made available for purchase by the general public.
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First Eagle Global Fund, First Eagle Overseas Fund, First Eagle U.S. Value Fund, First Eagle Gold Fund, First Eagle Global Income Builder Fund, First Eagle High Income Fund (formerly named First Eagle High Yield Fund), and First Eagle Fund of America (each individually referred to as a Fund, collectively, the Funds or, alternatively, the Global Fund, the Overseas Fund, the U.S. Value Fund, the Gold Fund, the Global Income Builder Fund, the High Income Fund and the Fund of America, respectively) are separate portfolios of First Eagle Funds (the Trust) an open-end management investment company. Global Fund, Overseas Fund, U.S. Value Fund, Global Income Builder Fund and High Income Fund are diversified within the meaning of Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) regulations, which generally require that the Fund has 75% or more of its assets invested in securities, no more than 5% of its assets invested in any one security, and that the Fund has no more than 10% of the outstanding shares of any one security. The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust but is a successor business to a Maryland corporation organized in that state in 1993. Each Fund is a separate portfolio of assets and has a different investment objective, which it pursues through separate investment policies, as described below. The High Income Fund commenced operations in its present form on or about December 30, 2011 and, pursuant to a reorganization, is the successor to the Old Mutual High Yield Fund (the Predecessor Fund). The Trusts investment adviser is First Eagle Investment Management, LLC (FEIM or the Adviser), a registered investment adviser. The Trusts principal underwriter is FEF Distributors, LLC (FEF Distributors or the Distributor), a registered broker-dealer located in New York. FEIM is a subsidiary of First Eagle Holdings, Inc. (FE Holdings), a privately owned holding company organized under the laws of Delaware.
Pursuant to the laws of Delaware, the Trusts state of formation, the Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted By-Laws of the Trust that do not require annual meetings of the Funds shareholders. The absence of a requirement that the Trust hold annual meetings of the Funds shareholders reduces its expenses. Meetings of shareholders will continue to be held when required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act or 1940 Act), or Delaware law, or when called by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the President or shareholders owning 10% of a Funds outstanding shares. The cost of any such notice and meeting will be borne by the Funds.
Under the provisions of the Investment Company Act, a vacancy on the Board of Trustees of the Trust may be filled between meetings of the shareholders of the Trust by vote of the Trustees then in office if, immediately after filling such vacancy, at least two-thirds of the Trustees then holding office have been elected to the office of Trustee by the shareholders of the Funds. In the event that at any time less than a majority of the Trustees of the Trust holding office at that time were elected by the shareholders of the Funds, the Board of Trustees or the Chairman of the Board shall, within sixty days, cause a meeting of shareholders to be held for the purpose of electing trustees to fill any vacancies in the Board of Trustees.
The staff of the SEC has advised the Funds that it interprets Section 16(c) of the Investment Company Act, which provides a means for dissident shareholders of common-law trusts to communicate with other shareholders of such trusts and to vote upon the removal of trustees upon the request in writing by the record holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding shares of the trust, to apply to investment companies, such as the Trust, that are incorporated under Delaware law.
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS
Investment Objectives and Strategies of the Funds
Global Fund. The Global Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing in a range of asset classes from markets in the United States and throughout the world. In seeking to achieve this objective, the Fund will normally invest primarily in common stocks (and securities convertible into common stocks) of U.S. and foreign companies. However, the Fund reserves the right to invest a portion of its assets in other investments, including short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals, and fixed-income securities of domestic or foreign issuers which, in addition to the income they may provide, appear to offer potential for long-term growth of capital. Under normal circumstances, the Global Fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount of its assets to foreign investments. That generally means that approximately 40% or more of the Global Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be allocated to foreign investments (unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Global Fund, in which case the Global Fund expects to invest at least 30% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign investments).
Overseas Fund. The Overseas Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in equities issued by non-U.S. corporations. In seeking to achieve this objective, the Overseas Fund invests primarily in equity securities of non-U.S. companies, the majority of which are traded in mature markets, and may invest in emerging markets, fixed-income instruments, short-term debt instruments, gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals. Under normal market conditions, the Overseas Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in foreign securities.
U.S. Value Fund. The U.S. Value Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in domestic equity and debt securities. The Fund may also invest in gold and other precious metals, and futures contracts related to precious metals.
Gold Fund. The Gold Fund seeks to provide investors the opportunity to participate in the investment characteristics of gold (and to a limited extent other precious metals) for a portion of their overall investment portfolio. Many investors believe that, historically, a limited exposure to gold-related investments has provided some protection against loss of purchasing power during periods of extensive price inflation and/or following periods of extensive credit expansion. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of the Funds net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be invested in gold and/or securities (which may include both equity and, to a limited extent, debt instruments) directly related to gold or issuers principally engaged in the gold industry, including securities of gold mining finance companies as well as operating companies with long, medium or short-life mines. The Fund may also invest in debt and equity instruments unrelated to the gold industry, other precious metals and futures contracts related to precious metals.
Global Income Builder Fund. The Global Income Builder Fund seeks current income generation and long-term growth of capital by investing in a range of asset classes, including dividend-paying equities and corporate and other fixed income instruments, including high-yield debt investment grade and sovereign debt, from markets in the United States and throughout the world. To pursue its investment objective, the Fund will normally invest 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in income-producing securities.
High Income Fund. The High Income Fund seeks to provide investors with a high level of current income. To pursue its investment objective, the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in high yield, below investment-grade securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds) and instruments. Such high yield instruments may include corporate bonds and loans, municipal bonds, and mortgage-backed and asset backed securities. The Fund may invest in, and count for purposes of this 80% allotment, unrated securities or other instruments deemed by the Adviser to be below investment grade.
Fund of America. The Fund of America seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in domestic stocks and to a lesser extent in debt and foreign equity securities. Normally at least 80% of Fund of Americas net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be invested in domestic equity and debt instruments. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements and derivatives.
The Funds have the flexibility to respond promptly to changes in market and economic conditions. For example, a defensive strategy may be warranted during periods of unfavorable market or economic conditions, including periods of
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market turbulence or periods when prevailing market valuations are higher than those deemed attractive under the investment criteria generally applied on behalf of the Funds.
Under a defensive strategy, the Funds may hold cash and/or invest up to 100% of their assets in high quality debt securities or money market instruments of U.S. or foreign issuers. In such a case, a Fund may not be able to pursue, and may not achieve, its investment objective. It is impossible to predict whether, when or for how long a Fund will employ defensive strategies.
There can be no assurance that a Funds stated objective will be realized.
Policies and Techniques Applicable to All Funds
The investment objective of each Fund describes its principal investment strategies. Except as otherwise described below, each of the investment techniques below is considered to be a non-principal technique for each Fund.
For ease of reference, while the discussions below often refer to investments in securities, the Funds may invest in many types of assets that include commodities, bank loans, derivatives, etc. A discussion of the risks of particular types of securities therefore should be understood to refer to the risks of that type of investment more generally (e.g., foreign securities risks should be understood to describe risks of investing in non-U.S. markets generally, regardless of investment type).
Investment Policies, Techniques and Risks of the Funds
Foreign Investments. Each Fund may (and the Global Fund, the Overseas Fund and the Global Income Builder Fund generally will) invest in foreign securities or other types of foreign investments, which may entail a greater degree of risk (including risks relating to exchange rate fluctuations, tax provisions, or expropriation of assets) than does investment in securities of domestic issuers. Investing in foreign securities is a principal investment strategy of the Global Fund, the Global Income Builder Fund, the Overseas Fund and the High Income Fund. The Funds may invest in securities of foreign issuers directly or in the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), or other securities representing underlying shares of foreign issuers. Positions in these securities are not necessarily denominated in the same currency as the common stocks into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. EDRs are European receipts evidencing a similar arrangement. GDRs are global offerings where two securities are issued simultaneously in two markets, usually publicly in non-U.S. markets and privately in the U.S. market. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets, and GDRs are designed for use in the U.S. and European securities markets. Each Fund may invest in both sponsored and unsponsored ADRs. In a sponsored ADR, the issuer typically pays some or all of the expenses of the depository and agrees to provide its regular shareholder communications to ADR holders. An unsponsored ADR is created independently of the issuer of the underlying security. The ADR holders generally pay the expenses of the depository and do not have an undertaking from the issuer of the underlying security to furnish shareholder communications. Issuers of unsponsored ADRs are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the ADRs. Each Fund (other than Global Income Builder Fund, High Income Fund and Fund of America) does not expect to invest more than 5% of its total assets in unsponsored ADRs.
With respect to portfolio securities or other types of foreign investments that are issued by foreign issuers or denominated in foreign currencies, the investment performance of a Fund is affected by the strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar against these currencies. For example, if the dollar falls in value relative to the Japanese yen, the dollar value of a yen-denominated stock held in the portfolio will rise even though the price of the stock remains unchanged. Conversely, if the dollar rises in value relative to the yen, the dollar value of the yen-denominated stock will fall. (See also the discussion under Currency Exchange Transactions.)
Investors should understand and consider carefully the risks involved in foreign investing. Investing in foreign securities, positions which are generally denominated in foreign currencies, and utilization of forward foreign currency exchange contracts (or other foreign cash management positions) involve certain risks and opportunities not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities. These considerations include: fluctuations in the rates of exchange between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies; possible imposition of exchange control regulations or currency restrictions that would prevent cash from being brought back to the United States; less public information with respect to issuers of
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securities or other investment products; less governmental supervision of stock exchanges, securities brokers, and issuers of securities; less developed or less efficient trading markets; different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards; different settlement periods and trading practices; less liquidity and frequently greater price volatility in foreign markets than in the United States; imposition of foreign taxes; and sometimes less advantageous legal, operational and financial protections applicable to foreign custodial or sub-custodial arrangements. The laws of certain countries may limit the ability to recover such assets if a foreign bank or depository or their agents goes bankrupt and the assets of a Fund may be exposed to risk in circumstances where the custodian/sub-custodian will have no liability.
Although the Funds generally seek to invest in companies and governments of countries having stable political environments, there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure or nationalization of foreign bank deposits or other assets, establishment of exchange controls, the adoption of foreign government restrictions or protectionist trade policies, or other adverse political, social or diplomatic developments that could affect investment in these nations. These risks may be more pronounced with respect to investments in emerging markets, as described below.
To the extent a Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, and generally greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets. Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers.
Investing in the Fund can be an efficient way for an individual to participate in foreign markets, but the cost of investing in foreign markets is higher than the cost of investing in U.S. markets and the expenses of Funds that invest in foreign securities or other markets, including advisory and custody fees, are higher than the expenses of many mutual funds that invest in domestic equities.
Unless specifically noted otherwise, the Adviser will determine an investments location based on Bloomberg L.P.s (Bloomberg) determination of the investments country of risk. The location of commercial paper is determined by the location of the guarantor in the first instance and then country of risk as needed. Country of risk as defined by Bloomberg can be based on a number of criteria, including an issuers country of domicile, the country of the primary stock exchange on which it trades, the location from which the majority of its revenue comes, and its reporting currency.
Restricted and Illiquid Instruments. Each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, which generally includes any security that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the security. A security may be illiquid for various reasons, including that it may be subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale (restricted securities). Illiquid securities may be priced at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees. Restricted securities that are not illiquid (generally as determined under the analysis in the next paragraph) will not be subject to the 15% limit. Generally, restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act). Where registration is required, a Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell. Unanticipated episodes of illiquidity, including due to market or political factors, instrument or issuer-specific factors and/or unanticipated outflows, may limit a Funds ability to pay redemptions. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, a Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or unfavorable conditions.
A Fund may purchase securities that have been privately placed but that are eligible for purchase and sale under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. That rule permits certain qualified institutional buyers, such as the Funds, to trade in privately placed securities that have not been registered for sale under the 1933 Act. The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, will consider whether securities purchased under Rule 144A are illiquid and thus subject to a Funds restriction on investing in illiquid securities. A determination as to whether a Rule 144A (or similarly restricted) security is liquid is a factual issue requiring an evaluation of a number of factors. In making this determination, which would be made only if consistent with the liquidity risk management program described above, the Adviser will consider the trading markets for the specific security, taking into account the unregistered nature of the
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security. Investing in Rule 144A (or similarly restricted) securities could have the effect of increasing the amount of a Funds assets invested in illiquid securities if other qualified buyers are unwilling to purchase such securities.
The market for lower-quality debt instruments, including junk bonds, is generally less liquid than the market for higher-quality debt securities, and at times it may become difficult to sell lower-quality debt securities. The High Income Fund, which will invest primarily in lower-quality debt securities, will be subject to greater liquidity risk than would an investment fund investing in higher rated securities. While no risk management program can be fail-safe, the Funds have adopted and implemented a written liquidity risk management program, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, that is believed to be reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk.
Private Investment Funds. Each Fund may invest to a limited extent in private investment funds. Such funds are not registered under the Investment Company Act and are therefore not subject to the extensive regulatory requirements it imposes. Private investment funds typically do not disclose the contents of their portfolios, which may make it difficult for the Funds to independently verify the value of an investment in a private investment fund. In addition, a Fund may not be able to withdraw an investment in a private investment fund except at certain designated times, presenting the risk that a Fund would not be able to withdraw from a private investment fund as soon as desired, especially during periods of volatility in markets in which such a private investment fund invests. Investments in private investment funds may be subject to each Funds limitations on investments in illiquid securities, as described immediately above. To the extent a Fund invests in private investment funds, its performance will be affected by the performance of those private investment funds.
Investment in Other Investment Companies. Each Fund may invest in other registered investment companies. For example, certain markets are closed in whole or in part to equity investments by foreigners and may be available for investment solely or primarily through such an investment company. Each Fund generally may invest up to 10% of its total assets in shares of other investment companies and up to 5% of its total assets in any one investment company (in each case measured at the time of investment), as long as no investment represents more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of the acquired investment company at the time of investment. These restrictions do not apply to certain investment companies known as private investment companies and qualified purchaser investment companies (described above under Private Investment Funds), nor do these restrictions necessarily apply to affiliated fund of funds arrangements, to investments in money market funds, or to investments in certain ETFs (as further described below), subject to specialized SEC exemptive orders applicable to those ETFs.
Investment in another investment company may involve the payment of a premium above the value of the issuers portfolio securities, and is subject to market availability. In the case of a purchase of shares of such a company in a public offering, the purchase price may include an underwriting spread. The Funds do not intend to invest in such an investment company unless, in the judgment of the Funds investment adviser, the potential benefits of such investment justify the payment of any applicable premium or sales charge. As a shareholder in an investment company, each of these Funds would bear its ratable share of that investment companys expenses, including its advisory and administration fees. At the same time, each of these Funds would continue to pay its own advisory fees and other expenses. To the extent a Fund invests in other registered investment companies, its performance will be affected by the performance of those other registered investment companies.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Each Fund may invest in ETFs, which are investment companies or special purpose trusts whose primary objective is to achieve the same rate of return as a particular market index or commodity while trading throughout the day on an exchange. Most ETF shares are sold initially in the primary market in units of 50,000 or more (creation units). A creation unit represents a bundle of securities (or other assets) that replicates, or is a representative sample of, the ETFs holdings and that is deposited with the ETF. Once owned, the individual shares comprising each creation unit are traded on an exchange in secondary market transactions for cash. The secondary market for ETF shares allows them to be readily converted into cash, like commonly traded stocks. The combination of primary and secondary markets permits ETF shares to be traded throughout the day close to the value of the ETFs underlying holdings. A Fund would purchase and sell individual shares of ETFs in the secondary market. These secondary market transactions require the payment of commissions.
ETF shares are subject to the same risks as investment companies, as described above. Furthermore, there may be times when the exchange halts trading, in which case a Fund owning ETF shares would be unable to sell them until trading is resumed. In addition, because ETFs often invest in a portfolio of common stocks and track a designated index, an overall decline in stocks comprising an ETFs benchmark index could have a greater impact on the ETF and investors than might be the case in an investment company with a more widely diversified portfolio. Losses could also
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occur if the ETF is unable to replicate the performance of the chosen benchmark index. ETFs tracking the return of a particular commodity (e.g., gold or oil) are exposed to the volatility and other financial risks relating to commodities investments.
Other risks associated with ETFs include the possibility that: (i) an ETFs distributions may decline if the issuers of the ETFs portfolio securities fail to continue to pay dividends; and (ii) under certain circumstances, an ETF could be terminated. Should termination occur, the ETF could have to liquidate its portfolio when the prices for those assets are falling. In addition, inadequate or irregularly provided information about an ETF or its investments, because ETFs are passively managed, could expose investors in ETFs to unknown risks.
Bank Obligations. Each Fund may invest in bank obligations, which may include bank certificates of deposit, time deposits or bankers acceptances. Certificates of deposit and time deposits are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are accepted by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Additionally, a Fund may invest in bank loans. These investments potentially expose the Fund to the credit risk of the underlying borrower, and in certain cases, of the financial institution. The Funds ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. The market for bank loans may be illiquid and the Fund may have difficulty selling them, especially leveraged loans, which can be difficult to value. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. At times, a Fund may decline to receive non-public information relating to loans, which could disadvantage the Fund relative to other investors. (See Loans below.)
Credit Risk. The value of the debt securities and other instruments held by each Fund fluctuates with the credit quality, or perceived credit quality, of the issuers of those instruments. Credit risk relates to the ability of the issuer to make payments of principal and interest when due, including default risk. Each Fund could lose money if the issuer of a security is unable to meet its financial obligations or goes bankrupt. Failure of an issuer to make timely payments of principal and interest or a decline or perception of decline in the credit quality of a debt security can cause the price of the debt security to fall, potentially lowering the respective Funds share price.
Lower-Rated Debt Instruments. Each Fund may, and High Income Fund generally will, invest in debt instruments, including lower-rated instruments (i.e., instruments rated BB+ or lower by Standard & Poors Corporation (S&P) or Ba1 or lower by Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys), commonly called junk bonds) and instruments that are not rated. There are no restrictions as to the ratings of debt securities or other instruments acquired by a Fund or the portion of a Funds assets that may be invested in debt securities or other instruments in a particular rating category, except that each of the Overseas Fund and the Gold Fund will not invest more than 20% of its assets in securities or other instruments below investment grade or unrated securities or other instruments considered by the Adviser to be of comparable credit quality. The Fund of America has no current intention of investing more than 5% of its net assets in high yield bonds. The Adviser may also use internal ratings on unrated securities. The High Income Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) under normal market conditions in high yield, below investment-grade securities and instruments. Such high yield instruments may include corporate bonds and loans, municipal bonds and mortgage-backed and asset backed securities. A more complete description of the characteristics of bonds in each rating category is included in the appendix to this Statement of Additional Information.
Securities or other instruments rated BBB by S&P or Baa by Moodys (the lowest investment grade ratings) are considered to be of medium grade and to have speculative characteristics. Debt securities rated below investment grade are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Although lower-rated debt and comparable unrated debt securities may offer higher yields than do higher-rated securities, they generally involve greater volatility of price and risk of principal and income, including the possibility of default by, or bankruptcy of, the issuers of the securities. In addition, the markets in which lower-rated and unrated debt securities or other instruments are traded are more limited than those in which higher-rated securities are traded. Adverse publicity and investors perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of lower-rated debt securities or other instruments, especially in a thinly traded market. During periods of thin trading in these markets, the spread between bid and asked prices is likely to increase significantly, and a Fund may have greater difficulty selling and valuing its portfolio securities. See Computation of Net Asset Value. Analyses of the creditworthiness of issuers of lower-rated debt securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher-rated securities, and the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective may, to the extent of investment in lower-rated debt
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securities, be more dependent upon such creditworthiness analyses than would be the case if the Fund were investing in higher-rated securities. Prices of these securities may be subject to extreme price fluctuations.
Lower-rated debt instruments may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than investment grade securities. The prices of lower-rated debt securities have been found in some circumstances to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, but are generally more sensitive to adverse economic downturns or individual corporate developments. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period of rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in lower-rated debt securities prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payments on its debt securities. These issuers may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. In the event of an issuers bankruptcy, claims of other creditors may have priority over the claims of holders of lower rated bonds, leaving few or no assets available to repay those bond holders. Adverse changes to the issuers industry and general economic conditions may have a greater impact on the prices of lower rated securities than on those of other higher rated fixed-income securities. If a rating agency gives a debt instrument a lower rating, the value of the instrument may decline because investors may demand a higher rate of return. Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition.
A more complete description of the characteristics of bonds in each rating category is included in the appendix to this Statement of Additional Information.
Defaulted Securities. Each Fund may invest in securities or debt of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Such investments involve a substantial degree of risk. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which a Fund invests, a Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Funds original investment, and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Under such circumstances, the returns generated may not compensate the Fund adequately for the risks assumed. A wide variety of considerations render the outcome of any investment in a financially distressed company uncertain, and the level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties, is unusually high. A Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer.
There is no assurance that the Adviser will correctly evaluate the intrinsic values of the distressed companies in which the Funds may invest. There is also no assurance that the Adviser will correctly evaluate how such value will be distributed among the different classes of creditors, or that the Adviser will have properly assessed the steps and timing thereof in the bankruptcy or liquidation process. Any one or all of such companies may be unsuccessful in their reorganization and their ability to improve their operating performance. Also, such companies securities may be considered speculative, and the ability of such companies to pay their debts on schedule could be affected by adverse interest rate movements, changes in the general economic climate, economic factors affecting a particular industry, or specific developments within such companies. The Funds may invest in the securities of companies involved in bankruptcy proceedings, reorganizations and financial restructurings and may have a more active participation in the affairs of the issuer than is generally assumed by an investor.
This may subject the Funds to litigation risks or prevent the Funds from disposing of securities. In a bankruptcy or other proceeding, a Fund as a creditor may be unable to enforce its rights in any collateral or may have its security interest in any collateral challenged, disallowed or subordinated to the claims of other creditors. While the Funds will attempt to avoid taking the types of actions that would lead to equitable subordination or creditor liability, there can be no assurance that such claims will not be asserted or that the Funds will be able to successfully defend against them.
Trade Claims. Each Fund may invest in trade claims. Trade claims are interests in amounts owed to suppliers of goods or services and are purchased from creditors of companies in financial difficulty and often involved in bankruptcy proceedings. Trade claims offer investors the potential for profits since they are sometimes purchased at a significant discount from face value and, consequently, may generate capital appreciation in the event that the market value of the claim increases as the debtors financial position improves or the claim is paid. Investing in trade claims exposes the Funds to various risks similar to those borne by a creditor. Investments in trade claims are also less liquid than investments in publicly traded securities, and there is no guarantee that the debtor will be able to satisfy the obligation on the trade claim. Additionally, there can be restrictions on the purchase, sale, and/or transferability of trade claims
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during all or part of a bankruptcy or reorganization proceeding. Trade claims are subject to risks not generally associated with standardized securities and instruments due to the nature of the claims purchased. Trade claims may not be considered securities, and purchasers, such as a Fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws.
Interest Rate Risk. Fluctuations in interest rates will affect the values of each Fund. An increase in interest rates tends to reduce the market value of debt securities, while a decline in interest rates tends to increase their values. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with shorter durations. Thus, a Funds sensitivity to interest rate risk will increase with any increase in the Funds overall duration. The link between interest rates and debt securities tends to be weaker with lower-rated debt securities than with investment grade debt securities.
Prepayment Risk. This risk relates primarily to mortgage-backed securities. During a period of declining interest rates, homeowners may refinance their high-rate mortgages and prepay the principal. Cash from these prepayments flows through to prepay the mortgage-backed securities, necessitating reinvestment in bonds with lower interest rates, which may lower the returns to any Fund invested in mortgage-backed securities. Decreases in market interest rates may also result in prepayments of obligations the Fund acquires, requiring the Fund to reinvest at lower interest rates. Conversely, rising market interest rates generally result in slower payoffs, which effectively increases the duration of certain debts, heightening interest rate risk and increasing the magnitude of any resulting price declines. Asset-backed securities, which are subject to risks similar to those of mortgage-backed securities, are also structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The market for mortgage-backed and asset-backed instruments may be volatile and limited, which may make them difficult to buy or sell.
U.S. Government Securities. Among the types of fixed income securities in which each Fund may invest are United States government obligations. United States government obligations include Treasury Notes, Bonds and Bills which are direct obligations of the United States government backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the United States government (government-sponsored entities), which may be (i) guaranteed by the United States Treasury, such as the securities of the Government National Mortgage Association, or (ii) supported by the issuers right to borrow from the Treasury and backed by the credit of the federal agency or instrumentality itself, such as securities of the Federal Intermediate Land Banks, Federal Land Banks, Bank of Cooperatives, Federal Home Loan Banks, Tennessee Valley Authority and Farmers Home Administration. Although a Fund may hold securities that carry United States government guarantees, these guarantees do not extend to shares of the Fund itself and do not guarantee the market prices of the securities. In September of 2008, the U.S. Treasury placed under conservatorship two government-sponsored entities, the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and appointed the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to manage their daily operations. While these entities remain to date under the conservatorship of the FHFA, long-term, continued operation in government-run conservatorships is not sustainable. In addition, the U.S. Treasury entered into purchase agreements with these two entities to provide them with capital in exchange for senior preferred stock. Generally, their securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. In most cases, these securities are supported only by the credit of the issuing entity itself, standing alone.
Municipal Bonds. Government obligations in which the Funds may invest also include municipal securities, which are obligations, often bonds and notes, issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities, the interest on which is typically exempt from federal income tax.
Municipal bonds are generally considered riskier investments than Treasury securities. The prices and yields on municipal securities are subject to change from time to time and depend upon a variety of factors, including general money market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer (or other entities whose financial resources are supporting the municipal security), general conditions in the market for tax-exempt obligations, the size of a particular offering and the maturity of the obligation and the rating(s) of the issue. Contrary to historical trends, in recent years, the market has encountered downgrades, increased rates of default and lower yields on municipal bonds. This is a product of significant reductions in revenues for many states and municipalities as well as residual effects of a generally weakened economy.
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Derivative Transactions. Each Fund may invest in options, futures and swaps and related products which are often referred to as derivatives. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques and risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with investing in more traditional investments such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives may have a return that is tied to a formula based upon an interest rate, index or other measurement which may differ from the return of a simple security of the same maturity. A formula may have a cap or other limitation on the rate of interest to be paid. Derivatives may have varying degrees of volatility at different times, or under different market conditions, and may perform in unanticipated ways.
Each Fund may enter into interest rate, credit default, currency, equity, fixed income and index swaps and the purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars. A Fund may enter into these transactions to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio, to protect against currency fluctuations, for investment purposes, to deploy cash or to protect against any increase in the price of securities it anticipates purchasing at a later date. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments with respect to a notional amount of principal. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash flows on a notional amount of two or more currencies based on the relative value differential between them. An index swap is an agreement to swap cash flows on a notional amount based on changes in values of the reference indices. For example, a Fund may agree to swap the return generated from one fixed income index for the return generated by a second fixed income index. Swaps may be used in conjunction with other derivative instruments to offset interest rate, currency or other underlying risks. For example, interest rate swaps may be offset with caps, floors or collars. A cap is essentially a call option which places a limit on the amount of floating rate interest that must be paid on a certain principal amount. A floor is essentially a put option which places a limit on the minimum amount that would be paid on a certain principal amount. A collar is essentially a combination of a long cap and a short floor where the limits are set at different levels.
Each Fund will usually enter into swaps on a net basis; that is, the two payment streams will be netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. To the extent obligations created thereby may be deemed to constitute senior securities under the Investment Company Act, a Fund will maintain required collateral in a segregated account consisting of liquid assets (alternatively, a Fund may earmark or otherwise record on its books the designation of such liquid assets as collateral) in accordance with applicable SEC or SEC staff guidance. The segregation or earmarking of these assets will have the effect of limiting the investment advisers ability otherwise to invest those assets.
The use of derivatives by mutual funds is under review by regulators. Depending on the nature of any rule amendments, this may affect how a Fund uses derivatives. Whether those changes will materially impact a Fund cannot be known at this time. New regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value or performance.
Equity-Swap Contracts. Each Fund may enter into both long and short equity-swap contracts. A long equity-swap contract entitles the Fund to receive from the counterparty any appreciation and dividends paid on an individual security, while obligating the Fund to pay the counterparty any depreciation on the security as well as interest on the notional amount of the contract. A short equity-swap contract obligates the Fund to pay the counterparty any appreciation and dividends paid on an individual security, while entitling the Fund to receive from the counterparty any depreciation on the security as well as interest on the notional value of the contract.
Each Fund may also enter into equity-swap contracts whose value is determined by the spread between a long equity position and a short equity position. This type of swap contract obligates the Fund to pay the counterparty an amount tied to any increase in the spread between the two securities over the term of the contract. The Fund is also obligated to pay the counterparty any dividends paid on the short equity holding as well as any net financing costs. This type of swap contract entitles the Fund to receive from the counterparty any gains based on a decrease in the spread as well as any dividends paid on the long equity holding and any net interest income.
Fluctuations in the value of an open contract are recorded daily as a net unrealized gain or loss. The Fund will realize gain or loss upon termination or reset of the contract. Either party, under certain conditions, may terminate the contract prior to the contracts expiration date. Equity swaps normally do not involve the delivery of securities or underlying assets.
Credit risk may arise as a result of the failure of the counterparty to comply with the terms of the contract. Additionally, risk may arise from unanticipated movements in interest rates or in the value of the underlying securities.
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The risk of loss consists of the net payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to receive, if any. In certain circumstances swap collateral also may be exposed. Since these transactions are offset by segregated (or otherwise earmarked) cash or liquid assets, these transactions will not be considered to constitute senior securities under the Investment Company Act.
Special Risks of Over-the-Counter Derivative Transactions. Over-the-Counter (OTC) derivative transactions differ from exchange-traded derivative transactions in several respects. OTC derivatives are transacted directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation. Without the availability of a clearing corporation, OTC derivative pricing is normally done by reference to information from market makers, which information is carefully monitored by the Adviser and verified in appropriate cases. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act) and related regulatory developments may ultimately require the clearing and exchange-trading of many OTC derivative instruments that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and SEC defined as swaps including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swaptions. To date, certain interest rate swaps and credit default swaps are already subject to such requirements. Mandatory exchange trading and clearing requirements have been phased-in based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Funds ability to enter into swap agreements.
As OTC derivatives are transacted directly with dealers, there is a risk of nonperformance by the dealer as a result of the insolvency of such dealer or otherwise. An OTC derivative may only be terminated voluntarily by entering into a closing transaction with the dealer with whom the Fund originally dealt. Any such cancellation may require the Fund to pay a premium to that dealer. In those cases in which a Fund has entered into a covered derivative transaction and cannot voluntarily terminate the derivative, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying security until the derivative expires or is exercised or different cover is substituted. There is also no assurance that a Fund will be able to liquidate an OTC derivative at any time prior to expiration.
Options Transactions. Certain transactions in options on securities and on stock indices may be useful in limiting a Funds investment risk and augmenting its investment return. However, the amount (if any) of a Funds assets that will be involved in options transactions is anticipated to be small relative to such Funds total assets. Accordingly, it is expected that only a relatively small portion of a Funds investment return will be attributable to transactions in options on securities and on stock indices. Each Fund may invest in options transactions involving options on securities and on stock indices that are traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets.
A call option is a contract pursuant to which the purchaser, in return for a premium paid, has the right to buy the equity or debt security underlying the option at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. With respect to a call option on a stock index, the purchaser is entitled to receive cash if the underlying stock index rises sufficiently above its level at the time the option was purchased. The writer of the call option, who receives the premium, has the obligation, upon exercise of the option, to deliver the underlying equity or debt security against payment of the exercise price. With respect to a call option on a stock index, the writer has the obligation to deliver cash if the underlying index rises sufficiently above its level when the option was purchased.
A put option gives the purchaser, in return for a premium, the right to sell the underlying equity or debt security at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. With respect to a put option on a stock index, the purchaser is entitled to receive cash if the underlying index falls sufficiently below its level at the time the option was purchased. The writer of the put, who receives the premium, has the obligation to buy the underlying equity or debt security upon exercise at the exercise price. With respect to a put option on a stock index, the writer has the obligation to deliver cash if the underlying index falls sufficiently below its level when the option was purchased. The price of an option will reflect, among other things, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying financial instrument or index, the price volatility of the underlying financial instrument or index, the remaining term of the option, supply and demand of such options and interest rates.
One purpose of purchasing call options is to hedge against an increase in the price of securities that a Fund ultimately intends to buy. Hedge protection is provided during the life of the call because a Fund, as the holder of the call, is able to buy the underlying security at the exercise price, and, in the case of a call on a stock index, is entitled to receive cash if the underlying index rises sufficiently. However, if the value of a security underlying a call option or the general market or a market sector does not rise sufficiently when a Fund has purchased a call option on the underlying instrument, that option may result in a loss.
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Securities and options exchanges have established limitations on the maximum number of options that an investor or group of investors acting in concert may write. It is possible that the Funds, other mutual funds advised by the Adviser and other clients of the Adviser may be considered such a group. Position limits may restrict a Funds ability to purchase or sell options on particular securities and on stock indices.
Covered Option Writing. Each Fund may write covered call options on equity or debt securities and on stock indices in seeking to enhance investment return or to hedge against declines in the prices of portfolio securities or may write put options to hedge against increases in the prices of securities which it intends to purchase. A call option is covered if a Fund holds, on a share-for-share basis, either the underlying shares or a call on the same security as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written (or greater than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is maintained by the Fund in cash, Treasury bills or other high grade short-term obligations in a segregated account with its custodian). A put option is covered if a Fund maintains cash, Treasury bills or other high grade short-term obligations with a value equal to the exercise price in a segregated account with its custodian, or holds on a share-for-share basis a put on the same equity or debt security as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or lower than the exercise price of the put written if the difference is maintained in a segregated account with its custodian. Alternatively, a call or put option is covered if the Fund earmarks or otherwise records on its books the designation of such liquid assets as collateral. One reason for writing options is to attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. In the case of a securities call, the writer receives the premium, but has given up the opportunity for profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period. In the case of a stock index call, the writer receives the premium, but is obligated to deliver cash if the underlying index rises sufficiently during the option period. Conversely, the put option writer has, in the form of the premium, gained a profit as long as the price of the underlying security or stock index remains above the exercise price, but has assumed an obligation to purchase the underlying security at the exercise price from or deliver cash to the buyer of the put option during the option period. Other coverage arrangements also may be used as permitted by applicable law.
Another reason for writing options is to hedge against a moderate decline in the value of securities owned by a Fund in the case of a call option, or a moderate increase in the value of securities a Fund intends to purchase in the case of a put option. If a covered option written by a Fund expires unexercised, it will realize income equal to the amount of the premium it received for the option. If an increase occurs in the underlying security or stock index sufficient to result in the exercise of a call written by a Fund, it may be required to deliver securities or cash and may thereby forego some or all of the gain that otherwise may have been realized on the securities underlying the call option. This opportunity cost may be partially or wholly offset by the premium received for the covered call written by the Fund.
Options on Market Indices. Each Fund will write call options on broadly based stock and bond market indices only if at the time of writing it holds a portfolio of stocks or bonds listed on such index. When a Fund writes a call option on a broadly based market index, it will generally segregate or put into escrow with its custodian any combination of cash, cash equivalents or qualified securities with a market value at the time the option is written of not less than 100% of the current index value times the multiplier times the number of contracts. A qualified security is a security which is listed on a securities exchange or on the NASDAQ against which the Fund has not written a call option and which has not been hedged by the sale of market index futures. Other coverage arrangements also may be used as permitted by applicable law.
Index prices may be distorted if trading in certain securities included in the index is interrupted. Trading in the index options also may be interrupted in certain circumstances, such as if trading were halted in a substantial number of securities included in the index. If this occurred, a Fund would not be able to close out options which it had purchased or written and, if restrictions on exercise were imposed, might be unable to exercise an option it held, which could result in substantial losses to the Fund.
If a Fund were assigned an exercise notice on a call it has written, it would be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to satisfy the exercise, unless it has other liquid assets that are sufficient to satisfy the exercise of the call. When a Fund has written a call, there is also a risk that the market may decline between the time the Fund has a call exercised against it, at a price which is fixed as of the closing level of the index on the date of exercise, and the time it is able to sell securities in its portfolio. A Fund will not learn that an index option has been exercised until the day following the exercise date but, unlike a call on a security where it would be able to deliver the underlying securities in settlement, a Fund may have to sell part of its securities portfolio in order to make settlement in cash, and the price of
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such securities might decline before they can be sold. For example, even if an index call which a Fund has written is covered by an index call held by the Fund with the same strike price, it will bear the risk that the level of the index may decline between the close of trading on the date the exercise notice is filed with the Options Clearing Corporation and the close of trading on the date the Fund exercises the call it holds or the time it sells the call, which in either case would occur no earlier than the day following the day the exercise notice was filed.
Futures and Options on Futures. Each Fund may utilize futures contracts and options on futures. These transactions may be effected on securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. When purchased over-the-counter, a Fund bears the risk that the counterparty to the contract will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations. These contracts may also be illiquid and, in such cases, a Fund may have difficulty closing out its position. Engaging in these types of transactions is a specialized activity and involves risk of loss. In addition, engaging in these types of transactions may increase the volatility of returns, because they commonly involve significant built in leverage and can be entered into with relatively small margin commitments relative to the resulting investment exposure. Futures contracts and similar derivative instruments are also subject to the risk of default by the counterparties to the contracts. Each Fund may engage in certain investment techniques which create market exposure, such as dollar rolls.
Each Fund may enter into futures contracts in U.S. markets or on exchanges located outside the United States. Foreign markets may offer advantages such as trading opportunities or arbitrage possibilities not available in the United States. Foreign markets, however, may have greater risk potential than U.S. markets. For example, some foreign exchanges are principal markets so that no common clearing facility exists and an investor may look only to the broker for performance of the contract. In addition, any profits realized could be eliminated by adverse changes in the exchange rate. Transactions on foreign exchanges may include both commodities that are traded on U.S. exchanges and those that are not. Unlike trading on U.S. commodity exchanges, trading on foreign commodity exchanges is not regulated by the CFTC.
Many futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially subjecting a Fund to substantial losses. Successful use of futures also is subject to the investment advisers ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant market, and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to determine the appropriate correlation between the transaction being hedged and the price movements of the futures contract.
Positions of the SEC and its staff may require a Fund to segregate or earmark liquid assets in connection with its options and futures transactions in an amount generally equal to the value of the underlying option or commodity. The segregation or earmarking of these assets will have the effect of limiting the investment advisers ability otherwise to invest those assets. Futures and related options transactions must constitute permissible transactions pursuant to regulations promulgated by the CFTC. As a general matter, the Adviser intends to conduct the operations of each Fund in compliance with CFTC Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act of 1974 (the Commodity Exchange Act), as amended, in order to avoid regulation by the CFTC as a commodity pool operator with respect to the Fund. The Rule 4.5 exemption limits (i) the ability of any Fund to trade in specified commodity interests (generally, futures, options on futures, certain foreign exchange transactions, and many swaps) beyond levels approved by the CFTC as de minimis and (ii) the ability of any Fund to market itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. The regulatory requirements could change at any time and additional regulations could also be adopted, which may adversely affect the Funds.
Commodities and Commodity Contracts. Each Fund, other than the Fund of America, may purchase or sell such precious metals as gold or silver directly or may invest in precious metal commodity contracts and options on such contracts (metals are considered commodities under the federal commodities laws). Each Fund also may invest in instruments related to precious metals and other commodities, including structured notes, securities of precious metal finance and operating companies. The Fund of America may not buy or sell commodities or commodity contracts except that the Fund may purchase or sell commodity futures contracts to establish bona fide hedge transactions and may purchase and sell ETFs and their instruments linked to or tracking the performance of commodities.
Gold and other Precious Metals. The Gold Fund maintains a policy of concentrating its investments in gold and gold-related issues. Other Funds may also invest in assets of this nature, including ETFs that hold gold or track the price
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of gold. Each is therefore susceptible to specific political and other risks affecting the price of gold and other precious metals.
The price of gold has been subject to substantial upward and downward price movements over short periods of time and may be affected by changes in U.S. and foreign regulatory policies, unpredictable international monetary and political policies, such as currency devaluations or revaluations, economic conditions within an individual country, trade imbalances or trade or currency restrictions between countries and world inflation rates and interest rates. The price of gold, in turn, is likely to affect the market prices of securities of companies mining, processing or dealing in gold, and, accordingly, the value of a Funds investments in such securities also may be affected.
In addition to investing in precious metal finance and operating companies, each Fund (other than the Fund of America) may also invest directly in precious metals (such as gold bullion) or purchase or sell contracts for their future delivery (futures contracts, the risks of which are described above under