485APOS 1 d454507d485apos.htm LINCOLN HEDGED NASDAQ-100 FUND Lincoln Hedged Nasdaq-100 Fund
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 18, 2023
1933 Act Registration No. 033-70742
1940 Act Registration No. 811-08090


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 246
And
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
AMENDMENT NO. 249
LINCOLN VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Jayson R. Bronchetti, President
1301 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (260) 455-2000
Ronald A. Holinsky, Esquire
Lincoln Financial Group
150 N. Radnor-Chester Road
Radnor, PA 19087
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies of all communications to:
Robert A. Robertson, Esquire
Dechert, LLP
US Bank Tower
633 West 5th Street, Suite 4900
Los Angeles, CA 90071-2013
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:
[] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[] on _______________, pursuant to paragraph (b)
[X] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] on __________________ pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ] on __________________ pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485
If appropriate, check the following box:
[_] This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
Title of Securities Being Registered: Shares of Beneficial Interest.




Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century Balanced Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century Balanced Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     3  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     3  

Portfolio Managers

     3  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     3  

Tax Information

     4  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     4  

Additional Information about the Fund

     5  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     5  

Principal Risks

     6  

Management and Organization

     8  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     8  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     9  

Market Timing

     10  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     10  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     10  

Distribution Policy

     11  

Financial Highlights

     11  

General Information

     12  

 


LVIP American Century Balanced Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth and current income by investing approximately 60% of its assets in equity securities and the remainder in bonds and other fixed-income securities.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX  ]%]      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

 

1 

Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year      3 years  

Standard Class

   $  XX      $ XXX  

Standard Class II

   $ XX      $ XXX  

Service Class

   $ XX      $ XXX  

Service Class III

   $ XX      $ XXX  

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year-end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

For the equity portion of the fund, the fund will generally invest in large capitalization companies it believes show sustainable business improvement using a proprietary multi-factor model that combines fundamental measures of a stock’s value and growth potential with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics. The model assigns each security a financial metrics score and an ESG score that are combined to create an overall score.

To measure value, the portfolio managers may use ratios of stock price-to-earnings and stock price-to-cash flow. To measure growth, the managers may use the rate of growth of a company’s earnings and cash flow and changes in its earnings estimates. The model also considers price momentum. The team arrives at an ESG score by evaluating multiple metrics of each ESG characteristic—environmental, social, and governance. To the extent such information is available and relevant for a particular company, portfolio managers will consider, among others, a company’s carbon emission profile, energy and water usage, or waste generation (environmental), a company’s employee turnover rates, digital privacy, or worker safety (social), and a company’s corporate leadership, including board chair independence and the independence of audit and compensation committees or

 

1


shareholder rights such as say on pay (governance). If an ESG score is unavailable or incomplete, a security may still be selected for the portfolio if the portfolio managers believe they can evaluate the security qualitatively, or if the financial metrics and/or remaining ESG data merit investment. Qualitative review of portfolio securities may include examination of registration statements and other information provided by the company as well as engagement with company management.

Final scores for each security are evaluated on a sector-specific basis, and the fund seeks to hold securities with the strongest scores in their respective sectors. Using this process, the portfolio managers attempt to build a portfolio of stocks that has sustainable competitive advantages, provides better returns without taking on significant additional risk, and maintains a stronger ESG profile than the S&P 500® Index.

For the fixed-income portion of the fund, the portfolio managers invest in a diversified portfolio of high- and medium-grade non- money market debt securities. These securities, which may be payable in U.S. or foreign currencies, may include corporate bonds and notes, government securities, bank loans, securities backed by mortgages or other assets, collateralized debt obligations and collateralized loan obligations. Shorter-term debt securities round out the portfolio.

The fund also may invest in derivative instruments such as options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and swap agreements (including, but not limited to, credit default swap agreements), or in mortgage- or asset-backed securities, provided that such investments are in keeping with the fund’s investment objective. The fund may use foreign currency exchange contracts to shift investment exposure from one currency into another for hedging purposes.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Style Risk — If at any time the market is not favoring the quantitative investment style used to manage the fund’s equity portion, that portion’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

 

   

Investment Process Risk — Stocks selected by the portfolio managers using quantitative models may perform differently than expected due to the portfolio managers’ judgments regarding the factors used in the models, the weight placed on each factor, changes from the factors’ historical trends, and technical issues with the construction and implementation of the models (including, for example, data problems and/or software or other implementation issues). There is no guarantee that the use of the quantitative models will result in effective investment decisions for the fund. Additionally, the commonality of portfolio holdings across quantitative investment managers may amplify losses.

 

   

ESG Risk — Because the fund considers ESG metrics in addition to fundamental financial metrics when selecting securities, its portfolio may perform differently than funds that do not use ESG metrics. ESG considerations may prioritize long term rather than short term returns. Furthermore, when analyzing ESG criteria for securities, the portfolio management team relies on the information and scoring models published by third party sources, there is a risk that this information might be incorrect or only take into account one of many ESG related components of portfolio companies. Moreover, scores and ratings across third party providers may be inconsistent or incomparable.

 

   

Market Risk — The value of the fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

Interest Rate Risk — Investments in debt securities are sensitive to interest rate changes. Generally, the value of debt securities and the funds that hold them decline as interest rates rise. The fund’s fixed-income investments are designed to reduce this risk. Interest rate risk, however, is generally higher for the fixed-income portion of VP Balanced than for funds that have shorter- weighted maturities, such as money market funds and short-term bond funds. A period of rising interest rates may negatively affect the fund’s performance.

 

   

Credit Risk — Debt securities, even investment-grade debt securities, are subject to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that the inability or perceived inability of the issuer to make interest and principal payments will cause the value of the securities to decrease. As a result the fund’s share price could also decrease. Changes in the credit rating of a debt security held by the fund could have a similar effect.

 

   

Prepayment and Extension Risk — The fund may invest in debt securities backed by mortgages or other assets. If these underlying assets are prepaid, the fund may benefit less from declining interest rates than funds of similar maturity that invest less heavily in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Conversely, an issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the fund later than expected (extend the obligation) especially in periods of rising interest rates. These events may lengthen the maturity and potentially reduce the value of these securities.

 

   

Foreign Securities Risk — Foreign securities have certain unique risks, such as currency risk, social, political and economic risk, and foreign market and trading risk. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

 

2


   

Bank Loan Risk — The market for bank loans may not be highly liquid and the fund may have difficulty selling them. Bank loans may not be considered securities, thus the fund may not be afforded anti-fraud protections available under the federal securities laws. In connection with purchasing loan participations, the fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by borrowers with loan terms nor any set off rights, and the fund may not benefit directly from any posted collateral. As a result, the fund may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender selling the participation. Bank loan transactions may take more than seven days to settle, meaning that proceeds would be unavailable to make additional investments or meet redemptions.

 

   

Collateralized Obligations Risk — Collateralized obligations, such as collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), are subject to credit, interest rate, valuation, and prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. The market value of collateralized obligations may be affected by, among other things, changes in the market value of the underlying assets held by the collateralized obligation, changes in the distributions on the underlying assets, defaults and recoveries on the underlying assets, capital gains and losses on the underlying assets, prepayments on underlying assets and the availability, and prices and interest rates of underlying assets.

 

   

Derivative Risk — The use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional instruments. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks, including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and correlation risk. Derivatives used for hedging or risk management may not operate as intended, may expose the fund to other risks, and may be insufficient to protect the fund from the risks they were intended to hedge.

 

   

Liquidity Risk — The fund may also be subject to liquidity risk. During periods of market turbulence or unusually low trading activity, in order to meet redemptions it may be necessary for the fund to sell securities at prices that could have an adverse effect on the fund’s share price. Changing regulatory and market conditions, including increases in interest rates and credit spreads may adversely affect the liquidity of the fund’s investments.

 

   

Price Volatility Risk — The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

 

   

Redemption Risk — The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus. Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser: American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

Portfolio Managers

 

American Century
Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience with Fund

Charles Tan    Senior Vice President and Co-Chief Investment Officer, Global Fixed Income    Since [XX]
Robert V. Gahagan    Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Jason Greenblath    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Joseph Reiland, CFA    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Justin M. Brown, CFA    Vice President and Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Robert J. Bove    Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

 

3


Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

4


Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

This fund seeks long-term capital growth and current income by investing approximately 60% of its assets in equity securities and the remainder in bonds and other fixed-income securities.

For the equity portion of the fund’s portfolio, the fund generally will invest in large capitalization companies, but may invest in companies of any capitalization. The fund’s equity investment strategy utilizes a proprietary multi-factor model in a three-step process. In the first step, the portfolio managers rank stocks from most attractive to least attractive. This is determined by using a quantitative model that combines fundamental measures of a stock’s value and growth potential and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics. To measure value, the managers may use ratios of stock price-to-earnings and stock price-to-cash flow, among others. To measure growth, the managers may use the rate of growth of a company’s earnings and cash flow and changes in its earnings estimates, as well as other factors. The model also considers price momentum. The team arrives at an ESG score by evaluating multiple metrics of each ESG characteristic — environmental, social, and governance. The portfolio managers utilize internal data and research, as well as third party commercial data sources and scoring systems, to evaluate each security’s ESG characteristics. To the extent such information is available and relevant for a particular company, portfolio managers will consider, among others, a company’s carbon emission profile, energy and water usage, or waste generation (environmental), a company’s employee turnover rates, digital privacy or worker safety (social), and a company’s corporate leadership, including board chair independence and the independence of audit and compensation committees or shareholder rights on such as say on pay (governance). If an ESG score is unavailable or incomplete, a security may still be selected for the portfolio if the portfolio managers believe they can evaluate the security qualitatively, or if the financial metrics and remaining ESG data merit investment. The financial metrics score and/or ESG score are combined on an equal basis to create an overall score. Qualitative review of portfolio securities may include examination of registration statements and other information provided by the company as well as engagement with company management.

In the second step, final scores for each security are evaluated on a sector-specific basis, and the fund seeks to hold securities with the strongest scores in their respective sectors. The portfolio managers build an equity portfolio of stocks from the ranking described above that they believe will provide the optimal balance between risk and expected return. Using this process, the portfolio managers attempt to build a portfolio of stocks that has sustainable competitive advantages, provides better returns without taking on significant additional risk, and maintains a stronger ESG profile than the S&P 500® Index.

Finally, the portfolio managers validate the output of the multi-factor model using additional fundamental analysis.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s equity assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies when these securities meet the portfolio managers’ standards of selection.

The fixed-income portion of the fund’s portfolio is invested primarily in a diversified portfolio of high- and medium-grade non-money market debt securities. These securities, which may be payable in U.S. or foreign currencies, may include corporate bonds and notes, government securities, bank loans, securities backed by mortgages or other assets and collateralized debt obligations and collateralized loan obligations. Shorter-term debt securities round out the portfolio. Most of the fixed-income assets will be invested in securities that are rated within the four highest categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. The rating category of a security will be determined at the time of purchase. In the event a security is subsequently downgraded, the fund will not be obligated to dispose of that security, but may continue to hold the security if deemed appropriate by the portfolio managers. Under normal market conditions, the weighted average maturity for the fixed-income portfolio will be three and one-half years or longer.

Weighted average maturity is a tool the portfolio managers use to approximate the remaining term to maturity of a fund’s investment portfolio. Generally, the longer a fund’s weighted average maturity, the more sensitive it is to changes in interest rates.

The portfolio managers do not attempt to time the market. Instead, under normal market conditions, they intend to keep the equity portion of the fund mostly invested in equity securities regardless of the movement of stock prices generally.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

The fixed-income portfolio managers decide which debt securities to buy and sell by, among other things:

 

   

identifying debt securities that satisfy the fund’s credit quality standards;

 

   

determining which debt securities help the fund meet its maturity requirements;

 

   

assessing current and anticipated interest rates;

 

   

evaluating current economic conditions and the risk of inflation; and

 

   

evaluating special features of the debt securities that may make them more or less attractive to alternatives.

 

5


The fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities such as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). Ginnie Mae is supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Securities issued or guaranteed by other U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) are not guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. However, they are authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet their obligations.

The fund also may invest in derivative instruments such as options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and swap agreements (including, but not limited to, credit default swap agreements), or in mortgage- or asset-backed securities, provided that such investments are in keeping with the fund’s investment objective. The fund may use foreign currency exchange contracts to shift investment exposure from one currency into another for hedging purposes.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Market performance tends to be cyclical, and, in the various cycles, certain investment styles may fall in and out of favor. If the market is not favoring the quantitative style used by the fund’s equity portion, that portion’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Because the fund’s equity portion considers ESG metrics in addition to fundamental financial metrics when selecting securities, its portfolio may perform differently than funds that do not use ESG metrics. ESG considerations may prioritize long term rather than short term returns. Furthermore, when analyzing ESG criteria for securities, the portfolio management team relies on the information and scoring models published by third party sources, there is a risk that this information might be incorrect or only take into account one of many ESG related components of portfolio companies. Moreover, scores and ratings across third party providers may be inconsistent or incomparable.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s equity assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies. Foreign investment involves additional risks, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, less stable political and economic structures, reduced availability of public information, and lack of uniform financial reporting and regulatory practices similar to those that apply in the United States. These factors make investing in foreign securities generally riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities. To the extent the fund invests in foreign securities, the overall risk of the fund could be affected.

The value of the fund’s shares depends on the value of the stocks, bonds and other securities it owns.

 

   

The value of the individual equity securities the fund owns will go up and down depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions, and investor confidence.

 

   

The value of the fund’s fixed-income securities will be affected primarily by rising or falling interest rates and the continued ability of the issuers of these securities to make payments of interest and principal as they become due.

When interest rates change, the fund’s share value will be affected. Generally, when interest rates rise, the value of the fund’s fixed- income securities will decline. The opposite is true when interest rates decline. The degree to which interest rate changes affect the fund’s performance varies and is related to the weighted average maturity of the fixed-income portion of the fund. For example, when interest rates rise, you can expect the share value of a long-term bond fund to fall more than a short-term bond fund. When rates fall, the opposite is true. The fund’s fixed-income investments are designed to reduce this risk. Interest rate risk, however, is generally higher for the fixed-income portion of VP Balanced than for funds that have shorter-weighted average maturities, such as money market and short-term bond funds. A period of rising interest rates may negatively affect the fund’s performance.

The fund may invest in debt securities backed by mortgages or assets such as auto loan, home equity loan or student loan receivables. These underlying obligations may be prepaid, as when a homeowner refinances a mortgage to take advantage of declining interest rates. If so, the fund must reinvest prepayments at current rates, which may be less than the rate of the prepaid mortgage. Because of this prepayment risk, the fund may benefit less from declining interest rates than funds of similar maturity that invest less heavily in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Conversely, an issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the fund later than expected (extend the obligation) especially in periods of rising interest rates. These events may lengthen the maturity and potentially reduce the value of these securities.

 

6


Most of the securities purchased by the fixed-income portion of the fund are investment-grade debt securities at the time of purchase. Debt securities, even investment-grade debt securities, are subject to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that the inability or perceived inability of the issuer to make interest and principal payments will cause the value of the securities to decrease. As a result the value of the fund’s fixed-income securities could also decrease. A high credit rating indicates a high degree of confidence by the rating organization that the issuer will be able to withstand adverse business, financial or economic conditions and make interest and principal payments on time. A lower credit rating indicates a greater risk of non-payment. Changes in the credit rating of a debt security held by the fund could have a similar effect. The fund’s credit quality restrictions apply at the time of purchase; the fund will not necessarily sell securities if they are downgraded by a rating agency.

The fund may invest in foreign debt securities. Foreign debt securities can have certain unique risks, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, unstable social, political and economic structures, reduced availability of public information, and the lack of uniform financial reporting and regulatory practices similar to those that apply to U.S. issuers. These factors make investing in foreign debt securities generally riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Debt securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities. To the extent the fund invests in foreign debt securities, the overall risk of the fund could be affected.

The use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional instruments. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks, including liquidity, interest rate, market, and credit risk. They also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation, the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index, and the risk of default or bankruptcy of the other party to the instrument. Gains or losses involving some futures, options, and other derivatives may be substantial — in part because a relatively small price movement in these securities may result in an immediate and substantial gain or loss for the fund. Derivatives used for hedging or risk management may not operate as intended, may expose the fund to other risks, and may be insufficient to protect the fund from the risks they were intended to hedge.

Investments in bank loans, loans made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, require the fund to depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest, exposing the fund to the credit risk of both the financial institution and the underlying borrower. The market for bank loans may not be highly liquid and the fund may have difficulty selling them. In connection with purchasing participations, the fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights with respect to any funds acquired by other lenders through set-off against the borrower, and the fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. In addition, transactions in bank loans may take more than seven days to settle. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of bank loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet the fund’s redemption obligations. Some bank loan interests may not be considered securities or registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and therefore not afforded the protections of the federal securities laws.

The risks of an investment in a collateralized debt obligation depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the debt obligation in which the fund invests. Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) are subject to credit, interest rate, valuation, prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. The market value of CLO securities may be affected by, among other things, changes in the market value of the underlying assets held by the CLO, changes in the distributions on the underlying assets, defaults and recoveries on the underlying assets, capital gains and losses on the underlying assets, prepayments on underlying assets and the availability, and prices and interest rates of underlying assets.

The fund may also be subject to liquidity risk. The chance that a fund will have difficulty selling its debt securities is called liquidity risk. During periods of market turbulence or unusually low trading activity, to meet redemptions it may be necessary for the fund to sell securities at prices that could have an adverse effect on the fund’s share price. Changing regulatory and market conditions, including increases in interest rates and credit spreads may adversely affect the liquidity of the fund’s investments.

The value of the fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

 

7


Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of December 31, 2022, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

Adviser    LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).
Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.
American Century
Portfolio Managers
   Joseph Reiland, Justin M. Brown, Robert J. Bove, Robert V. Gahagan, Jason Greenblath, and Charles Tan are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets.
   Joseph Reiland, CFA, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2021. He joined American Century Investments in 2000 as an investment analyst and became a portfolio manager in 2005. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washington University. He is a CFA charterholder.
   Justin M. Brown, CFA, Vice President and Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2021. He joined American Century Investments in 2000 as an investment analyst and became a portfolio manager in 2006. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Texas Christian University. He is a CFA charterholder.
  

Robert J. Bove, Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2021. He joined American Century Investments in 2005 as an investment analyst and became a portfolio manager in 2016. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Villanova University and an MBA from New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business.

 

Robert V. Gahagan, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has served on teams managing fixed-income investments for American Century since joining in 1983. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA from the University of Missouri—Kansas City.

 

8


      Jason Greenblath, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has served on teams managing fixed-income investments since joining American Century in 2019. Prior to joining American Century, Mr. Greenblath worked at Aberdeen Standard Investments as head of U.S. investment grade credit from 2018 to 2019, head of U.S. investment grade credit research from 2014 to 2018 and as a portfolio manager from 2012 to 2018. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Pennsylvania State University.
   Charles Tan, Senior Vice President and Co-Chief Investment Officer, Global Fixed Income, has served on teams managing fixed-income investments since joining American Century in 2018. Prior to joining American Century, Mr. Tan worked at Aberdeen Standard Investments as head of North American fixed income from 2015 to 2018 and head of U.S. credit and as a senior portfolio manager from 2005 to 2015. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of International Business and Economics, Beijing and an MBA from Bucknell University.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

 

9


Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

 

10


For more information, please see the SAI.]

Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year-end, no financial highlights are available.

 

11


General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

12


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century Capital Appreciation Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century Capital Appreciation Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     2  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     2  

Portfolio Managers

     3  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     3  

Tax Information

     3  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     3  

Additional Information about the Fund

     3  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     3  

Principal Risks

     4  

Management and Organization

     5  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     5  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     6  

Market Timing

     6  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     7  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     7  

Distribution Policy

     7  

Financial Highlights

     7  

General Information

     8  


LVIP American Century Capital Appreciation Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

This fund seeks capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX  ]%]      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

 

1 

Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year      3 years  

Standard Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Standard Class II

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class III

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

The portfolio managers look for stocks of medium-sized companies they believe will increase in value over time, using an investment strategy developed by the fund’s investment advisor. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that durable franchises in a growing industry can sustain above average earnings growth. Under normal market conditions, the fund’s portfolio will primarily consist of securities of companies with attractive returns on invested capital that are demonstrating business improvement. Analytical indicators helping to identify signs of business improvement could include accelerating earnings or revenue growth rates, increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company’s business. These techniques help the portfolio managers make decisions about buying or holding the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and selling the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance

 

1


(ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

The fund will usually purchase common stocks of companies that are medium-sized at the time of purchase, but it will purchase securities of smaller- and larger-sized companies as well.

Also, although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies when these securities meet the portfolio managers’ standards of selection.

The fund may write covered calls on a portion of the fund’s holdings in common stock when the portfolio managers believe call premiums are attractive relative to the price of the underlying security.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Growth Stocks Risk. Investments in growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks and the overall stock market. These stocks are typically priced higher than other stocks because of their growth potential, which may or may not be realized.

 

   

Mid Cap Stocks Risk. The fund invests in mid-sized and smaller companies, which may be more volatile and subject to greater risk than larger companies. Smaller companies may have limited financial resources, product lines and markets, and their securities may trade less frequently and in more limited volumes than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

 

   

Style Risk. If at any time the market is not favoring the fund’s growth investment style, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

 

   

Foreign Securities Risk. The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

 

   

Covered Call Risk. Writing covered calls may limit the fund’s ability to participate in price increases of the underlying securities and could lower the fund’s return.

 

   

Price Volatility Risk. The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

 

   

ESG Integration Risk. When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

 

   

Market Risk. The value of the fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

Redemption Risk. The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus. Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser: American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

 

2


Portfolio Managers

 

American Century

Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience with Fund

Rob Brookby    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Nalin Yogasundram    Vice President and Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

This fund seeks capital growth.

The portfolio managers look for stocks of medium-sized companies they believe will increase in value over time, using an investment strategy developed by the fund’s investment advisor. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers use a bottom-up approach to stock selection. This means that the managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that durable franchises in a growing industry can sustain above average earnings growth. Under normal market conditions, the fund’s portfolio will primarily consist of securities of companies with attractive returns on invested capital that are demonstrating business improvement.

Using a variety of analytical research tools, the portfolio managers track financial information for thousands of individual companies to identify and evaluate trends in earnings, revenues and other business fundamentals. The portfolio managers’ principal analytical technique involves the identification of companies with attractive returns on invested capital that are demonstrating business improvement. Analytical indicators helping to identify signs of business improvement could include accelerating earnings or revenue growth rates, increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company’s business. These techniques help the portfolio managers make decisions about buying or holding the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and selling the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

The fund will usually purchase common stocks of companies that are medium-sized at the time of purchase, but it will purchase securities of smaller- and larger-sized companies as well. When determining the size of a company, the portfolio managers may consider, among other factors, the capitalization of the company and the amount of revenues as well as other information they obtain about the company.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies when these securities meet the portfolio managers’ standards of selection.

 

3


The fund may write covered calls on a portion of the fund’s holdings in common stock when the portfolio managers believe call premiums are attractive relative to the price of the underlying security. A fund writing a covered call option is obligated to sell or deliver the underlying security, which the fund holds in its portfolio, in return for the strike price upon exercise of the option.

The portfolio managers do not attempt to time the market. Instead, under normal market conditions, they intend to keep the fund essentially fully invested in stocks regardless of the movement of stock prices generally.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

Principal Risks

All mutual funds carry risk. Accordingly, loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. The following risks reflect the principal risks of the Fund.

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Growth stocks are typically priced higher than other stocks, in relation to earnings and other measures, because investors believe they have more growth potential. If the portfolio managers’ assessment of a company’s prospects for earnings growth or how other investors will value the company’s earnings growth is incorrect, the price of the stock may fail to reach the value the portfolio managers have placed on it. Growth stock prices tend to fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

The fund generally invests in medium-sized companies, which may be more volatile and subject to greater short-term risk. Smaller companies may have limited financial resources, product lines and markets, and their securities may trade less frequently and in more limited volumes than securities of larger companies. In addition, smaller companies may have less publicly available information.

Market performance tends to be cyclical, and, in the various cycles, certain investment styles may fall in and out of favor. If the market is not favoring the growth style used by the fund, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies. Foreign investment involves additional risks, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, less stable political and economic structures, reduced availability of public information, and lack of uniform financial reporting and regulatory practices similar to those that apply in the United States. These factors make investing in foreign securities generally riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities. To the extent the fund invests in foreign securities, the overall risk of that fund could be affected.

Writing covered calls may limit the fund’s ability to participate in price increases of the underlying securities and could lower the fund’s return.

The portfolio managers may buy a large amount of a company’s stock quickly, and often will dispose of it quickly if the company’s earnings or revenues decline. While the portfolio managers believe this strategy provides substantial appreciation potential over the long term, in the short term it can create a significant amount of share price volatility. This volatility can be greater than that of the average stock fund.

When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

The value of the fund’s shares depends on the value of the stocks and other securities it owns. The value of the individual securities the fund owns will go up and down depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions, and investor confidence. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

 

4


Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of December 31, 2022, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

Adviser    LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).
Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.

American Century

Portfolio Managers

   Rob Brookby and Nalin Yogasundram are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets.
   Rob Brookby, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century in 2018. From 2008 to 2018, he was a portfolio manager for Putnam Investments. Mr. Brookby has a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Northwestern University and an MBA from Harvard University.
   Nalin Yogasundram, Vice President and Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century in 2013 as an investment analyst and became a portfolio manager in 2016. Prior to joining American Century, he was an equity analyst for T. Rowe Price. Mr. Yogasundram has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas, a master’s degree from Southern Methodist University, and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

 

5


The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

 

6


The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

For more information, please see the SAI.]

Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year end, no financial highlights are available.

 

7


General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

8


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century Disciplined Core Value Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century Disciplined Core Value Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     2  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     2  

Portfolio Managers

     2  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     2  

Tax Information

     3  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     3  

Additional Information about the Fund

     3  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     3  

Principal Risks

     4  

Management and Organization

     4  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     5  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     6  

Market Timing

     6  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     6  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     6  

Distribution Policy

     7  

Financial Highlights

     7  

General Information

     8  


LVIP American Century Disciplined Core Value Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks capital growth by investing in common stocks. Income is a secondary objective.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX ]%]      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

 

1 

Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year      3 years  

Standard Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Standard Class II

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class III

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year-end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

In selecting stocks for the fund, the portfolio managers use quantitative and qualitative management techniques in a multi-step process. The managers evaluate stocks, primarily large capitalization, publicly traded U.S. companies based on an objective set of measures, including valuation, quality, growth, and sentiment. The portfolio managers then review the output of the quantitative model and also consider other factors, such as economic events, corporate announcements, risk management, transaction costs, and liquidity, to build a portfolio that they believe will provide a balance between risk and return. They also attempt to create a dividend yield that will be greater than that of the S&P 500® Index.

 

1


The portfolio managers generally sell a stock when they believe it has become less attractive relative to other opportunities, its risk characteristics outweigh its return opportunity or specific events alter its prospects.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Style Risk. If at any time the market is not favoring the fund’s quantitative investment style, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

 

   

Investment Process Risk. Stocks selected by the portfolio managers using quantitative models may perform differently than expected due to the portfolio managers’ judgments regarding the factors used in the models, the weight placed on each factor, changes from the factors’ historical trends, and technical issues with the construction and implementation of the models (including, for example, data problems and/or software or other implementation issues). There is no guarantee that the use of the quantitative model will result in effective investment decisions for the fund. Additionally, the commonality of portfolio holdings across quantitative investment managers may amplify losses.

 

   

Low Dividend Yield Risk. Although income is a secondary objective of the fund, if the stocks that make up the S&P 500® Index do not have a high dividend yield, then the fund’s dividend yield will not be high.

 

   

Market Risk. The value of the fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

Price Volatility Risk. The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

 

   

Redemption Risk. The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser: American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

Portfolio Managers

 

American Century

Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience with Fund

Yulin Long, CFA    Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Head of Quantitative Research    Since [XX]
Arun Daniel    Portfolio Manager and Head of Disciplined Equity Group Strategies    Since [XX]
Stephen Quance    Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Head of Disciplined Equity Group Investments    Since [XX]

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

 

2


Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

The fund seeks capital growth by investing in common stocks. Income is a secondary objective.

The fund invests primarily in large capitalization, publicly-traded U.S. companies.

To select stocks for purchase, the portfolio managers use quantitative and qualitative management techniques in a multi-step process. The portfolio managers evaluate stocks by using a quantitative model that combines measures that the advisor believes are predictive of an individual stock’s performance. These measures can generally be classified into four major categories: valuation, quality, growth, and sentiment. To measure valuation, the managers may use ratios which look at a firm’s value relative to cash flow, among others. To measure quality, the managers may use factors such as profitability and earnings sustainability, among others. To measure growth, the managers may use the rate of growth of a company’s earnings, as well as other factors. To measure sentiment, the managers may use factors such as historical stock returns, share volume and options data, among others. The information used to generate these measures is typically contained in each stock’s financial statement data and market information, but may include other sources.

The portfolio managers then review the output of the quantitative model and also consider other factors, such as economic events, corporate announcements, risk management, transaction costs, and liquidity, to build a portfolio that they believe will provide a balance between risk and return. The goal is to create a fund that provides better returns than its benchmark without taking on significant additional risk. In building the fund’s portfolio, the portfolio managers also attempt to create a dividend yield that will be greater than that of the S&P 500® Index.

The portfolio managers generally sell stocks from the fund’s portfolio when they believe:

 

   

a stock becomes less attractive relative to other stock opportunities;

 

   

a stock’s risk characteristics outweigh its return opportunity; or

 

   

specific events alter a stock’s prospects.

The portfolio managers do not attempt to time the market. Instead, under normal market conditions, they intend to keep the fund essentially fully invested in equity securities regardless of the movement of stock prices generally.

Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, and equity-equivalent securities, such as convertible securities, stock futures contracts or stock index futures contracts.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

 

3


Principal Risks

All mutual funds carry risk. Accordingly, loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. The following risks reflect the principal risks of the Fund.

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Market performance tends to be cyclical, and, in the various cycles, certain investment styles may fall in and out of favor. If the market is not favoring the quantitative style used by the fund and/or the stocks contained in the fund’s benchmark, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Stocks selected by the portfolio managers using quantitative models may perform differently than expected due to the portfolio managers’ judgments regarding the factors used in the models, the weight placed on each factor, changes from the factors’ historical trends, and technical issues with the construction and implementation of the models (including, for example, data problems and/or software or other implementation issues). There is no guarantee that the use of the quantitative model will result in effective investment decisions for the fund. Additionally, the commonality of portfolio holdings across quantitative investment managers may amplify losses.

The fund’s performance will be similar to the performance of its benchmark, the Russell 1000® Value Index. If the fund’s benchmark goes down, it is likely that the fund’s performance will go down.

Although current income is an objective for the fund, if the stocks that make up the S&P 500® Index do not have a high dividend yield, then the fund’s dividend yield will not be high.

The value of the fund’s shares depends on the value of the stocks and other securities it owns. The value of the individual securities the fund owns will go up and down depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions, and investor confidence. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of December 31, 2022, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

4


Adviser    LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).
Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.

American Century

Portfolio Managers

   Yulin Long, Arun Daniel and Stephen Quance are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets.
   Yulin Long, CFA, Dr. Long, Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Head of Quantitative Research, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century Investments as a quantitative analyst in 2005. She became a senior quantitative analyst in 2007, a vice president and senior quantitative analyst in 2012, and a portfolio manager in 2013. She has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Beijing University, and a Ph.D. in accounting from Stanford University. She is a CFA charterholder.
   Arun Daniel, Mr. Daniel, Portfolio Manager and Head of Disciplined Equity Group Strategies, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century Investments in 2022. Prior to joining American Century, he worked as a senior portfolio manager and senior research analyst of global equities with J O Hambro Capital Management Group. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Madurai University and a master’s degree in business administration from Regent University.
   Stephen Quance, Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Head of Disciplined Equity Group Investments, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century Investments in 2023. Prior to joining American Century, Mr. Quance was the Global Director of Factor Investing from 2019 to 2023 and Director of Factor Investing Asia Pacific from 2017 to 2018 at Invesco Ltd. He has a bachelor of science in civil and environmental engineering from Rice University and an MBA from The University of Texas, McCombs School of Business.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

 

5


Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors,

 

6


Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

For more information, please see the SAI.]

Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year-end, no financial highlights are available.

 

7


General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

8


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century Inflation Protection Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century Inflation Protection Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     3  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     3  

Portfolio Managers

     3  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     3  

Tax Information

     3  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     3  

Additional Information about the Fund

     4  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     4  

Principal Risks

     4  

Management and Organization

     6  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     7  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     7  

Market Timing

     8  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     8  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     8  

Distribution Policy

     9  

Financial Highlights

     9  

General Information

     10  

 


American Century VP Inflation Protection Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

VP Inflation Protection pursues long-term total return using a strategy that seeks to protect against U.S. inflation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX ]%]      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

 

1 

Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year      3 years  

Standard Class

   $ [xx    $ [XX

Standard Class II

   $ [xx    $ [XX

Service Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class III

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year-end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund invests substantially all of its assets in investment-grade debt securities. An investment-grade security is one that has been rated by an independent rating agency in its top four credit quality categories or, if unrated, determined by the advisor to be of comparable credit quality. To help protect against U.S. inflation, under normal conditions the fund will invest over 50% of its assets in inflation-indexed debt securities. These securities include inflation-indexed U.S. Treasury securities, inflation-indexed securities issued by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities other than the U.S. Treasury, and inflation-indexed securities issued by other entities such as corporations and foreign governments. Inflation-indexed securities are designed to protect the future purchasing power of the money invested in them. The fund also may invest in debt securities that are not inflation-indexed such as corporate bonds and notes, bank loans, commercial paper, and mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

 

1


The fund also may invest in derivative instruments, provided that such investments are in keeping with the fund’s investment objective. For example, the fund may use swap agreements to manage or reduce the risk of the effects of inflation with respect to the fund’s position in non-inflation-indexed securities. The fund also may enter into foreign currency exchange transactions for hedging purposes or to enhance returns. The fund may also invest in collateralized debt obligations, collateralized loan obligations, and similarly structured investments.

The portfolio managers are not limited to a specific weighted average maturity range. However, the portfolio managers monitor the fund’s weighted average maturity and seek to adjust it as appropriate, taking into account market conditions, the current inflation rate and other relevant factors.

Securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and certain U.S. government agencies, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Securities issued by other U.S. government agencies, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the Federal Home Loan Bank are not guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. However, these agencies are authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet their obligations. Inflation-indexed securities issued by non-U.S. government entities are backed only by the credit of the issuer.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Real Interest Rate Risk. Inflation-indexed securities trade at prevailing real, or after-inflation, interest rates. The real interest rate is the current market interest rate minus the market’s inflation expectations. Generally, when real interest rates rise, the value of the fund’s debt securities will decline. The opposite is true when real interest rates decline. A period of rising interest rates may negatively affect the fund’s performance.

 

   

Credit Risk. The value of the fund’s debt securities will be affected adversely by the inability or perceived inability of the issuers of these securities to make interest and principal payments as they become due. As a result, the fund’s share price also could decrease. Changes in the credit rating of a debt security held by the fund could have a similar effect.

 

   

Inflation Risk. Due to Internal Revenue Code provisions governing insurance product funds, no more than 55% of the fund’s assets may be invested in securities issued by the same entity, such as the U.S. Treasury. Because the number of inflation-indexed debt securities issued by other entities is limited, the fund may have a substantial position in non-inflation-indexed securities. To the extent that this is the case, that portion of the portfolio will not be automatically protected from inflation.

 

   

Prepayment and Extension Risk. The fund may invest in debt securities backed by mortgages or assets such as auto loan, home equity loan or student loan receivables. These underlying obligations may be prepaid, as when a homeowner refinances a mortgage to take advantage of declining interest rates. If so, the fund must reinvest prepayments at current rates, which may be less than the rate of the prepaid mortgage. Because of this prepayment risk, the fund may benefit less from declining interest rates than funds of similar maturity that invest less heavily in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Conversely, an issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the fund later than expected (extend the obligation) especially in periods of rising interest rates. These events may lengthen the maturity (i.e. interest rate sensitivity) and potentially reduce the value of these securities.

 

   

Liquidity Risk. During periods of market turbulence or unusually low trading activity, in order to meet redemptions it may be necessary for the fund to sell securities at prices that could have an adverse effect on the fund’s share price. Changing regulatory and market conditions, including increases in interest rates and credit spreads may adversely affect the liquidity of the fund’s investments.

 

   

Derivative Risk. The use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional instruments. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks, including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and correlation risk. They also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation, the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index, and the risk of default or bankruptcy of the other party to the swap agreement. Derivatives used for hedging or risk management may not operate as intended, may expose the fund to other risks, and may be insufficient to protect the fund from the risks they were intended to hedge.

 

   

Bank Loan Risk. The market for bank loans may not be highly liquid and the fund may have difficulty selling them. Bank loans may not be considered securities, thus the fund may not be afforded anti-fraud protections available under the federal securities laws. In connection with purchasing loan participations, the fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by borrowers with loan terms nor any set off rights, and the fund may not benefit directly from any posted collateral. As a result, the fund may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender selling the participation. Bank loan transactions may take more than seven days to settle, meaning that proceeds would be unavailable to make additional investments or meet redemptions.

 

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Collateralized Obligations Risk. Collateralized obligations, such as collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) are subject to credit, interest rate, valuation, and prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. The market value of collateralized obligations may be affected by, among other things, changes in the market value of the underlying assets held by the collateralized obligation, changes in the distributions on the underlying assets, defaults and recoveries on the underlying assets, capital gains and losses on the underlying assets, prepayments on underlying assets and the availability, and prices and interest rates of underlying assets.

 

   

Foreign Securities Risk. Foreign securities have certain unique risks, such as currency risk, social, political and economic risk, and foreign market and trading risk. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

 

   

Market Risk. The value of the securities owned by the fund may go up and down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

Redemption Risk. The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus. Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser:  Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser:  American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

Portfolio Managers

 

American Century

Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience with Fund

Robert V. Gahagan    Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
James E. Platz    Vice President and Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Miguel Castillo    Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

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Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

The fund pursues long-term total return using a strategy that seeks to protect against U.S. inflation.

The fund invests substantially all of its assets in investment-grade debt securities. To help protect against U.S. inflation, under normal conditions the fund will invest over 50% of its assets in inflation-indexed debt securities. These securities include inflation-indexed U.S. Treasury securities, inflation-indexed securities issued by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities other than the U.S. Treasury, and inflation-indexed securities issued by other entities such as corporations and foreign governments. Inflation-indexed securities are designed to protect the future purchasing power of the money invested in them.

The fund also may invest in debt securities that are not inflation-indexed. Such investments may include other investment-grade debt securities, bank loans, and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, whether issued by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, corporations or other non-governmental issuers, or foreign governments.

Securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and certain U.S. government agencies, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Securities issued by other U.S. government agencies, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) are not guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. However, these agencies are authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet their obligations. Inflation-indexed securities issued by non-U.S. government entities are backed only by the credit of the issuer.

The fund also may invest in derivative instruments, provided that such instruments are in keeping with the fund’s investment objective. For example, the fund may use swap agreements to manage or reduce the risk of the effects of inflation with respect to the fund’s position in non-inflation-indexed securities. The fund also may enter into foreign currency exchange transactions for hedging purposes or to enhance returns. The fund may purchase securities in a number of different ways to seek higher rates of return. The fund may also use when-issued and forward commitment transactions. The fund may also invest in collateralized debt obligations, collateralized loan obligations, and other similarly structured investments.

The portfolio managers are not limited to a specific weighted average maturity range. However, the portfolio managers monitor the fund’s weighted average maturity and seek to adjust it as appropriate, taking into account market conditions, the current inflation rate and other relevant factors. For instance, during periods of rising interest rates, the portfolio managers may shorten a portfolio’s maturity in order to reduce the effect of bond price declines on the fund’s value. When interest rates are falling and bond prices are rising, they may lengthen a portfolio’s maturity.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

Principal Risks

All mutual funds carry risk. Accordingly, loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. The following risks reflect the principal risks of the Fund.

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Inflation-indexed securities offer a return linked to inflation. They are designed to protect investors from a loss of value due to inflation. However, inflation-indexed securities are still subject to the effects of changes in market interest rates caused by factors other than inflation, or so-called real interest rates. Because inflation-indexed securities trade at prevailing real, or after-inflation, interest rates, changes in these rates affect the value of such securities owned by the fund. Generally, when real interest rates rise, the value of these securities will decline. The opposite is true when real interest rates decline. A period of rising interest rates may negatively affect the fund’s performance.

The real interest rate is the current market interest rate minus the market’s inflation expectations.

An investment in securities issued by entities other than the U.S. Treasury or U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities increases the potential credit risk associated with the fund. Credit risk is the inability or perceived inability of the issuers of these securities to make interest and principal payments as they become due. As a result, the fund’s share price could also decrease. Changes in the credit rating of a debt security held by the fund could have a similar effect. The fund will attempt to mitigate credit risk by limiting its investments to issuers whose credit has been rated investment grade or higher, or, if unrated, determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the advisor.

Due to Internal Revenue Code provisions governing insurance product funds, no more than 55% of the fund’s assets may be invested in securities issued by the same entity, such as the U.S. Treasury. Because the number of inflation-indexed debt securities issued by other entities is limited, the fund may have a substantial position in non-inflation-indexed securities. To the extent that this is the case, that portion of the portfolio will not be automatically protected from inflation.

 

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The fund invests in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. When borrowers refinance their mortgages to take advantage of declining interest rates, their existing mortgages are prepaid. The mortgages, which back the mortgage-backed securities purchased by the fund, may be prepaid in this fashion. Likewise, borrowers may prepay the auto loan, home equity loan or student loan receivables, corporate loans or bonds or other assets underlying the fund’s asset-backed securities. When this happens, the fund will be required to purchase new securities at current market rates, which will usually be lower. Because of this prepayment risk, the fund may benefit less from declining interest rates than other funds.

The chance that a fund will have difficulty selling its debt securities is called liquidity risk. During periods of market turbulence or unusually low trading activity, in order to meet redemptions, it may be necessary for a fund to sell securities at prices that could have an adverse effect on the fund’s share price. Changing regulatory and market conditions, including increases in interest rates and credit spreads may adversely affect the liquidity of the fund’s investments.

The use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional instruments. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks including liquidity, interest rate, market, and credit risk. They also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation, the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index, and the risk of default or bankruptcy of the other party to the swap agreement. Derivatives used for hedging or risk management may not operate as intended, may expose the fund to other risks, and may be insufficient to protect the fund from the risks they were intended to hedge. Gains or losses involving some futures, options, and other derivatives may be substantial — in part because a relatively small price movement in these securities may result in an immediate and substantial gain or loss for the fund.

Investments in bank loans, loans made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, require the fund to depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest, exposing the fund to the credit risk of both the financial institution and the underlying borrower. The market for bank loans may not be highly liquid and the fund may have difficulty selling them. In connection with purchasing participations, the fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights with respect to any funds acquired by other lenders through set-off against the borrower, and the fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. In addition, transactions in bank loans may take more than seven days to settle. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of bank loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet the fund’s redemption obligations. Some bank loan interests may not be considered securities or registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and therefore not afforded the protections of the federal securities laws.

The risks of an investment in a collateralized debt obligation depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the debt obligation in which the fund invests. Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) are subject to credit, interest rate, valuation, prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. The market value of CLO securities may be affected by, among other things, changes in the market value of the underlying assets held by the CLO, changes in the distributions on the underlying assets, defaults and recoveries on the underlying assets, capital gains and losses on the underlying assets, prepayments on underlying assets and the availability, and prices and interest rates of underlying assets.

The fund may invest in securities issued by foreign corporations and foreign governments, agencies or instrumentalities. Foreign investment involves additional risks, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, less stable political and economic structures, reduced availability of public information, and lack of uniform financial reporting and regulatory practices similar to those that apply in the United States. These factors make investing in foreign securities generally riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities. To the extent the fund invests in foreign securities, the overall risk of the fund could be affected.

The value of the securities owned by the fund may go up and down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting securities markets generally, particular industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions or investor sentiment generally. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

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The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of June 30, 2022, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

Adviser    LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).
Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.

American Century

Portfolio Managers

   Robert V. Gahagan, James E. Platz, and Miguel Castillo are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets.
   Robert V. Gahagan , Mr. Gahagan, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has served on teams managing fixed-income investments for American Century since joining in 1983. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA from the University of Missouri – Kansas City.
   James E. Platz, CFA, Mr. Platz, Vice President and Portfolio Manager, has served on teams managing fixed-income investments for American Century since joining in 2003. He received a bachelor’s degree in history and political economies of industrial societies from the University of California — Berkeley, and an MBA from the University of Southern California. He is a CFA charterholder.
   Miguel Castillo, Portfolio Manager, has served on teams managing fixed-income investments for American Century since joining in 2008 as a senior fixed income trader. He was promoted to portfolio manager in 2014. He has a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance from Escuela Bancaria Y Comercial, Mexico City, and an MBA from the University of Minnesota.

 

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A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

 

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Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

 

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For more information, please see the SAI.]

Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year-end, no financial highlights are available.

 

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General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

10


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century International Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century International Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     2  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     2  

Portfolio Managers

     2  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     3  

Tax Information

     3  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     3  

Additional Information about the Fund

     3  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     3  

Principal Risks

     4  

Management and Organization

     5  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     6  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     6  

Market Timing

     6  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     7  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     7  

Distribution Policy

     8  

Financial Highlights

     8  

General Information

     9  


LVIP American Century International Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX ]%]      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

 

1     Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year    3 years

Standard Class

   $[XX]    $[XX]

Standard Class II

   $[XX]    $[XX]

Service Class

   $[XX]    $[XX]

Service Class III

   $[XX]    $[XX]

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund invests primarily in securities of companies located in at least three developed countries world-wide (excluding the United States). The fund may also invest in emerging market countries. The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies they believe will increase in value over time, using an investment strategy developed by the fund’s investment advisor. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings, revenues and/or cash flow. The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to help them make decisions about buying or holding stocks of companies that meet their investment criteria and selling the stocks of companies that do not. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data

 

1


with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

Under normal market conditions, the fund’s portfolio managers seek securities of companies whose earnings, revenues or key business fundamentals are not only growing, but growing at an accelerating pace.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Foreign Risk – Foreign securities are generally riskier than U.S. securities. Political events (such as civil unrest, national elections and imposition of exchange controls), social and economic events (such as labor strikes and rising inflation), natural disasters and public health emergencies occurring in a country where the fund invests could cause the fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

 

   

Currency Risk – The fund could experience gains or losses based solely on changes in the exchange rate between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.

 

   

Emerging Markets Risk – Investing in emerging markets countries generally is riskier than investing in foreign developed countries. Emerging markets countries may have unstable governments, economies that are subject to sudden change, and significant volatility in their financial markets. These countries also may lack the legal, business and social framework to support securities markets.

 

   

Growth Stocks Risk – Investments in growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks and the overall stock market. These stocks are typically priced higher than other stocks because of their growth potential, which may or may not be realized.

 

   

Style Risk – If at any time the market is not favoring the fund’s growth investment style, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

 

   

Market Risk – The value of the fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

Price Volatility Risk – The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

 

   

ESG Integration Risk – When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

 

   

Redemption Risk – The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

 

   

Single Country Risk — Investing a significant portion of assets in one country or region makes the fund more dependent upon the political and economic circumstances of that particular country or region than a mutual fund that is more widely diversified.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus. Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser: American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

Portfolio Managers

 

American Century
Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience
with Fund

Rajesh Gandhi, CFA

   Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]

Jim Zhao

   Vice President and Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]

 

2


Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

The fund seeks capital growth.

The fund’s assets will be primarily invested in equity securities of companies located in at least three developed countries (excluding the United States). The fund generally invests in securities denominated in foreign currencies.

Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, and equity-equivalent securities, such as securities convertible into common stock, stock futures contracts or stock index futures contracts.

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies they believe will increase in value over time, using an investment strategy developed by the fund’s investment advisor. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers use a bottom-up approach to stock selection. This means that the managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings, revenues and/or cash flow.

Using a variety of analytical research tools, the portfolio managers track financial information for individual companies to identify and evaluate trends in earnings, revenues and other business fundamentals. Under normal market conditions, the fund’s portfolio managers seek securities of companies whose earnings, revenues or key business fundamentals are not only growing, but growing at an accelerating pace. This includes companies whose growth rates, although still negative, are less negative than prior periods, and companies whose growth rates are expected to accelerate. Other analytical techniques help identify additional signs of business improvement, such as increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company’s business. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

In addition to locating strong companies with earnings and revenue growth, the portfolio managers believe that it is important to diversify the fund’s holdings across different countries and geographical regions in an effort to manage the risks of an international portfolio. For this reason, the portfolio managers also consider the prospects for relative economic growth among countries or regions, economic and political conditions, expected inflation rates, currency exchange fluctuations and tax considerations when making investments.

The portfolio managers do not attempt to time the market. Instead, under normal market conditions, they intend to keep the fund essentially fully invested in stocks regardless of the movement of stock prices generally. However, the fund can purchase other types of securities as well, such

 

3


as forward currency exchange contracts, notes, bonds and other debt securities of companies, and obligations of domestic or foreign governments and their agencies.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

The fund invests primarily in securities issued by companies located in developed countries. The fund considers a security to be from a developed country if its issuer is located in the following developed countries list, which is subject to change: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The fund may also invest in securities issued by companies located in emerging markets countries. The fund considers a security to be an emerging market security if its issuer is located outside of the countries listed above.

In determining where a company is located, the portfolio managers will consider various factors, including where the company is headquartered, where the company’s principal operations are located, where a majority of the company’s revenues are derived, where the principal trading market is located and the country in which the company was legally organized. The weight given to each of these factors will vary depending on the circumstances in a given case.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Investing in foreign securities has certain unique risks that make it generally riskier than investing in U.S. securities. These risks include increased exposure to political, social and economic events in world markets; limited availability of public information about a company; less-developed trading markets and regulatory practices; and a lack of uniform financial reporting practices compared to those that apply in the United States. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

In addition, investments in foreign countries are subject to currency risk, meaning that because the fund’s investments are generally denominated in foreign currencies, the fund could experience gains or losses based solely on changes in the exchange rate between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.

Investing in securities of companies located in emerging market countries generally is also riskier than investing in securities of companies located in foreign developed countries. Emerging market countries may have unstable governments and/or economies that are subject to sudden change. These changes may be magnified by the countries’ emergent financial markets, resulting in significant volatility to investments in these countries. These countries also may lack the legal, business and social framework to support securities markets.

Growth stocks are typically priced higher than other stocks, in relation to earnings and other measures, because investors believe they have more growth potential. This potential may or may not be realized. If the portfolio manager’s assessment of a company’s prospects for earnings growth or how other investors will value the company’s earnings growth is incorrect, the price of the company’s stock may fall or fail to reach the value the managers have placed on it. Growth stock prices tend to fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

Market performance tends to be cyclical, and, in various cycles, certain investment styles may fall in and out of favor. If at any time the market is not favoring the fund’s growth investment style, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

The value of the fund’s shares depends on the value of the stocks and other securities it owns. The value of the individual securities the fund owns will go up and down depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions, and investor confidence. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

The portfolio managers may buy a large amount of a company’s stock quickly, and may dispose of it quickly if the company’s earnings or revenues decline. While the managers believe this strategy provides substantial appreciation potential over the long term, in the short term it can create a significant amount of share price volatility. This volatility can be greater than that of the average stock fund.

 

4


When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

Investing a significant portion of assets in one country or region makes the fund more dependent upon the political and economic circumstances of that country or region than funds that invest more broadly.

Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of December 31, 2022, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

Adviser    LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).
Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.
American Century
Portfolio Managers
   Rajesh Gandhi and Jim Zhao are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets.
   Rajesh Gandhi, CFA, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since he joined American Century Investments in 2002 as an investment analyst. He became a portfolio manager in 2008. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance and real estate from the University of Wisconsin. He is a CFA charterholder.

 

5


  Jim Zhao, CFA, Vice President and Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century Investments in 2009 as a senior investment analyst. He became a vice president and senior investment analyst in 2016 and a vice president and portfolio manager in 2017. He has a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from Clarkson University and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a CFA charterholder.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To

 

6


protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

For more information, please see the SAI.]

 

7


Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year end, no financial highlights are available.

 

8


General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

9


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century Large Company Value Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century Large Company Value Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     2  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     2  

Portfolio Managers

     2  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     2  

Tax Information

     2  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     3  

Additional Information about the Fund

     3  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     3  

Principal Risks

     3  

Management and Organization

     4  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     5  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     5  

Market Timing

     6  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     6  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     6  

Distribution Policy

     7  

Financial Highlights

     7  

General Information

     8  


LVIP American Century Large Company Value Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Income is a secondary objective.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX  ]%]      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

 

1 

Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year      3 years  

Standard Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Standard Class II

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class III

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund invests primarily in larger companies. Under normal market conditions, the portfolio managers will invest at least 80% of the fund’s net assets in equity securities of companies comprising the Russell 1000® Index. Though market capitalization may change from time to time, as of February 28, 2023, the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $394.4 million to $2.3 trillion.

In selecting stocks for the fund, the portfolio managers look for companies whose stock price may not adequately reflect the company’s value. The managers attempt to purchase the stocks of these undervalued companies and hold each stock until the price has increased to, or is higher than, a level the managers believe more accurately reflects the fair value of the company. The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to help them make decisions about buying or holding securities of companies that meet their investment criteria and selling the securities of companies that do not. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider

 

1


environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

The portfolio managers may sell stocks from the fund’s portfolio if they believe a stock no longer meets their valuation criteria.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Style Risk – If the market does not consider the individual stocks purchased by the fund to be undervalued, the value of the fund’s shares may decline, even if stock prices generally are rising.

 

   

Market Risk – The value of the fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

ESG Integration Risk – When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

 

   

Price Volatility Risk – The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

 

   

Redemption Risk –The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus. Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser: American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

Portfolio Managers

 

American Century
Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience with Fund

Brian Woglom, CFA    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Philip Sundell, CFA    Vice President and Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Adam Krenn, CFA    Portfolio Manager and Senior Investment Analyst    Since [XX]

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract

 

2


owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Income is a secondary objective.

The fund invests primarily in larger companies. Under normal market conditions, the portfolio managers will invest at least 80% of the fund’s net assets in equity securities of companies comprising the Russell 1000® Index. The fund may change this 80% policy only upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. Though market capitalization may change from time to time, as of February 28, 2023, the market capitalization range of the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $394.4 million to $2.3 trillion.

Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, and equity-equivalent securities, such as securities convertible into common stock, stock futures contracts or stock index futures contracts.

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies that they believe are undervalued at the time of purchase. The managers use a value investment strategy that looks for companies that are temporarily out of favor in the market. The managers attempt to purchase the stocks of these undervalued companies and hold each stock until it has returned to favor in the market and the price has increased to, or is higher than, a level the managers believe more accurately reflects the fair value of the company. The portfolio managers may sell stocks from the fund’s portfolio if they believe a stock no longer meets their valuation criteria.

Companies may be undervalued due to market declines, poor economic conditions, actual or anticipated bad news regarding the issuer or its industry, or because they have been overlooked by the market. To identify these companies, the portfolio managers look for companies with earnings, cash flows and/or assets that may not be reflected accurately in the companies’ stock prices. The managers also may consider whether the companies’ securities have a favorable income-paying history and whether income payments are expected to continue or increase. The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to help them make decisions about buying or holding securities of companies that meet their investment criteria and selling the securities of companies that do not. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

When the managers believe it is prudent, the fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities, debt securities of companies, debt obligations of governments and their agencies, and other similar securities.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

If the market does not consider the individual stocks purchased by the fund to be undervalued, the value of the fund’s shares may not rise as high as other funds and may in fact decline, even if stock prices generally are increasing.

 

3


Market performance tends to be cyclical, and, in the various cycles, certain investment styles may fall in and out of favor. If the market is not favoring the fund’s style, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

The value of the fund’s shares depends on the value of the stocks and other securities it owns. The value of the individual securities the fund owns will go up and down depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions, and investor confidence. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of December 31, 2022, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

Adviser   

LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).

 

Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.

 

4


American Century Portfolio Managers    Brian Woglom, Philip Sundell and Adam Krenn are responsible for the day-to-day management of the
   Fund’s assets.
   Brian Woglom, CFA, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2016. He joined American Century Investments in 2005 as an investment analyst and became a portfolio manager in 2012. He has a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and an MBA from the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. He is a CFA charterholder.
   Philip Sundell, CFA, Vice President and Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2016. He joined American Century Investments in 1997, became a senior analyst in 2007 and became a portfolio manager in 2017. He has a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and an MBA from Texas Christian University. He is a CFA charterholder.
   Adam Krenn, CFA, Portfolio Manager and Senior Investment Analyst, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century in 2011 as an analyst. He became a senior investment analyst in 2012 and a portfolio manager in 2020. He has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Notre Dame. He is a CFA charterholder.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on

 

5


the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

 

6


If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

For more information, please see the SAI.]

Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year end, no financial highlights are available.

 

7


General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

8


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century Mid Cap Value Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century Mid Cap Value Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     2  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     2  

Portfolio Managers

     2  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     3  

Tax Information

     3  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     3  

Additional Information about the Fund

     3  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     3  

Principal Risks

     4  

Management and Organization

     5  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     6  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     6  

Market Timing

     6  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     7  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     7  

Distribution Policy

     7  

Financial Highlights

     8  

General Information

     9  

 


LVIP American Century Mid Cap Value Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Income is a secondary objective.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

 

1   Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year    3 years

Standard Class

   $[XX]    $[XX]

Standard Class II

   $[XX]    $[XX]

Service Class

   $[XX]    $[XX]

Service Class III

   $[XX]    $[XX]

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the portfolio managers will invest at least 80% of the fund’s net assets in medium size companies. The portfolio managers consider medium size companies to include those whose market capitalization at the time of purchase is within the capitalization range of the Russell 3000® Index, excluding the largest 100 such companies. The portfolio managers intend to manage the fund so that its weighted capitalization falls within the capitalization range of the members of the Russell Midcap® Index.

Though market capitalization may change from time to time, as of February 28, 2023, the capitalization range of the Russell 3000® Index, excluding the largest 100 companies, and the Russell Midcap® Index, were approximately $5.4 million to $77.8 billion and $394.4 million to $56.5 billion, respectively.

 

1


In selecting stocks for the fund, the portfolio managers look for companies whose stock price may not reflect the company’s value. The managers attempt to purchase the stocks of these undervalued companies and hold each stock until the price has increased to, or is higher than, a level the managers believe more accurately reflects the fair value of the company. The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to help them make decisions about buying or holding securities of companies that meet their investment criteria and selling the securities of companies that do not. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

The fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities when these securities meet the portfolio managers’ standards of selection.

The portfolio managers may sell stocks from the fund’s portfolio if they believe a stock no longer meets their valuation criteria, a stock’s risk parameters outweigh its return opportunity, more attractive alternatives are identified or specific events alter a stock’s prospects.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Mid Cap Stocks Risk – The medium-sized companies in which the fund invests may be more volatile and present greater risks than larger companies.

 

   

Style Risk – If the market does not consider the individual stocks purchased by the fund to be undervalued, the value of the fund’s shares may decline, even if stock prices generally are rising.

 

   

Foreign Securities Risk – The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

 

   

IPO Risk – The fund’s performance may be affected by investments in initial public offerings.

 

   

Market Risk – The value of the fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

ESG Integration Risk – When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

 

   

Price Volatility Risk – The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

 

   

Redemption Risk –The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus. Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser: American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

Portfolio Managers

 

American Century

Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience with Fund

Kevin Toney, CFA    Chief Investment Officer-Global Value Equity, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Michael Liss, CFA, CPA    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Brian Woglom, CFA    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Nathan Rawlins, CFA    Portfolio Manager and Senior Investment Analyst    Since [XX]

 

2


Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Income is a secondary objective.

Under normal market conditions, the portfolio managers will invest at least 80% of the fund’s net assets in equity securities of medium size companies. The fund may change this 80% policy only upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. The portfolio managers consider medium size companies to include those whose market capitalization at the time of purchase is within the capitalization range of the Russell 3000® Index, excluding the largest 100 such companies. The portfolio managers intend to manage the fund so that its weighted capitalization falls within the capitalization range of the members of the Russell Midcap® Index. Though market capitalization may change from time to time, as of February 28, 2023, the capitalization range of the Russell 3000® Index, excluding the largest 100 companies, and the Russell Midcap® Index, were approximately $5.4 million to $77.8 billion and $394.4 million to $56.5 billion, respectively.

Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, and equity-equivalent securities, such as securities convertible into common stock, stock futures contracts or stock index futures contracts.

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies that they believe are undervalued at the time of purchase. The managers use a value investment strategy that looks for companies that are temporarily out of favor in the market. The managers attempt to purchase the stocks of these undervalued companies and hold each stock until it has returned to favor in the market and the price has increased to, or is higher than a level the managers believe more accurately reflects the fair value of the company.

Companies may be undervalued due to market declines, poor economic conditions, actual or anticipated bad news regarding the issuer or its industry, or because they have been overlooked by the market. To identify these companies, the portfolio managers look for companies with earnings, cash flows and/or assets that may not accurately reflect the companies’ value as determined by the portfolio managers. The managers also may consider whether the companies’ securities have a favorable income-paying history and whether income payments are expected to continue or increase. The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to help them make decisions about buying or holding securities of companies that meet their investment criteria and selling the securities of companies that do not. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

 

3


The portfolio managers may sell stocks from the fund’s portfolio if they believe:

 

   

a stock no longer meets their valuation criteria;

 

   

a stock’s risk parameters outweigh its return opportunity;

 

   

more attractive alternatives are identified; or

 

   

specific events alter a stock’s prospects.

When the managers believe it is prudent, the fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities, debt securities of companies, debt obligations of governments and their agencies, and other similar securities.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Mid cap stocks may involve greater risks because the value of securities of medium size, less well-known companies can be more volatile than that of relatively larger companies and can react differently to company, political, market and economic developments than the market as a whole and other types of stocks.

If the market does not consider the individual stocks purchased by the fund to be undervalued, the value of the fund’s shares may not rise as high as other funds and may in fact decline, even if stock prices generally are increasing.

Market performance tends to be cyclical, and, in the various cycles, certain investment styles may fall in and out of favor. If the market is not favoring a fund’s style, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies. Foreign investment involves additional risks, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, less stable political and economic structures, reduced availability of public information, and lack of uniform financial reporting and regulatory practices similar to those that apply in the United States. These factors make investing in foreign securities generally riskier than investing in U.S. securities. To the extent the fund invests in foreign securities, the overall risk of the fund could be affected.

The fund’s performance also may be affected by investments in initial public offerings (IPOs). The impact of IPOs on a fund’s performance depends on the strength of the IPO market and the size of the fund. IPOs may have less impact on the fund’s performance as its assets grow.

The value of the fund’s shares depends on the value of the stocks and other securities it owns. The value of the individual securities the fund owns will go up and down depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions and investor confidence. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

 

4


Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of December 31, 2022, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

Adviser    LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).
Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.

American Century

Portfolio Managers

  

Kevin Toney, Michael Liss, Brian Woglom and Nathan Rawlins are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets.

   Kevin Toney, CFA Chief Investment Officer - Global Value Equity, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2004. He joined American Century Investments in 1999 and became a portfolio manager in 2006. He has a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Virginia and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a CFA charterholder.
   Michael Liss, CFA, CPA Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2004. He joined American Century Investments in 1998 and became a portfolio manager in 2004. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Albright College and an MBA in finance from Indiana University. He is a CFA charterholder and a CPA.
  

Brian Woglom, CFA Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century Investments in 2005. He became a senior investment analyst in 2008 and a portfolio manager in 2012. He has a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and an MBA from the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. He is a CFA charterholder.

 

Nathan Rawlins, CFA Portfolio Manager and Senior Investment Analyst, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century in 2015 as an investment analyst. He became a senior investment analyst in 2020 and a portfolio manager in 2022. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas and an MBA from the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. He is a CFA charterholder.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

 

5


Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

 

6


The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

For more information, please see the SAI.]

Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

 

7


Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year end, no financial highlights are available.

 

8


General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

9


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century Ultra Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service Class and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century Ultra Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     2  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     3  

Portfolio Managers

     3  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     3  

Tax Information

     3  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     3  

Additional Information about the Fund

     3  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     3  

Principal Risks

     4  

Management and Organization

     5  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     6  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     6  

Market Timing

     7  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     7  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     7  

Distribution Policy

     8  

Financial Highlights

     8  

General Information

     9  


LVIP American Century Ultra Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX  ]%]      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]%      [XX  ]% 

 

1 

Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year      3 years  

Standard Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Standard Class II

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class III

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies they believe will increase in value over time. The portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings, revenues and/or cash flow.

The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to identify the stocks of larger-sized companies that meet their investment criteria. Under normal market conditions, the portfolio managers seek securities of companies whose earnings or revenues are not only growing, but growing at an accelerated pace. This includes companies whose growth rates, although still negative, are less negative than prior periods, and companies whose growth rates are expected to accelerate. Among other variables, the portfolio managers will consider the fund’s growth and momentum profile relative to the benchmark. Other analytical techniques help identify additional signs of

 

1


business improvement, such as increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company’s business. In addition to accelerating growth and other signs of business improvement, the fund also considers companies demonstrating price strength relative to their peers. This means that the portfolio managers favor companies whose securities are the strongest performers compared to the overall market. These techniques help the portfolio managers make decisions about buying or holding the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and selling the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies when these securities meet the portfolio managers’ standards of selection.

The fund may write covered calls on a portion of the fund’s holdings in common stock when the portfolio managers believe call premiums are attractive relative to the price of the underlying security.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Growth Stocks Risk — Investments in growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks and the overall stock market. These stocks are typically priced higher than other stocks because of their growth potential, which may or may not be realized.

 

   

Style Risk — If at any time the market is not favoring the fund’s growth investment style, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

 

   

Market Risk — The value of a fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

Price Volatility Risk — The value of a fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

 

   

Foreign Securities Risk — A fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

 

   

ESG Integration Risk — When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

 

   

Non-Diversification Risk – When a mutual fund is non-diversified, it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund. Therefore, a fund’s value may decrease because of a single investment or a small number of investments.

 

   

Covered Call Risk — Writing covered calls may limit the fund’s ability to participate in price increases of the underlying securities and could lower the fund’s return.

 

   

Redemption Risk — The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus. Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

2


Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser: American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

Portfolio Managers

 

American Century
Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience with Fund

Keith Lee, CFA, Co-CIO    Global Growth Equity, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Michael Li    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Jeffrey R. Bourke, CFA    Vice President and Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

The portfolio managers look for stocks of larger-sized companies they believe will increase in value over time. The portfolio managers use a bottom-up approach to stock selection. This means that the portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings, revenues and/or cash flow.

Using a variety of analytical research tools, the portfolio managers track financial information for individual companies to identify and evaluate trends in earnings, revenues and other business fundamentals. Under normal market conditions, the portfolio managers seek securities of companies whose earnings and revenues are not only growing, but growing at an accelerated pace. This includes companies whose growth rates, although still negative, are less negative than prior periods, and companies whose growth rates are expected to accelerate. Among other variables, the portfolio managers will consider the fund’s growth and momentum profile relative to the benchmark. Other analytical techniques help identify additional signs of business improvement, such as increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company’s business. In addition to accelerating growth and other signs of business improvement, the fund also considers companies demonstrating price strength relative to their peers. This means that the portfolio managers favor companies whose securities are the strongest performers compared

 

3


to the overall market. These techniques help the portfolio managers make decisions about buying or holding the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and selling the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies when these securities meet the portfolio managers’ standards of selection.

The fund may write covered calls on a portion of the fund’s holdings in common stock when the portfolio managers believe call premiums are attractive relative to the price of the underlying security. A fund writing a covered call option is obligated to sell or deliver the underlying security, which the fund holds in its portfolio, in return for the strike price upon exercise of the option.

The portfolio managers do not attempt to time the market. Instead, under normal market conditions, they intend to keep the fund essentially fully invested in stocks regardless of the movement of stock prices generally.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Growth stocks are typically priced higher than other stocks, in relation to earnings and other measures, because investors believe they have more growth potential. If the portfolio managers’ assessment of a company’s prospects for earnings growth or how other investors will value the company’s earnings growth is incorrect, the price of the stock may fail to reach the value the portfolio managers have placed on it. Growth stock prices tend to fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

Market performance tends to be cyclical, and, in the various cycles, certain investment styles may fall in and out of favor. If the market is not favoring the growth style used by the fund, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

The value of a fund’s shares depends on the value of the stocks and other securities it owns. The value of the individual securities a fund owns will go up and down depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions, and investor confidence. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

The portfolio managers may buy a large amount of a company’s stock quickly, and often will dispose of it quickly if the company’s earnings or revenues decline. While the managers believe this strategy provides substantial appreciation potential over the long term, in the short term it can create a significant amount of share price volatility. This volatility can be greater than that of the average stock fund.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies. Foreign investment involves additional risks, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, less stable political and economic structures, reduced availability of public information, and lack of uniform financial reporting and regulatory practices similar to those that apply in the United States. These factors make investing in foreign securities generally riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities. To the extent a fund invests in foreign securities, the overall risk of that fund could be affected.

When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

 

4


The Fund is non-diversified for purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and as a result may invest a greater percentage of assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund.

Writing covered calls may limit the fund’s ability to participate in price increases of the underlying securities and could lower the fund’s return.

The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of December 31, 2022, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

Adviser    LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).
Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.
American Century
Portfolio Managers
   Keith Lee, Michael Li and Jeffrey R. Bourke are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets.
   Keith Lee, CFA, Co-CIO Global Growth Equity, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2008. He initially joined American Century Investments in 1998 and rejoined in 2001. He became a portfolio manager in 2003. He has a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from Columbia University. He is a CFA charterholder.
   Michael Li, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2008. He joined American Century Investments in 2002 as an investment analyst and became a portfolio manager in 2006. Before joining American Century Investments, he attended The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, where he obtained his MBA. He also has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Science and Technology of China and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.

 

5


   Jeffrey R. Bourke, CFA Vice President and Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2008. He joined American Century Investments in 2007 as an analyst and became a portfolio manager in 2013. He has a bachelor’s of science degree in civil and environmental engineering from Duke University and an MBA in finance and accounting from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is a CFA charterholder.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

 

6


Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

 

7


For more information, please see the SAI.]

Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year end, no financial highlights are available.

 

8


General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

9


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

LVIP American Century Value Fund

Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Prospectus [XX]

LVIP American Century Value Fund (the “Fund”) is a series of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”). Shares of the Fund are currently offered only to separate accounts that fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts (“variable accounts”) of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, its affiliates, and third-party insurance companies. You cannot purchase shares of the Fund directly. This prospectus discusses the information about the Fund that you should know before investing.

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson, or any other person to give any information, or to make any representation, other than what this prospectus states.


Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Summary

  

Investment Objective

     1  

Fees and Expenses

     1  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     1  

Example

     1  

Portfolio Turnover

     1  

Principal Investment Strategies

     1  

Principal Risks

     2  

Fund Performance

     2  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

     2  

Portfolio Managers

     2  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     3  

Tax Information

     3  

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

     3  

Additional Information about the Fund

     3  

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

     3  

Principal Risks

     4  

Management and Organization

     4  

Pricing of Fund Shares

     6  

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

     6  

Market Timing

     6  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     7  

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

     7  

Distribution Policy

     7  

Financial Highlights

     8  

General Information

     9  


LVIP American Century Value Fund

(Standard, Standard II, Service and Service Class III)

Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Income is a secondary objective.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect any variable contract expenses. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

     Standard
Class
    Standard
Class II
    Service
Class
    Service
Class III
 

Management Fee

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees

     [XX ]%]      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Other Expenses1

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]%      [XX ]% 

 

1 

Other Expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower than this example. This example does not reflect any variable contract expenses. If variable contract expenses were included, the expenses shown would be higher. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period.

 

     1 year      3 years  

Standard Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Standard Class II

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Service Class III

   $ [XX    $ [XX

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not yet commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate has been provided.

Principal Investment Strategies

In selecting stocks for the fund, the portfolio managers look for companies of all sizes whose stock price may not reflect the company’s value. The managers attempt to purchase the stocks of these undervalued companies and hold each stock until the price has increased to, or is higher than, a level the managers believe more accurately reflects the fair value of the company. The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to help them make decisions about buying or holding securities of companies that meet their investment criteria and selling the securities of companies that do not. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund.

 

1


The fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities when these securities meet the portfolio managers’ standards of selection.

The portfolio managers may sell stocks from the fund’s portfolio if they believe a stock no longer meets their valuation criteria, a stock’s risk parameters outweigh its return opportunity, more attractive alternatives are identified or specific events alter a stock’s prospects.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

 

   

Multi-Cap Investing Risk – The fund is a multi-capitalization fund that invests in companies of all sizes. The small and medium- sized companies in which the fund invests may be more volatile and subject to greater risk than larger companies.

 

   

Style Risk – If the market does not consider the individual stocks purchased by the fund to be undervalued, the value of the fund’s shares may decline, even if stock prices generally are rising.

 

   

Foreign Securities Risk – The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

 

   

Market Risk – The value of the fund’s shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

 

   

ESG Integration Risk – When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

 

   

Price Volatility Risk – The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

 

   

Redemption Risk – The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. Selling securities to meet such redemptions may cause the fund to experience a loss or increase the fund’s transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets.

Fund Performance

The Fund will commence operations on or about [XX]. Once the Fund has at least one full calendar year of performance, a bar chart and performance table will be included in the prospectus. Please note that the Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

Investment Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)

Investment Sub-Adviser: American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”)

Portfolio Managers

 

American Century
Portfolio Managers

  

Company Title

  

Experience with Fund

Kevin Toney, CFA    Chief Investment Officer – Global Value Equity, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Michael Liss, CFA, CPA    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Brian Woglom, CFA    Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
Philip Sundell, CFA    Vice President and Portfolio Manager    Since [XX]
David Byrns, CFA    Portfolio Manager and Senior Investment Analyst    Since [XX]

 

2


Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

Tax Information

In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. Contract owners should consult their contract Prospectus for more information on the federal income tax consequences to them regarding their indirect investment in the Fund. Contract owners also may wish to consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investments in variable contracts and the Fund, including application of state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

Shares of the Fund are available only through the purchase of variable contracts issued by certain life insurance companies. Parties related to the Fund (such as the Fund’s principal underwriter or investment adviser) may pay such insurance companies (or their related companies) for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest and may influence the insurance company to include the Fund as an investment option in its variable contracts. Such insurance companies (or their related companies) may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as banks) for the sale and retention of variable contracts that offer Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries to recommend variable contracts that offer Fund shares. The prospectus or other disclosure documents for the variable contracts may contain additional information about these payments, if any. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information about the Fund

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Income is a secondary objective.

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies of all sizes that they believe are undervalued at the time of purchase. The managers use a value investment strategy that looks for companies that are temporarily out of favor in the market. The managers attempt to purchase the stocks of these undervalued companies and hold each stock until it has returned to favor in the market and the price has increased to, or is higher than, a level the managers believe more accurately reflects the fair value of the company.

Companies may be undervalued due to market declines, poor economic conditions, actual or anticipated bad news regarding the issuer or its industry, or because they have been overlooked by the market. To identify these companies, the portfolio managers look for companies with earnings, cash flows and/or assets that may not be reflected accurately in the companies’ stock prices or may be outside the companies’ historical ranges. The managers also may consider whether the companies’ securities have a favorable income- paying history and whether income payments are expected to continue or increase. The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to help them make decisions about buying or holding securities of companies that meet their investment criteria and selling the securities of companies that do not. In addition to fundamental financial metrics, the portfolio managers may also consider environmental, social, and/or governance (ESG) data. However, the portfolio managers may not consider ESG data with respect to every investment decision and, even when such data is considered, they may conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations when making decisions for the fund. Since the fund invests in companies of all sizes on an ongoing basis, it may be best characterized as a multi-capitalization value fund.

The portfolio managers may sell stocks from the fund’s portfolio if they believe:

 

   

a stock no longer meets their valuation criteria;

 

   

a stock’s risk parameters outweigh its return opportunity;

 

   

more attractive alternatives are identified; or

 

   

specific events alter a stock’s prospects.

The portfolio managers do not attempt to time the market. Instead, under normal market conditions, they intend to keep the fund’s assets invested primarily in U.S. equity securities at all times regardless of the movement of stock prices generally.

Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock and equity-equivalent securities, such as securities convertible into common stock, stock futures contracts or stock index futures contracts.

 

3


When the managers believe it is prudent, the fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities, debt securities of companies, debt obligations of governments and their agencies and other similar securities.

In the event of adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies. To the extent the fund assumes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities is available in the statement of additional information.

Principal Risks

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund; at any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

The fund may invest in medium-sized and smaller companies, which may be more volatile and subject to greater short-term risk than larger companies. Medium-sized and smaller companies may have limited financial resources, product lines and markets, and their securities may trade less frequently and in more limited volumes than the securities of larger companies. In addition, these companies may have less publicly available information.

If the market does not consider the individual stocks purchased by the fund to be undervalued, the value of the fund’s shares may not rise as high as other funds and may in fact decline, even if stock prices generally are increasing.

Market performance tends to be cyclical, and, in the various cycles, certain investment styles may fall in and out of favor. If the market is not favoring the fund’s style, the fund’s gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund’s assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies. Foreign investment involves additional risks, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, less stable political and economic structures, reduced availability of public information, and lack of uniform financial reporting and regulatory practices similar to those that apply in the United States. These factors make investing in foreign securities generally riskier than investing in U.S. securities. To the extent the fund invests in foreign securities, the overall risk of the fund could be affected.

The value of the fund’s shares depends on the value of the stocks and other securities it owns. The value of the individual securities the fund owns will go up and down depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions, and investor confidence. Market risks, including political, regulatory, economic and social developments, can affect the value of the fund’s investments. Natural disasters, public health emergencies, war, terrorism and other unforeseeable events may lead to increased market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.

The value of the fund’s shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

The fund may need to sell securities at times it would not otherwise do so in order to meet shareholder redemption requests. The fund could experience a loss when selling securities, particularly if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent, occur in times of overall market turmoil or declining pricing for the securities sold or when the securities the fund wishes to sell are illiquid. Selling securities to meet such redemption requests also may increase transaction costs. To the extent that an insurance company has a large position in the fund, the fund may experience relatively large redemptions if such insurance company reallocates its assets. Although the advisor seeks to minimize the impact of such transactions where possible, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

When the portfolio managers consider ESG data in addition to fundamental financial metrics to help them make an investment decision for the fund, the fund may perform differently than funds for which ESG data is not considered. Additionally, despite their consideration of ESG data, the portfolio managers may nonetheless invest in companies with weak, or exclude companies with strong, ESG characteristics if they conclude that other attributes of an investment outweigh ESG considerations. ESG data used by the portfolio managers often lacks standardization, consistency, and transparency, and for certain companies such data may not be available, complete, or accurate.

Management and Organization

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund oversees the business and affairs of the Fund, and has the power to amend the Fund’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to generally oversee the Fund’s operations.

Manager of Managers Structure: The Fund has received an SEC exemptive order that permits it to operate under a “manager-of-managers” structure. This structure allows LFI (defined below as the Fund’s investment adviser), subject to approval of the Board – and without the approval of shareholders – to: (i) select a new sub-adviser or additional sub-advisers for the Fund; (ii) terminate an existing sub-adviser and/or replace a sub-

 

4


adviser; (iii) enter into new sub-advisory agreements and/or modify the terms of any existing sub-advisory agreement; and (iv) allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among LFI and one or more sub-advisers. (The order does not apply to the hiring of a sub-adviser that is an affiliate of LFI.) If a new sub-adviser is hired for the Fund, the Fund will provide its shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser within 90 days of hiring. LFI has the ultimate responsibility (subject to Board oversight) to oversee, monitor and evaluate a sub-adviser’s performance and to recommend the hiring, termination and replacement of a sub-adviser.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser: Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) is the Fund’s investment adviser. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life. LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. As of December 31, 2023, LFI had more than $100.3 billion in assets under management.

Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides nationwide insurance and financial services.

The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement with LFI. LFI may hire one or more sub-advisers who are responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day investment management. A sub-adviser is paid by LFI from its management fee.

A description of LFI (including the effective advisory fee rate for the most recently completed fiscal year), the Fund’s sub-adviser, and the portfolio managers are included below. The Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”) provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.

 

Adviser    LFI (aggregate advisory fee paid to LFI is [0.XX]% of the Fund’s average net assets).
Sub-Adviser    American Century Investment Management, Inc. (“American Century”) has been managing mutual funds since 1958 and is headquartered at 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111. As of December 31, 2022, American Century managed $201.8 billion in assets.
American Century
Portfolio Managers
   Kevin Toney, Michael Liss, Brian Woglom, Philip Sundell and David Byrns are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets.
   Kevin Toney, CFA Chief Investment Officer - Global Value Equity, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2003. He joined American Century Investments in 1999 and became a portfolio manager in 2006. He has a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Virginia and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a CFA charterholder.
   Michael Liss, CFA, CPA Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century Investments in 1998. He became a portfolio manager in 2004. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Albright College and an MBA in finance from Indiana University. He is a CFA charterholder and a CPA.
  

Brian Woglom, CFA Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century Investments in 2005. He became a senior investment analyst in 2008 and a portfolio manager in 2012. He has a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and an MBA from the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. He is a CFA charterholder.

 

Philip Sundell, CFA Vice President and Portfolio Manager, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since 2002. He joined American Century Investments in 1997, became a senior analyst in 2007 and became a portfolio manager in 2017. He has a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and an MBA from Texas Christian University. He is a CFA charterholder.

 

David Byrns, CFA Portfolio Manager and Senior Investment Analyst, has been a member of the team that manages the fund since joining American Century Investments in 2014 as an investment analyst. He became a senior investment analyst in 2016 and a portfolio manager in 2020. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a CFA charterholder.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts will be in the Fund’s first annual or semiannual report to shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

 

5


Pricing of Fund Shares

The Fund determines its net asset value per share (“NAV”) as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day). The Fund’s NAV is the value of a single Fund share. The Fund determines its NAV by adding the values of its portfolio securities and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

An order for Fund shares received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be effected at the NAV determined on the next business day.

The Fund’s portfolio securities may be traded in other markets on days when the NYSE is closed. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV may fluctuate on days when you do not have access to the Fund to purchase or redeem shares.

The Fund typically values its assets based on “market price.” Market price for equities is typically the security’s last sale price on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter, and for debt securities is typically the mean between the bid and ask prices (or the price established by an independent pricing service). Certain short-term fixed income securities are valued based on “amortized cost.”

In certain circumstances, the Fund’s adviser, LFI, may value Fund portfolio securities at “fair value” in accordance with applicable fair value procedures. The fair value of portfolio securities may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and a security’s fair value price may be materially different than the value realized upon the sale of that security. LFI’s role with respect to fair valuation may present certain conflicts of interest given the impact valuations can have on Fund performance.

The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the unexpected early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded in non-U.S. markets, if applicable, because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund determines its NAV. The earlier close of these non-U.S. markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. If the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, it may frequently value many of those securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.

To the extent the Fund invests in one or more mutual funds, the Fund values underlying mutual fund shares at their respective NAVs. For more information regarding the determination of a mutual fund’s NAV, including when the mutual fund will fair value its portfolio securities and the effects of using fair value pricing, see the mutual fund’s prospectus and SAI.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Fund shares are available as underlying investment options for variable life insurance and variable annuity products issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”), Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“LNY”), and unaffiliated insurance companies. These insurance companies are the record owners of the separate accounts holding the Fund’s shares. You do not buy, sell or exchange Fund shares directly – you choose investment options through your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy. The insurance companies then cause the separate accounts to purchase and redeem Fund shares according to the investment options you choose. Fund shares also may be available for investment by certain funds of the Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust.

The Fund sells and redeems its shares, without charge, at their NAV next determined after the Fund or its agent receives a purchase or redemption request. The value of Fund shares redeemed may be more or less than original cost.

The Fund normally pays for shares redeemed within seven days after the Fund receives the redemption request. However, the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payments for any period when (a) the NYSE closes for other than weekends and holidays; (b) the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE; (c) the SEC determines that an emergency exists, so that the Fund’s disposal of investment securities, or determination of NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (d) the SEC permits, by order, for the protection of Fund shareholders.

The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds using holdings of cash in the Fund’s portfolio, or using the proceeds from sales of portfolio securities. To a lesser extent, the Fund also may use borrowing arrangements to meet redemption requests. Borrowing is typically expected to be used only during stressed or abnormal market conditions, when an increased portion of the Fund’s holdings may be comprised of less liquid investments, or during emergency or temporary circumstances.

Market Timing

Frequent, large, or short-term purchases, redemptions or transfers such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, may adversely affect the Fund and its investment returns. These transactions may dilute the value of Fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the Fund’s portfolio, and increase the Fund’s brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, the Fund strongly discourages such trading activity. To protect the Fund and its shareholders from potentially harmful trading activity, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). The Board may revise the Market Timing Procedures at any time and without prior notice.

Investors may seek to exploit delays between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the time when that change is reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares by purchasing or redeeming shares at NAVs that do not reflect appropriate fair value prices. This risk is more pronounced for funds investing in overseas markets, due to the time differential in pricing between U.S. and overseas markets, and thinly traded securities. The Fund seeks to deter and prevent this activity by the appropriate use of “fair value” pricing of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

 

6


The Fund seeks to monitor shareholder account activities in order to detect and prevent excessive and disruptive trading practices. The Fund and LFI each reserve the right to reject, restrict, or refuse any purchase order (including exchanges) from any investor, if, in the judgment of the Fund or LFI, the transaction may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

The Fund has entered into agreements with each insurance company that holds Fund shares to help detect and prevent market timing. Under the agreements, an insurance company may be required to (i) provide certain identifying and account information regarding contract owners who invest in Fund shares through the omnibus account; and (ii) restrict further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares by a contract owner whom the Fund has identified as a market timer.

The Fund also may rely on frequent trading policies established by such insurance companies. If the Fund detects potential market timing, the Fund will contact the applicable insurance company and may ask the insurance company to take additional action, if appropriate, based on the particular circumstances.

Fund investors seeking to engage in market timing may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. In addition, Fund shares may be held through omnibus accounts, which generally do not identify trading activity of Fund investors on an individual basis. As a result of these and other operational or technological limitations, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent market timing. Moreover, the identification of Fund investors determined to engage in transactions that may adversely affect the Fund or its investors involves judgments that are inherently subjective.

Insurance company sponsors of your contract may impose transfer limitations and other limitations designed to curtail market timing. Please refer to the prospectus and SAI for your variable annuity or variable life contract for details.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the Fund’s disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Share Classes and Distribution Arrangements

[The Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. Under the Plan, Service Class shares pay annual amounts not exceeding 0.35% of the average daily net assets of the Service Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers shares to insurance companies for allocation to certain of their variable contracts. The Fund pays its principal underwriter, Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”), out of the assets of the Service Class, for activities primarily intended to sell Service Class shares or variable contracts offering Service Class shares. LFD pays third parties for these sales activities pursuant to written agreements with such parties. The 12b-1 fee may be increased by the Fund’s Board up to the maximum allowed by the Plan, without shareholder approval, in accordance with the Plan’s terms. These fees are paid out of the Service Class assets on an ongoing basis, and over time will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or the Fund’s sub-advisers or underlying funds, if any, or their affiliates, may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as a Fund expense) to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “financial intermediaries”) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or insurance products that contain the Fund and/or shareholder servicing (“distribution assistance”). The level of payments made to a qualifying financial intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, LFD may pay or allow its affiliates to pay other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

If a mutual fund sponsor, distributor or other party makes greater payments to your financial intermediary for distribution assistance than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds make to your financial intermediary, your financial intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund complex making the higher payments over another mutual fund complex or over other investment options. You should consult with your financial intermediary and review carefully the disclosure relating to the compensation your financial intermediary receives in connection with the investment products your financial intermediary recommends or sells to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments to a financial intermediary will not change the Fund’s NAV, or the price of its shares, as such payments are not made from Fund assets.

For more information, please see the SAI.]

Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, which requires annual distributions of net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders – the insurance company variable accounts. The Fund may distribute net realized capital gains only once a year. Net investment income and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares of the same class at no charge, and are reflected in variable account values.

Contract owners ordinarily are not taxed on Fund distributions. In general, contract owners are taxed only on Fund amounts they withdraw from their variable accounts. See the “Tax Information” section.

 

7


Financial Highlights

Because the Fund did not commence operations prior to the fiscal year end, no financial highlights are available.

 

8


General Information

The use of the Fund by both annuity and life insurance variable accounts is called mixed funding. Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment, or other considerations, the interests of contract owners under the variable life accounts may conflict with those of contract owners under the variable annuity accounts. Violation of the federal tax laws by one variable account investing in the Fund could cause the contracts funded through another variable account to lose their tax-deferred status, unless remedial action was taken. The Fund’s Board will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any, the Fund or a variable account should take.

A conflict could arise that requires a variable account to redeem a substantial amount of assets from the Fund. The redemption could disrupt orderly portfolio management to the detriment of those contract owners still investing in the Fund. Also, the Fund could determine that it has become so large that its size materially impairs investment performance. The Fund would then examine its options, which could include imposition of redemption fees or temporarily closing the Fund to new investors.

You can find additional information in the Fund’s SAI, which is on file with the SEC. The Fund incorporates its SAI, dated [XX], into its prospectus. The Fund will provide a free copy of its SAI upon request.

You can find detailed information about the Fund’s investments in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund will provide a free copy of its annual and semi-annual report upon request.

The Fund will issue unaudited semi-annual reports showing current investments and other information; and annual financial statements audited by the Fund’s independent auditors. For an SAI or annual or semi-annual report, either write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265). You may also call this number to request other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries. The Fund’s SAI and annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, at https://www.lfg.com/LVIP.

You can also get reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can get copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

SEC File No: 811-08090

 

9


Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust

 

LVIP American Century Balanced Fund

LVIP American Century Capital Appreciation Fund

LVIP American Century Disciplined Core Value Fund

LVIP American Century Inflation Protection Fund

LVIP American Century International Fund

LVIP American Century Large Company Value Fund

LVIP American Century Mid Cap Value Fund

LVIP American Century Ultra® Fund

LVIP American Century Value Fund

 

 

1301 South Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Statement of Additional Information [XX]

This Statement of Additional Information (SAI), which is not a prospectus, provides more information about the series named in the caption — referred to as “Funds”—of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust. Each Fund offers [four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class and Service Class III.

Since the Funds are new, the most recent annual report, which contains each Fund’s audited financial statements, will not be available until December 31, 2023. This SAI should be read in conjunction with each Fund’s prospectus dated [XX], as may be amended or supplemented. You may obtain a copy of a Fund’s prospectus and annual or semi-annual report upon request and without charge. Please write The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801 or call 800-4-LINCOLN (454-6265).


 

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Table of Contents

 

Item

   Page  

Description of the Trust and the Funds

     4  

Fundamental Investment Restrictions

     4  

Manager of Managers

     5  

Additional Investment Strategies and Risks

     5  

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

     25  

Portfolio Turnover

     26  

Trustees and Officers

     27  

Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers

     34  

Portfolio Managers

     36  

Principal Underwriter

     40  

Administration Agreement

     40  

Securities Lending

     41  

Accounting Agreement

     41  

Code of Ethics

     41  

Description of Shares

     41  

Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities

     42  

Rule 12b-1 Plan

     43  

Revenue Sharing

     43  

Valuation of Portfolio Securities

     43  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

     44  

Purchase and Redemption Information

     45  

Custodian and Transfer Agent

     45  

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     45  

Financial Statements

     45  

Taxes

     46  

Appendix A — Long and Short-Term Credit Ratings

     49  

Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

     51  

Appendix C — Compensation Structures and Methodologies of Portfolio Managers

     59  

 

3


Description of the Trust and the Funds

Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on February 1, 2003, is an open-end management investment company.

Prior to April 30, 2003, each fund in the Trust in existence at the time was organized as a separate Maryland corporation (each, a predecessor fund). Eleven series of the Trust are successors to a predecessor fund, the assets and liabilities of which were acquired and assumed, respectively, on April 30, 2003.

[Each of the Funds, except the LVIP American Century Ultra® Fund, is diversified within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”).]

References to “Adviser” in this SAI include both Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation) and a Fund’s sub-adviser unless the context otherwise indicates.

The Funds have had no changes to their name within the past five years.

Fundamental Investment Restrictions

Each of the Funds has adopted certain fundamental policies and investment restrictions which may not be changed without a majority vote of a Fund’s outstanding shares. Such majority is defined in the 1940 Act as the vote of the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the outstanding voting securities present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities are present in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities. For purposes of the following restrictions: (a) all percentage limitations apply immediately after the making of an investment; and (b) any subsequent change in any applicable percentage resulting from market fluctuations does not require elimination of any security from the portfolio (except for fundamental investment restriction 2 regarding borrowing).

Each Fund may not:

 

1.

(Except for the LVIP American Century Ultra® Fund) Make investments that will result in the concentration — as that term may be defined in the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or official interpretation thereof — of its investments in the securities of issuers primarily engaged in the same industry, provided that this restriction does not limit the Fund from investing in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or in tax-exempt securities or certificates of deposit.

 

2.

Borrow money or issue senior securities, except as the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or official interpretation thereof, may permit.

 

3.

Underwrite the securities of other issuers, except that the Fund may engage in transactions involving the acquisition, disposition or resale of its portfolio securities, under circumstances where it may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

4.

Purchase or sell real estate, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from investing in issuers which invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests therein, or investing in securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein.

 

5.

Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from investing in securities that are secured by physical commodities or engaging in transactions involving financial commodities, such as financial options, financial futures contracts, options on financial futures contracts, and financial forward contracts.

 

6.

Make loans of any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than 331/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, provided that this limitation does not apply to purchases of debt obligations, to repurchase agreements, and to investments in loans, including assignments and participation interests.

 

7.

(Except for the LVIP American Century Ultra® Fund) With respect to 75% of its total assets, invest in a security if, as a result of such investment: (a) more than 5% of its total assets would be invested in the securities of any one issuer or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer; except that these restrictions do not apply to (i) securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities or (ii) securities of other investment companies.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) staff has taken the position that, for purposes of the concentration disclosure requirement, a fund investing more than 25% of its assets in an industry may be concentrating in that industry. See Registration Form Used by Open-End Management Investment Companies, Investment Company Act Release No. 23064 (Mar. 13, 1998), at note 163. Notwithstanding fundamental investment restriction 1 above, a Fund may concentrate in a particular industry to the extent that such concentration results from the Fund’s tracking or replication of an index.

 

4


The 1940 Act generally permits an open-end fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act generally requires an open-end fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage generally means the ratio that the value of a fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings.

“Senior securities” are generally fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act generally prohibits an open-end fund from issuing senior securities, except that a fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks. A fund also may borrow an amount equal to up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings would not be considered senior securities.

Manager of Managers

Certain of the Funds employ a “manager of managers” structure, which means that the Fund’s investment adviser may delegate the management of some or all of the Fund’s investment portfolio to one or more sub-advisers. To use this structure, the Trust has received an exemptive order from the SEC (Release Nos. 29170 and 29197) to permit the Funds’ investment adviser – with Board approval – to enter into and amend a sub-advisory agreement for a Fund without shareholder approval, subject to certain conditions. For example, within ninety days of the hiring of a new sub-adviser, a Fund is required to furnish shareholders with information that would be included in a proxy statement regarding the new sub-adviser. In addition, the Funds’ Adviser is not permitted to hire affiliated sub-advisers without shareholder approval.

The Funds have also received an SEC exemptive order (Investment Company Release Nos. 34727 and 34749) which permits the Funds’ Board of Trustees to approve new sub-advisory agreements or material amendments to an existing sub-advisory agreement at a meeting that is not in person, provided that the conditions of the order are satisfied. These conditions include, among others, the requirements that: (i) the Trustees will be able to participate in the meeting using a means of communication that allows them to hear each other simultaneously during the meeting; (ii) management will represent that the materials provided to the Board include the same information the Board would have received if approval were sought at an in-person meeting; (iii) the need for considering the proposal at a non-in-person meeting will be explained to the Board; and (iv) the Trustees will have the opportunity to object to considering the proposal at a non-in-person meeting (in which case, the Board will consider the proposal at an in-person meeting unless the objection is rescinded).

Additional Investment Strategies and Risks

The principal investment strategies each Fund uses to pursue its investment objective and the risks of those strategies are discussed in the Fund’s prospectus.

Unless otherwise stated in the prospectus, investment strategies and techniques are generally discretionary. This means a Fund’s Adviser may elect to engage or not engage in various strategies and techniques in its sole discretion. Investors should not assume that any particular discretionary investment technique or strategy will always or ever be employed by the Adviser to the Funds or by other mutual funds in which a Fund invests.

Below describes additional information concerning the investment strategies that the Funds may employ, either principal or discretionary, and the risks of those investment strategies

All Funds Investments

The following additional investment strategy and risk information relates to all Funds.

Borrowing. Each Fund may borrow money from time to time to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or official interpretation thereof. This means that, in general, each Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose in an amount up to 1/3 of the Fund’s total assets. Each Fund may also borrow money for temporary purposes in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund’s total assets.

The 1940 Act requires each Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets made for temporary purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% of a Fund’s total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, a Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

Borrowing may exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund’s investment portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs and other fees, which could reduce a Fund’s return and may or may not be

 

5


recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. A Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate. In addition, purchasing securities when a Fund has borrowed money may involve an element of leverage.

Cybersecurity. The use of technology is more prevalent in the financial industry, including the Funds’ management and operations, than in other industries. As a result, the Funds are more susceptible to risks associated with the technologies, processes and practices designed to protect networks, systems, computers, programs and data from attack, damage or unauthorized access, or “cybersecurity.” Such risks may include the theft, loss, misuse, improper release, corruption and/or destruction of, or unauthorized access to, confidential or restricted data relating to the Funds or shareholders, and the compromise or failure of systems, networks, devices and applications relating to Fund operations. A cybersecurity breach may result in:

 

   

Financial losses to the Funds and shareholders;

 

   

The inability of the Funds to timely process transactions or conduct trades;

 

   

Delays or mistakes in materials provided to shareholders;

 

   

Errors or delays in the calculation of Funds’ net asset values;

 

   

Violations of privacy and other laws (including those related to identity theft);

 

   

Regulatory fines, penalties and reputational damage; and

 

   

Compliance and remediation costs, legal fees and other expenses.

In addition, the noted risks may adversely impact LFI, a Fund’s sub-adviser, if any, the Funds’ principal underwriter, administrator and other service providers to the Funds, as well as financial intermediaries (e.g., insurance company record holders) and parties with which the Funds do business. These risks, in turn, could result in losses to the Funds and shareholders and disruptions to the conduct of business between the Funds, shareholders, the Funds’ service providers and/or financial intermediaries. While measures have been developed that are designed to reduce cybersecurity risks and to mitigate or lessen resulting damages, there is no guarantee that those measures will be effective, especially as different or unknown risks may emerge in the future. This is particularly the case because the Funds do not directly control the cybersecurity defenses or plans of their service providers, financial intermediaries and other parties with which the Funds transact. There is also the risk that cybersecurity breaches may not be detected.

Environment, Social, and Governance (“ESG”). Although a Fund does not seek to implement a specific ESG, impact or sustainability strategy unless disclosed in its prospectus, the Fund’s investment process may integrate ESG factors with traditional fundamental factors. The weight given to any particular ESG factor varies across asset classes, sectors, and strategies and no one factor is determinative. When integrating ESG factors into the investment process, the Fund may rely on third-party data believed to be reliable, but the accuracy of such third-party data is not guaranteed. ESG information from third-party data providers may be incomplete, inaccurate, or unavailable, which may adversely impact the investment process. Moreover, ESG information, regardless of its source, is mostly based on a qualitative and subjective assessment. An element of subjectivity and discretion is therefore inherent to the interpretation and use of ESG data. While the Fund believes that consideration of ESG factors has the potential to identify financial risks and contribute to long-term performance, ESG factors may not be considered for each and every investment decision, and there is no guarantee that the consideration of ESG factors will result in better performance. Investor views on positive or negative ESG characteristics can differ, and the current lack of common standards may result in different approaches to considering ESG factors. Accordingly, the Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. A Fund’s approach to ESG integration may evolve and develop over time, both due to a refinement of investment decision-making processes to address ESG factors and risks, and because of legal and regulatory developments.

Illiquid Investments. The Funds may invest in securities or other investments that are considered illiquid. An illiquid investment is any investment that may not reasonably be expected to 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 investment. A security or investment might be illiquid due to the absence of a readily available market or due to legal or contractual restrictions on resale. The adviser determines the liquidity of investments purchased by the Funds, subject to the Fund’s liquidity risk management program, as approved by the Board of Trustees.

The Funds may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and risk the substantive delays in effecting such registration. However, the Funds may avail themselves of Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, which permits the Funds to purchase securities which have been privately placed and resell such securities to qualified institutional buyers. Certain restricted securities that are not registered for sale to the general public but can be resold to institutional investors may not be considered illiquid, provided that a dealer or institutional trading market exists.

If the value of a Fund’s assets invested in illiquid investments at any time exceeds the limitation on illiquid investments, the Fund will take actions, if any are appropriate, to maintain adequate liquidity.

Investment in Securities of Other Investment Companies. Under the 1940 Act, a Fund (other than a fund of funds) generally may not own more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of an investment company, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one investment company, or invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of investment companies. Such investments may include, but are not limited to, open-end investment companies, closed-end investment companies and unregistered investment companies.

 

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A Fund operating as a “fund of funds” may rely on certain federal securities laws to permit it to invest in affiliated investment companies without limit, non-affiliated investment companies within the statutory limits described above and in other securities that are not issued by investment companies. The Funds have received an exemptive order from the SEC (Release Nos. 29168 and 29196) to permit a Fund to acquire shares of affiliated and non-affiliated investment companies beyond the statutory limits described above, subject to certain conditions.

If a Fund invests its assets in shares of underlying funds, the Fund is exposed to the investments made by the underlying funds. By investing in the Fund, therefore, you indirectly assume the same types of risks as investing directly in the underlying funds. A Fund’s investment performance is affected by each underlying fund’s investment performance, and the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends, in large part, on each underlying fund’s ability to meet its investment objective. In addition, Fund shareholders indirectly bear the expenses charged by the underlying funds.

In 2020, the SEC adopted certain regulatory changes and took other actions related to the ability of an investment company to invest in another investment company. These changes include, among other things, the rescission of certain SEC exemptive relief permitting such investments in excess of statutory limits and the adoption of Rule 12d1-4, which permits such investments in excess of statutory limits, subject to certain conditions. The Fund of Funds began relying on Rule 12d1-4 as of January 19, 2021, the compliance date for the Rule.

Lincoln National Corporation (LNC) Securities. LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides insurance and financial services nationwide. The Funds are prohibited from directly purchasing securities issued by LNC or any affiliate thereof, except that a Fund may hold shares of LNC or affiliates thereof if the Fund is an index fund (or invests in an index fund) whose investment strategies seek to track the investment performance of a broad-based index. A Fund may indirectly hold shares of LNC or affiliates thereof if the Fund invests in underlying funds which are not advised by affiliates of LNC.

Money Market Instruments. Money market instruments include bank time deposits, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, loan participations and bankers’ acceptances. Bank time deposits are funds kept on deposit with a bank for a stated period of time in an interest-bearing account. Certificates of deposit are certificates issued against funds deposited in a bank or financial institution, are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. Commercial paper is a short-term note with a maturity of up to nine months issued by banks, corporations or government bodies. Loan participations are short-term, high-quality participations in selected commercial bank loans issued by creditworthy banks.

Bankers’ acceptances are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, a bankers’ acceptance is a time draft or bill of exchange drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then accepted by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. Bankers’ acceptances may be purchased in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for bankers’ acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most bankers’ acceptances have maturities of six months or less.

Investing in debt obligations, such as money market instruments, primarily involves credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of the debt obligation will be unable to make interest or principal payments on time. A debt obligation’s credit rating reflects the credit risk associated with that debt obligation. Higher-rated debt obligations involve lower credit risk than lower-rated debt obligations. Credit risk is generally higher for corporate debt obligations than for U.S. government securities. The value of debt obligations also will typically fluctuate with interest rate changes. These fluctuations can be greater for debt obligations with longer maturities. When interest rates rise, debt obligations will generally decline in value and you could lose money as a result. Periods of declining or low interest rates may negatively impact an investment’s yield. A Fund may invest in collective investment vehicles, the assets of which consist principally of money market instruments.

Operational Risk. Each Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Each Fund and the adviser (and sub-adviser, if any) seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not completely eliminate such risk or address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

Pledging Assets. A Fund may not pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets in excess of 15% of its total assets (taken at current value) and then only to secure borrowings permitted by the “Borrowing” restriction. The deposit of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and other collateral arrangements with respect to margin for derivative instruments shall not be subject to the foregoing 15% requirement.

Private companies. The Funds may invest in private companies which can involve greater risks than those associated with investing in publicly traded companies. For example, the securities of a private company may be subject to the risk that market conditions, developments within the company, investor perception, or regulatory decisions may delay or prevent the company from ultimately offering its securities to the public. Furthermore, these investments are generally considered to be illiquid until a company’s public offering and are often subject to additional contractual restrictions on resale that would prevent a Fund from selling their company shares for a period of time following the public offering.

Investments in private companies can offer a Fund significant growth opportunities at attractive prices. However these investments can pose greater risk, and, consequently, there is no guarantee that positive results can be achieved in the future.

Repurchase Agreements. In a repurchase agreement, a Fund purchases a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon date within a number of days (usually not more than seven) from the date of purchase. The resale price reflects the purchase price plus an agreed upon incremental amount that is unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased security. A repurchase agreement involves the obligation of the seller to pay the agreed upon price, which obligation is in effect secured by the value (at least equal to the amount of the agreed upon resale price and marked-to-market daily) of the underlying security. Certain Funds may also invest in

 

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purchase and sale contracts. A purchase and sale contract is similar to a repurchase agreement, but purchase and sale contracts also provide that the purchaser receives any interest on the security paid during the period.

A Fund may engage in a repurchase agreement with respect to any security in which it is authorized to invest. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to a Fund in the event of bankruptcy of the seller), it is the policy of a Fund to limit repurchase agreements to those parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the adviser. In addition, the collateral will be segregated and will be marked-to-market daily to determine that the full value of the collateral, as specified in the agreement, does not decrease below 102% of the purchase price plus accrued interest. If such decrease occurs, additional collateral will be requested and, when received, added to maintain full collateralization. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, a Fund will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, a Fund may incur delay and costs in selling the underlying security or may suffer a loss of principal and interest if the Fund is treated as an unsecured creditor and required to return the underlying collateral to the seller’s estate.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund sells a security to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in return for cash and agrees to repurchase that security at an agreed-upon price and time. Reverse repurchase agreements may be used to provide cash to satisfy unusually heavy redemption requests or for other temporary or emergency purposes without the necessity of selling portfolio securities, or to earn additional income on portfolio securities.

Because a reverse repurchase agreement may constitute borrowing, while a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, a Fund will segregate appropriate liquid assets to cover its obligation under the agreement. The Fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties that the adviser deems creditworthy. Such transactions may increase fluctuations in the market value of the Fund’s assets and may be viewed as a form of leverage.

Short Sales. A Fund may engage in short sales, including short sales against the box. Short sales (other than against the box) are transactions in which a Fund sells an instrument it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that instrument. A short sale against the box is a short sale where at the time of the sale, the Fund owns or has the right to obtain instruments equivalent in kind and amounts. To complete a short sale transaction, the Fund must borrow the instrument to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund then is obligated to replace the instrument borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the instrument was sold by the Fund. Until the instrument is replaced, the Fund is required to pay to the lender amounts equal to any interest or dividends which accrue during the period of the loan. To borrow the instrument, the Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the instrument sold. There will also be other costs associated with short sales.

The Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the instrument increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed instrument. Unlike taking a long position in an instrument by purchasing the instrument, where potential losses are limited to the purchase price, short sales have no cap on maximum loss. The Fund will realize a gain if the instrument declines in price between those dates. This result is the opposite of what one would expect from a cash purchase of a long position in an instrument.

Until the Fund replaces a borrowed instrument in connection with a short sale, the Fund will (a) designate on its records as collateral cash or liquid assets at such a level that the designated assets plus any amount deposited with the broker as collateral will equal the current value of the instrument sold short or (b) otherwise cover its short position in accordance with applicable law. The amount designated on the Fund’s records will be marked to market daily. This may limit the Fund’s investment flexibility, as well as its ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

There is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to close out a short position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. During the time that the Fund is short an instrument, it is subject to the risk that the lender of the instrument will terminate the loan at a time when the Fund is unable to borrow the same instrument from another lender. If that occurs, the Fund may be “bought in” at the price required to purchase the instrument needed to close out the short position, which may be a disadvantageous price. Thus, there is a risk that a Fund may be unable to fully implement its investment strategy due to a lack of available instruments or for some other reason. It is possible that the market value of the instruments a Fund holds in long positions will decline at the same time that the market value of the instruments a Fund has sold short increases, thereby increasing a Fund potential volatility. Short sales also involve other costs. The Fund must normally repay to the lender an amount equal to any dividends or interest that accrues while the loan is outstanding. In addition, to borrow the instrument, the Fund may be required to pay a premium. The Fund also will incur transaction costs in effecting short sales. The amount of any ultimate gain for the Fund resulting from a short sale will be decreased, and the amount of any ultimate loss will be increased, by the amount of premiums, dividends, interest or expenses the Fund may be required to pay in connection with the short sale.

A Fund may enter into short sales on derivative instruments with a counterparty, which will subject the Fund to the risk that the counterparty will not be able to meet its obligations.

When a Fund enters into a short sale against the box, the Fund does not immediately deliver the instruments sold and is said to have a short position in those instruments until delivery occurs. If the Fund effects a short sale of instruments against the box at a time when it has an unrealized gain on the instruments, it may be required to recognize that gain as if it had actually sold the instruments (as a “constructive sale”) on the date it effects the short sale. However, such constructive sale treatment may not apply if the Fund closes out the short sale with instruments other than the appreciated Instruments held at the time of the short sale and if certain other conditions are satisfied.

Special Situations. A Fund may invest in certain securities under special situations. A special situation arises when, in the adviser’s opinion, the securities of a particular company will be recognized and will appreciate in value due to a specific development at that company. Developments

 

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creating a special situation might include a new product or process, a management change, a technological breakthrough or another event considered significant. Investment in special situations may carry an additional risk of loss in the event that the anticipated development does not occur or does not attract the expected attention.

A Fund may invest in the securities of companies which have been in continuous operation for less than three years, or have capitalizations of less than $250 million at the time of purchase. Securities of these companies may have limited liquidity which can result in their being priced lower than they may be otherwise. Investments in unseasoned or smaller companies are more speculative and involve greater risk than do investments in companies with established operating records or that are larger.

Temporary Defensive Strategies. In response to market, economic, political or other conditions, a Fund may temporarily use a different investment strategy or take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies, including but not limited to, holding a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets in cash or cash equivalents, including securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. If a Fund does so, different factors could affect performance and a Fund may not achieve its investment objectives.

Equity Investments

The following additional investment strategy and risk information relates to each Fund that may invest in equity securities.

Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted or exchanged (by the holder or by the issuer) into shares of the underlying common stock (or cash or securities of equivalent value) at a stated exchange ratio. A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by a Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at prices above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stock and interest rates. When the underlying common stock declines in value, convertible securities will tend not to decline to the same extent because of the interest or dividend payments and the repayment of principal at maturity for certain types of convertible securities. However, securities that are convertible other than at the option of the holder generally do not limit the potential for loss to the same extent as securities convertible at the option of the holder. When the underlying common stock rises in value, the value of convertible securities may also be expected to increase. At the same time, however, the difference between the market value of convertible securities and their conversion value will narrow, which means that the value of convertible securities will generally not increase to the same extent as the value of the underlying common stocks. Because convertible securities generally are interest-rate sensitive, their value may increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Convertible securities are also subject to credit risk, and are often lower-quality securities.

Equity Securities. Equity securities, such as common stock, represent an ownership interest, or the right to acquire an ownership interest, in an issuer. Common stock generally takes the form of shares in a corporation. In addition to common stock, equity securities may include preferred stock, convertible securities and warrants. Equity securities may decline due to general market conditions, which are not specifically related to a particular company or to factors affecting a particular industry or industries. Equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed-income securities.

Investments in equity securities are subject to a number of risks, including the financial risk of selecting individual companies that do not perform as anticipated and the general risk that domestic and global economies have historically risen and fallen in periodic cycles. Many factors affect an individual company’s performance, such as the strength of its management or the demand for its products or services, and the value of a Fund’s equity investments may change in response to stock market movements, information or financial results regarding the issuer, general market conditions, general economic and/or political conditions, and other factors.

Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”). ETFs are a type of fund bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities. The Funds may invest in ETFs as a principal investment strategy and the Funds may also purchase an ETF to temporarily gain exposure to a portion of the U.S. or a foreign market while awaiting purchase of underlying securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in the market for shares of an ETF could result in it being more volatile. In addition, investments in ETFs involve the risk that the market prices of ETF shares will fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and materially, in response to changes in the ETF’s net asset value (NAV), the value of ETF holdings and supply and demand for ETF shares. Although the creation/redemption feature of ETFs generally makes it more likely that ETF shares will trade close to NAV, market volatility, lack of an active trading market for ETF shares, disruptions at market participants (such as authorized participants or market makers) and any disruptions in the ordinary functioning of the creation/redemption process may result in ETF shares trading significantly above (at a “premium”) or below (at a “discount”) NAV. Additionally, to the extent an ETF holds securities traded in markets that close at a different time from the ETF’s listing exchange, liquidity in such securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Furthermore, bid/ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to NAV of the ETF’s shares may widen during the time when the ETF’s listing exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times. Significant losses may result when transacting in ETF shares in these and other circumstances. Neither LFI nor the Trust can predict whether ETF shares will trade above, below or at NAV. An ETF’s investment results are based on the ETF’s daily NAV. Investors transacting in ETF shares in the secondary market, where market prices may differ from NAV, may experience investment results that differ from results based on the ETF’s daily NAV.

 

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ETF Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. For an underlying exchange-traded fund, only an “authorized participant” may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the ETF. The ETF may have a limited number of institutions that may act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation or redemption orders with respect to the ETF and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem “creation units,” the ETF’s shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.

Rights and Warrants. Each Fund may invest in rights and warrants which entitle the holder to buy equity securities at a specified price for a specific period of time. Rights and warrants do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities which may be purchased, nor do they represent any rights to the assets of the issuing company. The value of a right or warrant may be more volatile than the value of the underlying securities. Also, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities. Warrants can be a speculative instrument. The value of a warrant may decline because of a decrease in the value of the underlying stock, the passage of time or a change in perception as to the potential of the underlying stock or any other combination. If the market price of the underlying stock is below the exercise price set forth in the warrant on the expiration date, the warrant will expire worthless. Warrants generally are freely transferable and are traded on the major stock exchanges. Rights and warrants purchased by a Fund which expire without being exercised will result in a loss to the Fund.

Fixed Income Investments

The following additional investment strategy and risk information relates to each Fund that may invest in fixed-income securities.

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities represent interests in pools of mortgages, loans, receivables or other assets. Payment of interest and repayment of principal may be largely dependent upon the cash flows generated by the assets backing the securities and, in certain cases, supported by letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit enhancements. Asset-backed security values may also be affected by other factors, including changes in interest rates, the availability of information concerning the pool and its structure, the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the pool, the originator of the loans or receivables, or the entities providing any credit enhancement. If the required payments of principal and interest are not made to the trust with respect to the underlying loans after the credit enhancement is exhausted, certificate holders may experience losses or delays in payment.

For many asset-backed securities, the cash flows from the pool are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche, which bears the first loss from defaults from the bonds or loans in the pool and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default (though such protection is not complete). Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from an asset-backed security typically has higher ratings and lower yields than its underlying securities, and may be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, asset-backed security tranches can experience substantial losses.

In addition, these securities may be subject to prepayment risk. Prepayment, which occurs when unscheduled or early payments are made on the underlying obligations, may shorten the effective maturities of these securities and may lower their total returns. Additionally, asset-backed securities are also subject to maturity extension risk. This is the risk that in a period of rising interest rates, prepayments may occur at a slower than expected rate, which may cause these securities to fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates.

A Fund may invest in each of collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is ordinarily issued by a trust or other special purpose entity (SPE) and is typically backed by a diversified pool of fixed-income securities (which may include high risk, below investment grade securities) held by such issuer. A CLO is ordinarily issued by a trust or other SPE and is typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and non-U.S. senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans, held by such issuer. Although certain CDOs may benefit from credit enhancement in the form of a senior-subordinate structure, over-collateralization or bond insurance, such enhancement may not always be present, and may fail to protect a Fund against the risk of loss on default of the collateral. Certain CDO issuers may use derivatives contracts to create synthetic exposure to assets rather than holding such assets directly, which entails the risks of derivative instruments described elsewhere in this SAI. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses, which are in addition to those of a Fund.

Interest on certain tranches of a CDO may be paid in kind or deferred and capitalized (paid in the form of obligations of the same type rather than cash), which involves continued exposure to default risk with respect to such payments. The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which a Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be illiquid. However, an active dealer market may exist for CDOs, allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) a Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by a Fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) risk of forced fire sale liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO’s manager may perform poorly.

Debt and Other Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities include, but are not limited to, preferred stocks, warrants, stock rights, corporate bonds and debentures and longer-term government securities, Brady Bonds, zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind bonds. Fixed-income

 

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securities also include mortgage-backed securities, which are debt obligations issued by government agencies and other non-government agency issuers. Mortgage-backed securities include obligations backed by a mortgage or pool of mortgages and direct interests in an underlying pool of mortgages. Mortgage-backed securities also include collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs). The mortgages involved could be those on commercial or residential real estate properties. Fixed-income securities may be issued by U.S. companies, the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities, foreign companies, foreign governments and their agencies and instrumentalities, and supranational organizations such as (but not limited to) the European Economic Community and the World Bank, or other issuers. The rate of interest on a fixed-income security may be fixed, floating or variable. Floating and variable rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The income earned by a Fund on investments in floating and variable rate securities will generally increase or decrease along with movements in the relevant index, benchmark or base lending rate. Thus, a Fund’s income on such investments will be more unpredictable than the income earned on such investments with a fixed rate of interest.

Brady Bonds are debt securities issued under the framework of the Brady Plan as a mechanism for debtor nations to restructure their outstanding external indebtedness (generally, commercial bank debt). Zero coupon bonds are debt obligations which do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest prior to maturity or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest, and therefore are issued and traded at a discount from their face amounts or par value. Pay-in-kind bonds pay interest through the issuance to holders of additional securities.

As a general matter, the value of debt securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates, and these fluctuations can be greater for debt securities with longer maturities. The market value of debt securities typically varies inversely to changes in prevailing interest rates. In periods of declining interest rates, the values of debt securities typically increase. In periods of rising interest rates, the values of those securities typically decrease. These fluctuations in the value of debt securities may cause the value of a Fund’s shares to fluctuate in value.

A Fund’s share price and yield also depend, in part, on the quality of its investments. U.S. Government securities generally are of high quality. Debt securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States (including those of foreign governments) may be affected by changes in the creditworthiness of the issuer of the security. The prices of investment grade bonds generally fluctuate less than the prices of bonds that are below investment grade. Investment grade bonds are those rated at the time of purchase in the top four credit rating categories of Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) or Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (S&P), or their equivalents from other nationally recognized rating agencies, or are unrated securities judged by the adviser to be of comparable value.

Delayed Delivery and When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments. Some Funds may purchase securities on a delayed delivery or when-issued basis and may purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis. When such transactions are negotiated, the price is fixed at the time of the commitment, but delivery and payment can take place a month or more after the date of the commitment. The securities so purchased are subject to market fluctuation and no interest accrues to the purchaser during this period. The Fund may sell the securities before the settlement date, if it is deemed advisable. At the time a Fund makes the commitment to purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, the Fund will record the transaction and thereafter reflect the value, each day, of such security in determining the net asset value of the Fund. At the time of delivery of the securities, the value may be more or less than the purchase price. A Fund will also segregate cash or liquid assets equal in value to commitments for such when-issued or delayed delivery securities; subject to this requirement, a Fund may purchase securities on such basis without limit. An increase in the percentage of a Fund’s assets committed to the purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis may increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value.

Exchange-Traded Notes (“ETNs”). A Fund may invest in ETNs. ETNs are typically notes representing senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt of the issuer, usually a financial institution. ETNs combine both aspects of bonds and ETFs. An ETN’s returns are based on the performance of one or more underlying assets, reference rates or indexes, minus fees and expenses. Similar to ETFs, ETNs are listed on an exchange and traded in the secondary market. However, unlike an ETF, an ETN can be held until the ETN’s maturity, at which time the issuer will pay a return linked to the performance of the specific asset, index or rate (reference instrument) to which the ETN is linked minus certain fees. Unlike regular bonds, ETNs do not make periodic interest payments, and principal is not protected.

The value of an ETN may be influenced by, among other things, time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying markets, changes in the applicable interest rates, the performance of the reference instrument, changes in the issuer’s credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the reference instrument. An ETN that is tied to a reference instrument may not replicate the performance of the reference instrument. ETNs also incur certain expenses not incurred by their applicable reference instrument. Some ETNs that use leverage can, at times, be relatively illiquid and, thus, they may be difficult to purchase or sell at a fair price. Levered ETNs are subject to the same risk as other instruments that use leverage in any form. While leverage allows for greater potential return, the potential for loss is also greater. Finally, additional losses may be incurred if the investment loses value because, in addition to the money lost on the investment, the loan still needs to be repaid.

Because the return on the ETN is dependent on the issuer’s ability or willingness to meet its obligations, the value of the ETN may change due to a change in the issuer’s credit rating, despite no change in the underlying reference instrument. The market value of ETN shares may differ from the value of the reference instrument. This difference in price may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for ETN shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the assets underlying the reference instrument that the ETN seeks to track. ETNs are also subject to tax risk. No assurance can be given that the Internal Revenue Service will accept, or a court will uphold, how a Fund characterizes and treat ETNs for tax purposes.

 

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There may be restrictions on a Fund’s right to redeem its investment in an ETN, which are generally meant to be held until maturity. A Fund’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market. An investor in an ETN could lose some or all of the amount invested.

Floating Rate Debt Investments (LIBOR). The London Interbank Offering Rate (“LIBOR”) is intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other in the London interbank market. On March 5, 2021, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) publicly announced that all U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings will either cease to be provided by any administrator or will no longer be representative (i) immediately after December 31, 2021 for one-week and two-month U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings and (ii) immediately after June 30, 2023 for the remaining U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings. As of January 1, 2022, as a result of supervisory guidance from U.S. regulators, some U.S. regulated entities have ceased entering into new LIBOR contracts with limited exceptions. Certain bank-sponsored committees in other jurisdictions, including Europe, the United Kingdom, Japan and Switzerland, have selected alternative reference rates denominated in other currencies. Any potential effects of the transition away from LIBOR on a Fund or on certain instruments in which a Fund invests can be difficult to ascertain, and they may vary depending on factors that include, but are not limited to: (i) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and (ii) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new products and instruments. For example, certain of a Fund’s investments may involve individual contracts that have no existing fallback provision or language that contemplates the discontinuation of LIBOR, and those investments could experience increased volatility or reduced liquidity as a result of the transition process. In addition, interest rate provisions included in such contracts may need to be renegotiated in contemplation of the transition away from LIBOR. On December 16, 2022, the Fed adopted a final rule that identifies the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) as the replacement for USD LIBOR. The transition of investments from LIBOR to a replacement rate as a result of amendment, application of existing fallbacks, statutory requirements or otherwise may also result in a reduction in the value of certain instruments held by a Fund or a reduction in the effectiveness of related Fund transactions such as hedges. Any such effects of the transition away from LIBOR, as well as other unforeseen effects, could result in losses to a Fund. Additionally, alteration of the terms of a debt instrument or a modification of the terms of other types of contracts to replace LIBOR or another interbank offered rate (“IBOR”) with a new reference rate could result in a taxable exchange and the realization of income and gain/loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The IRS has issued final regulations regarding the tax consequences of the transition from IBOR to a new reference rate in debt instruments and non-debt contracts. Under the final regulations, alteration or modification of the terms of a debt instrument to replace an operative rate that uses a discontinued IBOR with a qualified rate (as defined in the final regulations) including true up payments equalizing the fair market value of contracts before and after such IBOR transition, to add a qualified rate as a fallback rate to a contract whose operative rate uses a discontinued IBOR or to replace a fallback rate that uses a discontinued IBOR with a qualified rate would not be taxable. The IRS may provide additional guidance, with potential retroactive effect.

High Yield Fixed-Income Securities (“Junk” Bonds). Debt securities rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (bonds rated Ba or lower by Moody’s or BB or lower by S&P, or their equivalents from other nationally recognized rating agencies) constitute lower-rated fixed-income securities (commonly referred to as high yield bonds or “junk” bonds). See Appendix A to the SAI for a description of these ratings. Unrated bonds or bonds with split ratings are included in this limit if the adviser determines that these securities have the same characteristics as non-investment-grade bonds.

High yield bonds involve a higher degree of credit risk, that is, the risk that the issuer will not make interest or principal payments when due. In the event of an unanticipated default, a Fund would experience a reduction in its income, and could expect a decline in the market value of the securities affected. More careful analysis of the financial condition of each issuer of high yield bonds is necessary. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial stress which would adversely affect their ability to honor their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing.

The market prices of high yield bonds are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, but more sensitive to adverse economic or political changes, or in the case of corporate issuers, to individual corporate developments. Periods of economic or political uncertainty and change can be expected to result in volatility of prices of high yield bonds. High yield bonds also may have less liquid markets than higher-rated securities, and their liquidity as well as their value may be negatively affected by adverse economic conditions. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions as well as new or proposed laws also may have a negative impact on the market for high yield bonds.

The market for high yield bonds may be less active than that for higher-rated debt securities, which may make it difficult to value these securities. If market quotations are not available, high yield bonds will be “fair valued” in accordance with a Fund’s procedures. Judgment plays a greater role in valuing high yield bonds than is the case for securities for which more external sources for quotations and last-sale information are available.

Loans and Other Direct Debt Instruments. Direct debt instruments are interests in amounts owed by corporate, governmental, or other borrowers to lenders or lending syndicates (loans and loan participations), to suppliers of goods or services (trade claims or other receivables), or to other parties. Direct debt instruments involve a risk of loss in case of default or insolvency of the borrower and may offer less legal protection to the purchaser in the event of fraud or misrepresentation.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of interest and repayment of principal. If scheduled interest or principal payments are not made, the value of the instrument may be adversely affected. The rate of interest on a loan may be fixed, floating or variable. Loans that are fully secured provide more protections than an unsecured loan in the event of the borrower’s failure to make scheduled interest or principal payments. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral could be liquidated. Indebtedness of borrowers whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Borrowers that are in bankruptcy or restructuring may never pay off their

 

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indebtedness, or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Direct indebtedness of developing countries also involves a risk that the governmental entities responsible for the repayment of the debt may be unable, or unwilling, to pay interest and repay principal when due.

Investments in loans directly or through direct assignment of a financial institution’s interests with respect to a loan may involve additional risks. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the purchaser could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, a purchaser could be held liable as a co-lender. Direct debt instruments may also involve a risk of insolvency of the lending bank or other intermediary.

A loan is often administered by a bank or other financial institution that acts as agent for all holders. The agent administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the purchaser has direct recourse against the borrower, the purchaser may have to rely on the agent to apply appropriate credit remedies against a borrower. If assets held by the agent for the benefit of a purchaser were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent’s general creditors, the purchaser might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on the loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal or interest.

Direct indebtedness may include letters of credit, revolving credit facilities, or other standby financing commitments that obligate purchasers to make additional cash payments on demand. These commitments may have the effect of requiring the Fund to increase its investment in a borrower at a time when it would not otherwise have done so, even if the borrower’s condition makes it unlikely that the amount will ever be repaid.

Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are issued by government and non-government entities such as banks, mortgage lenders, or other institutions. A mortgage-related security is an obligation of the issuer backed by a mortgage or pool of mortgages or a direct interest in an underlying pool of mortgages. Some mortgage-related securities make payments of both principal and interest at a range of specified intervals; others make semiannual interest payments at a predetermined rate and repay principal at maturity (like a typical bond). Mortgage-related securities are based on different types of mortgages, including those on commercial real estate (CMBS) or residential properties (RMBS). Stripped mortgage-related securities are created when the interest and principal components of a mortgage-related security are separated and sold as individual securities. In the case of a stripped mortgage-related security, the holder of the “principal-only” security (PO) receives the principal payments made by the underlying mortgage, while the holder of the “interest-only” security (IO) receives interest payments from the same underlying mortgage.

Mortgage-related securities include collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) and real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs). CMOs are mortgage-backed bonds whose underlying value is the mortgages that are collected into different pools according to their maturity. CMOs are issued by U.S. government agencies and private issuers. REMICs are privately issued mortgage-backed bonds whose underlying value is a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. Like CMOs, REMICs offer different pools according to the underlying mortgages’ maturity. CMOs and REMICs issued by private entities — so-called “non-agency mortgage-backed securities”—are not collateralized by securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or instrumentalities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Funds may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class (“PAC”) CMOs and multi- class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches — known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds — which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk. Consistent with a Fund’s investment objectives and policies, a Fund may invest in various tranches of CMO bonds, including support bonds.

Fannie Maes and Freddie Macs are pass-through securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), respectively. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which guarantee payment of interest and repayment of principal on Fannie Maes and Freddie Macs, respectively, are federally chartered corporations supervised by the U.S. Government that act as governmental instrumentalities under authority granted by Congress. Fannie Mae is authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet its obligations. Fannie Maes and Freddie Macs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. However, in 2008, due to concerns related to the mortgage crisis, the Federal Housing Finance Agency placed these agencies into conservatorship and the U.S. government provided them with financial support.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency and the White House have made public statements regarding plans to consider ending the conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In the event that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are taken out of conservatorship, it is unclear how the capital structure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would be constructed and what effects, if any, there may be on their creditworthiness and guarantees of certain mortgage-backed securities. Should Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s conservatorship end, there could be an adverse impact on the value of their securities, which could cause losses to a Fund. In addition, under the direction of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have entered into a joint initiative to develop a common securitization platform for the issuance of a uniform mortgage-backed security (the “Single Security Initiative”) that aligns the characteristics of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac certificates. The Single Security Initiative was

 

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implemented in June 2019, and the effects it may have on the market for mortgage-backed securities are uncertain. There is no assurance that the U.S. government or its agencies will provide Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae with financial support in the future.

The value of mortgage-related securities may change due to shifts in the market’s perception of issuers and changes in interest rates. In addition, regulatory or tax changes may adversely affect the mortgage-related securities market as a whole. Non-government mortgage-related securities may offer higher yields than those issued by government entities, but also may be subject to greater price changes than government issues. Mortgage-related securities are subject to prepayment risk, which is the risk that early principal payments made on the underlying mortgages, usually in response to a reduction in interest rates, will result in the return of principal to the investor, causing it to be invested subsequently at a lower current interest rate. Alternatively, in a rising interest rate environment, mortgage-related security values may be adversely affected when prepayments on underlying mortgages do not occur as anticipated, resulting in the extension of the security’s effective maturity and the related increase in interest rate sensitivity of a longer-term instrument (extension risk). The prices of stripped mortgage-related securities tend to be more volatile in response to changes in interest rates than those of non-stripped mortgage-related securities.

Municipal Bonds. A Fund may invest in obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, the payments from which, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, are excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes (Municipal Bonds). A Fund may also invest in Municipal Bonds that pay interest excludable from gross income for purposes of state and local income taxes of the designated state and/or allow the value of a Fund’s shares to be exempt from state and local taxes of the designated state (State Municipal Bonds). A Fund may also invest in securities not issued by or on behalf of a state or territory or by an agency or instrumentality thereof, if the manager believes such securities to pay interest excludable from gross income for purposes of Federal income tax and state and local income taxes of the designated state and/or state and local personal property taxes of the designated state (Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities). Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities could include trust certificates or other instruments evidencing interest in one or more long term municipal securities. Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities also may include securities issued by other investment companies that invest in municipal bonds, to the extent such investments are permitted by applicable law. Other types of Municipal Bonds include, but are not limited to, moral obligation bonds, municipal notes, municipal lease obligations, tender option bonds, variable rate demand obligations, municipal interest rate swap transactions, insured municipal bonds and Build America bonds.

The issuer of Municipal Bonds pays a fixed, floating or variable rate of interest, and must repay the principal at maturity. The risks and special considerations involved in investment in Municipal Bonds vary with the types of instruments being acquired. Investments in Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities may present similar risks, depending on the particular product. Certain instruments in which a Fund may invest may be characterized as derivatives.

The value of the Municipal Bonds may be highly sensitive to events affecting the fiscal stability of the municipalities, agencies, authorities and other instrumentalities that issue securities. In particular, economic, legislative, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of the issuers to pay interest or repay principal may significantly affect the value of a Fund’s investments. These developments can include or arise from, for example, insolvency of an issuer, uncertainties related to the tax status of municipal securities, tax base erosion, state or federal constitutional limits on tax increases or other actions, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, or changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers. There will be a limited market for certain Municipal Bonds and a Fund could face illiquidity risks.

Municipal Bonds include debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including the construction of a wide range of public facilities, refunding of outstanding obligations and obtaining funds for general operating expenses and loans to other public institutions and facilities. In addition, certain types of bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to finance various privately owned or operated facilities, including certain facilities for the local furnishing of electric energy or gas, sewage facilities, solid waste disposal facilities and other specialized facilities. Such obligations are included within the term Municipal Bonds if the interest paid thereon is excluded from gross income for Federal income tax purposes and any applicable state and local taxes. Other types of private activity bonds, the proceeds of which are used for the construction, equipment or improvement of privately operated industrial or commercial facilities, may constitute Municipal Bonds, although the current Federal tax laws place substantial limitations on the size of such issues. The two principal classifications of Municipal Bonds are general obligation and revenue or special obligation bonds, which latter category includes private activity bonds (or industrial development bonds under pre-1986 law).

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). Equity real estate investment trusts own real estate properties, while mortgage real estate investment trusts make construction, development, and long-term mortgage loans. Their value may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property of the trusts, the creditworthiness of the issuer, property taxes, interest rates, and tax and regulatory requirements, such as those relating to the environment. Both types of trusts are dependent upon management skill, are not diversified, and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status of income under the Internal Revenue Code and failing to maintain an exemption from the 1940 Act. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, qualified REIT dividends (i.e., REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income) are eligible for a 20% federal income tax deduction in the case of individuals, trusts and estates. A Fund that receives qualified REIT dividends may elect to pass the special character of this income through to its shareholders. To be eligible to treat distributions from a Fund as qualified REIT dividends, a shareholder must hold shares of the Fund for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend and the shareholder must not be under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. If a Fund does not elect to pass the special character of this income through to shareholders or if a shareholder does not satisfy the above holding period requirements, the shareholder will not be entitled to the 20% deduction for the shareholder’s share of the Fund’s qualified REIT dividend income while direct investors in REITS may be entitled to the deduction.

 

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Real Estate Securities. A Fund investing significantly in the global real estate industry may carry a much greater risk of adverse developments in the real estate industry than a fund that invests less significantly in that industry. Real estate values rise and fall in response to a variety of factors, including: local, regional, and national and global economic conditions; interest rates; tax and insurance considerations; changes in zoning and other property-related laws; environmental regulations or hazards; overbuilding; increases in property taxes and operating expenses; or value decline in a neighborhood. When economic growth is slow, demand for property decreases and prices may decline.

To Be Announced (TBA) Investments Risk. TBA transactions include when-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments. These transactions involve a commitment by the Fund to purchase securities for a predetermined price or yield with payment and delivery taking place after a period longer than the customary settlement period for that type of security. TBA transactions involve the risks that the security the Fund buys will lose value prior to its delivery and that the counterparty will default. The Fund is subject to this risk whether or not the Fund takes delivery of the securities on the settlement date for a transaction. There is also the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund loses both the investment opportunity for the assets it set aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price. TBAs may also have a leverage-like effect on the Fund and may cause the Fund to be more volatile. To the extent the Fund “rolls over” TBA agreements prior to the settlement date, the Fund may experience higher portfolio turnover and increased taxable gains.

U.S. Government Securities. A Fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Securities guaranteed by the U.S. Government include: (1) direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury (such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds) and (2) federal agency obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Treasury (such as Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) certificates and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) debentures). The guarantee by the U.S. Government may be affected by ongoing debt negotiations and related uncertainty or debt default.

Securities issued by U.S. Government instrumentalities and certain federal agencies are neither direct obligations of, nor are they guaranteed by, the U.S. Treasury. However, they do generally involve federal sponsorship in one way or another. Some are backed by specific types of collateral. Some are supported by the issuer’s right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Some are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Treasury to purchase certain obligations of the issuer. Others are supported only by the credit of the issuing government agency or instrumentality. These agencies and instrumentalities include, but are not limited to, Federal Land Banks, Farmers Home Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. There is no guarantee that the government will support these types of securities and, therefore, they may involve more risk than other government obligations.

U.S. Government securities may be acquired by a Fund in the form of separately-traded principal and interest segments of selected securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. These segments are traded independently under the Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal Securities (STRIPS) program. Under the STRIPS program, the principal and interest parts are individually numbered and separately issued by the U.S. Treasury at the request of depository financial institutions, which then trade the parts independently. Obligations of the Resolution Funding Corp. are similarly divided into principal and interest parts and maintained on the book entry records of the Federal Reserve Banks.

A Fund may also invest in custodial receipts that evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments, or both, on certain U.S. Treasury notes or bonds in connection with programs sponsored by banks and brokerage firms. Such notes and bonds are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners of the receipts. These custodial receipts are known by various names, including Treasury Receipts (TRs), Treasury Interest Guarantee Receipts (TIGRs), and Certificates of Accrual on Treasury Securities (CATS) and may not be deemed U.S. Government securities.

A Fund may invest in collective investment vehicles, the assets of which consist principally of U.S. Government securities or other assets substantially collateralized or supported by such securities, such as government trust certificates.

In general, the U.S. Government securities in which a Fund invests do not have as high a yield as do more speculative securities not supported by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities.

Foreign Investments

The following additional investment strategy and risk information relates to each Fund that may invest in foreign securities.

Foreign Currency Transactions. A Fund may hold foreign currency deposits from time to time and may convert dollars and foreign currencies in the foreign exchange markets. Although foreign exchange dealers generally do not charge a fee for such conversions, they do realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the counterparty desire to resell that currency to the dealer. A Fund also may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts (forward contracts). Forward contracts are customized transactions that require a specific amount of a currency to be delivered at a specific exchange rate on a specific date or range of dates in the future. Forward contracts are generally traded in an interbank market directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. The parties to a forward contract may agree to offset or terminate the contract before its maturity, or may hold the contract to maturity and complete the contemplated currency exchange.

 

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A Fund will exchange foreign currencies for U.S. dollars and for other foreign currencies in the normal course of business and may buy and sell currencies through forward contracts in order to fix a price for securities it has agreed to buy or sell (transaction hedge). A Fund also may hedge some or all of its investments denominated in or exposed to foreign currency against a decline in the value of that currency relative to the U.S. dollar by entering into forward contracts to sell an amount of that currency (or a proxy currency whose performance is expected to replicate the performance of that currency) approximating the value of some or all of its portfolio securities denominated in or exposed to that currency (position hedge) or by participating in options or futures contracts with respect to the currency. A Fund also may enter into a forward contract with respect to a currency where the Fund is considering the purchase of investments denominated in or exposed to that currency but has not yet done so (anticipatory hedge). Certain Funds may also invest in currency forwards to gain exposure to a particular currency or to enhance returns.

A Fund may enter into forward contracts to shift its investment exposure from one currency to another. This may include shifting exposure from U.S. dollars to a foreign currency, or from one foreign currency to another foreign currency. This type of strategy, sometimes known as a “cross-hedge,” will tend to reduce or eliminate exposure to the currency that is sold, and increase exposure to the currency that is purchased, similar to if a Fund had sold a security denominated in one currency and purchased an equivalent security denominated in another. Cross-hedges protect against losses resulting from a decline in the hedged currency, but will cause a Fund to assume the risk of fluctuations in the value of the currency it purchases.

The matching of the increase in value of a forward contract and the decline in the U.S. dollar equivalent value of the foreign currency denominated asset that is the subject of the hedge generally will not be precise. In addition, a Fund may not always be able to enter into forward contracts at attractive prices and may be limited in its ability to use these contracts to hedge Fund assets. Also, with regard to a Fund’s use of cross-hedges, there can be no assurance that historical correlations between the movement of certain foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will continue. Poor correlation may exist between movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies underlying a Fund’s cross-hedges and the movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies in which its assets that are the subject of such cross-hedges are denominated.

Successful use of currency management strategies will depend on the adviser’s skill in analyzing currency values. Currency management strategies may substantially change a Fund’s investment exposure to changes in currency exchange rates and could result in losses to a Fund if currencies do not perform as the adviser anticipates. For example, if a currency’s value rose at a time when the adviser had hedged a Fund by selling that currency in exchange for dollars, a Fund would not participate in the currency’s appreciation. If the adviser hedges currency exposure through proxy hedges, a Fund could realize currency losses from both the hedge and the security position if the two currencies do not move in tandem. Similarly, if the adviser increases a Fund’s exposure to a foreign currency and that currency’s value declines, a Fund will realize a loss. There is no assurance that the adviser’s use of currency management strategies will be advantageous to a Fund or that it will hedge at appropriate times.

Foreign Investments. Foreign investments can involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments. The value of securities denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, and of dividends and interest from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than U.S. markets, and prices on some foreign markets can be highly volatile. Many foreign countries lack uniform accounting and disclosure standards comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain reliable information regarding an issuer’s financial condition and operations. In addition, the costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes, brokerage commissions and custodial costs, are generally higher than for U.S. investments and therefore may reduce the value of foreign investments.

Foreign markets may offer less protection to investors than U.S. markets. Foreign issuers, brokers, and securities markets may be subject to less government supervision. Foreign security trading practices, including those involving the release of assets in advance of payment, may involve increased risks in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a broker-dealer, and may involve substantial delays. It may be difficult to enforce legal rights in foreign countries.

Investing abroad involves different political and economic risks. Foreign investments may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of U.S. investors, including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on U.S. investment or on the ability to repatriate assets or convert currency into U.S. dollars, tariffs, trade embargoes or other government intervention. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign government-sponsored enterprises. Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic or social instability or collapse, military action or unrest, terrorism, regional conflicts, war or adverse diplomatic developments, which could negatively impact investments in those countries. The foreign countries in which a Fund invests may become subject to economic and trade sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. or foreign governments or the United Nations. Such sanctions or other actions could result in the devaluation of a country’s currency or a decline in the value and liquidity of securities of issuers in that country. In addition, such sanctions could result in a freeze on an issuer’s securities which would prevent a fund from selling securities it holds. The value of the securities issued by companies that operate in, or have dealings with these countries may be negatively impacted by any such sanction or embargo and may reduce a Fund’s returns. The risks related to sanctions or embargoes are greater in emerging and frontier market countries. There is no assurance that the adviser will be able to anticipate these potential events or counter their effects.

Investing in emerging markets involves additional risks. An “emerging market company” generally is any company domiciled or doing a substantial portion of its business in countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Market Index at the time of purchase. The countries included in this definition will change over time. Foreign investment considerations generally are intensified for investments in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a small number of securities. In many emerging markets, including China, there also is substantially greater risk that company disclosures will be incomplete or misleading and, in the event of investor harm, substantially less access to recourse, in comparison to U.S. domestic companies. Furthermore, with

 

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respect to business operations in China, there are significant risks due to the inability of the Public Company Accounting Board to access the audit work papers of Chinese audit firms. Securities of issuers located in China and other emerging market countries tend to have volatile prices and may offer significant potential for loss as well as gain. Securities of issuers located in China and other emerging market countries tend to have volatile prices and may offer significant potential for loss as well as gain.

In addition to investing directly in equity securities, the Funds may invest in American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). Generally, ADRs in registered form are U.S. dollar-denominated securities designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, which represent and may be converted into the underlying foreign security. EDRs are typically issued in bearer form and are designed for use in the European securities markets. GDRs are designed for use in the global securities markets. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks of investing directly in foreign securities, including currency risks and risks of foreign investing. Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored. Issuers of the stock of unsponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may not be an accurate correlation between such information and the market value of such depositary receipts.

On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from the EU (commonly known as “Brexit”). Negotiators representing the United Kingdom and EU came to a preliminary trade agreement that took effect on January 1, 2021, but many aspects of the United Kingdom-EU trade relationship remain subject to further negotiation. Uncertainties remain relating to certain aspects of the United Kingdom’s future economic, trading and legal relationships with the European Union and with other countries. Due to political uncertainty, it is not possible to anticipate the form or nature of the future trading relationship between the United Kingdom and the EU. The UK, EU and broader global economy may experience substantial volatility in foreign exchange markets and a sustained weakness in the British pound’s exchange rate against the United States dollar, the euro and other currencies, which may impact Fund returns. Brexit may also destabilize some or all of the other EU member countries and/or the Eurozone. These developments could result in losses to the Funds, as there may be negative effects on the value of a Funds’ investments and/or on a Funds’ ability to enter into certain transactions or value certain investments. These developments also may make it more difficult for a Fund to exit certain investments at an advantageous time or price. Such events could result from, among other things, increased uncertainty and volatility in the United Kingdom, the EU and other financial markets; fluctuations in asset values; fluctuations in exchange rates; decreased liquidity of investments located, traded or listed within the United Kingdom, the EU or elsewhere; changes in the willingness or ability of financial and other counterparties to enter into transactions or the price and terms on which other counterparties are willing to transact; and/or changes in legal and regulatory regimes to which Fund investments are or become subject. Any of these events, as well as an exit or expulsion of an EU member state other than the United Kingdom from the EU, could negatively impact Fund returns.

Investing through Stock Connect (China and Hong Kong). Certain Funds may invest in eligible securities (“Stock Connect Securities”) listed and traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (“SSE”) or the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (“SZSE”) through the Shanghai – Hong Kong Stock Connect program and the Shenzhen – Hong Kong Stock Connect program (collectively, “Stock Connect”). Stock Connect allows non-Chinese investors (such as the Funds) to purchase certain equities via brokers in Hong Kong. Although Stock Connect is the first program allowing non-Chinese investors to trade Chinese equities without a license, purchases of securities through Stock Connect are subject to market-wide daily quota limitations, which may prevent a Fund from purchasing Stock Connect securities when it is otherwise advantageous to do so. Once such daily quota on SSE or SZSE is used up, acceptance of the corresponding buy orders on SSE or SZSE (as applicable) will be immediately suspended and no further buy orders will be accepted for the remainder of the trading day. Buy orders which have been accepted will not be affected by the using up of the daily quota, while sell orders will continue to be accepted. An investor cannot purchase and sell the same security on the same trading day, which may restrict a Fund’s ability to invest in China A-shares through Stock Connect and to enter into or exit trades where it is advantageous to do so on the same trading day. Because Stock Connect trades are routed through Hong Kong brokers and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Stock Connect is affected by trading holidays in either the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) or Hong Kong, and there are trading days in the PRC when Stock Connect investors will not be able to trade. As a result, prices of Stock Connect may fluctuate at times when the Fund is unable to add to or exit its position. Only certain China A-shares are eligible to be accessed through Stock Connect. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in which case they could be sold but could no longer be purchased through Stock Connect. The applicable rules as well as trading, settlement and information technology (“IT”) systems required to operate Stock Connect are continuing to evolve. In the event that the relevant systems do not function properly, trading through Stock Connect could be disrupted.

Stock Connect is subject to regulations by both Hong Kong and the PRC. Regulators in both jurisdictions are allowed to suspend Stock Connect trading; Chinese regulators may also suspend trading in Chinese issuers (or permit such issuers to suspend trading) during market disruptions, and such suspensions may be widespread. There can be no assurance that further regulations will not affect the availability of securities under Stock Connect, operational arrangements or other limitations. Stock Connect transactions are not covered by investor protection programs of either the Hong Kong, Shanghai or Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, although for defaults by Hong Kong brokers occurring on or after January 1, 2020, the Hong Kong Investor Compensation Fund will cover losses incurred by investors with a cap at HK $500,000 per investor with respect to securities traded on a stock market operated by the SSE and/or SZSE and in respect of which an order for sale or purchase is permitted to be routed through the northbound link of the Stock Connect. In the PRC, Stock Connect securities are held on behalf of ultimate investors (such as the Fund) by the Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (“HKSCC”) as nominee. While Chinese regulators have affirmed that the ultimate investors hold a beneficial interest in Stock Connect securities, the mechanisms that beneficial owners may use to enforce their rights are untested. In addition, courts in China have limited experience in applying the concept of beneficial ownership and the law surrounding beneficial ownership will continue to evolve. To the extent HKSCC is deemed to be performing safekeeping functions with respect to assets held through it, a Fund has no legal relationship with HKSCC and no direct legal recourse against HKSCC in the event that the Fund suffers losses resulting from the performance or insolvency of HKSCC. In this event, a Fund may not fully recover its losses and the process could be delayed. A Fund may not be able to participate in corporate actions affecting Stock Connect securities due to time constraints or for other operational reasons. Similarly, a Fund will not be able to vote in shareholders’ meetings except through HKSCC and will not be able to attend shareholders’ meetings. HKSCC as nominee holder shall have

 

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no obligation to take any legal action or court proceeding to enforce any rights on behalf of the investors in respect of the Stock Connect securities in the PRC or elsewhere. Therefore, even though a Fund’s ownership may be ultimately recognized, the Fund may suffer difficulties or delays in enforcing their rights in A-shares. Stock Connect trades are settled in Renminbi (RMB), the Chinese currency, and investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of RMB in Hong Kong, which cannot be guaranteed.

Stock Connect trades are either subject to certain pre-trade requirements or must be placed in special segregated accounts that allow brokers to comply with these pre-trade requirements by confirming that the selling shareholder has sufficient Stock Connect securities to complete the sale. If a Fund does not utilize a special segregated account, a Fund will not be able to sell the shares on any trading day where it fails to comply with the pre-trade checks. In addition, these pre-trade requirements may, as a practical matter, limit the number of brokers that a Fund may use to execute trades. While the Fund may use special segregated accounts in lieu of the pre-trade check, relevant market practice with respect to special segregated accounts is continuing to evolve.

Investing through Bond Connect (China and Hong Kong). Certain Funds may invest in the China Interbank Bond Market (the “CIBM”) through China’s Bond Connect Program (“Bond Connect”) subject to any applicable regulatory limits. Bond Connect is a bond trading and settlement linked program developed by the People’s Bank of China (“PBOC”), Hong Kong Monetary Authority (“HKMA”), China Foreign Exchange Trade System and National Interbank Funding Centre (“CFETS”), China Central Depository and Clearing Co., Ltd. (“CCDC”), Shanghai Clearing House (“SCH”), Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and Central Moneymarkets Unit (“CMU”), with the aim of achieving mutual bond market access between China and Hong Kong. For the time being, this program allows eligible Hong Kong and overseas investors to invest in the bonds traded in the CIBM through the northbound trading of Bond Connect (the “Northbound Trade Link”) only.

Eligible Hong Kong and overseas investors may use their own sources of Renminbi in the Chinese offshore market (“CNH”) or convert foreign currencies into the Renminbi to invest in CIBM bonds under Bond Connect. A Fund will be exposed to any fluctuation in the exchange rate between the U.S. Dollar and Renminbi in respect of such investments. Currently, there is no investment quota for the Northbound Trade Link.

By seeking to invest in the CIBM via Bond Connect, a Fund is subject to the following additional risks:

General Risk. The relevant regulations are relatively untested and subject to change. There is no certainty as to how they will be applied, which could adversely affect a Fund. Bond Connect requires use of new information technology systems which may be subject to operational risk due to Bond Connect’s cross-border nature. If the relevant systems fail to function properly, trading in the CIBM through Bond Connect could be disrupted.

Market Risk. A Fund investing in the CIBM is subject to liquidity, valuation and volatility risks. Market volatility and potential lack of liquidity due to possible low trading volume of certain bonds in the CIBM may result in prices of certain bonds traded in the CIBM fluctuating significantly. The bid and offer spreads of the prices of such bonds may be large, and the Fund may therefore incur significant trading and realization costs and may even suffer losses when selling such investments. In addition, Bond Connect is only available on days when markets in both the PRC and Hong Kong are open. As a result, prices of securities purchased through Bond Connect may fluctuate at times when a Fund is unable to add to or exit its position and, therefore, may limit the Fund’s ability to trade when it would be otherwise attractive to do so.

To the extent that a Fund transacts in the CIBM, the Fund may also be exposed to risks associated with settlement procedures and default of counterparties. The counterparty which has entered into a transaction with the Fund may default in its obligation to settle the transaction by failure to deliver relevant securities or to make payment.

Third Party Agent Risk. Under the Northbound Trading Link, CFETS or other institutions recognized by PBOC (as the registration agents) shall apply for registration with PBOC for the eligible Hong Kong and overseas investors. In addition, CMU (as the offshore custody agent recognized by the HKMA) shall open a nominee account with CCDC/SCH (as the onshore custody agent) as nominee holder of the CIBM bonds purchased by Hong Kong and overseas investors through Bond Connect.

As the relevant filings, registration with PBOC, and account opening have to be carried out by an onshore settlement agent, offshore custody agent, registration agent or other third parties (as the case may be), a Fund is subject to the risks of default or errors on the part of such third parties.

Operational Risk. Bond Connect provides a new channel for investors from Hong Kong and overseas to access the CIBM directly. It is premised on the functioning of the operational systems of the relevant market participants. Market participants are able to participate in this program subject to meeting certain information technology capability, risk management and other requirements as may be specified by the relevant authorities.

The “connectivity” in Bond Connect requires routing of orders across the border. This requires the development of new information technology systems. There is no assurance that the systems of market participants will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in both markets. In the event that the relevant systems fail to function properly, trading in the CIBM through Bond Connect could be disrupted. A Fund’s ability to access the CIBM (and hence to pursue its investment strategy) may be adversely affected.

Regulatory Risk. The PBOC Bond Connect rules are departmental regulations having legal effect in China. However, the application of such rules is untested, and there is no assurance that Chinese courts will recognize such rules.

Bond Connect is novel in nature and is subject to regulations promulgated by regulatory authorities and implementation rules made by the relevant authorities in China and Hong Kong. Further, new regulations may be promulgated from time to time by the regulators in connection with operations and cross-border legal enforcement in connection with cross-border trades under Bond Connect.

The regulations are currently untested and there is no certainty as to how they will be applied. Moreover, the current regulations are subject to change. There can be no assurance that Bond Connect will not be abolished. A Fund which may invest in the CIBM through Bond Connect may be adversely affected as a result of such changes.

 

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Legal/Beneficial Ownership Risk. Where CIBM bonds are held in custody on a cross-border basis there are specific legal and beneficial ownership risks linked to the compulsory requirements of CMU and CCDC/SCH. CIBM bonds will be held by CMU as a nominee holder of the bonds purchased by foreign investors through Bond Connect. The PBOC has made it clear that the ultimate investors are the beneficial owners of the relevant bonds and shall exercise their rights against the bond issuer through CMU as the nominee holder. While the distinct concepts of nominee holder and beneficial owner are referred to under PBOC rules or regulations, as well as other laws and regulations in China, the application of such rules is untested, and there is no assurance that Chinese courts will recognize such concepts. Therefore, although a Fund’s ownership may be ultimately recognized, it may suffer difficulties or delays in enforcing its rights over CIMB bonds.

Tax within China. Uncertainties in the Chinese tax rules governing taxation of income and gains from investments in CIBM bonds through Bond Connect could result in unexpected tax liabilities for a Fund. A Fund’s investments in CIBM bonds may cause the Fund to become subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by China.

If a Fund were considered to be a tax resident enterprise of China, it would be subject to Chinese corporate income tax at the rate of 25% on its worldwide taxable income. If a Fund were considered to be a non-tax resident enterprise with a “permanent establishment” in China, it would be subject to Chinese corporate income tax on the profits attributable to the permanent establishment. The Adviser intends to operate the Funds in a manner that will prevent them from being treated as tax resident enterprises of China and from having a permanent establishment in China. It is possible, however, that China could disagree with that conclusion, or that changes in Chinese tax law could affect the Chinese corporate income tax status of a Fund.

Unless reduced or exempted by the applicable tax treaties, China generally imposes withholding income tax at the rate of 10% on dividends, premiums, interest and capital gains originating in China and paid to a company that is not a resident of China for tax purposes and that has no permanent establishment in China.

The Ministry of Finance of China and the State Administration of Taxation of China issued Caishui No. 108 on November 7, 2018 (“Notice 108”), which states that foreign investors will be temporarily exempt from the withholding income tax on their gains derived from CIBM bond interest.

The Adviser or a Fund may also potentially be subject to Chinese value added tax at the rate of 6% on capital gains derived from trading of CIBM bonds and coupon interest income (if any). Notice 108 specifies that foreign investors will also be temporarily exempt from the value added tax exemption on their gains derived from CIBM bond interest. In addition, urban maintenance and construction tax (currently at rates ranging from 1% to 7%), educational surcharge (currently at the rate of 3%) and local educational surcharge (currently at the rate of 2%) (collectively, the “surtaxes”) are imposed based on value added tax liabilities, so if the Adviser or a Fund were liable for value added tax it would also be required to pay the applicable surtaxes.

The temporary exemption of withholding tax and value added tax will continue during the period from November 7, 2021 through December 31, 2025. If, in the future, China begins to apply tax rules regarding the taxation of bond interest income derived by foreign investment in CIBM, and/or begins to collect withholding tax and other taxes on such investment, the Adviser or a Fund could be subject to such withholding tax and value added tax.

Derivatives Investments

The following additional investment strategy and risk information relates to each Fund that may invest in derivatives.

Derivatives. SEC Rule 18f-4 regulates the use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies. A Fund’s trading of derivatives and other transactions that create future payment or delivery obligations is subject to a value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limit, certain derivatives risk management program and reporting requirements. Generally, these requirements apply unless a Fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in the final rule. Under the rule, when a Fund trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, it needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the Fund’s asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. The SEC also provided guidance in connection with the rule regarding use of securities lending collateral that may limit the Funds’ securities lending activities. In addition, under the rule, a Fund is permitted to invest in a security on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard settlement cycle, and the transaction will be deemed not to involve a senior security (as defined under Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act), provided that, (i) the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision”). A Fund may otherwise engage in when-issued, forward-settling and non-standard settlement cycle securities transactions that do not meet the conditions of the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision so long as the Fund treats any such transaction as a “derivatives transaction” for purposes of compliance with the rule. Furthermore, under the rule, the Fund is permitted to enter into an unfunded commitment agreement, and such unfunded commitment agreement will not be subject to the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act, if the Fund reasonably believes, at the time it enters into such agreement, that it will have sufficient cash and cash equivalents to meet its obligations with respect to all such agreements as they come due. These requirements may limit the ability of a Fund to use derivatives and the other relevant transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements may increase the cost of a Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors. The Investment Adviser cannot predict the effects of these requirements on the Funds. The Investment Adviser intends to monitor developments and seek to manage the Funds in a manner consistent with achieving each Fund’s investment objective, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so.

Equity Linked Securities. Equity linked securities are privately issued derivative securities which have a return component based on the performance of a single security, a basket of securities, or an index. A Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in equity linked securities. Equity

 

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linked securities may be considered illiquid. In some instances, investments in equity linked securities may be subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in investment companies.

Foreign Options and Futures Markets. Options on U.S. Government securities, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts and options on foreign currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges and over-the-counter in foreign countries. Such transactions are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in or the prices of foreign currencies or securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (1) other complex foreign political and economic factors, (2) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (3) delays in a Fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (4) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States, and (5) low trading volume.

Special risks are presented by internationally-traded options. Because of time differences between the United States and the various foreign countries, and because different holidays are observed in different countries, foreign options markets may be open for trading during hours or on days when U.S. markets are closed and vice versa. As a result, option premiums may not reflect the current prices of the underlying interest in the United States.

Futures Contracts. The Funds may enter into contracts for the purchase or sale for future delivery of fixed-income securities, foreign currencies or contracts based on financial indices, including interest rates or an index of U.S. Government securities, foreign government securities, equity securities, fixed-income securities or commodities. The buyer or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying instrument unless the contract is held until the delivery date. However, both the buyer and seller are required to deposit initial margin for the benefit of a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) when the contract is entered into and to maintain the required variation margin. In the event of the bankruptcy of an FCM that holds margin on behalf of the Fund, the Fund may be entitled to return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by FCM’s other customers. The adviser will attempt to minimize this risk by careful monitoring of the creditworthiness of the FCMs with which the Fund does business.

The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets are subject to distortions due to differences in the nature of those markets. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to initial margin and variation margin requirements. Rather than meeting additional variation margin requirements, investors may close out futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which can distort the normal price relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced and prices in the futures market distorted. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the margin deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of the foregoing distortions, a correct forecast of cash price trends by the adviser still may not result in a successful use of futures.

Because futures contracts are generally settled within a day from the date they are closed out, compared with a settlement period of three days for some types of securities, the futures markets may provide superior liquidity compared to the securities markets. Nevertheless, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. In addition, futures exchanges may establish daily price fluctuation limits for futures contracts and may halt trading if a contract’s price fluctuates by more than the limit on a given day. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation limit is reached, it may be impossible for a Fund to enter into new positions or close out existing positions. If the secondary market for a futures contract is not liquid because of price fluctuation limits or otherwise, the Fund may not be able to promptly liquidate unfavorable futures positions and potentially could be required to continue to hold a futures position until the delivery date, regardless of changes in its value. As a result, a Fund’s access to other assets held to cover its futures positions also could be impaired.

Although a Fund would deposit with the FCM margin consisting of cash and liquid assets, these assets would be available to a Fund immediately upon closing out the futures position, while settlement of securities transactions could take several days. However, because a Fund is required to post cash or other assets as margin that may otherwise be invested would be held uninvested or invested in liquid assets so long as the futures position remains open, a Fund’s return could be diminished due to the opportunity losses of foregoing other potential investments.

Successful use of futures contracts as a hedge is subject to the ability of the adviser to correctly predict movements in the direction of interest rates or changes in market conditions. These predictions involve skills and techniques that may be different from those involved in the management of the portfolio being hedged. In addition, there can be no assurance that there will be a correlation between movements in the price of the underlying index or securities and movements in the price of the securities which are the subject of the hedge. A decision of whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected trends in interest rates or markets.

Pursuant to rules adopted by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), each Fund has filed a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (CPO) and, therefore, is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA). Funds operating as “funds of funds” have also claimed a temporary exemption from the definition of CPO under the CEA and, therefore, are not currently subject to registration or regulation as commodity pools under the CEA. These exemptions impose limitations on the amount of commodity interests that may be held directly or indirectly by a Fund.To the extent any Funds are, or become, no longer eligible to claim an exclusion from CFTC regulation, these Funds may consider steps, such as substantial investment strategy changes, in order to continue to qualify for exemption from CFTC regulation, or may determine to operate subject to CFTC regulation. With respect to Funds operating as “funds of funds,” when the temporary exemption expires (which will occur when specific regulatory guidance is issued by the CFTC), each Fund will evaluate whether it continues to be eligible to claim an exclusion from CFTC regulation or if, considering any factors relevant based on the

 

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nature of the regulatory guidance when it is issued, it should register and operate under CFTC regulation. Consequently, these Funds may incur additional expenses relating to CFTC compliance.

Indexed Securities. Indexed securities are instruments whose prices are indexed to the prices of other securities, securities indices, currencies, or other financial indicators. Indexed securities typically, but not always, are debt securities or deposits whose value at maturity or coupon rate is determined by reference to a specific instrument or statistic.

Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed-income securities or other instruments whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index (CPI) accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Treasury have maturities of five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis, equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and, consequently, the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. A Fund may also invest in other inflation related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. In addition, if a Fund purchases inflation-indexed bonds offered by foreign issuers, the rate of inflation measured by the foreign inflation index may not be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates, in turn, are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if inflation were to rise at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. There can be no assurance, however, that the value of inflation-indexed bonds will be directly correlated to changes in interest rates. While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond’s inflation measure. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

Mortgage-indexed securities, for example, could be structured to replicate the performance of mortgage securities and the characteristics of direct ownership.

Currency-indexed securities typically are short-term to intermediate-term debt securities whose maturity values or interest rates are determined by reference to the values of one or more specified foreign currencies and may offer higher yields than U.S. dollar-denominated securities. Currency-indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed; that is, their maturity value may increase when the specified currency value increases, resulting in a security that performs similarly to a foreign-denominated instrument, or their maturity value may decline when foreign currency values increase, resulting in a security whose price characteristics are similar to a put on the underlying currency. Currency-indexed securities may also have prices that depend on the value of a number of different foreign currencies relative to each other.

The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the performance of the security, currency, or other instrument to which they are indexed, and may also be influenced by interest rate changes in the United States and abroad. Indexed securities may be more volatile than the underlying investments. Indexed securities are also subject to the credit risks associated with the issuer of the security, and their values may decline substantially if the issuer’s creditworthiness deteriorates. Common issuers of indexed securities have included banks, corporations, and certain U.S. Government agencies.

Options and Futures Relating to Foreign Currencies. Currency futures contracts are similar to forward contracts, except that they are traded on exchanges (and have margin requirements) and are standardized as to contract size and delivery date. Most currency futures contracts call for payment or delivery in U.S. dollars. The underlying instrument of a currency option may be a foreign currency, which generally is purchased or delivered in exchange for U.S. dollars, or may be a futures contract. The purchaser of a currency call obtains the right to purchase the underlying currency, and the purchaser of a currency put obtains the right to sell the underlying currency.

The uses and risks of currency options and futures are similar to those of options and futures relating to securities or indices, as discussed below. A Fund may purchase and sell currency futures and may purchase and write currency options to increase or decrease its exposure to different foreign currencies. Currency options may also be purchased or written in conjunction with each other or with currency futures or forward contracts. Currency futures and options values can be expected to correlate with exchange rates, but may not reflect other factors that affect the value of a Fund’s investments. A currency hedge, for example, should protect a Yen-denominated security from a decline in the Yen, but will not protect a Fund against a price decline resulting from deterioration in the issuer’s creditworthiness. Because the value of a Fund’s foreign-denominated investments changes in response to many factors other than exchange rates, it may not be possible to match the amount of currency options and futures to the value of the Fund’s investments exactly over time.

Unlike transactions entered into by a Fund in futures contracts and options on futures contracts, certain options on foreign currencies and forward contracts are not traded on contract markets regulated by the CFTC or (with the exception of certain foreign currency options) by the SEC. Such instruments are traded through financial institutions acting as market-makers, although foreign currency options are also traded on certain national securities exchanges, such as the CBOE Options Exchanges, subject to SEC regulation. Similarly, options on currencies may be traded over-the-

 

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counter. In an over-the-counter trading environment, many of the protections afforded to exchange participants will not be available. For example, there are no daily price fluctuation limits, and adverse market movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a period of time. Although the buyer of an option cannot lose more than the amount of the premium plus related transaction costs, this entire amount could be lost. Moreover, an option writer and a buyer or seller of futures or forward contracts could lose amounts substantially in excess of any premium received or initial margin or collateral posted due to the potential additional margin and collateral requirements associated with such positions.

Options on foreign currencies traded on national securities exchanges are within the jurisdiction of the SEC, as are other securities traded on such exchanges. As a result, many of the protections provided to traders on organized exchanges will be available with respect to such transactions. In particular, all foreign currency option positions entered into on a national securities exchange are cleared and guaranteed by the Options Clearing Corp. (OCC), thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Further, a liquid secondary market in options traded on a national securities exchange may be more readily available than in the over-the-counter market, potentially permitting a Fund to liquidate open positions at a profit before exercise or expiration, or to limit losses in the event of adverse market movements.

Options on Futures Contracts. A Fund may purchase and sell (write) call and put options on futures contracts and enter into closing transactions with respect to such options to terminate existing positions. A Fund may use options on futures contracts in lieu of writing or buying options directly on the underlying securities or purchasing and selling the underlying futures contracts. For example, to hedge against a possible decrease in the value of its portfolio securities, a Fund may purchase put options or write call options on futures contracts rather than selling futures contracts. Similarly, a Fund may purchase call options or write put options on futures contracts as a substitute for the purchase of futures contracts to hedge against a possible increase in the price of securities which the Fund expects to purchase. Such options generally operate in the same manner as options purchased or written directly on the underlying investments.

As with options on securities, the holder or writer of an option may terminate the position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected.

A Fund will be required to deposit initial margin and maintenance margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it pursuant to brokers’ requirements similar to those described above.

Options on Securities. The Funds may purchase and sell (write) put and call options on securities that are traded on United States and foreign securities exchanges and over-the-counter and on indices of securities. By purchasing a put option, the purchaser obtains the right (but not the obligation) to sell the option’s underlying instrument at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the purchaser pays the current market price for the option (known as the option premium). Options have various types of underlying instruments, including specific securities, indices of securities prices, and futures contracts. The purchaser may terminate its position in a put option by allowing it to expire or by exercising the option. If the option is allowed to expire, the purchaser will lose the entire premium. If the option is exercised, the purchaser completes the sale of the underlying instrument at the strike price. A purchaser may also terminate a put option position by closing it out in the secondary market at its current price, if a liquid secondary market exists.

The buyer of a typical put option can expect to realize a gain if security prices fall substantially. However, if the underlying instrument’s price does not fall enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option, a put buyer can expect to suffer a loss (limited to the amount of the premium, plus related transaction costs).

The features of call options are essentially the same as those of put options, except that the purchaser of a call option obtains the right to purchase, rather than sell, the underlying instrument at the option’s strike price. A call buyer typically attempts to participate in potential price increases of the underlying instrument with risk limited to the cost of the option if security prices fall. At the same time, the buyer can expect to suffer a loss if security prices do not rise sufficiently to offset the cost of the option.

The writer of a put or call option takes the opposite side of the transaction from the option’s purchaser. In return for receipt of the premium, the writer of a put option assumes the obligation to pay the strike price for the option’s underlying instrument if the other party to the option chooses to exercise it. The writer may seek to terminate a position in a put option before exercise by closing out the option in the secondary market at its current price. If the secondary market is not liquid for a put option, however, the writer must continue to be prepared to pay the strike price while the option is outstanding, regardless of price changes. When writing an option on a futures contract, a Fund will be required to make margin payments to a futures commission merchant (FCM) as described below for futures contracts.

If security prices rise, a put writer would generally expect to profit, although its gain would be limited to the amount of the premium it received. If security prices remain the same over time, it is likely that the writer will also profit, because it should be able to close out the option at a lower price. If security prices fall, the put writer would expect to suffer a loss. This loss should be less than the loss from purchasing the underlying instrument directly, however, because the premium received for writing the option should mitigate the effects of the decline.

Writing a call option obligates the writer to sell or deliver the option’s underlying instrument, in return for the strike price, upon exercise of the option. The characteristics of writing call options are similar to those of writing put options, except that writing calls generally is a profitable strategy if prices remain the same or fall. Through receipt of the option premium, a call writer mitigates the effects of a price decline. At the same time, because a call writer must be prepared to deliver the underlying instrument in return for the strike price, even if its current value is greater, a call writer gives up some ability to participate in security price increases.

The successful use of a Fund’s options strategies depends on the ability of the adviser to forecast correctly market movements. For example, if the Fund were to write a call option based on the adviser’s expectation that the price of the underlying security would fall, but the price were to rise instead, the Fund could be required to sell the security upon exercise at a price below the current market price. Similarly, if the Fund were to write a

 

22


put option based on the adviser’s expectation that the price of the underlying security would rise, but the price were to fall instead, the Fund could be required to purchase the security upon exercise at a price higher than the current market price.

When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the option’s expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. This contrasts with an investment by the Fund in the underlying security, since the Fund will not lose any of its investment in such security if the price does not change.

The effective use of options also depends on a Fund’s ability to terminate option positions at times when the adviser deems it desirable to do so. Although a Fund will take an option position only if the adviser believes there is a liquid secondary market for the option, there is no assurance that a Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price.

If a secondary market in options were to become unavailable, a Fund could no longer engage in closing transactions. Lack of investor interest might adversely affect the liquidity of the market for particular options or series of options. A market may discontinue trading of a particular option or options generally. In addition, a market could become temporarily unavailable if unusual events, such as volume in excess of trading or clearing capability, were to interrupt its normal operations.

A market may at times find it necessary to impose restrictions on particular types of options transactions, such as opening transactions. For example, if an underlying security ceases to meet qualifications imposed by the market or the OCC, new series of options on that security will no longer be opened to replace expiring series, and opening transactions in existing series may be prohibited. If an options market were to become unavailable, the Fund as a holder of an option would be able to realize profits or limit losses only by exercising the option, and the Fund, as option writer, would remain obligated under the option until expiration or exercise.

Disruption in the markets for the securities underlying options purchased or sold by the Fund could result in losses on the option. If trading is interrupted in an underlying security, the trading of options on that security is normally halted as well. As a result, the Fund as purchaser or writer of an option will be unable to close out its positions until options trading resumes, and it may be faced with considerable losses if trading in the security reopens at a substantially different price. In addition, the OCC or other options markets may impose exercise restrictions. If a prohibition on exercise is imposed at the time when trading in the option has also been halted, the Fund as purchaser or writer of an option will be locked into its position until one of the two restrictions has been lifted. If the OCC were to determine that the available supply of an underlying security appears insufficient to permit delivery by the writers of all outstanding calls in the event of exercise, it may prohibit indefinitely the exercise of put options. The Fund, as holder of such a put option could lose its entire investment if the prohibition remained in effect until the put option’s expiration and the Fund was unable either to acquire the underlying security or to sell the put option in the market.

OTC Options. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size, and strike price, the terms of over-the-counter (OTC) options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. While this type of arrangement allows the purchaser or writer greater flexibility to tailor an option to its needs, OTC options generally involve greater credit risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.

Spreads and Straddles. In addition to the options strategies described previously, a Fund may engage in spread transactions in which it purchases and writes a put or call option on the same underlying instrument, with the options having different exercise prices and/or expiration dates. A Fund may also engage in so-called straddles, in which it purchases or sells combinations of put and call options on the same instrument. Spread and straddle transactions require the Fund to purchase and/or write more than one option simultaneously. Accordingly, a Fund’s ability to enter into such transactions and to liquidate its positions when necessary or deemed advisable may be more limited than if a Fund were to purchase or sell a single option. Similarly, costs incurred by a Fund in connection with these transactions will in many cases be greater than if a Fund were to purchase or sell a single option.

Stock Index Futures. A stock index futures contract does not require the physical delivery of securities, but merely provides for profits and losses resulting from changes in the market value of the contract to be credited or debited at the close of each trading day to the respective accounts of the parties to the contract. On the contract’s expiration date, a final cash settlement occurs and the futures positions are simply closed out. Changes in the market value of a particular stock index futures contract reflect changes in the specified index of equity securities on which the future is based. Stock index futures may be used to hedge the equity portion of a Fund’s securities portfolio with regard to market risk (involving the market’s assessment of over-all economic prospects), as distinguished from stock-specific risk (involving the market’s evaluation of the merits of the issuer of a particular security). By establishing an appropriate “short” position in stock index futures, a Fund may seek to protect the value of its portfolio against an overall decline in the market for equity securities. Alternatively, in anticipation of a generally rising market, a Fund can seek to avoid losing the benefit of apparently low current prices by establishing a “long” position in stock index futures and later liquidating that position as particular equity securities are in fact acquired. To the extent that these hedging strategies are successful, a Fund will be affected to a lesser degree by adverse overall market price movements, unrelated to the merits of specific portfolio equity securities, than would otherwise be the case.

Structured Products. A Fund may invest in structured products, including instruments such as credit-linked securities, commodity-linked notes and structured notes, which are potentially high-risk derivatives. For example, a structured product may combine a traditional stock, bond, or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption, or interest rate of a structured product is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a benchmark). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed-income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a

 

23


structured product may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a structured product could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a structured product would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Structured products can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging, duration management, and increased total return. Structured products may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a structured product or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a structured product. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a structured product could be zero. Thus, an investment in a structured product may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of structured products also exposes a Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the net asset value of a Fund.

Certain structured products may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options, or similar instruments (commodity-linked notes). Commodity-linked notes may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The purchase of commodity-linked notes will expose a Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the commodity-linked product. Commodity-linked notes may also be more volatile, relatively less liquid, and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities.

Structured notes are derivative debt instruments, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator (for example, a currency, security, commodity or index thereof). The terms of the instrument may be structured by the purchaser and the borrower issuing the note. The terms of structured notes may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity, which may result in a loss of invested capital. Issuers of structured notes include corporations and banks. Structured notes may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the unrelated indicator may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured note at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the unrelated indicator. Therefore, the value of such notes and securities may be very volatile. Structured notes may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the unrelated indicator. Structured notes also may be more volatile, relatively less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities.

Certain issuers of structured products may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, a Fund’s investments in these structured products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

Swaps. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differential in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index.

An interest rate swap is a contract in which two parties exchange different types of interest payment streams, pegged to an underlying notional principal amount. Another type of swap is an inflation swap in which one party transfers inflation risk to another party through an exchange of cash flows. One of the parties pays a fixed rate tied to a notional principal amount, while the other party pays a floating rate tied to an inflation index.

A cap is a contract for which the buyer pays a fee, or premium, to obtain protections against a rise in a particular interest rate above a certain level. For example, an interest rate cap may cover a specified principal amount of a loan over a designated time period, such as a calendar quarter. If the covered interest rate rises above the rate ceiling, the seller of the rate cap pays the purchaser an amount of money equal to the average rate differential times the principal amount times one-quarter. A floor is a contract in which the seller agrees to pay to the purchaser, in return for the payment of a premium, the difference between current interest rates and an agreed (strike) rate times the notional amount, should interest rates fall below the agreed level (the floor). A floor contract has the effect of a string of interest rate guarantees.

Swap transactions, caps and floors are typically net basis contracts (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments). The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Fund’s obligations over its entitlement with respect to each transaction will be calculated on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess may be required to be posted as collateral with the counterparty as security for such obligations.

A Fund may enter into a credit default swap (CDS) contract, which is an instrument by which one party transfers to another party the financial risk of a certain credit event as it relates to a particular reference security or basket of securities (such as an index). In exchange for the protection given by the seller of the CDS contract, the purchaser of the protection agrees to pay the seller of the protection a periodic premium. The Fund might use CDS contracts to limit or to reduce the risk exposure of the Fund to defaults of the issuers of its holdings or to decreases in certain markets. The Fund might also sell protection and use CDS contracts to increase or vary exposure to certain securities or markets. As the seller of protection, in the event a credit event occurs, the seller of protection has the obligation to make the purchaser whole or pay an agreed upon amount in return for the transfer to the seller of protection of the reference securities.

 

24


CDS contracts do not involve netting, but require the payment of a premium by the purchaser of protection and if a credit event occurs, the delivery to the seller of protection of the reference securities, securities equal in value to the reference securities or the negotiated monetary value of the obligation. If a credit event occurs, the seller of protection has the obligation to make the purchaser of protection whole or pay an agreed upon amount. The Fund will post cash or other liquid assets as collateral to cover its obligations under the swap transaction.

A Fund may enter into currency swaps. Currency swaps are transactions in which one currency is simultaneously bought for a second currency on a spot basis and sold for the second currency on a forward basis. Currency swaps involve the exchange of the rights of a Fund and another party to make or receive payments in specified currencies, and typically require the delivery of the entire principal value of one designated currency in exchange for the other designated currency.

The use of swaps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio transactions. Whether the Fund’s use of these transactions will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on a sub-adviser’s ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments.

A significant risk in swap transactions is the creditworthiness of the counterparty because the integrity of the transaction depends on the ability of the counterparty to meet its contractual obligations. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. In the event of a counterparty’s (or its affiliate’s) insolvency, a Fund’s ability to exercise remedies, such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral, could be stayed or eliminated under special resolution regimes adopted in the United States, the EU and various other jurisdictions. Such regimes generally provide government authorities with broad authority to intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulty. In the EU, the regulatory authorities could reduce, eliminate or convert to equity the liabilities to a fund of a counterparty subject to such proceedings (sometimes referred to as a “bail in”). Currently, some transactions are required to be centrally cleared. Swap transactions that are not centrally cleared may be relatively less liquid than exchange-traded instruments and are subject to margin requirements that will be implemented on a phased-in basis. Central clearing is expected to decrease counterparty risk by interposing the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each of the parties to the original bi-lateral swap contract.

The Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Funds may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have adopted the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The Dodd-Frank Act and the rules promulgated thereunder may negatively impact a Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on a Fund or its counterparties may impact that Fund’s ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Funds, including margin requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

SEC Names Rule Requirement

LVIP American Century Large Company Value Fund. The Fund’s policy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of companies comprising the Russell 1000 Index is a non-fundamental policy changeable only upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders.

LVIP American Century Mid Cap Value Fund. The Fund’s policy of normally investing at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of medium size companies, is a non-fundamental policy changeable only upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders.

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

The Funds’ Adviser or sub-advisers (as applicable) (collectively referred to as the Adviser) are responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities and other investments for each Fund, and for the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. Purchases and sales of securities on an exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. A particular broker may charge different commissions according to such factors as the difficulty and size of the transaction. Transactions in foreign securities generally involve the payment of fixed brokerage commissions, which are generally higher than those in the United States. There is generally no stated commission in the case of securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, but the price paid by the Fund usually includes an undisclosed dealer commission or mark-up. In the U.S. Government securities market, securities are generally traded on a net basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the securities usually includes a profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid.

 

25


The Adviser currently provides investment advice to a number of other clients. The Adviser will allocate purchase and sale transactions among each of the Funds and other clients whose assets are managed in such manner as is deemed equitable. In making such allocations, among the major factors the Adviser considers are the investment objectives of the relevant Fund, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held, and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the Funds and other client accounts. Securities of the same issuer may be purchased, held, or sold at the same time by a Fund or other accounts or companies for which the Adviser provides investment advice (including affiliates of the Adviser, as the case may be).

On occasions when the Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interest of a Fund, as well as its other clients, the Adviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may aggregate such securities to be sold or purchased for a Fund with those to be sold or purchased for its other clients in order to obtain best execution. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Adviser in a manner it considers to be equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to all such clients, including a Fund. In some instances, the procedures may impact the price and size of the position obtainable for a Fund.

In connection with effecting portfolio transactions, consideration will be given to securing the most favorable price and efficient execution. Within the framework of this policy, the reasonableness of commission or other transaction costs is a major factor in the selection of brokers and is considered together with other relevant factors, including financial responsibility, confidentiality (including trade anonymity), research and investment information and other services provided by such brokers. It is expected that, as a result of such factors, transaction costs charged by some brokers may be greater than the amounts other brokers might charge. The Adviser may determine in good faith that the amount of such higher transaction costs is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided.

The Board of Trustees will review the reasonableness of commissions and other transaction costs incurred from time to time and will receive reports regarding brokerage practices. The nature of the research services provided to the Adviser by brokerage firms varies from time to time but generally includes current and historical financial data concerning particular companies and their securities; information and analysis concerning securities markets and economic and industry matters; and technical and statistical studies and data dealing with various investment opportunities; and risks and trends, all of which the Adviser regards as a useful supplement of its own internal research capabilities.

The Adviser may from time to time direct trades to brokers which have provided specific brokerage or research services for the benefit of the clients of the Adviser; in addition, the Adviser may allocate trades among brokers that generally provide such services. Research services furnished by brokers are for the benefit of all the clients of the Adviser and not solely or necessarily for the benefit of the Funds. The Adviser believes that the value of research services received is not determinable and does not significantly reduce its expenses. A Fund does not reduce its fee to the Adviser by any amount that might be attributable to the value of such services.

Because the Funds are new, there are no brokerage commissions to report.

Because the Funds are new, there are no commissions to report related to brokerage and research services to the Funds.

Purchases of Securities of “Regular” Brokers or Dealers

Because the Funds are new, the Funds did not hold investments in securities of the Trust’s regular broker dealers.

No Commissions to Finance Distribution

The 1940 Act permits a Fund to use its selling brokers to execute transactions in portfolio securities only if the Fund or its adviser has implemented policies and procedures designed to ensure that the selection of brokers for portfolio securities transactions is not influenced by considerations relating to the sale of Fund shares. Accordingly, the Funds maintain, among other policies, a policy that prohibits them from directing to a broker-dealer in consideration for the promotion or sale of Fund shares: (a) Fund portfolio securities transactions; or (b) any commission or other remuneration received or to be received from the Fund’s portfolio transactions effected through any other broker-dealer. The Funds have also established other policies and procedures designed to ensure that a Fund’s brokerage commissions are not used to finance the distribution of Fund shares.

Commission Recapture Program

[The Funds did not participate in commission recapture programs.]

Portfolio Turnover

A portfolio turnover rate is the percentage computed by dividing the lesser of a Fund’s purchases or sales of securities (excluding short-term securities) by the average market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. The Adviser intends to manage each Fund’s assets by buying and selling securities to help attain its investment objective. This may result in increases or decreases in a Fund’s current income available for distribution to its shareholders. While the Funds are not managed with the intent of generating short-term capital gains, each Fund may dispose of investments (including money market instruments) regardless of the holding period if, in the opinion of the Adviser, an issuer’s creditworthiness or perceived changes in a company’s growth prospects or asset value make selling them advisable. Such an investment decision may result in a high portfolio turnover rate during a given period, resulting in increased transaction costs, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other

 

26


transaction costs on the sale of the securities and reinvestment in other securities. These effects of higher than normal portfolio turnover may adversely affect a Fund’s performance.

Because the Funds are new, there is no portfolio turnover to report.

Trustees and Officers

The Board of Trustees (“Board of Trustees” or the “Board”) oversees the management of the Funds and elects the Trust’s officers. The Trustees of the Trust (“Trustees”) have the power to amend the Trust’s bylaws, to declare and pay dividends, and to exercise all the powers of the Trust except those granted to the shareholders. The Trustees hold their position until their resignation, retirement, or their successors are elected and qualified. The Trust has a mandatory retirement policy for its Board of Trustees. Such policy requires that a Trustee retire from the Board no later than the end of the calendar year (December 31) that occurs after the earliest of (1) the Independent Trustee’s 75th birthday or (2) the 20th anniversary of the Trustee becoming a Board member.

The Trust’s officers are responsible for the Funds’ day-to-day operations. Information pertaining to the Trustees and Executive Officers of the Trust is set forth below. The Trustee that is deemed an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, is included in the table titled, “Interested Trustee.” Trustees who are not interested persons are referred to as Independent Trustees.

The term Fund Complex includes the [122] series of the Trust.

Interested Trustee

 

Name, Address and

Year of Birth

  

Position(s)
Held With
the Funds

  

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

  

Principal
Occupation(s)
during Past
Five Years

  

Number of
Funds in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
during Past Five Years

Jayson R. Bronchetti*

150 N. Radnor-Chester Road Radnor, PA 19087

YOB: 1979

   Chairman and Trustee    Since June 2021   

Since April 2016, Director and President, Lincoln Financial Investments

Corporation; SVP, Head of Funds Management &

Corporate Fixed Income, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company.

   [122]   

Lincoln Financial

Investments Corporation; CITRS, Inc.

 

*

Mr. Bronchetti is an interested person of the Trust because he is a Director and an Officer of Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation, the investment adviser to the Trust, and an officer of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, the parent company of the Trust’s investment adviser.

 

27


Independent Trustees

 

Name, Address and

Year of Birth

  

Position(s)
Held With
the Funds

  

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

  

Principal
Occupation(s)
during Past
Five Years

  

Number of
Funds in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
during Past Five Years

Steve A. Cobb

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1971

   Trustee    Since January 2013    Managing Director, CID Capital (private equity firm)    [122]    None

Ken C. Joseph

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1962

   Trustee    Since January 2022   

Managing Director & Head of Financial Services

Compliance and Regulatory Consulting in the Americas, Kroll LLC; Formerly:

Associate Director, Division of Examinations, U.S.

Securities & Exchange Commission

   [122]   

Board of Directors of

University Settlement;

Board of Directors of

Harvard Kennedy School NY/NJ/CT Alumni Network (President); Board of

Directors of the University of North Carolina, School of Law Alumni Association

Barbara L. Lamb

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1954

   Trustee    Since February 2019   

Retired; Formerly:

Managing Director for

Finance and

Administration, WH

Trading, LLC (derivatives trading firm); Formerly: Managing Director, Cheiron Trading LLC (derivatives trading firm)

   [122]    South Suburban Humane Society; Formerly: Trustee of Henderson Global Funds (2014-2017)

Gary D. Lemon, Ph.D.

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1948

   Trustee    Since February 2006   

Professor of Economics and Management, DePauw University, Chair of

Economics and

Management DePauw

University; Formerly:

Joseph Percival Allen, III, University Professor;

James W. Emison Director of the Robert C.

McDermond Center for Management and

Entrepreneurship

   [122]    None

Thomas A. Leonard

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1949

   Trustee    Since December 2013   

Retired; Formerly: Partner of Pricewaterhouse

Coopers LLP (accounting firm)

   [122]    Copeland Capital Trust since 2010 (2 portfolios)

Charles I. Plosser

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1948

   Trustee    Since January 2018   

Retired; Formerly: Chief Executive Officer and

President of Federal

Reserve Bank of

Philadelphia, Inc.

   [122]   

Formerly: Public Governor for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

(FINRA)

Pamela L. Salaway

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1957

   Trustee    Since December 2013   

Retired; Formerly: Chief Risk Officer, Bank of

Montreal/Harris Financial Corp. U.S. Operations

   [122]    None

Manisha A. Thakor

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1970

   Trustee    Since January 2022   

Founder of MoneyZen LLC; Formerly: Vice President, Brighton Jones; Formerly: Director of Wealth

Strategies for Women, Buckingham Financial

   [122]   

Board Member at The

National Endowment for Financial Education since 2017

 

28


Name, Address and

Year of Birth

  

Position(s)
Held With
the Funds

  

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

  

Principal
Occupation(s)
during Past
Five Years

  

Number of
Funds in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
during Past Five Years

Brian W. Wixted

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1959

   Trustee    Since February 2019   

Formerly: Senior

Consultant, CKC Consulting and an Advisory Partner, AI Capital; Formerly: Senior Vice President, Finance, and Fund Treasurer,

Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. (mutual fund complex)

   [122]    Thornbury Income Builder Opportunities Trust since 2020

Nancy B. Wolcott

1301 S. Harrison Street,

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1954

   Trustee    Since October 2017    Retired; Formerly: EVP, BNY Mellon; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing    [122]    FundVantage Trust since 2011 (40 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust since 2019 (4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust since 2019 (1 portfolio)

Officers of the Trust

 

Name, Address and

Year of Birth

  

Position(s)
Held With
the Funds

  

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

  

Principal
Occupation(s)
during Past
Five Years

Jayson R. Bronchetti

150 N. Radnor-Chester Road

Radnor, PA 19087

YOB: 1979

   President    Since April 2016; Formerly: Vice President August 2015 to April 2016   

Director and President, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation; Chief Investment Officer of The Lincoln National Life

Insurance Company; Formerly: Director, Senior Vice President and Head of Funds Management.

William P. Flory, Jr.

1301 S. Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1961

   Vice President, Treasurer, and Chief Accounting Officer   

Vice President since June 2011; Chief Accounting Officer since May 2006;

Treasurer since June 2019

  

Vice President and Treasurer, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation; Vice President and Director of Separate Account Operations and Mutual Fund Administration, The Lincoln National Life Insurance

Company; Formerly: Second Vice President, Director of Separate Account Operations, The Lincoln National Life Insurance

Company.

Samuel K. Goldstein

150 N. Radnor-Chester Road

Radnor, PA 19087

YOB: 1976

   Vice President and Assistant Secretary    Since June 2019    Vice President and Assistant Secretary, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation; Vice President, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company; Vice President, Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York; Vice President, Lincoln National Corporation.

Ronald A. Holinsky

150 N. Radnor-Chester Road

Radnor, PA 19087

YOB: 1970

  

Senior Vice President,

Secretary, and Chief Legal Officer

   Since August 2018; Formerly: Vice President since October 2016    Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel, Investment Management, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company; Senior Vice President, Secretary, and Chief Legal Officer, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation; Formerly: Vice President and Chief Counsel – Funds Management, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company; Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Assistant General Counsel, Lincoln National Corporation; Vice President, Secretary, and Chief Legal Officer, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation.

Jennifer M. Matthews

1301 S. Harrison Street

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

YOB: 1976

   Vice President    Since April 2018   

Vice President, Lincoln Financial

Investments Corporation; Vice President, The Lincoln National Life Insurance

Company.

 

29


Name, Address and

Year of Birth

  

Position(s)
Held With
the Funds

  

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

  

Principal
Occupation(s)
during Past
Five Years

Benjamin A. Richer

150 N. Radnor-Chester Road

Radnor, PA 19087

YOB: 1984

   Senior Vice President    Since March 2022; Formerly: Vice President since April 2018   

Senior Vice President and Head of Funds Management, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation; Senior Vice President, Lincoln National Corporation; Senior Vice President, The Lincoln National Life Insurance

Company; Senior Vice President, Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York; Formerly: Director of Asset Strategies, Nationwide Fund Advisors.

John (Jack) A. Weston

150 N. Radnor-Chester Road

Radnor, PA 19087

YOB: 1959

  

Vice President and Chief

Compliance Officer

   Since May 2007    Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation; Vice President, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company.

Amber Williams

150 N. Radnor-Chester Road

Radnor, PA 19087

YOB: 1979

   Senior Vice President    Since March 2022; Formerly, Vice President since May 2019   

Senior Vice President and Head of Client Investment Strategies, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation; Senior Vice President, Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York; Senior Vice President, Lincoln National Corporation; Senior Vice President, The Lincoln National Life Insurance

Company; Formerly, Head of Product Management, Nationwide Investment Management Group

Yajun (Alex) Zeng

150 N. Radnor-Chester Road

Radnor, PA 19087

YOB: 1982

   Vice President    Since April 2018    Vice President and Managing Director, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation; Vice President, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company.

Trustee Qualifications

The following is a brief description of the experience and attributes of each Trustee that led the Board to conclude that each Trustee is qualified to serve on the Trust’s Board of Trustees. References to the experience and attributes of Trustees are pursuant to requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and are not holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any Trustee or on the Board of Trustees.

Jayson R. Bronchetti. Mr. Bronchetti has served as Director and President of Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation since August 2016. Mr. Bronchetti also serves as an officer of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company. Mr. Bronchetti joined Lincoln Financial Group in 2013. Mr. Bronchetti previously served as Executive Director of Debt Capital Markets for J.P. Morgan. He has also held positions in private equity, fixed income asset management, credit research, and trading with Macquarie Investments and Bank of America. He is a founding Chapter Executive of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (“CAIA”) Society of Philadelphia and has served as a board member on several private equity owned companies and charitable foundations. Mr. Bronchetti received a bachelor’s degree in finance, with a minor in economics, from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He is also a graduate of the Executive Development Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Bronchetti is a member of the CFA Society of Philadelphia, and holds Series 7, Series 79, and Series 63 securities licenses.

Steve A. Cobb. Mr. Cobb has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2013. He is currently a Managing Director of CID Capital (CID), a private equity firm he joined in 2001. Mr. Cobb is currently a director of Fit and Fresh (a manufacturer of consumer housewares products), Lumisource + Grandview Gallery (designer and distributor of residential furniture and lighting products), and Giftcraft (a provider of consumer gift products). He has previously served as a director of multiple other companies. Mr. Cobb is a founder and past Director of the Indiana Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. He is a past director of several community non-profit organizations. Prior to joining CID, Mr. Cobb was a finance manager with Procter & Gamble where he held a variety of operational and financial roles, including financial analysis, accounting, and internal controls. Through his experience, Mr. Cobb provides the Board with over twenty years of financial, accounting and business management insight.

Ken C. Joseph. Mr. Joseph has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2022. He is currently a Managing Director & Head of Financial Services Compliance and Regulatory Consulting in the Americas for Kroll LLC (formerly Duff & Phelps, LLC). Mr. Joseph previously served for over 20 years at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, including as Associate Director/Senior Officer in the Division of Examinations (formerly known as the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations), and as an Assistant Director in the Division of Enforcement. He previously served as an Associate Dean of St. John’s University, NY. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Harvard Kennedy School NY/NJ/CT Alumni Network (President), University Settlement, and the University of North Carolina, School of Law Alumni Association. Mr. Joseph provides the board with compliance, securities law and business experience.

 

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Barbara L. Lamb. Ms. Lamb has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2019. She retired from WH Trading LLC in 2022. Ms. Lamb served as a Managing Director of Finance and Administration for WH Trading LLC from 2015-2022. She previously served as a Managing Director of Cheiron Trading LLC from 2012-2015 and a Financial Officer for Valorem Law Group, LLC from 2008-2009. Previously, she served as Chief Development Officer for Market Liquidity, LLC from 1999-2001. Ms. Lamb served as Chief Credit Officer, Senior Vice President, and Director for The Chicago Corporation from 1986-1998 and in several finance and development positions from 1980-1986. Ms. Lamb holds the Chartered Financial Analyst Designation and is a member of the CFA Institute of Chicago. Through her experience, Ms. Lamb provides the board with risk management and investing insight.

Gary D. Lemon, Ph.D. Dr. Lemon has served as Advisory Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust from 2004 to 2006 and as a Trustee since 2006. Dr. Lemon has a Master’s Degree and Ph.D in Economics. Since 1976, Dr. Lemon has been a Professor of Economics and Management at DePauw University and is the current Chair of the Economics and Management department. Dr. Lemon was formerly the James W. Emison Director of the Robert C. McDermond Center for Management and Entrepreneurship at DePauw University. He is a former member of the Greencastle City Council and the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission. He is an author of a book on investing. He has also served on several other committees and in various advisory roles in both the community and university settings. Through his experience, Dr. Lemon brings academic and investment insight.

Thomas A. Leonard. Mr. Leonard has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2013. Mr. Leonard retired from Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLP in 2008, where he had served as Financial Services Industry Leader in the firm’s Philadelphia office from 2000-2008 and from 1982-2008 as a Partner providing services to clients predominately in the asset management business with a focus on global fund complexes and insurance company retail and variable funds. Mr. Leonard is currently a board member of Copeland Capital Trust and was previously a board member of AlphaOne Capital and WT Mutual Fund. Since 2012, Mr. Leonard has served as a consultant to the FundVantage Trust. Through his experience, Mr. Leonard provides the Board with accounting, auditing and financial services industry experience.

Charles I. Plosser. Mr. Plosser has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2018. Mr. Plosser formerly served as a Public Governor for FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, where he serves on the Investment Committee and the Finance, Operations and Technology Committee. Mr. Plosser served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Inc. from August 2006 to March 2015 and as Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Federal Reserve System Retirement Systems. Mr. Plosser was the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Bradley Policy Research Center at the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester, where he also served as Dean from 1993 to 2003. Mr. Plosser was also a professor of economics in the Department of Economics at the University of Rochester, a senior research associate at the Rochester Center for Economic Research in the University’s College of Arts and Science and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has also been a visiting scholar at the Bank of England and Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. He has served as a consultant to numerous corporations, including Chase Manhattan Bank, Eastman Kodak Company and The Wyatt Company, on topics ranging from strategic planning and forecasting to portfolio and pension fund management, capital budgeting and financial analysis. Through his experience, Mr. Plosser provides federal banking experience and economic knowledge.

Pamela L. Salaway. Ms. Salaway has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2013. Ms. Salaway retired from the Bank of Montreal/Harris Financial Corp in 2010 where she most recently had served as Chief Risk Officer of BMO’s U.S. operations from 2007 to 2009 and as the Harris Financial Corp Personal & Commercial Line of Business Chief Credit Officer/Chief Risk Officer from 2007 to 2010. From 2000 to 2006, she served in a variety of Executive Management positions within the Risk Management Group of BMO Harris Bank. During this time, she participated in audit committee meetings of the board and coordinated risk oversight committee meetings of the board. Through her experience, Ms. Salaway provides the Board with risk management and business experience.

Manisha A. Thakor. Ms. Thakor has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2022. Ms. Thakor currently serves at MoneyZen LLC, which she founded in 2009. From 2018-2020, Ms. Thakor served as Vice President at Brighton Jones. From 2015-2017, Ms. Thakor served as Director of Wealth Strategies for Women at Buckingham Financial. She is a Board member of The National Endowment for Financial Education. Ms. Thakor is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). Ms. Thakor provides the Board with investment management experience and financial services industry insight.

Brian W. Wixted. Mr. Wixted has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2019. Mr. Wixted formerly served as a consultant for CKC Consulting and since 2019, as an Advisory Partner with AI Capital. Mr. Wixted served as the Senior Vice President of Finance and Fund Treasurer of the Oppenheimer Funds from 1999-2016. He served as the Principal and Chief Operating Officer of Bankers Trust Company’s Mutual Funds Group from 1995-1999 and the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for CS First Boston Investment Management Corp from 1991-1995. Mr. Wixted served as Vice President and Accounting Manager with Merrill Lynch Asset Management from 1987-1991. From 1981-1987, he held several accounting positions with brokerage and accounting firms. Mr. Wixted holds a Certified Public Accountant designation and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Through his experience, Mr. Wixted provides mutual fund, investment management and financial services industry insight.

Nancy B. Wolcott. Ms. Wolcott has served as a Trustee of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust since 2017. She was Executive Vice President and Head of GFI Client Service Delivery at BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from 2012 to 2014. Ms. Wolcott served as Executive Vice President and Head of U.S. Funds Services at BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to January 2012. She served as the President of BNY Mellon Distributors Holdings Inc. (formerly, PNC Global Investment Servicing Inc.) from December 2008 to July 2010 and served as its Chief Operating Officer from 2007 to 2008. Prior to that, Ms. Wolcott served as Executive Vice President of the predecessor firm, PFPC Worldwide Inc., from 2006 to 2007. She joined PNC in 1996 and served as its Executive Vice President with PNC Advisors before coming to Global Investment

 

31


Servicing in 2000. Prior to PNC, she served as the Head of Corporate and Institutional Trust at HarrisBank/Bank of Montreal. Through her experience, Ms. Wolcott provides banking and financial services industry insight.

Board Oversight

The primary responsibility of the Board of Trustees is to represent the interests of the Trust’s shareholders and to provide oversight of the management of the Funds. The Trust’s day-to-day operations are managed by the adviser and other service providers who have been approved by the Board. The Board is currently composed of eleven trustees, ten of whom are classified under the 1940 Act as “non-interested” persons of the Trust (Independent Trustees) and one of whom is classified as an interested person of the Trust (Trustee). The Interested Trustee serves as the Chairperson of the Board.

The Board has a Lead Independent Trustee that serves as the primary liaison between Trust management and the Independent Trustees. The Lead Independent Trustee is selected by the Independent Trustees and serves until a successor is selected. Mr. Leonard currently serves as the Lead Independent Trustee.

Generally, the Board acts by majority vote of all the Trustees, including a majority vote of the Independent Trustees if required by applicable law. The Board establishes the policies and reviews and approves contracts and their continuance. The Board regularly requests and/or receives reports from the investment adviser, the Trust’s other service providers and the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer. The Board has established three standing committees and has delegated certain responsibilities to those committees. The Board and its committees meet periodically throughout the year to oversee the Trust’s activities, review the Fund’s expenses, oversee compliance with regulatory requirements, and review investment performance. The Independent Trustees are represented by independent legal counsel at Board meetings.

As part of its general oversight of the Trust, the Board is involved in the risk oversight of the Trust. The Board/Investment Committee reviews the Fund’s investment performance with the Adviser at each of its regularly scheduled quarterly Board meetings. In addition, the Board must approve any material changes to a Fund’s investment policies or restrictions. With respect to compliance matters, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer provides the annual compliance report required by Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and a quarterly report regarding the operation of the Trust’s compliance policies and procedures and any material compliance issues that arose during the quarter, and meets with the Audit Committee at its quarterly meetings.

The Board considered the number of Funds in the Trust, the total assets of the Trust and the general nature of the Funds’ investments and determined that its leadership structure is appropriate given the characteristics of the Trust.

Board Committees

Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has established an Audit Committee. The Audit Committee oversees the Funds’ financial reporting process on behalf of the Board of Trustees and reports its activities to the Board. The Audit Committee assists and acts as a liaison with the Board of Trustees in fulfilling the Board’s responsibility to shareholders of the Trust and others relating to oversight of Fund accounting, the Trust’s systems of controls, and the quality and integrity of the financial statements, financial reports, and audit of the Trust. In addition, the Audit Committee oversees the Trust’s accounting policies, financial reporting and internal control systems. The members of the Audit Committee include Independent Trustees: Ken C. Joseph, Barbara L. Lamb, Thomas A. Leonard, and Brian W. Wixted (Chair). The Audit Committee met four times during the last fiscal year.

Investment Committee. The Board of Trustees has established an Investment Committee, which is responsible for overseeing the performance of the Funds and other tasks as requested by the Board. The members of the Investment Committee include Independent Trustees: Steve A. Cobb (Chair), Gary D. Lemon, Charles I. Plosser, Pamela L. Salaway, Manisha A. Thakor and Nancy B. Wolcott. The Investment Committee met four times during the last fiscal year.

Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has established a Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, the identification, evaluation and nomination of potential independent trustee candidates to serve on the Board of Trustees. The Board has adopted a charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee setting forth such Committee’s responsibilities. The members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Independent Trustees: Steve A. Cobb, Ken C. Joseph, Barbara L. Lamb, Gary D. Lemon, Thomas A. Leonard, Charles I. Plosser, Pamela L. Salaway, Manisha A. Thakor, Brian W. Wixted, and Nancy B. Wolcott (Chair). The Nominating and Governance Committee met four times during the last fiscal year. The Nominating and Governance Committee will accept trustee nominations from shareholders. Any such nominations should be sent to the Trust’s Nominating and Governance Committee, c/o The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801.

 

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Ownership of Securities

As of December 31, 2022, the Trustees and officers as a group owned variable contracts that entitled them to give voting instructions with respect to less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each Fund. As of December 31, 2022, the dollar range of equity securities owned beneficially by each Trustee in the Funds and in any registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the same family of investment companies as the Funds is as follows:

Interested Trustee

 

Name of Trustee

  

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds

  

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in All Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by Trustee in
Family of Investment Companies

Jayson R. Bronchetti    None    None

Independent Trustees

 

Name of Trustee

  

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds

  

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in All Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by Trustee in
Family of Investment Companies

Steve A. Cobb    None    None
Ken C. Joseph    None    None
Barbara L. Lamb    None    None
Gary D. Lemon    None    None
Thomas A. Leonard    None    None
Charles I. Plosser    None    None
Pamela L. Salaway    None    None
Manisha A. Thakor    None    None
Brian W. Wixted    None    None
Nancy B. Wolcott    None    None

Brian Wixted served as officer for OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (“Oppenheimer”) from 1999 until his retirement in 2016. He has a deferred compensation plan previously sponsored by Oppenheimer where he receives an annual payout for a fixed number of years based on the performance of phantom share investments in Oppenheimer funds. In 2019, Invesco acquired Oppenheimer and assumed financial responsibility for payments under the former Oppenheimer deferred compensation plan. Invesco began serving as a sub-adviser to certain LVIP Funds on February 8, 2019. Payments under the plan to Mr. Wixted have exceeded $120,000 during the past two calendar years. The payment amounts are determined by previously established factors (i.e., performance of the relevant funds), and the payment amounts are not impacted by the profits of Oppenheimer or Invesco.

 

33


Compensation

The following table sets forth the compensation paid to the Trust’s Independent Trustees and by the Fund Complex for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022:

 

Name of Person, Position

   Aggregate Compensation
from the Trust
     Total Compensation from the
Trust and Fund Complex
 

Steve A. Cobb, Trustee

   $ 341,500      $ 341,500  

Ken C. Joseph, Trustee*

   $ 317,500      $ 317,500  

Barbara L. Lamb, Trustee

   $ 317,500      $ 317,500  

Gary D. Lemon, Trustee

   $ 317,500      $ 317,500  

Thomas A. Leonard, Trustee

   $ 385,500      $ 385,500  

Charles I. Plosser, Trustee

   $ 317,500      $ 317,500  

Pamela L. Salaway, Trustee

   $ 317,500      $ 317,500  

Manisha A. Thakor, Trustee*

   $ 317,500      $ 317,500  

Brian W. Wixted, Trustee

   $ 341,500      $ 341,500  

Nancy B. Wolcott, Trustee

   $ 327,500      $ 327,500  

 

*

Effective January 1, 2022, Mr. Joseph and Ms. Thakor were appointed as Independent Trustees of the Trust.

Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers

Investment Adviser. Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI” or the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser to the Funds. LFI is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”). LFI’s address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087. LFI (or its predecessors) has served as an investment adviser to mutual funds for over 30 years. Lincoln Life is an insurance company organized under Indiana Law and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (“LNC”). LNC is a publicly-held insurance holding company organized under Indiana law. Through its subsidiaries, LNC provides insurance and financial services nationwide.

Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, LFI manages each Fund’s portfolio investments and reports to the Board of Trustees. Each Fund pays LFI a monthly fee equal to a percentage of the average daily net assets of that Fund. The aggregate annual rates of the fees payable by each Fund to LFI may vary according to the level of assets of that Fund.

Because the Funds are new, they have not yet paid fees to LFI.

Advisory Fees Paid by Each Fund

Because the Funds are new, the Funds paid no amounts for investment advisory services.

Expense Reimbursements

Because the Funds are new, there are no expense reimbursements to report for the Funds.

[With respect to the LVIP American Century Balanced Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30, 2025 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.

With respect to the LVIP American Century Capital Appreciation Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30, 2025 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.

With respect to the LVIP American Century Disciplined Core Value Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time

 

34


of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30, 2025 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.

With respect to the LVIP American Century Inflation Protection Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30, 2025 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.

With respect to the LVIP American Century International Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30, 2025 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.

With respect to the LVIP American Century Large Company Value Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. . Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30, 2026 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.

With respect to the LVIP American Century Mid Cap Value Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30, 2026 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.

With respect to the LVIP American Century Ultra® Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30, 2026 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.

With respect to the LVIP American Century Value Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE) exceed [XX]% of the average daily net assets for the Standard Class of the Fund, [XX] for the Standard II , [XX] for the Service Class, and [XX] for the Service Class III. Any reimbursements made by the Adviser are subject to recoupment from the Fund within three years after the occurrence of the reimbursement, provided that such recoupment shall not be made if it would cause annual Fund operating expenses of a class of the Fund to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement, or (b) the current expense limitation in effect, if any. The agreement will continue at least through April 30,2026 and cannot be terminated before that date without the mutual agreement of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser.]

There can be no assurance that the above fee waivers or expense limitations will continue beyond the dates indicated.

Sub-Advisers. As adviser, LFI is primarily responsible for investment decisions affecting each of the Funds under its management. For some Funds, LFI has delegated day-to-day portfolio management responsibility to investment management firms that serve as sub-advisers. Each sub-adviser makes investment decisions for its respective Fund in accordance with that Fund’s investment objectives and places orders on behalf of that Fund to effect those decisions. With respect to the Funds that are sub-advised, LFI provides ongoing oversight, including review of returns on a relative and absolute basis, a sub-adviser’s use of soft dollars, evaluation of execution quality and brokerage allocation and on-site compliance reviews.

 

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Fund

  

Sub-Adviser

LVIP American Century Balanced Fund

 

  

American Century Investment Management, Inc.

4500 Main Street

Kansas City, MO 64111

LVIP American Century Capital Appreciation Fund

 

LVIP American Century Disciplined Core Value Fund
LVIP American Century Inflation Protection Fund   
LVIP American Century International Fund   
LVIP American Century Large Company Value Fund   
LVIP American Century Mid Cap Value Fund   
LVIP American Century Ultra® Fund   
LVIP American Century Value Fund   

LFI, not the Funds, pays each sub-adviser a monthly fee equal to a percentage of the average daily net assets of the portion of the Fund for which the sub-adviser provides investment sub-advisory services. The aggregate annual rates of the fees that LFI pays to a sub-adviser may vary according to the level of assets the sub-adviser manages.

Since the Funds are new, no investment sub-advisory fees with respect to the management of the Funds were paid.

Sub-Advisory Fees Paid by Each Fund

Since the Funds are new, there were no fees paid for investment sub-advisory services with respect to the management of each Fund. LFI, not the Fund, pays all sub-advisory fees owed.

American Century Investment Management, Inc. is a registered investment advisor and a wholly owned subsidiary of American Century Companies, Inc. (ACC), which is a privately-controlled company and the parent to the related group of subsidiaries involved in the management and distribution of investment products, collectively referred to as American Century Investments®.

Service marks. The Funds’ service marks and the name “Lincoln” are used by the Funds with the permission of LNC, and their continued use is subject to LNC’s right to withdraw this permission in the event LFI ceases to be the Funds’ investment adviser. In the prospectus and sales literature, the name American Century will be used with the Funds.

Fund Expenses. Expenses specifically assumed by each Fund under its Investment Management Agreement include, among others, compensation and expenses of the Trustees who are not interested persons; custodian fees; independent auditor fees; brokerage commissions; legal and accounting fees; registration and other fees in connection with maintaining required Fund and share registration with the SEC and state securities authorities; and the expenses of printing and mailing updated prospectuses, proxy statements and shareholder reports to current contract owners.

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures. The Board of Trustees has delegated to LFI or each Fund’s sub-adviser (as applicable) responsibility for voting any proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Fund in accordance with the adviser’s or sub-adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures. Summaries of the proxy voting policies and procedures to be followed on behalf of the Funds, including procedures to be used when a vote represents a conflict of interest, are attached hereto as Appendix B.

Information regarding how each Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 800-4LINCOLN (454-6265); and (2) on the SEC’s website at http://

www.sec.gov.

Portfolio Managers

The following provides information regarding each portfolio manager’s other accounts managed, material conflicts of interest, compensation, and any ownership of securities in a Fund. Each portfolio manager is referred to in this section as a “portfolio manager.”

Other Accounts Managed

The following chart lists certain information about types of other accounts for which each portfolio manager was primarily responsible as of [September 30, 2023].

 

Adviser/Sub-Adviser

Portfolio Manager(s)

   Total Number
of
Other Accounts
     Total Assets
(in millions)
of Other

Accounts
     Number of
Other
Accounts
Paying
Performance

Fees
     Total Assets
(in millions)
of Other
Accounts

Paying
Performance
Fees
 

American Century Investment Management, Inc

           

Rob Brookby

           

Registered Investment Companies

     4      $ 5,701        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     1      $ .627        0      $ 0  

 

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Justin M. Brown

                                                    

Registered Investment Companies

     8      $ 18,215        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     1      $ 184        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     2      $ 532        0      $ 0  

Jeffrey R. Bourke

           

Registered Investment Companies

     2      $ 18,931        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     1      $ 1,057        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     6      $ 3,253        0      $ 0  

Robert J. Bove

           

Registered Investment Companies

     7      $ 6,091        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     1      $ .864        0      $ 0  

David Byrns

           

Registered Investment Companies

     2      $ 2,885        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     1      $ 6.9        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     2      $ 3.3        0      $ 0  

Miguel Castillo

           

Registered Investment Companies

     11      $ 10,995        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     1      $ 95        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     2      $ 465        0      $ 0  

Arun Daniel

           

Registered Investment Companies

     8      $ 6,850        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Robert V. Gahagan

           

Registered Investment Companies

     14      $ 18,420        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     2      $ 465        0      $ 0  

Rajesh Gandhi

           

Registered Investment Companies

     7      $ 3,557        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     4      $ 540        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     13      $ 1,675        0      $ 0  

Jason Greenblath

           

Registered Investment Companies

     12      $ 12,285        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     1      $ 95        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Adam Krenn

           

Registered Investment Companies

     7      $ 4,938        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     1      $ .604        0      $ 0  

Keith Lee

           

Registered Investment Companies

     5      $ 24,938        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     3      $ 1,308        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     7      $ 2,709        0      $ 0  

Michael Li

           

Registered Investment Companies

     5      $ 24,938        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     4      $ 2,403        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     11      $ 4,583        0      $ 0  

Michael Liss

           

Registered Investment Companies

     18      $ 27,100        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     4      $ 2,403        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     12        1,678        0      $ 0  

Yulin Long

           

Registered Investment Companies

     9      $ 6,860        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

 

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James E. Platz

                                                    

Registered Investment Companies

     15      $ 18,585        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     2        465        0      $ 0  

Stephen Quance

           

Registered Investment Companies

     9      $ 6,860        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Nathan Rawlins

           

Registered Investment Companies

     10      $ 11,455        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     1      $ 1,057        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     3      $ 336        0      $ 0  

Joseph Reiland

           

Registered Investment Companies

     9      $ 18,226        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     1      $ 184        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     2      $ 532        0      $ 0  

Philip Sundell

           

Registered Investment Companies

     9      $ 7,823        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     1      $ 6.9        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     1      $ .604        0      $ 0  

Charles Tan

           

Registered Investment Companies

     13      $ 12,373        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Kevin Toney

           

Registered Investment Companies

     18      $ 27,100        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     6      $ 2,403        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     12      $ 1,678        0      $ 0  

Brian Woglom

           

Registered Investment Companies

     22      $ 28,456        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     4      $ 2,403        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     10      $ 1,678        0      $ 0  

Nalin Yogasundram

           

Registered Investment Companies

     4      $ 5,701        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     0      $ 0        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     1      $ .627        0      $ 0  

Jim Zhao

           

Registered Investment Companies

     7      $ 3,557        0      $ 0  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

     4      $ 540        0      $ 0  

Other Accounts

     13      $ 1,675        0      $ 0  

 

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Material Conflicts of Interest

Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one investment account.

Individual portfolio managers may perform investment management services for other funds or accounts (Accounts) similar to those provided to the Funds and the investment action for each such other Account and the Funds may differ. For example, an Account may be selling a security, while a Fund may be purchasing or holding the same security. As a result, transactions executed for one Account may adversely affect the value of securities held by another Account or a fund. Additionally, the management of multiple Accounts and funds may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, as a portfolio manager must allocate time and effort to multiple Accounts and funds. LFI and the sub-advisers, if any, have adopted procedures designed to allocate investments fairly across multiple funds and Accounts.

Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (LFI)

LFI manages certain Funds by investing Fund assets in other mutual funds, including exchange-traded funds, funds managed by LFI (typically branded “LVIP” or “Lincoln” funds), and funds managed by unaffiliated investment managers (collectively, underlying funds), through a structure known as a “fund of funds.” LFI and the Funds generally rely on SEC Rule 12d1-4 effective January 19, 2022, to implement the fund of funds structure. Prior to that date, LFI and the Funds generally relied on an SEC exemptive order and certain SEC regulations. Under both regulatory structures, LFI, as a fiduciary to each Fund, selects underlying funds that it believes are in a Fund’s best interest based on a variety of factors. LFI portfolio managers maintain an asset allocation strategy for each Fund and make decisions regarding allocations to underlying funds based on the investment objectives, policies, practices and other relevant investment considerations that the portfolio managers deem applicable. LFI and its affiliates receive advisory and other fees from underlying LVIP funds for the management and other services that LFI and its affiliates provide to the LVIP funds. Unaffiliated investment managers and their affiliates receive advisory and/or other fees from the underlying unaffiliated funds they manage for the management and other services that the unaffiliated investment managers and their affiliates provide to the unaffiliated funds. The underlying funds may have advisory fee rates and/or fee structures that are different than those of the Funds, which are discussed below.

The portfolio managers may engage in cross-trades, in which one Fund sells a particular security to another fund or account (potentially saving transaction costs for both accounts). Cross-trades may pose a potential conflict of interest if, for example, one account sells a security to another account at a higher price than an independent third party would pay. The mix of underlying funds purchased in one Fund may perform better than the mix of underlying funds purchased for another Fund.

The management of accounts with different advisory fee rates and/or fee structures may raise potential conflicts of interest for a portfolio manager by creating an incentive to favor higher fee accounts. It is the policy of LFI that all decisions concerning the selection of underlying funds be based solely on the best interests of each Fund and its shareholders, and without regard to any revenue that LFI receives, might receive, or has received in the past, directly or indirectly, from portfolio managers or funds for services provided by LFI or any affiliate of LFI.

The management of multiple accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each account. Although LFI does not track the time a portfolio manager spends on a single fund, it does assess whether a portfolio manager has adequate time and resources to effectively manage all the accounts for which he or she is responsible. LFI seeks to manage competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers.

LFI has adopted and implemented policies and procedures which it believes address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts. In addition, personal accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest and must be maintained and conducted in accordance with LFI’s Code of Ethics.

American Century Investment Management, Inc. (American Century)

Certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the management of multiple portfolios. Potential conflicts include, for example, conflicts among investment strategies, such as one portfolio buying or selling a security while another portfolio has a differing, potentially opposite position in such security. This may include one portfolio taking a short position in the security of an issuer that is held long in another portfolio (or vice versa). Other potential conflicts may arise with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities, which are discussed in more detail below. American Century Investments has adopted policies and procedures that are designed to minimize the effects of these conflicts.

Responsibility for managing American Century Investments client portfolios is organized according to investment discipline. Investment disciplines include, for example, disciplined equity, global growth equity, global value equity, global fixed income, multi-asset strategies, exchange traded funds, and Avantis Investors funds. Within each discipline are one or more portfolio teams responsible for managing specific client portfolios. Generally, client portfolios with similar strategies are managed by the same team using the same objective, approach, and philosophy. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar portfolios, which minimizes the potential for conflicts of interest. In addition, American Century Investments maintains an ethical wall that restricts real time access to information regarding any portfolio’s transaction activities and positions to team members that have responsibility for a given portfolio or are within the same equity investment discipline. The ethical wall is intended to aid in preventing the misuse of portfolio holdings information and trading activity in the other disciplines.

For each investment strategy, one portfolio is generally designated as the “policy portfolio.” Other portfolios with similar investment objectives, guidelines and restrictions, if any, are referred to as “tracking portfolios.” When managing policy and tracking portfolios, a portfolio team typically

 

39


purchases and sells securities across all portfolios that the team manages. American Century Investments’ trading systems include various order entry programs that assist in the management of multiple portfolios, such as the ability to purchase or sell the same relative amount of one security across several funds. In some cases a tracking portfolio may have additional restrictions or limitations that cause it to be managed separately from the policy portfolio. Portfolio managers make purchase and sale decisions for such portfolios alongside the policy portfolio to the extent the overlap is appropriate, and separately, if the overlap is not.

American Century Investments may aggregate orders to purchase or sell the same security for multiple portfolios when it believes such aggregation is consistent with its duty to seek best execution on behalf of its clients. Orders of certain client portfolios may, by investment restriction or otherwise, be determined not available for aggregation. American Century Investments has adopted policies and procedures to minimize the risk that a client portfolio could be systematically advantaged or disadvantaged in connection with the aggregation of orders. To the extent equity trades are aggregated, shares purchased or sold are generally allocated to the participating portfolios pro rata based on order size. Because initial public offerings (IPOs) are usually available in limited supply and in amounts too small to permit across-the-board pro rata allocations, American Century Investments has adopted special procedures designed to promote a fair and equitable allocation of IPO securities among clients over time. A centralized trading desk executes all fixed income securities transactions for Avantis ETFs and mutual funds. For all other funds in the American Century complex, portfolio teams are responsible for executing fixed income trades with broker/dealers in a predominantly dealer marketplace. Trade allocation decisions are made by the portfolio manager at the time of trade execution and orders entered on the fixed income order management system. There is an ethical wall between the Avantis trading desk and all other American Century traders. The Advisor’s Global Head of Trading monitors all trading activity for best execution and to make sure no set of clients is being systematically disadvantaged.

Finally, investment of American Century Investments’ corporate assets in proprietary accounts may raise additional conflicts of interest. To mitigate these potential conflicts of interest, American Century Investments has adopted policies and procedures intended to provide that trading in proprietary accounts is performed in a manner that does not give improper advantage to American Century Investments to the detriment of client portfolios.

Compensation Structures and Methods

Information regarding each portfolio manager’s compensation is attached hereto as Appendix C.

Beneficial Interest of Portfolio Managers

Information regarding securities of each Fund beneficially owned, if any, by portfolio managers is disclosed below. In order to own securities of a fund, a portfolio manager would need to own a Lincoln Life variable life insurance policy or variable annuity contract. Portfolio managers are not required to own Fund shares, but may invest their personal assets in Fund shares in accordance with their individual investment goals. A portfolio manager’s personal investment, or lack of investment, is not an indicator of that portfolio manager’s confidence in, or commitment to, a particular Fund or its investment strategy.

Since the Funds are new, no portfolio manager of any Fund beneficially owns shares of any Fund.

Principal Underwriter

Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (LFD), 130 North Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087, serves as the principal underwriter for the Trust pursuant to a Principal Underwriting Agreement with the Trust dated January 1, 2012. LFD is an affiliate of LFI, the Funds’ investment adviser. Under the agreement, the Trust has appointed LFD as the principal underwriter and distributor of the Trust to sell shares of each class of each Fund within the Trust at net asset value in a continuous offering to insurance company separate accounts or employer-sponsored products. LFD will not retain underwriting commissions from the sale of Fund shares. The offering of each such class is continuous.

For fiscal years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, LFD received $186,903,740, $208,355,341, and $173,124,472, respectively, in compensation from the Trust.

Administration Agreement

The Trust has entered into an Administration Agreement with Lincoln Life, an affiliate of LFI and LFD, pursuant to which Lincoln Life provides various administrative services necessary for the operation of the Funds. These services include, among others: coordinating all service providers; providing corporate secretary services; providing personnel and office space; providing certain trading operations; maintaining each Fund’s books and records; general accounting monitoring and oversight; preparing of tax returns and reports; preparing and arranging for the distribution of all shareholder materials; preparing and coordinating filings with the SEC and other federal and state regulatory authorities. The Trust reimburses Lincoln Life for the cost of administrative, internal legal and corporate secretary services.

For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, the Trust paid Lincoln Life $9,460,878, $9,183,600, and $11,452,717, respectively, in administrative services reimbursement.

The Trust compensates Lincoln Life for contractholder servicing provided by Lincoln Life with respect to the Funds. These contractholder services include, among others: responding to operational inquiries from contractholders about accounts and the Funds; processing purchase and

 

40


redemption orders with the Funds’ transfer agent; providing contractholders with automatic investment services; providing periodic account information to contractholders; interfacing between the Funds’ transfer agent and contractholder activity systems; providing subaccounting with respect to Fund shares; and forwarding communications from the Funds to contractholders. In addition, Lincoln Life provides certain corporate-level services to each of the Funds, such as: anti-money laundering and fraud prevention; privacy and data security; disaster recovery; and services related to regulatory duties, such as duties of confidentiality and disclosure.

For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Trust paid Lincoln Life $30,000,846 and $33,707,685, respectively, in contractholder servicing and corporate-level services reimbursement.

Securities Lending

Since the Funds are new, none of the Funds engaged in any securities lending.

Accounting Agreement

The Trust has entered into a fund accounting and financial administration services agreement (“Accounting Agreement”) with State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), effective October 15, 2018 (November 19, 2018 for the funds of funds and master feeder funds), pursuant to which State Street provides certain accounting services for the Fund. Services provided under the Accounting Agreement include, among others, functions related to calculating the daily net asset values (“NAV”) of the Fund’s shares, providing financial reporting information, regulatory compliance testing and other related accounting services. For these services, the Fund pays State Street either a flat, annual fee or an asset-based fee based on the total value of assets in the Trust, plus certain additional service fees and out-of-pocket expenses.

For fiscal years ended December  31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, the Trust paid $11,079,131, $11,022,662, and $10,363,301, respectively, pursuant to its Accounting Agreement.

Code of Ethics

The Trust, LFI and LFD have each adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The Board of Trustees has reviewed and approved these Codes of Ethics. Subject to certain limitations and procedures, these Codes permit personnel that they cover, including employees of LFI who regularly have access to information about securities purchased for the Funds, to invest in securities for their own accounts. This could include securities that may be purchased by Funds. The Codes are intended to prevent these personnel from taking inappropriate advantage of their positions and to prevent fraud on the Funds. The Trust’s Code of Ethics requires reporting to the Board of Trustees of material compliance violations.

Description of Shares

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on February 1, 2003 and is registered with the SEC as an open-end, management investment company. The Trust’s Certificate of Trust is on file with the Secretary of State of Delaware. The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes the Board of Trustees to issue an unlimited number of shares, which are shares of beneficial interest, without par value. The Trust currently consists of [122] funds organized as separate series of shares. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes the Board of Trustees to divide or redivide any unissued shares of the Trust into one or more additional series by setting or changing in any one or more respects their respective preferences, conversion or other rights, voting power, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption, and to establish separate classes of shares.

[Each Fund offers four classes of shares: Standard Class, Standard Class II, Service Class, and Service Class III. The four classes are identical, except that Service Class and Service Class III shares are subject to a distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees which have been adopted pursuant to a distribution and service plan (the “Plan”) and each share class is subject to its own administrative fee schedule. The Plan allows each Fund to pay distribution and service fees of up to 0.25% per year to those organizations that sell and distribute Service Class shares and provide services to Service Class shareholders and contract owners. The Plan for the Service Class is discussed in the “Rule 12b-1 Plan” section of this SAI.]

Each Fund’s shares (all classes) have no subscription or preemptive rights and only such conversion or exchange rights as the Board of Trustees may grant in its discretion. When issued for payment as described in the prospectus and this SAI, the shares will be fully paid and non-assessable, which means that the consideration for the shares has been paid in full and the issuing Fund may not impose levies on shareholders for more money. In the event of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust, shareholders of each Fund are entitled to receive the assets available for distribution belonging to that Fund, and a proportionate distribution, based upon the relative asset values of the respective Funds, of any general assets not belonging to any particular Fund which are available for distribution, subject to any differential class expenses.

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted to the holders of outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each Fund affected by the matter. For purposes of determining whether the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund will be required in connection with a matter, a Fund will be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each Fund in the matter are identical, or that the matter does not affect any interest of the Fund. Under Rule 18f-2, the approval of an investment advisory

 

41


agreement or any change in investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a Fund only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of that Fund. However, Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of independent public accountants (for Funds having the same independent accountants), the approval of principal underwriting contracts, and the election of trustees may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting without regard to individual Funds. In such matters, all shares of the Trust have equal voting rights.

Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not be necessary for the Trust to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result, shareholders may not consider each year the election of Trustees or the appointment of auditors. However, the holders of at least 10% of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote may require the Trust to hold a special meeting of shareholders for purposes of removing a trustee from office. Shareholders may remove a Trustee by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Trust’s outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Board of Trustees will call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees if, at any time, less than a majority of the Trustees then holding office have been elected by shareholders.

Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities

Because the Funds are available as investments for variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (Variable Contracts) offered by certain life insurance companies, the insurance companies could be deemed to control the voting securities of each Fund (i.e., by owning more than 25%). However, an insurance company would exercise voting rights attributable to any shares of each Fund that it owns (directly or indirectly) in accordance with, and in proportion to, voting instructions received by owners of the Variable Contracts. A small number of Contract Holders could therefore determine whether Fund proposals are approved.

For these Funds, the insurance companies include, without limitation, (1) Lincoln Life, an Indiana insurance company, at 1301 S. Harrison Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; (2) Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (Lincoln New York), a New York insurance company, at 100 Madison Street, Suite 1860, Syracuse, NY 13202-2802; and (3) other third-party insurance companies.

Because the Funds are new, there were no shareholders of the Funds that held 5% or more (or 25% or more) of a Fund’s outstanding shares, except for the insurance company shareholders. Any fund of funds would exercise voting rights attributable to ownership of shares of the Fund in accordance with the proxy voting policies established by the fund of funds. The fund of funds generally will vote their shares of underlying funds in the same proportion as the vote of all of the other holders of the underlying fund’s shares, a technique known as “echo voting”.

 

42


Rule 12b-1 Plan

Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Trust has adopted a distribution and service plan (Plan) for the Service Class [and Service Class III] of shares of each Fund. As previously noted, the Trust offers shares of beneficial interest to Insurance Companies for allocation to certain of their Variable Contracts. The Trust may pay Insurance Companies or others, out of the assets of Service Class [and Service Class III] shares of each Fund for activities primarily intended to sell such shares. The Trust would pay each third-party for these services pursuant to a written agreement with that third-party.

Payments made under the Plan may be used for, among other things: the printing of prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes; preparing and distributing sales literature and related expenses; advertisements; education of shareholders and contract owners or dealers and their representatives; and other distribution-related expenses. Payments made under the Plan may also be used to pay insurance companies, dealers or others for, among other things: service fees as defined under FINRA rules; furnishing personal services or such other enhanced services as the Trust or a Variable Contract offering Service Class [and Service Class III] may require; or maintaining customer accounts and records.

For the noted services, the Plan authorizes each Fund to pay to Insurance Companies or others, a monthly fee (“Plan Fee”) not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the average daily NAV of Service Class [and Service Class III] shares, respectively, as compensation or reimbursement for services rendered and/or expenses borne. The Plan Fee is currently 0.25% for the Service Class [and Service Class III] shares of each Fund. The Plan does not limit Plan Fees to amounts actually expended by third parties for services rendered and/or expenses borne. A third party, therefore, may realize a profit from Plan Fees in any particular year.

No “interested person”, as defined in the 1940 Act, or Independent Trustee had or has a direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or any related agreement.

The Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, has determined that, in the exercise of reasonable business judgment and in light of its fiduciary duties, there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit each Fund and Service Class [and Service Class III] contract owners thereof. Each year, the Trustees must make this determination for the Plan to be continued. The Board of Trustees believes that the Plan will result in greater sales and/or fewer redemptions of Service Class [and Service Class III] shares, which may benefit each Fund by reducing Fund expense ratios and/or by affording greater flexibility to portfolio managers. However, it is impossible to know for certain the level of sales and redemptions of shares that would occur in the absence of the Plan or under alternative distribution schemes.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Service Class [and Service Class III] shares of the Trust paid Plan Fees for compensation to broker-dealers of approximately $186,903,740.

Revenue Sharing

LFI and its affiliates, including LFD, and/or each Fund’s sub-adviser may pay compensation at their own expense, including the profits from the advisory fees LFI receives from the Funds or the sub-advisory fees the sub-advisers receive from LFI, to affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries (financial intermediaries) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares or the sales of insurance products that are funded by the Funds and/or shareholder servicing (distribution assistance). For example, LFD may pay additional compensation to financial intermediaries for various purposes, including, but not limited to, promoting the sale of Fund shares and the products that are funded by the Fund shares; access to their registered representatives; sub-accounting, administrative or shareholder processing services; and marketing and education support. Such payments are in addition to any distribution fees, service fees and/or transfer agency fees that may be payable by the Funds. The additional payments may be based on factors, including level of sales, the Funds’ advisory fees, some other agreed upon amount, or other measures as determined from time to time.

A significant purpose of these payments is to increase sales of the Funds’ shares and the products that contain the Funds. LFI and/or its affiliates may benefit from these payments of compensation to financial intermediaries through increased fees resulting from additional assets acquired through the sale of insurance products through such intermediaries.

Valuation of Portfolio Securities

Offering Price/NAV. The offering price of a Fund’s shares is based on the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) per share. A Fund determines its NAV per share by subtracting its liabilities (including accrued expenses and dividends payable) from its total assets (the value of the securities the Fund holds plus cash and other assets, including income accrued but not yet received) and dividing the result by the total number of Fund shares outstanding. A Fund determines its NAV per share as of close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) – normally 4:00 p.m. New York time, each business day.

In addition to the disclosure in each Fund’s prospectus under the “Pricing of Fund Shares” section, the value of each Fund’s investments is determined as follows:

Foreign Equity Securities. Foreign equity securities are generally valued based on their closing price on the principal foreign exchange for those securities, which may occur earlier than the NYSE close. A Fund then may adjust for market events, occurring between the close of the foreign exchange and the NYSE close. An independent statistical service has been retained to assist in determining the value of certain foreign equity

 

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securities. This service utilizes proprietary computer models to determine adjustments for market events. Quotations of foreign securities in foreign currencies and those valued using forward currency rates are converted into U.S. dollar equivalents.

Over-the-Counter (“OTC”) Investments. OTC investments (including swaps and options) are generally valued by pricing services that use evaluated prices from various observable market and other factors. Certain forward foreign currency contracts are generally valued using the mean between broker-dealer bid and ask quotations, and foreign currency exchange rates.

Exchange-Traded Futures, Options and Swaps. Exchange-traded futures, options and swaps are normally valued at the reported settlement price determined by the relevant exchange. Exchange-traded futures, options and swaps for which no settlement prices are reported are generally valued at the mean between the most recent bid and ask prices obtained from pricing services, established market makers, or from broker-dealers.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

The Trust’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures designed to ensure that disclosure of information regarding a Fund’s portfolio securities is in the best interests of Fund shareholders. In accordance with these policies and procedures, Fund management will make shareholders reports or other regulatory filings containing the Funds’ portfolio holdings available free of charge to individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries that distribute the Funds’ shares, and affiliated persons of the Fund that make requests for such holdings information. Shareholder reports are available 60 days after the end of each semi-annual reporting period.

Each Fund posts its top-ten holdings shortly after each quarter-end to Lincoln Life and other insurance companies who include the Funds in their products (Insurance Companies). All Insurance Companies that receive nonpublic portfolio holdings information must sign a confidentiality agreement agreeing to keep this nonpublic portfolio information strictly confidential and not to engage in trading on the basis of the information. The Insurance Companies may include this information in marketing and other public materials (including via website posting) 15 days after the end of the quarter.

Each Fund will post all of its holdings to a publicly available website no earlier than 25 calendar days after quarter end. In addition, each Fund may post all of its holdings no earlier than 25 calendar days after inception, rebalance, or after any material changes are made to the holdings. At the time of the disclosure on the website, the portfolio holdings of these Funds will be deemed public.

Each Fund also may provide holdings information following the end of the quarterly reporting period under a confidentiality agreement to third-party service providers, including independent rating and ranking organizations, which conduct market analyses of the Fund’s portfolio holdings against benchmarks or securities market indices. All such third parties must sign a confidentiality agreement agreeing to keep the non-public portfolio information strictly confidential and not to engage in trading on the basis of the information. These parties may disseminate the portfolio holdings information when the portfolio holdings are deemed to be public.

Certain Funds provide daily holdings information to affiliated persons of the Funds to better facilitate Fund and related insurance product operations. In this regard, each Managed Volatility Fund provides daily post-trade position reports, as well as reports showing the Fund’s daily futures transactions pursuant to the managed volatility strategy, to the annuity pricing group and market risk management group within Lincoln Life, LFI’s parent company. In addition, certain Funds provide monthly portfolio holdings on a post-trade basis to Lincoln Life approximately 20 days after the end of each month. The pricing group uses Fund information to support the group’s oversight of risk management functions for the Managed Volatility Funds and Lincoln Life, but does not engage in any trading activities. The risk management group uses the information to hedge portfolio risks for Lincoln Life and for Lincoln insurance products and annuities. Lincoln’s internal risk management functions are integral to supporting the relevant Funds and their associated insurance products. Each of these information sharing arrangements is subject to: (1) a non-disclosure agreement; and (2) protections against (a) inappropriate trading based on the information and (b) conflicts of interest between the Funds and their affiliated persons.

Fund sub-advisers have an ongoing arrangement with the following third parties to make available information about a Fund’s portfolio holdings: (1) ratings organizations, such as Moodys, and S&P, provided generally on a monthly basis for the purpose of reviewing the particular fund; (2) portfolio analysis companies, such as Commicise, BBH Infomediary, IDS GmBH, IEX Data Analytics LLC, Morningstar, Lipper, Factset Research Systems, Financial Recovery Technologies, Intex, Performance Attribution System, Linedata Services, Inc., Investment Technology Group Inc., Wilshire Associates, Inc., Bloomberg L.P., Bloomberg PORT, BarraOne/MSCI Barra, Inc., Barclays Capital, BlackRock Aladdin, Trade Informatics, Investor Tools Perform, BARRA Aegis Systems, Global Trading Analytics, LLC, Citigroup, Hedgemark, ICE Data Pricing and Reference Data, LLC, MoneyMate, Omgeo, Barclays Capital Point, Acuity Knowledge Partners, Virtu Americas LLC, Virtu Financial, Virtu ITG LLC, Markit/Wall Street Office and Axioma provided generally on a daily, monthly or quarterly basis for the purpose of compiling reports, preparing comparative analysis data and trade execution evaluation; (3) proxy voting or class action services, such as Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., Glass, Lewis & Co., or Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) - ISS/RiskMetrics provided generally on a daily basis or bi-monthly basis for the purpose of voting proxies relating to portfolio holdings or providing corporate actions services and trade confirmation; Securities Class Action Services; (4) computer systems, products, services and software vendors, such as BestX, Electra Securities, TriOptima, FIS XSPrisa (XSP) SaaS, FX Connect, OMEGO LLC, Infinit Outsourcing, Inc., Limited, Cogent Consulting, Abel Noser, Charles River Communications, StarCompliance, Tradeweb, provided generally on a daily basis for the purpose of providing computer products, services, software and accounting systems to the sub-advisers; MetroProof Inc., and (5) operational services such as Accenture LLP, Bank of New York Mellon, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., Fidelity Corporate Action Solutions, StarCompliance, State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street Global Services, State Street Investment Manager Solutions, ION and Northern Trust, provided generally on a daily basis for the purpose of providing operational functions including, but not limited to, Fund pricing and OTC derivative swap products to the sub-advisers. Each of the above unaffiliated third parties must agree to keep the Fund’s

 

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holdings information confidential and not engage in trading on the basis of the information. The sub-advisers do not receive compensation in connection with these arrangements.

Each Fund may provide, at any time, portfolio holdings information to: (a) Fund service providers and affiliates, such as the Funds’ investment adviser, or sub-advisers, trading services providers, class action service provider (Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP), custodian and independent registered public accounting firm, to the extent necessary to perform services for the Funds; and (b) state and federal regulators and government agencies as required by law or judicial process. These entities are subject to duties of confidentiality imposed by law, contract, or fiduciary obligations.

The Funds will disclose their portfolio holdings in public SEC filings. The Trust’s Board of Trustees also may, on a case-by-case basis, authorize disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings, provided that, in its judgment, such disclosure is not inconsistent with the best interests of shareholders, or may impose additional restrictions on the dissemination of portfolio information.

Neither the Funds, the Adviser, nor any affiliate receive any compensation or consideration in connection with the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings information.

The Funds are responsible for ensuring appropriate disclosure is made regarding these procedures in the Funds’ prospectuses and/or SAI.

The Trust’s Board of Trustees exercises oversight of these policies and procedures. Management for the Funds will inform the Trustees if any substantial changes to the procedures become necessary to ensure that the procedures are in the best interest of Fund shareholders. The officers will consider any possible conflicts between the interest of Fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Funds’ investment adviser and other Fund affiliates, on the other. Moreover, the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer will address the operation of the Funds’ procedures in the annual compliance review and will recommend any remedial changes to the procedures.

Purchase and Redemption Information

Shares of a Fund may not be purchased or redeemed by individual investors directly but may be purchased or redeemed only through variable annuity contracts or variable life contracts offered by Lincoln Life, LNY and other insurance companies. Shares of the Funds may also be purchased by the Trust’s funds of funds, which invest their assets in other mutual funds. The offering price of a Fund’s shares is equal to its net asset value per share.

If conditions exist which make payment of redemption proceeds wholly in cash unwise or undesirable, a Fund may make payment wholly or partly in securities or other investment instruments which may not constitute securities as such term is defined in the applicable securities laws. If a redemption is paid wholly or partly in securities or other property, a shareholder would incur transaction costs in disposing of the redemption proceeds.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

All securities, cash and other similar assets of the Funds are currently held in custody by State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.

The custodian shall: receive and disburse money; receive and hold securities; transfer, exchange, or deliver securities; present for payment coupons and other income items, collect interest and cash dividends received, hold stock dividends, etc.; cause escrow and deposit receipts to be executed; register securities; and deliver to the Funds proxies, proxy statements, etc.

Lincoln Life performs the Funds’ dividend and transfer agent functions.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Board of Trustees engaged [Deloitte & Touche LLP], 50 South 16th Street, Suite 2900, Philadelphia, PA 19102, to serve as the Funds’ Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm in order to maintain auditor independence in light of the reorganization transactions. In addition to the audits of the Funds’ financial statements, [Deloitte & Touche LLP] also reviews certain regulatory reports, reviews the Funds’ federal income tax returns, and performs other tax and advisory services when engaged to do so by the Trust.

Financial Statements

Because the Funds are new, the first annual or semiannual report to shareholders will be available after the Funds commence operations. We will provide a copy of the Funds’ annual report, once available, on request and without charge. Either write: The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2340, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46801, or call: 1-800-4LINCOLN (454-6265).

 

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Taxes

Regulated Investment Company. Each Fund intends to qualify, and has elected to be taxed as, a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). A regulated investment company’s ordinary income and net realized capital gains, if distributed to shareholders, will not be subject to corporate income tax. Each Fund, as a regulated investment company, must, among other things, annually derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income, such as income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships,” gains from options, futures, or forward contracts, derived with respect to the Fund’s other investments (the Income Requirement).

Each Fund also intends to comply with diversification requirements that apply to mutual funds investing in variable contracts. Generally, a Fund will be required to diversify its investments so that on the end of each calendar quarter: no more than 55% of total assets is represented by any one investment; no more than 70% is represented by any two; no more than 80% is represented by any three; and no more than 90% is represented by any four.

For this purpose, securities of a given issuer are treated as one investment, but each U.S. government agency or instrumentality is treated as a separate issuer. Any security issued, guaranteed, or insured by the U.S. government or an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government is treated as a security issued by such. A Fund may satisfy an alternative asset diversification test under certain circumstances.

Each Fund may sell its shares directly to certain qualified pension and retirement plans, and to separate accounts established and maintained by insurance companies for the purpose of funding variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts. If a Fund were to sell its shares to other categories of shareholders, the Fund may fail to comply with applicable Treasury requirements regarding investor control. If a Fund should fail to comply with the investor control requirements, the Contract owners would be treated as the Fund’s shareholders, and the contracts invested in the Fund would not be treated as annuity, endowment, or life insurance contracts under the Code. All income and gain earned from those contracts both in past years and currently would be taxed currently to the Contract owners, and income and gain would remain subject to taxation as ordinary income thereafter.

If a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company, the Fund would be subject to tax as an ordinary corporation on all of its taxable income and gain, whether or not distributed to shareholders. Moreover, if a Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, the Fund’s distributions would be characterized as ordinary dividend income to its shareholders, and Contract owners would be required to include in ordinary income any income earned under the contracts for the current and all prior taxable years. A Fund’s failure to satisfy the diversification requirements may also result in adverse tax consequences for the insurance company issuing the contracts. Under certain circumstances inadvertent failures to satisfy the diversification requirements may be corrected.

Certain Funds may invest in exchange traded vehicles that track commodity returns. Under the Code, these investments are not considered “securities” for purposes of the Income Requirement. As a result, any income generated by such investments is not included in determining compliance with the Income Requirement’s 90% test. Each Fund intends to manage its commodities exposure to ensure that the Income Requirement is met at the end of the Fund’s tax year. To the extent that a Fund’s income from commodities exceeds 10% of the Fund’s gross income, the Fund may be subject to taxation on that portion of commodities income that exceeds 10% of the Fund’s gross income.

Medicare Tax. A 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on the net investment income (which includes, but is not limited to, taxable dividends, taxable annuity payments, and net gain from investments) of certain individuals, trusts and estates.

Fund Distributions. Dividends that a Fund pays from its ordinary income and distributions of a Fund’s net realized capital gains are includable in the respective Insurance Company’s gross income. Distributions of a Fund’s net realized long-term capital gains retain their character as long-term capital gains in the hands of the Insurance Companies if certain requirements are met. The tax treatment of such dividends and distributions depends on the respective Insurance Company’s tax status. To the extent that income of a Fund represents dividends on common or preferred stock, rather than interest income, its distributions to the Insurance Companies will be eligible for the present 70% dividends received deduction applicable to life insurance companies under the Code. See the Contracts Prospectus for a description of the respective Insurance Company’s tax status and the charges that may be made to cover any taxes attributable to the Separate Account. Not later than 60 days after the end of each calendar year, each Fund will send to the Insurance Companies a written notice reporting the amount and character of any distributions made during such year. Any benefits reported will inure to the benefit of the Insurance Companies and will not be shared with Contract owners.

Foreign Investments. Dividends or other income received by a Fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign jurisdictions. Tax conventions, such as treaties, between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. If more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stock or securities in foreign corporations or in other regulated investment companies, the Fund may elect to treat its foreign income tax payments as paid by the Insurance Companies for U.S. income tax purposes. A Fund may qualify for and make this election in some, but not necessarily all, of its taxable years. If a Fund were to make this election, the Insurance Companies would be required to take into account an amount equal to their pro rata portions of such foreign taxes in computing their taxable income. Not later than 60 days after any year for which it makes such an election, a Fund will report to the Insurance Companies the amount per share of such foreign income tax that must be included in gross income and the amount that will be available for the deduction or credit. Certain limitations apply to the credit (but not the deduction) for foreign taxes that an Insurance Company may claim. Foreign taxes each Fund pays will reduce the return on the Fund’s investments. Any benefits of a foreign tax credit or deduction as a result of this election will inure to the benefit of the Insurance Companies and will not be shared with Contract owners.

 

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A Fund or Underlying Fund that invests in non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. income taxes and non-U.S. financial transactions taxes. Each Fund and underlying fund that is eligible to do so may elect to “pass through” to its investors the amount of non-U.S. income taxes paid by the Fund or underlying fund, depending on the circumstances.

Contract Owner Taxes. Since individual Contract owners are generally not treated as shareholders of the Funds, no discussion is included regarding the federal income tax consequences at the Contract owner level. The discussion of federal income tax considerations in the prospectus, in conjunction with the foregoing, is a general and abbreviated summary of the applicable provisions of the Code and Treasury Regulations currently in effect. These interpretations can be changed at any time. The above discussion covers only federal tax considerations with respect to the Funds. State and local taxes vary.

Each Fund also intends to comply with diversification regulations under Section 817(h) of the Code that apply to mutual funds underlying variable contracts. Generally, a Fund will be required to diversify its investments so that on the last day of each quarter of a calendar year, no more than 55% of the value of its total assets is represented by any one investment, no more than 70% is represented by any two investments, no more than 80% is represented by any three investments, and no more than 90% is represented by any four investments. For this purpose, securities of a given issuer are treated as one investment, but each U.S. government agency or instrumentality is treated as a separate issuer. Any security issued, guaranteed, or insured (to the extent so guaranteed or insured) by the U.S. government or an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government is treated as a security issued by the U.S. government or its agency or instrumentality, whichever is applicable. An alternative asset diversification test may be satisfied under certain circumstances.

Each Fund may sell its shares directly to separate accounts established and maintained by insurance companies for the purpose of funding variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts and to certain qualified pension and retirement plans; if a Fund were to sell its shares to other categories of shareholders, the Fund may fail to comply with applicable Treasury requirements regarding investor control. If a Fund should fail to comply with the investor control requirements, the Contract holders would be treated as the owners of the shares and the contracts invested in the Fund would not be treated as annuity, endowment or life insurance contracts under the Code and all income and gain earned in past years and currently inside the contracts would be taxed currently to the Contract holders, and income and gain would remain subject to taxation as ordinary income thereafter.

Failure by a Fund to both qualify as a regulated investment company and satisfy the Section 817(h) diversification requirements would generally cause Variable Contracts that include the Fund as an underlying investment to lose their favorable tax status and require contract holders to include in ordinary income any income under the contracts for the current and all prior taxable years. Under certain circumstances described in the applicable Treasury regulations, inadvertent failure to satisfy the applicable diversification requirements may be corrected, but such a correction would require a payment to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) based on the tax contract holders would have incurred if they were treated as receiving the income on the contract for the period during which the diversification requirements were not satisfied. Any such failure may also result in adverse tax consequences for the insurance company issuing the contracts. Failure by a Fund to qualify as a regulated investment company would also subject a Fund to federal and state income taxation on all of its taxable income and gain, whether or not distributed to shareholders.

A Fund or an underlying fund, if invested in non-U.S. securities, may be subject to non-U.S. income taxes and non-U.S. financial transactions taxes. Each Fund and underlying fund that is permitted to do so may elect to “pass through” to its investors, including a Fund, the amount of non-U.S. income taxes paid by the Fund or underlying fund. A Fund itself will be eligible to elect to “pass through” such amounts to its stockholders and may do so, depending upon circumstances.

A 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on the net investment income (which includes, but is not limited to, taxable dividends, taxable annuity payments and net gain from investments) of certain individuals, trusts and estates.

Dividends paid by the Company from its ordinary income and distributions of the Company’s net realized capital gains are includable in the respective Insurance Company’s gross income. Distributions of the Company’s net realized long-term capital gains retain their character as long-term capital gains in the hands of the Insurance Companies if certain requirements are met. The tax treatment of such dividends and distributions depends on the respective Insurance Company’s tax status. To the extent that income of the Company represents dividends on common or preferred stock, rather than interest income, its distributions to the Insurance Companies will be eligible for the present 70% dividends received deduction applicable in the case of a life insurance company as provided in the Code. See the Prospectus for the Contracts for a description of the respective Insurance Company’s tax status and the charges which may be made to cover any taxes attributable to the Separate Account. Not later than 60 days after the end of each calendar year, the Company will send to the Insurance Companies a written notice required by the Code reporting the amount and character of any distributions made during such year. Any benefits of such designation will inure to the benefit of the Insurance Companies and will not be shared with Contract holders.

Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by a Fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. If more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations or in other regulated investment companies, the Fund may elect for U.S. income tax purposes to treat foreign income taxes paid by it as paid by the Insurance Companies. A Fund may qualify for and make this election in some, but not necessarily all, of its taxable years. If a Fund were to make an election, the Insurance Companies would be required to take into account an amount equal to their pro rata portions of such foreign taxes in computing their taxable income and then treat an amount equal to those foreign taxes as a U.S. Federal income tax deduction or as a foreign tax credit against their U.S. Federal income taxes. Not later than 60 days after any year for which it makes such an election, a Fund will report to the Insurance Companies the

 

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amount per share of such foreign income tax that must be included in gross income and the amount which will be available for the deduction or credit. Certain limitations will be imposed on the extent to which the credit (but not the deduction) for foreign taxes may be claimed. Foreign taxes paid by each Fund will reduce the return from the Fund’s investments. Any benefits of such reporting will inure to the benefit of the Insurance Companies and will not be shared with Contract holders.

Since individual contract owners are generally not treated as shareholders of the Funds, no discussion is included regarding the federal income tax consequences at the shareholder level.

The discussion of federal income tax considerations in the prospectus, in conjunction with the foregoing, is a general and abbreviated summary of the applicable provisions of the Code and Treasury Regulations currently in effect as interpreted by the Courts and the IRS. These interpretations can be changed at any time. The above discussion covers only federal tax considerations with respect to the Funds. State and local taxes vary.

 

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Appendix A – Long and Short-Term Credit Ratings

Certain of the Funds’ investment policies and restrictions include reference to bond (long-term) and commercial paper (short-term) ratings. The following is a discussion of the rating categories of Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC.

Background

Moody’s

Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities.

S&P Global Ratings

A Standard & Poor’s issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program. The opinion reflects Standard & Poor’s view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due.

Long-Term Credit Ratings

Long-term ratings are generally the credit risk of fixed-income obligation with an original maturity of one year or more.

Moody’s

Aaa – Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

Aa - Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A - Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa - Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba - Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B - Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa - Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca - Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C - Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

S&P Global Ratings

AAA - An obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA - An obligation rated ‘AA’ differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

A - An obligation rated ‘A’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB – An obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB; B; CCC; CC; and C – Obligations rated ‘BB’, ‘B’, ‘CCC’, ‘CC’, and ‘C’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

D - An obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

*Ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

 

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Short-Term Credit Ratings

Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days – including commercial paper.

Moody’s

P1 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P2 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P3 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

S&P Global Ratings

A-1 - A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

A-2 - A short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

A-3 - A short-term obligation rated ‘A-3’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B - A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

C - A short-term obligation rated ‘C’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

D - A short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

 

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Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation

I. Introduction

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of each series of Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (collectively, the “Lincoln Funds”) has adopted these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies and Procedures”) to govern each Lincoln Fund’s proxy voting. The Board has delegated implementation of these Policies and Procedures, and the responsibility for all proxy voting, or further delegation of proxy voting, to the Lincoln Funds’ investment adviser, Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”).

LFI has adopted these Policies and Procedures to govern LFI’s implementation of proxy voting for LFI’s clients, which include the Lincoln Funds.

II. Policies

LFI shall vote proxies for which it has discretionary authority in the best interests of its clients. Such clients may include the Lincoln Funds, non-Lincoln mutual funds, private funds, and separate accounts (collectively, “Clients”).

Proxy voting decisions with respect to a Client’s holdings shall be made in the manner LFI believes will most likely protect and promote such Client’s long-term economic value. Absent unusual circumstances or specific instructions, LFI votes proxies on a particular matter with this fundamental premise on behalf of each Client, regardless of a Client’s individual investment style or strategies.

In exercise voting authority LFI will comply with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The Rule requires an investment adviser to:

 

   

Adopt and implement written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes client securities in the best interest of clients, which procedures must include how material conflicts are addressed;

 

   

Disclose to clients how they may obtain information about how the adviser voted with respect to their securities; and

 

   

Describe to clients the adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures and, upon request, furnish a copy of the policies and procedures to the requesting client.

III. Procedures

A. Direct Investments

LFI may invest directly in equity and fixed income securities, and other types of investments. LFI will cast votes for proxies in accordance with the Client’s proxy voting procedures or other direction. If the Client does not direct proxy voting in the Client’s account, LFI will vote proxies in the Client’s best interests, as determined by LFI. In making such determination, LFI may rely on analysis from proxy voting consultants or third-party proxy voting services. LFI will consider each proxy that it votes and evaluate it based on the particular facts and circumstances of that proxy. LFI may determine not to vote all or some shares eligible to vote if that course of action would be in the Client’s best interests under the circumstances. Such circumstances could include, but are not limited to, cases where the cost of voting exceeds any expected benefits (e.g., foreign proxies), or where voting results in restrictions on trading.

B. Sub-Advised Funds

LFI advises mutual funds and separate accounts that are offered through variable contracts and which are sub-advised by unaffiliated third-party sub-advisers (“sub-advised funds”). Each sub-advised fund delegates responsibility for voting proxies relating to the sub-advised fund’s securities to the sub-adviser, subject to the Board’s continued oversight. The sub-adviser votes all proxies relating to the sub-advised funds’ portfolio securities and uses the sub-adviser’s own proxy voting policies and procedures adopted in conformance with Rule 206(4)-6. LFI shall review each sub-adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures as follows:

 

   

Before a sub-adviser is retained, LFI’s compliance staff will review the proposed sub-adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures and confirm that the sub-adviser will vote the proxies in the best interests of its clients.

 

   

Each quarter, LFI’s compliance staff surveys each sub-adviser, via a compliance questionnaire, and reviews any reported changes or exceptions to their compliance policies and procedures, including proxy voting. LFI’s compliance staff reviews these reported changes or exceptions and, if material, summarizes them and reports such event’s to the sub-advised fund’s board.

 

   

During contract renewal of sub-advisory agreements for Clients that are registered mutual funds, LFI reviews the sub-adviser’s responses to the Section 15(c) information request sent by Funds Management, which includes pertinent questions relating to the sub-adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures.

 

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C. Funds of Funds

LFI advises certain funds of funds that invest substantially all of their assets in shares of other affiliated and/or unaffiliated mutual funds (each an “underlying fund”). A fund of funds may also invest directly in equity and fixed income securities and other types of investments.

When an underlying fund, whose shares are held by a fund of funds, solicits a shareholder vote on any matter, LFI shall vote such shares of the underlying fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of shares of such underlying fund. This type of voting structure is commonly referred to as “mirror voting.”

When a fund of funds invests directly in securities other than mutual funds, LFI shall follow the procedures outlined in “Direct Investments” above.

D. Master-Feeder Funds

LFI advises certain master-feeder funds. A feeder fund does not buy investment securities directly. Instead, it invests in a master fund which in turn purchases investment securities. Each feeder fund has the same investment objective and strategies as its master fund.

If a master fund in a master-feeder structure calls a shareholder meeting and solicits proxies, the feeder fund (that owns shares of the master fund) shall seek voting instructions from the feeder fund’s shareholders, and will vote proxies as directed. Proxies for which no instructions are received shall be voted in accordance with mirror voting, in the same proportion as the proxies for which instructions were timely received from the feeder fund’s shareholders.

Proxies for the portfolio securities owned by the master fund will be voted pursuant to the master fund’s own proxy voting policies and procedures.

E. Material Conflicts

In the event that LFI identifies a potential material conflict of interest between: a Client and LFI, or any LFI-affiliated entity, LFI will advise the chief compliance officer (“CCO”) of the potential conflict. The CCO then will convene an ad hoc committee which will include, without limitation, the CCO, legal counsel, and the president of LFI. The ad hoc committee will determine if an actual conflict exists, and if so, it will vote the proxy in accordance with the Client’s best interests. If the conflict relates specifically to a Client that is a registered mutual fund, the CCO shall report to the fund’s board, at its next regularly scheduled meeting, the nature of the conflict, how the proxy vote was cast, and the rationale for the vote.

IV. Disclosure

A. Form ADV

LFI shall disclose information regarding these Policies and Procedures as required in Item 17 of Form ADV, Part 2A. Among other things, LFI will disclose how Clients may obtain information about how LFI voted their portfolio securities and how Clients may obtain a copy of these Policies and Procedures.

B. Statement of Additional Information (SAI)

Each of the Lincoln Funds shall include in its SAI a copy or a summary of these Policies and Procedures, and, if applicable, any sub-advisers’ policies and procedures (or a summary of such policies and procedures).

C. Annual Reports

Each of the Lincoln Funds shall disclose in its annual and semi-annual shareholder reports that a description of these Policies and Procedures, including any sub-adviser policies and procedures, and the Lincoln Fund’s proxy voting record for the most recent 12 months ended June 30 are available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) website by calling a specified toll-free telephone number.

D. Proxy Voting Record on Form N-PX

The Lincoln Funds annually will file their complete proxy voting record with the SEC on Form N-PX. Form N-PX shall be filed for the twelve months ended June 30 no later than August 31 of that year.

V. Recordkeeping

LFI shall retain the following documents for not less than seven (7) years from the end of the year in which the proxies were voted, the first two (2) years at an on-site location:

 

(a)

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures;

 

(b)

Proxy voting records (this requirement may be satisfied by a third party who has agreed in writing to do so);

 

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(c)

A copy of any document that LFI, or an ad hoc committee convened for purposes of voting proxies, creates that was material in making its voting decision, or that memorializes the basis for such decision; and

 

(d)

A copy of each written request from a Client, and any response to the Client, for information on how LFI voted the Client’s proxies.

American Century Investment Management, Inc. (American Century)

American Century is the investment manager for a variety of advisory clients, including the American Century family of funds. In such capacity, the Advisor has been delegated the authority to vote proxies with respect to investments held in the accounts it manages. The following is a statement of the proxy voting policies that have been adopted by the Advisor. In the exercise of proxy voting authority which has been delegated to it by particular clients, the Advisor will apply the following policies in accordance with, and subject to, any specific policies that have been adopted by the client and communicated to and accepted by the Advisor in writing.

A. General Principles

In providing the service of voting client proxies, the Advisor is guided by general fiduciary principles, must act prudently, solely in the interest of its clients, and must not subordinate client interests to unrelated objectives. Except as otherwise indicated in these Policies, the Advisor will vote all proxies with respect to investments held in the client accounts it manages. The Advisor will attempt to consider all factors of its vote that could affect the value of the investment. Although in most instances the Advisor will vote proxies consistently across all client accounts, the votes will be based on the best interests of each client. As a result, accounts managed by the Advisor may at times vote differently on the same proposals. Examples of when an account’s vote might differ from other accounts managed by the Advisor include, but are not limited to, proxy contests and proposed mergers. In short, the Advisor will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will do the most to maximize shareholder value.

B. Specific Proxy Matters

1. Routine Matters

a. Election of Directors

(1) Generally. The Advisor will generally support the election of directors that result in a board made up of a majority of independent directors. In general, the Advisor will vote in favor of management’s director nominees if they are running unopposed. The Advisor believes that management is in the best possible position to evaluate the qualifications of directors and the needs and dynamics of a particular board. The Advisor of course maintains the ability to vote against any candidate whom it feels is not qualified or if there are specific concerns about the individual, such as allegations of criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities. Additional information the Advisor may consider concerning director nominees include, but is not limited to, whether (1) there is an adequate explanation for repeated absences at board meetings, (2) the nominee receives non-board fee compensation, or (3) there is a family relationship between the nominee and the company’s chief executive officer or controlling shareholder. When management’s nominees are opposed in a proxy contest, the Advisor will evaluate which nominees’ publicly-announced management policies and goals are most likely to maximize shareholder value, as well as the past performance of the incumbents.

(2) Committee Service. The Advisor will withhold votes for non-independent directors who serve on the audit, compensation, and/or nominating committees of the board.

(3) Classification of Boards. The Advisor will support proposals that seek to declassify boards. Conversely, the Advisor will oppose efforts to adopt classified board structures.

(4) Majority Independent Board. The Advisor will support proposals calling for a majority of independent directors on a board. The Advisor believes that a majority of independent directors can help to facilitate objective decision making and enhances accountability to shareholders.

(5) Majority Vote Standard for Director Elections. The Advisor will vote in favor of proposals calling for directors to be elected by an affirmative majority of the votes cast in a board election, provided that the proposal allows for a plurality voting standard in the case of contested elections. The Advisor may consider voting against such shareholder proposals where a company’s board has adopted an alternative measure, such as a director resignation policy, that provides a meaningful alternative to the majority voting standard and appropriately addresses situations where an incumbent director fails to receive the support of the majority of the votes cast in an uncontested election.

(6) Withholding Campaigns. The Advisor will support proposals calling for shareholders to withhold votes for directors where such actions will advance the principles set forth in paragraphs (1) through (5) above.

b. Ratification of Selection of Auditors

The Advisor will generally rely on the judgment of the issuer’s audit committee in selecting the independent auditors who will provide the best service to the company. The Advisor believes that independence of the auditors is paramount and will vote against auditors whose independence appears to be impaired. The Advisor will vote against proposed auditors in those circumstances where (1) an auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; (2) non-audit fees comprise more than 50% of the total fees paid by the

 

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company to the audit firm; or (3) there is reason to believe that the independent auditor has previously rendered an opinion to the issuer that is either inaccurate or not indicative of the company’s financial position.

2. Compensation Matters

a. Executive Compensation

(1) Advisory Vote on Compensation. The Advisor believes there are more effective ways to convey concerns about compensation than through an advisory vote on compensation (such as voting against specific excessive incentive plans or withholding votes from compensation committee members). The Advisor will consider and vote on a case-by-case basis on say-on-pay proposals and will generally support management proposals unless specific concerns exist, including if the Advisor concludes that executive compensation is (i) misaligned with shareholder interests, (ii) unreasonable in amount, or (iii) not in the aggregate meaningfully tied to the company’s performance.

(2) Frequency of Advisory Votes on Compensation. The Advisor generally supports the triennial option for the frequency of say-on-pay proposals, but will consider management recommendations for an alternative approach.

b. Equity Based Compensation Plans

The Advisor believes that equity-based incentive plans are economically significant issues upon which shareholders are entitled to vote. The Advisor recognizes that equity-based compensation plans can be useful in attracting and maintaining desirable employees. The cost associated with such plans must be measured if plans are to be used appropriately to maximize shareholder value. The Advisor will conduct a case-by-case analysis of each stock option, stock bonus or similar plan or amendment, and generally approve management’s recommendations with respect to adoption of or amendments to a company’s equity-based compensation plans, provided that the total number of shares reserved under all of a company’s plans is reasonable and not excessively dilutive.

The Advisor will review equity-based compensation plans or amendments thereto on a case-by-case basis. Factors that will be considered in the determination include the company’s overall capitalization, the performance of the company relative to its peers, and the maturity of the company and its industry; for example, technology companies often use options broadly throughout its employee base which may justify somewhat greater dilution.

Amendments which are proposed in order to bring a company’s plan within applicable legal requirements will be reviewed by the Advisor’s legal counsel; amendments to executive bonus plans to comply with IRS Section 162(m) disclosure requirements, for example, are generally approved.

The Advisor will generally vote against the adoption of plans or plan amendments that:

 

   

Provide for immediate vesting of all stock options in the event of a change of control of the company without reasonable safeguards against abuse (see “Anti-Takeover Proposals” below);

 

   

Reset outstanding stock options at a lower strike price unless accompanied by a corresponding and proportionate reduction in the number of shares designated. The Advisor will generally oppose adoption of stock option plans that explicitly or historically permit repricing of stock options, regardless of the number of shares reserved for issuance, since their effect is impossible to evaluate;

 

   

Establish restriction periods shorter than three years for restricted stock grants;

 

   

Do not reasonably associate awards to performance of the company; or

 

   

Are excessively dilutive to the company.

3. Anti-Takeover Proposals

In general, the Advisor will vote against any proposal, whether made by management or shareholders, which the Advisor believes would materially discourage a potential acquisition or takeover. In most cases an acquisition or takeover of a particular company will increase share value. The adoption of anti-takeover measures may prevent or frustrate a bid from being made, may prevent consummation of the acquisition, and may have a negative effect on share price when no acquisition proposal is pending. The items below discuss specific anti-takeover proposals.

a. Cumulative Voting

The Advisor will vote in favor of any proposal to adopt cumulative voting and will vote against any proposal to eliminate cumulative voting that is already in place, except in cases where a company has a staggered board. Cumulative voting gives minority shareholders a stronger voice in the company and a greater chance for representation on the board. The Advisor believes that the elimination of cumulative voting constitutes an anti-takeover measure.

b. Staggered Board

If a company has a “staggered board,” its directors are elected for terms of more than one year and only a segment of the board stands for election in any year. Therefore, a potential acquiror cannot replace the entire board in one year even if it controls a majority of the votes. Although staggered boards may provide some degree of continuity and stability of leadership and direction to the board of directors, the Advisor believes

 

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that staggered boards are primarily an anti-takeover device and will vote against establishing them and for eliminating them. However, the Advisor does not necessarily vote against the re-election of directors serving on staggered boards.

c. “Blank Check” Preferred Stock

Blank check preferred stock gives the board of directors the ability to issue preferred stock, without further shareholder approval, with such rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions as may be set by the board. In response to a hostile takeover attempt, the board could issue such stock to a friendly party or “white knight” or could establish conversion or other rights in the preferred stock which would dilute the common stock and make an acquisition impossible or less attractive. The argument in favor of blank check preferred stock is that it gives the board flexibility in pursuing financing, acquisitions or other proper corporate purposes without incurring the time or expense of a shareholder vote. Generally, the Advisor will vote against blank check preferred stock. However, the Advisor may vote in favor of blank check preferred if the proxy statement discloses that such stock is limited to use for a specific, proper corporate objective as a financing instrument.

d. Elimination of Preemptive Rights

When a company grants preemptive rights, existing shareholders are given an opportunity to maintain their proportional ownership when new shares are issued. A proposal to eliminate preemptive rights is a request from management to revoke that right.

While preemptive rights will protect the shareholder from having its equity diluted, it may also decrease a company’s ability to raise capital through stock offerings or use stock for acquisitions or other proper corporate purposes. Preemptive rights may therefore result in a lower market value for the company’s stock. In the long term, shareholders could be adversely affected by preemptive rights. The Advisor generally votes against proposals to grant preemptive rights, and for proposals to eliminate preemptive rights.

e. Non-targeted Share Repurchase

A non-targeted share repurchase is generally used by company management to prevent the value of stock held by existing shareholders from deteriorating. A non-targeted share repurchase may reflect management’s belief in the favorable business prospects of the company. The Advisor finds no disadvantageous effects of a non-targeted share repurchase and will generally vote for the approval of a non-targeted share repurchase subject to analysis of the company’s financial condition.

f. Increase in Authorized Common Stock

The issuance of new common stock can also be viewed as an anti-takeover measure, although its effect on shareholder value would appear to be less significant than the adoption of blank check preferred. The Advisor will evaluate the amount of the proposed increase and the purpose or purposes for which the increase is sought. If the increase is not excessive and is sought for proper corporate purposes, the increase will be approved. Proper corporate purposes might include, for example, the creation of additional stock to accommodate a stock split or stock dividend, additional stock required for a proposed acquisition, or additional stock required to be reserved upon exercise of employee stock option plans or employee stock purchase plans. Generally, the Advisor will vote in favor of an increase in authorized common stock of up to 100%; increases in excess of 100% are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and will be voted affirmatively if management has provided sound justification for the increase.

g. “Supermajority” Voting Provisions or Super Voting Share Classes

A “supermajority” voting provision is a provision placed in a company’s charter documents which would require a “supermajority” (ranging from 66 to 90%) of shareholders and shareholder votes to approve any type of acquisition of the company. A super voting share class grants one class of shareholders a greater per-share vote than those of shareholders of other voting classes. The Advisor believes that these are standard anti-takeover measures and will generally vote against them. The supermajority provision makes an acquisition more time-consuming and expensive for the acquiror. A super voting share class favors one group of shareholders disproportionately to economic interest. Both are often proposed in conjunction with other anti-takeover measures.

h. “Fair Price” Amendments

This is another type of charter amendment that would require an offeror to pay a “fair” and uniform price to all shareholders in an acquisition. In general, fair price amendments are designed to protect shareholders from coercive, two-tier tender offers in which some shareholders may be merged out on disadvantageous terms. Fair price amendments also have an anti-takeover impact, although their adoption is generally believed to have less of a negative effect on stock price than other anti-takeover measures. The Advisor will carefully examine all fair price proposals. In general, the Advisor will vote against fair price proposals unless the Advisor concludes that it is likely that the share price will not be negatively affected and the proposal will not have the effect of discouraging acquisition proposals.

i. Limiting the Right to Call Special Shareholder Meetings.

The corporation statutes of many states allow minority shareholders at a certain threshold level of ownership (frequently 10%) to call a special meeting of shareholders. This right can be eliminated (or the threshold increased) by amendment to the company’s charter documents. The Advisor believes that the right to call a special shareholder meeting is significant for minority shareholders; the elimination of such right will be viewed as an anti-takeover measure and the Advisor will generally vote against proposals attempting to eliminate this right and for proposals attempting to restore it.

 

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j. Poison Pills or Shareholder Rights Plans

Many companies have now adopted some version of a poison pill plan (also known as a shareholder rights plan). Poison pill plans generally provide for the issuance of additional equity securities or rights to purchase equity securities upon the occurrence of certain hostile events, such as the acquisition of a large block of stock.

The basic argument against poison pills is that they depress share value, discourage offers for the company and serve to “entrench” management. The basic argument in favor of poison pills is that they give management more time and leverage to deal with a takeover bid and, as a result, shareholders may receive a better price. The Advisor believes that the potential benefits of a poison pill plan are outweighed by the potential detriments. The Advisor will generally vote against all forms of poison pills.

The Advisor will, however, consider on a case-by-case basis poison pills that are very limited in time and preclusive effect. The Advisor will generally vote in favor of such a poison pill if it is linked to a business strategy that will – in our view – likely result in greater value for shareholders, if the term is less than three years, and if shareholder approval is required to reinstate the expired plan or adopt a new plan at the end of this term.

k. Golden Parachutes

Golden parachute arrangements provide substantial compensation to executives who are terminated as a result of a takeover or change in control of their company. The existence of such plans in reasonable amounts probably has only a slight anti-takeover effect. In voting, the Advisor will evaluate the specifics of the plan presented.

l. Reincorporation

Reincorporation in a new state is often proposed as one part of a package of anti-takeover measures. Several states (such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana) now provide some type of legislation that greatly discourages takeovers. Management believes that Delaware in particular is beneficial as a corporate domicile because of the well-developed body of statutes and case law dealing with corporate acquisitions.

The Advisor will examine reincorporation proposals on a case-by-case basis. Generally, if the Advisor believes that the reincorporation will result in greater protection from takeovers, the reincorporation proposal will be opposed. The Advisor will also oppose reincorporation proposals involving jurisdictions that specify that directors can recognize non-shareholder interests over those of shareholders. When reincorporation is proposed for a legitimate business purpose and without the negative effects identified above, the Advisor will generally vote affirmatively.

m. Confidential Voting

Companies that have not previously adopted a “confidential voting” policy allow management to view the results of shareholder votes. This gives management the opportunity to contact those shareholders voting against management in an effort to change their votes.

Proponents of secret ballots argue that confidential voting enables shareholders to vote on all issues on the basis of merit without pressure from management to influence their decision. Opponents argue that confidential voting is more expensive and unnecessary; also, holding shares in a nominee name maintains shareholders’ confidentiality. The Advisor believes that the only way to insure anonymity of votes is through confidential voting, and that the benefits of confidential voting outweigh the incremental additional cost of administering a confidential voting system. Therefore, the Advisor will generally vote in favor of any proposal to adopt confidential voting.

n. Opting In or Out of State Takeover Laws

State takeover laws typically are designed to make it more difficult to acquire a corporation organized in that state. The Advisor believes that the decision of whether or not to accept or reject offers of merger or acquisition should be made by the shareholders, without unreasonably restrictive state laws that may impose ownership thresholds or waiting periods on potential acquirors. Therefore, the Advisor will generally vote in favor of opting out of restrictive state takeover laws.

4. Transaction Related Proposals

The Advisor will review transaction related proposals, such as mergers, acquisitions, and corporate reorganizations, on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the impact of the transaction on each client account. In some instances, such as the approval of a proposed merger, a transaction may have a differential impact on client accounts depending on the securities held in each account. For example, whether a merger is in the best interest of a client account may be influenced by whether an account holds, and in what proportion, the stock of both the acquirer and the acquiror. In these circumstances, the Advisor may determine that it is in the best interests of the accounts to vote the accounts’ shares differently on proposals related to the same transaction.

5. Other Matters

a. Proposals Involving Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) Matters

The Advisor believes that ESG issues can potentially impact an issuer’s long-term financial performance and has developed an analytical framework, as well as a proprietary assessment tool, to integrate risks and opportunities stemming from ESG issues into our investment process. This ESG integration process extends to our proxy voting practices in that our ESG Proxy Team analyzes on a case-by-case basis the financial materiality and potential risks or economic impact of the ESG issues underpinning proxy proposals and makes voting recommendations based

 

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thereon for the Advisor’s consideration. The ESG Proxy Team will generally recommend support for well-targeted ESG proposals if it believes that there is a rational linkage between a proposal, its economic impact, and its potential to maximize long-term shareholder value. Where the economic effect of such proposals is unclear and there is not a specific written client-mandate, the Advisor believes it is generally impossible to know how to vote in a manner that would accurately reflect the views of the Advisor’s clients, and, therefore, the Advisor will generally rely on management’s assessment of the economic effect if the Advisor believes the assessment is not unreasonable. Shareholders may also introduce proposals which are the subject of existing law or regulation. Examples of such proposals would include a proposal to require disclosure of a company’s contributions to political action committees or a proposal to require a company to adopt a non-smoking workplace policy. The Advisor believes that such proposals may be better addressed outside the corporate arena and, absent a potential economic impact, will generally vote with management’s recommendation. In addition, the Advisor will generally vote against any proposal which would require a company to adopt practices or procedures which go beyond the requirements of existing, directly applicable law.

b. Anti-Greenmail Proposals

“Anti-greenmail” proposals generally limit the right of a corporation, without a shareholder vote, to pay a premium or buy out a 5% or greater shareholder. Management often argues that they should not be restricted from negotiating a deal to buy out a significant shareholder at a premium if they believe it is in the best interest of the company. Institutional shareholders generally believe that all shareholders should be able to vote on such a significant use of corporate assets. The Advisor believes that any repurchase by the company at a premium price of a large block of stock should be subject to a shareholder vote. Accordingly, it will generally vote in favor of anti-greenmail proposals.

c. Indemnification

The Advisor will generally vote in favor of a corporation’s proposal to indemnify its officers and directors in accordance with applicable state law. Indemnification arrangements are often necessary in order to attract and retain qualified directors. The adoption of such proposals appears to have little effect on share value.

d. Non-Stock Incentive Plans

Management may propose a variety of cash-based incentive or bonus plans to stimulate employee performance. In general, the cash or other corporate assets required for most incentive plans is not material, and the Advisor will vote in favor of such proposals, particularly when the proposal is recommended in order to comply with IRC Section 162(m) regarding salary disclosure requirements. Case-by-case determinations will be made of the appropriateness of the amount of shareholder value transferred by proposed plans.

e. Director Tenure

These proposals ask that age and term restrictions be placed on the board of directors. The Advisor believes that these types of blanket restrictions are not necessarily in the best interests of shareholders and therefore will vote against such proposals, unless they have been recommended by management.

f. Directors’ Stock Options Plans

The Advisor believes that stock options are an appropriate form of compensation for directors, and the Advisor will generally vote for director stock option plans which are reasonable and do not result in excessive shareholder dilution. Analysis of such proposals will be made on a case-by-case basis, and will take into account total board compensation and the company’s total exposure to stock option plan dilution.

g. Director Share Ownership

The Advisor will generally vote against shareholder proposals which would require directors to hold a minimum number of the company’s shares to serve on the Board of Directors, in the belief that such ownership should be at the discretion of Board members.

h. Non-U.S. Proxies

The Advisor will generally evaluate non-U.S. proxies in the context of the voting policies expressed herein but will also, where feasible, take into consideration differing laws, regulations, and practices in the relevant foreign market in determining if and how to vote. There may also be circumstances when practicalities and costs involved with non-U.S. investing make it disadvantageous to vote shares. For instance, the Advisor generally does not vote proxies in circumstances where share blocking restrictions apply, when meeting attendance is required in person, or when current share ownership disclosure is required.

C. Use of Proxy Advisory Services

The Advisor may retain proxy advisory firms to provide services in connection with voting proxies, including, without limitation, to provide information on shareholder meeting dates and proxy materials, translate proxy materials printed in a foreign language, provide research on proxy proposals and voting recommendations in accordance with the voting policies expressed herein, provide systems to assist with casting the proxy votes, and provide reports and assist with preparation of filings concerning the proxies voted.

Prior to the selection of a proxy advisory firm and periodically thereafter, the Advisor will consider whether the proxy advisory firm has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues and the ability to make recommendations based on material accurate information in an impartial manner. Such considerations may include some or all of the following (i) periodic sampling of votes cast through the firm’s systems to determine that votes are in accordance with the Advisor’s policies and its clients best interests, (ii) onsite visits to the proxy advisory firm’s office

 

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and/or discussions with the firm to determine whether the firm continues to have the resources (e.g. staffing, personnel, technology, etc.) capacity and competency to carry out its obligations to the Advisor, (iii) a review of the firm’s policies and procedures, with a focus on those relating to identifying and addressing conflicts of interest and monitoring that current and accurate information is used in creating recommendations, (iv) requesting that the firm notify the Advisor if there is a change in the firm’s material policies and procedures, particularly with respect to conflicts, or material business practices (e.g., entering or exiting new lines of business), and reviewing any such change, and (v) in case of an error made by the firm, discussing the error with the firm and determining whether appropriate corrective and preventative action is being taken. In the event the Advisor discovers an error in the research or voting recommendations provided by the firm, it will take reasonable steps to investigate the error and seek to determine whether the firm is taking reasonable steps to reduce similar errors in the future.

While the Advisor takes into account information from many different sources, including independent proxy advisory services, the decision on how to vote proxies will be made in accordance with these policies.

D. Monitoring Potential Conflicts of Interest

Corporate management has a strong interest in the outcome of proposals submitted to shareholders. As a consequence, management often seeks to influence large shareholders to vote with their recommendations on particularly controversial matters. In the vast majority of cases, these communications with large shareholders amount to little more than advocacy for management’s positions and give the Advisor’s staff the opportunity to ask additional questions about the matter being presented. Companies with which the Advisor has direct business relationships could theoretically use these relationships to attempt to unduly influence the manner in which the Advisor votes on matters for its clients. To ensure that such a conflict of interest does not affect proxy votes cast for the Advisor’s clients, our proxy voting personnel regularly catalog companies with whom the Advisor has significant business relationships; all discretionary (including case-by-case) voting for these companies will be voted by the client or an appropriate fiduciary responsible for the client (e.g., a committee of the independent directors of a fund or the trustee of a retirement plan).

In addition, to avoid any potential conflict of interest that may arise when one American Century fund owns shares of another American Century fund, the Advisor will “echo vote” such shares, if possible. Echo voting means the Advisor will vote the shares in the same proportion as the vote of all of the other holders of the fund’s shares. So, for example, if shareholders of a fund cast 80% of their votes in favor of a proposal and 20% against the proposal, any American Century fund that owns shares of such fund will cast 80% of its shares in favor of the proposal and 20% against. When this is not possible (as in the case of the “NT” funds, where the other American Century funds are the only shareholders), the shares of the underlying fund (e.g. the “NT” fund) will be voted in the same proportion as the vote of the shareholders of the corresponding American Century policy portfolio for proposals common to both funds. For example, NT Growth Fund shares will be echo voted in accordance with the votes of the Growth Fund shareholders. In the case where the policy portfolio does not have a common proposal, shares will be voted in consultation with a committee of the independent directors.

************************************************************

The voting policies expressed above are of course subject to modification in certain circumstances and will be reexamined from time to time. With respect to matters that do not fit in the categories stated above, the Advisor will exercise its best judgment as a fiduciary to vote in the manner which will most enhance shareholder value.

Case-by-case determinations will be made by the Advisor’s staff, which is overseen by the General Counsel of the Advisor, in consultation with equity managers. Electronic records will be kept of all votes made.

 

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Appendix C — Compensation Structures and Methodologies of Portfolio Managers

The following describes the structure of, and the method(s) used to determine the different types of compensation (e.g., salary, bonus, deferred compensation, retirement plans and arrangements) for each Fund’s portfolio manager as of each Fund’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2022:

Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation

The equity programs are designed to position LFI to attract and retain the most talented individuals in the financial services industry by offering competitive programs that reward exceptional individual and company performance. Compensation of portfolio managers is not directly based on the performance of the funds or the value of assets held in the funds. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following:

BASE SALARY: Each named portfolio manager receives a fixed base salary. The base salary is a combination of factors including experience, responsibilities, skills, expectations, and market considerations. Salary increases are awarded in recognition of the portfolio manager’s individual performance and an increase or change in duties and responsibilities. Job expectations are reviewed annually to ensure that they are reflected in the performance objects of the portfolio manager.

ANNUAL INCENTIVE PLAN (AIP): Portfolio managers are eligible to receive annual variable incentive bonus. The AIP is a component of overall compensation based on company, division, and individual employee performance designed to link performance to pay.

LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN PROGRAM: From time to time long-term incentive equity awards are granted to certain key employees. Equity awards are generally granted in the form of Lincoln National Corporation restricted stock units that, once vested, settle in Lincoln National Corporation common stock.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PROGRAM: A portion of the cash compensation paid to eligible LFI employees may be voluntarily deferred at their election for defined periods of time into an account that may be invested in mutual funds. The mutual fund investment options available in such accounts do not currently include LFI-advised funds.

American Century Investment Management, Inc. (American Century)

Compensation

American Century Investments portfolio manager compensation is structured to align the interests of portfolio managers with those of the shareholders whose assets they manage. It includes the components described below, each of which is determined with reference to a number of factors such as overall performance, market competition, and internal equity.

Base Salary

Portfolio managers receive base pay in the form of a fixed annual salary.

Bonus

A significant portion of portfolio manager compensation takes the form of an annual incentive bonus, which is determined by a combination of factors. One factor is investment performance of funds a portfolio manager manages. The mutual funds’ investment performance is generally measured by a combination of one-, three- and five-year pre-tax performance relative to various benchmarks and/or internally-customized peer groups. The performance comparison periods may be adjusted based on a fund’s inception date or a portfolio manager’s tenure on the fund.

Portfolio managers may have responsibility for multiple American Century Investments products. In such cases, the performance of each is assigned a percentage weight appropriate for the portfolio manager’s relative levels of responsibility. Portfolio managers also may have responsibility for other types of managed portfolios or ETFs. If the performance of a managed account or ETF is considered for purposes of compensation, it is generally measured via the same criteria as an American Century Investments mutual fund (i.e., relative to the performance of a benchmark and/or peer group).

A second factor in the bonus calculation relates to the performance of a number of American Century Investments products managed according to one of the following investment disciplines: global growth equity, global value equity, disciplined equity, global fixed-income, and multi-asset strategies. The performance of American Century ETFs may also be included for certain investment disciplines. Performance is measured for each product individually as described above and then combined to create an overall composite for the product group. These composites may measure one-year performance (equal weighted) or a combination of one-, three- and five-year performance (equal or asset weighted) depending on the portfolio manager’s responsibilities and products managed and the composite for certain portfolio managers may include multiple disciplines. This feature is designed to encourage effective teamwork among portfolio management teams in achieving long-term investment success for similarly styled portfolios.

 

59


A portion of portfolio managers’ bonuses may be discretionary and may be tied to factors such as profitability or individual performance goals, such as research projects and the development of new products.

Restricted Stock Plans

Portfolio managers are eligible for grants of restricted stock of ACC. These grants are discretionary, and eligibility and availability can vary from year to year. The size of an individual’s grant is determined by individual and product performance as well as other product-specific considerations such as profitability. Grants can appreciate/depreciate in value based on the performance of the ACC stock during the restriction period (generally three to four years).

Deferred Compensation Plans

Portfolio managers are eligible for grants of deferred compensation. These grants are used in very limited situations, primarily for retention purposes. Grants are fixed and can appreciate/depreciate in value based on the performance of the American Century Investments mutual funds in which the portfolio manager chooses to invest them.

 

60


Part C - Other Information
Item 28. Exhibits
Defined Terms for Exhibits:
Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”, formerly Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation)
Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (“LVIP Trust”)
Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”)
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln Life”)
Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (“Lincoln New York”)
Post-Effective Amendment (“PEA”)
Each of the following exhibits are incorporated by reference herein to the previously filed documents indicated, except as otherwise noted:
(a)
Declaration of Trust.
 
(1)
 
(2)
(b)
By-laws.
 
(1)
(c)
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders.
 
(1)
Articles II, VII, and VIII of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Articles III, V and VI of the Amended Bylaws,
incorporated by reference into Exhibits (a) and (b) hereto, define the rights of holders of shares.
(d)
Investment Advisory Contracts.
 
(1)
 
 
(a)
 
 
(b)
 
(2)
 
(3)
Reserved.
 
(4)
Sub-Advisory Contracts.
 
 
(a)
 
 
(b)
 
 
(c)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(d)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(e)
 
 
(f)
 
 
 
(i)
1

 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(g)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(h)
Reserved.
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(j)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(k)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(l)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(m)
 
 
(n)
Reserved.
 
 
(o)
 
 
(p)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(q)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(a)
 
 
(r)
 
 
(s)
 
 
(t)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(u)
2

 
 
(v)
 
 
(w)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
 
(iii)
 
 
(x)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
 
(iii)
 
 
(y)
 
 
(z)
 
 
(aa)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(bb)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(cc)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(dd)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(ee)
 
 
 
(i)
3

 
 
(ff)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(gg)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(hh)
Reserved.
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(jj)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(kk)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(ll)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(mm)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(nn)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(oo)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(pp)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(qq)
 
 
 
(i)
4

 
 
(rr)
 
(5)
Sub-Sub-Advisory Contracts.
 
 
(a)
 
 
(b)
 
 
(c)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(d)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(e)
 
 
 
(i)
 
 
(f)
 
 
(g)
 
 
(hi)
 
 
(i)
 
(6)
Other Sub-Advisory Contracts.
 
 
(a)
 
 
(b)
(e)
Underwriting Contracts.
 
(1)
 
 
(a)
(f)
N/A
(g)
Custodian Agreements.
 
(1)
5

 
 
(a)
(h)
Other Material Contracts.
 
(1)
 
 
(a)
 
(2)
 
 
(a)
 
(3)
 
 
(a)
 
 
(b)
 
(4)
 
 
(a)
 
 
(b)
 
 
(c)
 
(5)
 
(6)
Consulting Agreements
 
 
(a)
 
(7)
Participation Agreements
 
 
(a)
 
 
(b)
 
 
(c)
 
 
(d)
 
 
(e)
 
 
(f)
 
 
(g)
6

 
 
(h)
 
 
(i)
 
 
(j)
 
 
(k)
 
 
(l)
 
 
(m)
 
 
(n)
 
 
(o)
 
 
(p)
 
 
(q)
 
 
(r)
 
 
(s)
 
 
(t)
 
 
(u)
 
 
(v)
 
 
(w)
 
 
(x)
 
 
(y)
 
 
(z)
 
 
(aa)
 
 
(bb)
 
 
(cc)
Reserved.
 
 
(dd)
 
 
(ee)
7

 
 
(ff)
 
 
(gg)
 
 
(hh)
 
 
(ii)
 
 
(jj)
 
 
(kk)
 
 
(ll)
 
 
(mm)
 
 
(nn)
 
 
(oo)
 
 
(pp)
 
 
(qq)
 
 
(rr)
 
 
(ss)
 
 
(tt)
 
 
(uu)
 
 
(vv)
 
 
(ww)
 
 
(xx)
 
 
(yy)
 
 
(zz)
 
 
(aaa)
 
 
(bbb)
8

 
 
(ccc)
 
 
(ddd)
 
 
(eee)
 
 
(fff)
 
 
(ggg)
 
 
(hhh)
 
 
(iii)
 
 
(jjj)
 
 
(kkk)
 
 
(lll)
 
 
(mmm)
 
(8)
(i)
Legal Opinion.
 
(1)
 
(2)
(j)
Other Opinions.
 
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)
(k)
N/A
(l)
N/A
(m)
Rule 12b-1 Plan.
 
(1)
 
 
(a)
 
(2)
 
 
(a)
 
 
(b)
 
 
(c)
(n)
Rule 18f-3 Plan.
9

 
(1)
(o)
Reserved
(p)
Codes of Ethics.
 
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)
 
(5)
 
(6)
 
(7)
 
(8)
 
(9)
 
(10)
 
(11)
 
(12)
 
(13)
 
(14)
 
(15)
 
(16)
 
(17)
 
(18)
 
(19)
 
(20)
 
(21)
 
(22)
 
(23)
 
(24)
 
(25)
 
(26)
 
(27)
iXBRL Exhibits
EX-101.INS
XBRL Instance Document — the instance document does not appear on the Interactive Data File because its XBRL
tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
EX-101.SCH
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
EX-101.CAL
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
EX-101.DEF
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
EX-101.LAB
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document.
EX-101.PRE
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant
A diagram of all persons under common control with the Registrant is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 of the Registration Statement of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company filed on Form N-4 (File No. 333-170695) on March 30, 2012.
10

See also “Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares” in the Prospectus disclosure forming Part A of this Registration Statement and “Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities” in the Statement of Additional Information disclosure forming Part B of this Registration Statement. As of the date of this Post-Effective Amendment, the shareholders of the Trust are The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company for its Variable Annuity Accounts C, E, H, L, N, Q, T, W, JL-A, JF-I, and JF-II; and for its Flexible Premium Variable Life Accounts D, G, K, M, R, S, Y, JF-A, and JA-C; and for its Separate Account A; and Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York for its Variable Annuity Accounts C, H, L, and N and for its Flexible Premium Variable Life Accounts M, R, S, Y, and JA-B; and certain non-registered separate accounts of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York. Shareholders of the Trust may also include certain unaffiliated insurance companies with respect to the LVIP Baron Growth Opportunities Fund, LVIP SSGA Bond Index Fund, LVIP Franklin Templeton Multi-Factor International Equity Fund, LVIP Franklin Templeton Multi-Factor Emerging Markets Equity Fund, and LVIP SSGA International Index Fund. Certain “fund of funds” of the Trust may also invest in other of the Trust's series of funds.
No persons are controlled by the Registrant.
Item 30. Indemnification
As permitted by Sections 17(h) and 17(i) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and pursuant to Article VII, Section 2 of the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust (Exhibit 28(a) to the Registration Statement) and Article VI of the Trust's By-Laws (Exhibit 28(b) to the Registration Statement), officers, trustees, employees and agents of the Registrant will not be liable to the Registrant, any stockholder, officer, director, trustee, employee, agent or other person for any action or failure to act, except for bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties, and those individuals may be indemnified against liabilities in connection with the Registrant, subject to the same exceptions. Subject to the standards set forth in the governing instrument of the Trust, Section 3817 of Title 12, Part V, Chapter 38, of the Delaware Code permits indemnification of trustees or other persons from and against all claims and demands. The Independent Trustees have entered into an Indemnification Agreement with the Trust which obligates the Trust to indemnify the Independent Trustees in certain situations and which provides the procedures and presumptions with respect to such indemnification obligations.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933” Act) may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted against the Registrant by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The Registrant has purchased an insurance policy insuring its officers, trustees and directors against liabilities, and certain costs of defending claims against such officers and directors, to the extent such officers and directors are not found to have committed conduct constituting willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard in the performance of their duties. The insurance policy will also insure the Registrant against the cost of indemnification payments to officers and trustees under certain circumstances.
Section 9 of the Investment Management Agreements (Exhibits 28(d)(1) and (2) to the Registration Statement) limits the liability of Lincoln Financial Investments Corporation (“LFI”) to liabilities arising from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its respective duties or from reckless disregard by LFI of its respective obligations and duties under the Agreements. Certain other agreements to which the Trust is a party also contain indemnification provisions.
The Registrant hereby undertakes that it will apply the indemnification provisions of its By-Laws in a manner consistent with SEC Release No. 11330 so long as the interpretations of Sections 17(h) and 17(i) of the 1940 Act remain in effect and are consistently applied.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
Information pertaining to any business and other connections of Registrant’s adviser, LFI, is hereby incorporated by reference from the sections captioned “Investment Adviser” or “Investment Adviser and Subadviser” in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) disclosures forming Parts A and B, respectively, of this Registration Statement, and Item 7 of Part II of LFI’s Form ADV filed separately with the SEC.
Information regarding any business and other connections of the Registrant's sub-advisers (collectively, the “Sub-Advisers”) is incorporated by reference from the sections captioned “Investment Adviser and Subadvisers” of the Prospectus and SAI disclosures forming Parts A and B, respectively, of this Registration Statement and Item 7 of Part II of the Subadvisers’ Forms ADV filed separately with the SEC. The Sub-Advisers include:
AllianceBernstein L.P.;
11

American Century Investment Management, Inc.;
BAMCO, Inc.;
BlackRock Advisors, LLC;
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.;
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC;
Channing Capital Management, LLC;
Clearbridge Investments LLC;
Delaware Investments Fund Advisers;
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP;
Franklin Advisers, Inc.;
Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC;
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.;
Invesco Advisers Inc.;
Invesco Capital Management LLC;
JPMorgan Investment Management Inc.;
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P.;
Massachusetts Financial Services Company;
Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC;
Mondrian Investment Partners Limited;
Pacific Investment Management Company LLC;
Schroder Investment Management North America Inc.;
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.;
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.;
Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC;
Wellington Management Company, LLP; and,
Western Asset Management Company.
Information concerning the other businesses, professions, vocations, and employment of a substantial nature during the past two years of the directors and officers of LFI and the Sub-Advisers is incorporated by reference to Schedule A and Schedule D of LFI’s Form ADV and the respective Forms ADV for the Sub-Advisers.
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
(a) Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”) currently serves as principal underwriter for the Trust. LFD also serves as the principal underwriter for: Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account D; Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account E; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account F; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account G; Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account H; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account J; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account K; Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account L; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account M; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account N; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account Q; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account R; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account S; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account T; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account W; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account Y; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account Z; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account JL-A; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account JF-H; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account JF-I; and Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account JF-A; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account JF-C.
LFD also serves as principal underwriter for: Lincoln Life & Annuity Variable Annuity Account L; Lincoln Life & Annuity Flexible Premium Variable Life Account JA-B; Lincoln Life & Annuity Flexible Premium Variable Life Account M; Lincoln New York Account N for Variable Annuities; LLANY Separate Account R for Flexible Premium Variable Life Insurance; LLANY Separate Account S for Flexible Premium Variable Life Insurance; Lincoln Life & Annuity Flexible Premium Variable Life Account Y; and Lincoln Life & Annuity Flexible Premium Variable Life Account Z.
(b) Directors and Principal Officers of Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc.:
Name
Positions and Offices with Underwriter
Positions and Offices with Trust
John C. Kennedy
Director, Chief Executive Officer, and President
N/A
William A. Nash
Director and Senior Vice President
N/A
Timothy J. Seifert, Jr.
Director and Senior Vice President
N/A
Andrew J. Bucklee
Director and Senior Vice President
N/A
12

Name
Positions and Offices with Underwriter
Positions and Offices with Trust
Thomas O'Neill
Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Head
of Financial Institutions Group
N/A
Shantanu Mishra
Senior Vide President, Treasurer
N/A
Paul T. Chryssikos
Senior Vice President
N/A
Ellen J. Duffy
Senior Vice President
N/A
Daniel P. Herr
Senior Vice President
N/A
Ronald A. Holinsky
Senior Vice President
Senior Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal
Officer
Kathleen B. Kavanaugh
Senior Vice President
N/A
Patrick J. Lefemine
Senior Vice President
N/A
Aadil T. Lokhandwala
Senior Vice President
N/A
Richard D. Spenner
Senior Vice President
N/A
Daniel P. Wellock
Senior Vice President
N/A
Claire H. Hanna
Secretary
N/A
LFD’s Principal Business address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor PA 19087.
(c)
N/A
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules promulgated thereunder are maintained by the Adviser, LFI, 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087 and 1301 South Harrison Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802, as well as the Subadvisers at:
AllianceBernstein L.P., 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105;
American Century Investment Management, Inc., 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111;
BAMCO, Inc., 767 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10153;
BlackRock Advisors, LLC, 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809;
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., 40 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10022;
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC, 40 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10022;
Clearbridge Investments LLC, 620 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018;
Channing Capital Management, LLC, 10 S. LaSalle, Suite 2401, Chicago, IL 60603;
Delaware Investments Fund Advisors, 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103;
Dimensional Fund Advisors, L.P., 6300 Bee Cave Road, Building One, Austin, TX 78746,
Franklin Advisers, Inc., One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, California 94403-1906;
Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC, 101 John F. Kennedy Parkway, Short Hills, New Jersey 07078;
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., 200 West Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10282;
Invesco Advisers, Inc., 1555 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30309;
Invesco Capital Management LLC, 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515;
JPMorgan Investment Management Inc., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017;
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P., One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111;
Massachusetts Financial Services Company, 500 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116;
Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC, 71 S. Wacker Drive, 31st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60606;
Mondrian Investment Partners Limited, 80 Cheapside, London EC2V6EE;
Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, 840 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660;
Schroder Investment Management North America Inc., 7 Bryant Park, New York, NY 10018
SSGA Funds Management, Inc., One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111;
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., 100 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202;
Templeton Investment Counsel, 500 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 2100, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33394;
Wellington Management Company, LLP 75 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111; and,
Western Asset Management Company, 385 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101.
and former Subadvisers at:
AQR Capital Management, LLC, Two Greenwich Plaza, 4th Floor, Greenwich, CT 06830;
CBRE Clarion Securities LLC, 201 King of Prussia Road, Suite 600, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087;
13

Cohen & Steers Capital Management, 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017;
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111;
Franklin Advisory Services, LLC, 55 Challenger Road, Suite 501, Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660;
Ivy Investment Management Company, 6300 Lamar Avenue, Shawnee Mission, KS 66201;
Janus Capital Management LLC, 100 Fillmore Street, Denver, Colorado 80206;
Metropolitan West Capital Management, LLC, 610 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1000, Newport Beach, California 92660;
QS Investors, LLC, 880 Third Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10022;
Turner Investment Partners, Inc., 1205 Westlakes Drive, Suite 100, Berwyn, Pennsylvania 19312; and,
UBS Asset Management (Americas) Inc., 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019.
Also, the Trust’s administrator, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, 1301 South Harrison Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802; the Trust’s custodian, State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111; and the Trust’s accounting services provider, State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
Item 34. Management Services
Not applicable.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not applicable.
14


SIGNATURE PAGE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 246 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the city of Fort Wayne, and State of Indiana, on this 18th day of October 2023.
LINCOLN VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS TRUST
By: /s/Benjamin A. Richer

Benjamin A. Richer
Senior Vice President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in their capacities and on the date indicated above.
Signature
Title
By:
/s/Jayson R. Bronchetti*

Jayson R. Bronchetti
Chairman of the Board, Trustee and President
(Principal Executive Officer)
By:
/s/William P. Flory, Jr.

William P. Flory, Jr.
Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer)
/s/Steve A. Cobb*

Steve A. Cobb
Trustee
/s/Ken C. Joseph*

Ken C. Joseph
Trustee
/s/Barbara L. Lamb*

Barbara L. Lamb
Trustee
/s/Gary D. Lemon*

Gary D. Lemon
Trustee
/s/Thomas A. Leonard*

Thomas A. Leonard
Trustee
/s/Charles I. Plosser*

Charles I. Plosser
Trustee
/s/Pamela L. Salaway*

Pamela L. Salaway
Trustee
/s/Manisha A. Thakor*

Manisha A. Thakor
Trustee
/s/Brian W. Wixted*

Brian W. Wixted
Trustee
/s/Nancy B. Wolcott*

Nancy B. Wolcott
Trustee
By:
/s/Benjamin A. Richer

Benjamin A. Richer
Attorney-in-Fact