An investor should consider the Neuberger Berman Global Allocation Fund’s investment objectives, risks, fees and expenses carefully before investing. This and other important information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus and summary prospectus, which you can obtain by calling 877.628.2583. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before making an investment. The prospectus contains a more complete discussion of the risks of investing in the Fund.
Most of the Fund’s performance depends on what happens in the equity, fixed income and currency markets. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments and short sales will result in leverage, which amplifies the risks that are associated with these markets. The markets’ behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal.
The Fund’s investment program requires that the Portfolio Managers understand a variety of instruments traded in markets around the world, the relationships among those instruments and markets, and their relationship to broader political and economic events and trends. A failure to properly understand those instruments or relationships, or to identify and take into account changes in their relationship, may result in losses to the Fund.
The following factors can significantly affect the Fund’s performance:
Markets are volatile and values of individual securities and other investments can decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment. To the extent that the Fund sells a portfolio position before it reaches its market peak, it may miss out on opportunities for better performance.
The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole.
To the extent the Fund emphasizes small-, mid-, or large-cap stocks, it takes on the associated risks. Compared to small- and mid-cap companies, large-cap companies may be less responsive to changes and opportunities. At times, the stocks of larger companies may lag other types of stocks in performance. The stocks of small- and mid-cap companies are often more volatile and less liquid than the stocks of larger companies and may be more affected than other types of stocks by the underperformance of a sector or during market downturns. Compared to large-cap companies, small and mid-cap companies may have a shorter history of operations, and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources.
To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may move up and down more than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events. Because the Fund may hold a limited number of securities, it may at times be substantially over-weighted in certain economic sectors and under-weighted in others. As such, the Fund’s performance is likely to be disproportionately affected by the factors influencing those sectors.
The Fund’s total return and share price will fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates. In general, the value of investments with interest rate risk, such as debt securities, will move in the direction opposite to movements in interest rates. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a debt security, the greater the effect a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. Thus, the Fund’s sensitivity to interest rate risk will increase with any increase in the Fund’s overall duration. An increase in interest rates can impact other markets as well. For example, because investors may buy derivatives with borrowed money, an increase in interest rates can cause a decline in those markets. Interest rates have been unusually low in recent years.
When interest rates are low, issuers will often repay the obligation underlying a “callable security” early, in which case the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in an investment offering a lower yield and may not benefit from any increase in value that might otherwise result from declining interest rates.
A downgrade or default affecting any of the Fund’s securities could affect the Fund’s performance.
Although the Fund may hold securities that carry U.S. government guarantees, these guarantees do not extend to shares of the Fund itself and do not guarantee the market prices of the securities. Furthermore, not all securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury.
Lower-rated debt securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) involve greater risks than investment grade debt securities. Lower-rated debt securities may fluctuate more widely in price and yield than investment grade debt securities and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. Lower rated debt securities are considered by the major rating agencies to be predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments and carry a greater risk that the issuer of such securities will default in the timely payment of principal and interest. Issuers of securities that are in default may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case the Fund may lose its entire investment.
Foreign securities, including those issued by foreign governments, involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political or economic instability; fluctuations in foreign currencies or currency redenomination; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; and less stringent auditing and legal standards. As a result, foreign securities can fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments.
Investing in emerging market countries involves risks in addition to and greater than those generally associated with investing in more developed foreign countries. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of issuers in foreign countries with more developed economies or markets. Currency fluctuations could negatively impact investment gains or add to investment losses.
Non-U.S. currency forward contracts, options, swaps, or other derivatives contracts on non-U.S. currencies involve a risk of loss if currency exchange rates move against the Fund. Forward contracts are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse and a default by the counterparty may result in a loss to the Fund. Governmental authorities may impose credit controls to limit the level of forward trading to the detriment of the Fund. In respect of such trading, the Fund is subject to the risk of bank failure or the inability of or refusal by a bank to perform with respect to such contracts.
If the Fund favors exposure to an asset class during a period when that asset class underperforms other asset classes, performance may suffer. To a significant extent, the Fund’s performance will depend on the success of implementing and managing the investment models that assist in allocating the Fund’s assets. Models that have been formulated on the basis of past market data may not be predictive of future price movements. Models may not be reliable if unusual or disruptive events cause market moves the nature or size of which are inconsistent with the historic correlation and volatility structure of the market.
Derivatives involve risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with more traditional investments. Derivatives can be highly complex, can create investment leverage and may be highly volatile, and the Fund could lose more than the amount it invests. Derivatives may be difficult to value and may at times be highly illiquid, and the Fund may not be able to close out or sell a derivative position at a particular time or at an anticipated price. The Fund will likely be required to segregate assets to cover its obligations relating to its purchase of derivative instruments in a manner that satisfies contractual undertakings and regulatory requirements with respect to the derivatives.
Governments, agencies, or other regulatory bodies may adopt or change laws or regulations that could adversely affect the issuer, the market value of the security, or the Fund’s performance. Under recent Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) rule amendments, the Fund will need to comply with certain disclosure and operational regulations governing commodity pools, which will increase the Fund’s regulatory compliance costs. To the extent additional regulations are adopted, the Fund may be compelled to consider significant changes, which could include substantially altering its principal investment strategies or, if deemed necessary, liquidating the Fund.
Leverage amplifies changes in the Fund”s net asset value (“NAV”). Derivative instruments, short positions and securities lending that the Fund uses create leverage and can result in losses to the Fund that exceed the amount originally invested. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s use of leverage will be successful. It is currently expected that the Fund’s investment program will have the effect of leveraging the Fund, sometimes by a significant amount.
Short sales involve selling a security the Fund does not own in anticipation that the security’s price will decline. Short sales, at least theoretically, present unlimited loss on an individual security basis, since the Fund may be required to buy the security sold short at a time when the security has appreciated in value. Because the Fund may invest the proceeds of a short sale, another effect of short selling on the Fund is similar to the effect of leverage, in that it amplifies changes in the Fund’s NAV since it increases the exposure of the Fund to the market.
Since the Fund will typically hold both long and short positions, an investment in the Fund will involve market risks associated with different types of investment decisions than those made for a typical “long only” fund. The Fund’s results may suffer both when there is a general market advance and the Fund holds significant “short” positions, or when there is a general market decline and the Fund holds significant “long” positions. In recent years, the markets have shown considerable volatility from day to day and even in intra-day trading.
ETFs are subject to the risk that they may not replicate the performance of the index tracked by the ETF, if any, and may not be permitted to sell poorly performing stocks that are included in the index. ETFs may trade in the secondary market at prices below the value of their underlying portfolios and may not be liquid. Through its investment in ETFs and other investment companies, the Fund is subject to the risks of the investment companies’ investments, as well as to the investment companies’ expenses.
The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading and may have a high portfolio turnover rate, which may increase the Fund’s transaction costs, may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and/or may generate a greater amount of capital gain distributions to shareholders than if the Fund had a low portfolio turnover rate.
Risk is an essential part of investing. No risk management program can eliminate the Fund’s exposure to adverse events; at best, it can only reduce the possibility that the Fund will be affected by such events, and especially those risks that are not intrinsic to the Fund’s investment program.
The financial crisis in the U.S. and many foreign economies over the past several years, including the European sovereign debt and banking crises, has resulted, and may continue to result, in an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and in the net asset values of many mutual funds, including to some extent the Fund. Conditions in the U.S. and many foreign economies have resulted, and may continue to result, in fixed income instruments experiencing unusual liquidity issues, increased price volatility and, in some cases, credit downgrades and increased likelihood of default.
Loans generally are subject to restrictions on transfer, and the Fund may be unable to sell loans at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. Loans may be difficult to value. There is a risk that the value of the collateral securing a loan may decline after the Fund invests and that the collateral may not be sufficient to cover the amount owed to the Fund. In the event the borrower defaults, the Fund’s access to the collateral may be limited or delayed by bankruptcy or other insolvency laws. Further, in the event of a default, second lien secured loans will generally be paid only if the value of the collateral is sufficient to satisfy the borrower’s obligations to the first lien secured lenders and even then, the remaining collateral may not be sufficient to cover the amount owed to the Fund. If the Fund acquires a participation interest in a loan, the Fund may not be able to control the exercise of any remedies that the lender would have under the loan and likely would not have any rights against the borrower directly. Loans made to finance highly leveraged corporate acquisitions may be especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic or market conditions.
The Fund may invest in affiliated Underlying Funds. The investment performance of the Fund is directly related to the investment performance of those affiliated Underlying Funds and to the allocation of its assets among those affiliated Underlying Funds. The Fund is exposed to the same principal risks as the affiliated Underlying Funds as well as to the affiliated Underlying Funds’ expenses in direct proportion to the allocation of its assets to the affiliated Underlying Funds, which could result in the duplication of certain fees, including the management and administration fees. Neuberger Berman Management LLC is the investment manager for both the Fund and the affiliated Underlying Funds and may be deemed to have a conflict of interest in determining the allocation of the Fund to the affiliated Underlying Funds.
The Fund may invest in an affiliated Underlying Fund that invests in a wholly owned subsidiary (“Subsidiary”) and is subject to the following additional risks, in addition to other risks. Commodity Risk. The Fund’s investment exposure to the commodities markets and/or a particular sector of the commodities markets, may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The commodities markets are impacted by a variety of factors, including changes in overall market movements, domestic and foreign political and economic events and policies, war, acts of terrorism, changes in domestic or foreign interest rates and/or investor expectations concerning interest rates, domestic and foreign inflation rates and investment and trading activities in commodities. Prices of various commodities may also be affected by factors such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and other regulatory developments. The prices of commodities can also fluctuate widely due to supply and demand disruptions in major producing or consuming regions. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a particular commodity in the commodities market, the Fund will be more susceptible to risks associated with the particular commodity. No active trading market may exist for certain commodities investments. Because the Fund’s performance is linked to the performance of potentially volatile commodities, investors should be willing to assume the risks of significant fluctuations in the value of the Fund’s shares. Tax Risk. To qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”) (“RIC”) and receive “modified pass-through” tax treatment, the Underlying Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from sources treated as “qualifying income” under the Code. Although qualifying income does not include income derived directly from commodities, including certain commodity-linked derivative instruments, the Internal Revenue Service (“Service”) issued a large number of private letter rulings (which the Underlying Fund may not cite as precedent) beginning in 2006 that income a RIC derives from a wholly owned foreign subsidiary (such as the Subsidiary) that earns income derived from commodities is qualifying income. The Service suspended the issuance of those rulings in July 2011. The Underlying Fund has received an opinion of counsel, which is not binding on the Service or the courts, that income the Underlying Fund derives from the Subsidiary should constitute qualifying income. The tax treatment of income from commodity-related investments and of the Underlying Fund’s income from the Subsidiary may be adversely affected by future legislation, Treasury Regulations, and/or guidance issued by the Service that could affect the character, timing, and/or amount of the Underlying Fund’s taxable income or capital gains and distributions it makes. If the Service were to change its ruling position and concluded that the Underlying Fund’s income from the Subsidiary was not qualifying income, the Underlying Fund could be unable to qualify as a RIC for one or more taxable years. If the Underlying Fund failed to so qualify for any taxable year but was eligible to and did cure the failure, it would incur potentially significant additional federal income tax expense. If, on the other hand, the Underlying Fund failed to so qualify for any taxable year and was ineligible to or otherwise did not cure the failure, it would be subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, with the consequence that its income available for distribution to shareholders would be reduced and all such distributions from current or accumulated earnings and profits would be taxable to them as dividend income. In that event, the Underlying Fund’s Board of Trustees may authorize a significant change in investment strategy or the Underlying Fund’s liquidation. Subsidiary Risk. By investing in the Subsidiary, the Underlying Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiary’s investments and operations. The commodity-linked derivative instruments and other investments held by the Subsidiary are similar to those that are permitted to be held by the Underlying Fund, and thus, are subject to the same risks whether or not they are held by the Underlying Fund or the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and, unless otherwise noted in this prospectus, is not subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Underlying Fund and the Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Underlying Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as described in this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information and could adversely affect the Underlying Fund and its shareholders. In addition, if the Underlying Fund did not qualify for treatment as a RIC, that could cause the Fund to be unable to qualify as a RIC, which would adversely, affect the Fund”s shareholders. In addition, if the Underlying Fund did not qualify for treatment as a RIC, that could cause the Fund to be unable to qualify as a RIC, which would adversely, affect the Fund’s shareholders.
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Employee ownership includes employees, recently retired employees and their permitted transferees.
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