Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities of small-cap companies. The equity securities in which the Fund invests are predominantly common stock. For this Fund, small-cap companies are companies with market capitalizations not exceeding (i) $1.5 billion or (ii) the highest market capitalization in the Russell 2000® Index, whichever is greater, at the time of purchase.

In addition to the Fund's main investments, the Fund may invest in equity securities of larger companies. The Fund, from time to time, may have significant positions in particular sectors such as information technology (including technology equipment and hardware, technology services, software and internet services), healthcare, consumer discretionary and industrials.

The Fund may make private investments in companies whose securities are not publicly traded (including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in an initial public offering ("IPO")), often in the form of private placements, which are exempt from registration under the federal securities laws and are only sold to certain investors meeting predefined criteria.

The investment manager uses fundamental, "bottom-up" research to seek companies meeting its criteria of growth potential, quality and valuation. In seeking sustainable growth characteristics, the investment manager looks for companies that it believes can produce sustainable earnings and cash flow growth, evaluating the long term market opportunity and competitive structure of an industry. In assessing value, the investment manager considers whether security prices fully reflect the balance of the sustainable growth opportunities relative to business and financial risks.