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Alpha Strategy Fund (ALFAX) - Class A

Fund Finder

What is the Alpha Strategy Fund?

Goal & Strategy

The goal of this Fund is long-term growth of capital through investing in portfolios that invest in stocks of small and mid-sized U.S. and international companies. This Fund is created for the aggressive investor seeking broad diversification among small and mid cap stocks.

Fund Basics

 
Ticker ALFAX
CUSIP 543915763
Fund Number 265
Inception Date 03/18/1998
YTD Returns at NAV (as of 05/17/2013) 18.87%
Dividend Frequency Annually
Expense Ratio (as of 04/30/2013)
Gross 1.71%
Net 1.39%
Lipper Category Avg. 1.40%
Total Net Assets (as of 04/30/2013) $941.10 M
Number of Underlying Funds (as of 04/30/2013) 7
Minimum Initial Investment $1,500
Maximum Offering Price (MOP) - Returns with sales charges reflect a maximum sales charge of 5.75%
Price(as of 05/17/2013)
  Price ($) Change ($) Change (%)
NAV 28.85 0.34 1.19
MOP 30.61 0.36 1.19
52-Week High & Low at NAV ($)
High (05/17/2013) 28.85
Low (06/04/2012) 22.09

How has the Fund Performed?

Average Annual Returns

(as of 04/30/2013)
  YTD (%) 1-YR (%) 3-YR (%) 5-YR (%) 10-YR (%) Since
Inception (%)
NAV
Lipper Category Avg. 11.19 15.47 10.78 6.81 10.27    -
Index 11.73 17.54 10.96 6.54 10.91    -
MOP 6.37 6.95 8.69 5.34 11.81 6.05
Expense Ratio Gross1.71% Net1.39%
  YTD (%) 1-YR (%) 3-YR (%) 5-YR (%) 10-YR (%) Since
Inception (%)
NAV 12.73 12.25 11.88 7.49 13.34 6.49
Lipper Category Avg. 11.99 14.81 12.92 7.84 11.24    -
Index 11.55 15.62 12.73 7.33 11.91    -
MOP 6.25 5.81 9.69 6.22 12.67 6.08
Expense Ratio Gross1.71% Net1.39%
The performance quoted represents past performance, which is no indication of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance data quoted. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all distributions. Returns shown at net asset value do not reflect the current maximum sales charge, had the sales charge been included, returns would have been lower. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, on any given day or when redeemed, may be worth more or less than the original cost. Therefore, there can be no assurance of future results.

Why This Fund?

Role in Portfolio

A supporting player that provides investors with exposure to a broad mix of global small- and mid-cap stocks.

Key Advantages

Easy Solution
Provides a broad small and mid cap equity portfolio structured to address a particular investment objective for more aggressive investors.

Broad Exposure
By investing in both US and international securities, this small and mid cap equity strategy offers the potential for competitive returns along with diversification which may help reduce portfolio volatility.

The value of investments in equity securities will fluctuate in response to general economic conditions and to changes in the prospects of particular companies and/or sectors in the economy.

How is the Fund Currently Positioned?

(as of 03/29/2013)
  • The Alpha Strategy Fund outperformed its benchmark, the 85% Russell 2000® Index/15% S&P Developed Ex-U.S. SmallCap® Index, during the first quarter of 2013.
  • The Fund's meaningful weighting in domestic small and micro cap growth equities contributed to relative performance, as domestic small and micro cap growth equities outperformed domestic small and micro cap value equities. The Fund's substantial weighting in international equities detracted from relative performance, as international equities underperformed domestic equities.
  • The most significant contributor to relative performance was the Fund's exposure to domestic micro cap growth equities, as this investment strategy outperformed its benchmark.
  • The most significant detractor from relative performance was the Fund's exposure to domestic small cap core equities, as this investment strategy underperformed its benchmark.
  • During the quarter, we increased our weightings in the information technology, consumer staples, and materials sectors, while we trimmed back our weightings in the industrials, health care, and consumer discretionary sectors. The financials, industrials and information technology sectors continue to be the Fund's largest weightings.
The Fund's portfolio is actively managed and may change significantly over time.

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Investment Team

Robert I. Gerber, Ph.D.
Partner
Years Experience:  27
Years experience refers to industry experience.