File No. 333-[ ]
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 18, 2020
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-14
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre-Effective Amendment No. [ ]
Post-Effective Amendment No. [ ]
JNL Series Trust
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
1 Corporate Way
Lansing, Michigan 48951
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(517) 381-5500
(Registrant’s Area Code and Telephone Number)
225 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
(Mailing Address)
With copies to:
EMILY J. BENNETT, ESQ. JNL Series Trust 1 Corporate Way Lansing, Michigan 48951 | PAULITA PIKE, ESQ. Ropes & Gray LLP 191 North Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60606 |
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
It is proposed that this Registration Statement will become effective on January 19, 2021, pursuant to Rule 488 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Title of securities being registered: Class A and Class I Shares of beneficial interest in the series of the registrant designated as the JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund.
No filing fee is required because the registrant is relying on Section 24(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, pursuant to which it has previously registered an indefinite number of shares (File Nos. 033-87244 and 811-08894).
JNL SERIES TRUST
CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
This Registration Statement contains the following papers and documents:
Cover Sheet
Contents of Registration Statement
Letter to Contract Owners
Notice of Special Meeting
Contract Owner Voting Instructions
Part A - Proxy Statement/Prospectus
Part B - Statement of Additional Information
Part C - Other Information
Signature Page
Exhibits
JACKSON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
JACKSON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
1 Corporate Way
Lansing, Michigan 48951
February 12, 2021
Dear Contract Owner:
Enclosed is a notice of a Special Meeting of Shareholders of the JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund (the “Boston Partners Fund” or the “Acquired Fund”), a series of the JNL Series Trust (the “Trust”). The Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Acquired Fund is scheduled to be held at the offices of Jackson National Life Insurance Company, 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, Michigan 48951, on March 26, 2021, at 12:30 p.m., Eastern Time (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the shareholders of the Acquired Fund will be asked to approve the proposal described below.
The Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) called the Meeting to request shareholder approval of the reorganization (the “Reorganization”) of the Acquired Fund into the JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (the “Multi-Manager Fund” or the “Acquiring Fund”), also a series of the Trust. The Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund are each sometimes referred to herein as a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds.”
Both the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund are managed by Jackson National Asset Management, LLC (“JNAM”), and each is sub-advised by one or more investment sub-advisers. If the Reorganization is approved and implemented, each person that invests indirectly in the Acquired Fund will automatically become an investor indirectly in the Acquiring Fund.
The Board considered that the Acquired Fund was launched to provide long-term growth of capital. The Board also considered JNAM’s statement that the lack of investor interest in the Acquired Fund and continued opportunity to access other diversified, equity-hedged offerings has resulted in diminished merit for the Acquired Fund remaining on the Trust’s investment platform. Thus, the Board considered JNAM’s recommendation to merge the Acquired Fund into the Acquiring Fund given that it is anticipated that the Acquiring Fund’s multi-manager structure will provide Acquired Fund shareholders with improved risk-adjusted performance, greater manager diversification, and potentially fewer capacity constraints than the Acquired Fund.
After considering JNAM’s recommendation, the Board concluded that: (i) the Reorganization will benefit the shareholders of the Acquired Fund; (ii) the Reorganization is in the best interests of the Acquired Fund; and (iii) the interests of the shareholders of the Acquired Fund will not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization. No one factor was determinative, and each Trustee may have attributed different weights to the various factors. The Board did not determine any considerations related to this Reorganization to be adverse. The Board, after careful consideration, approved the Reorganization.
Pending shareholder approval, effective as of the close of business on April 23, 2021, or on such later date as may be deemed necessary in the judgment of the Board in accordance with the Plan of Reorganization (the “Closing Date”), you will invest indirectly in shares of the Acquiring Fund in an amount equal to the dollar value of your interest in the Acquired Fund on the Closing Date. As of the date hereof, it is not expected that the Closing Date will be postponed. If the Closing Date is postponed to allow for additional time to solicit shareholder votes, shareholders will remain shareholders of their respective Fund(s). No sales charge, redemption fees, or other transaction fees will be imposed in the Reorganization. There will, however, be portfolio repositioning expenses associated with the Reorganization. The Acquired Fund will bear the transaction expenses due to the portfolio repositioning. Such costs are estimated to be $12,745 (0.03% of net assets). There is no tax impact to contract owners as a result of portfolio repositioning. The Reorganization will not cause any fees or charges under your contract to be greater after the Reorganization than before the Reorganization, and the Reorganization will not alter your rights under your contract or the obligations of the insurance company that issued the contract. Following the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund will be the accounting and performance survivor.
You may wish to take actions relating to your future allocation of premium payments under your insurance contract to the various investment divisions (the “Divisions”) of the separate account. You may execute certain changes prior
to the Reorganization, in addition to participating in the Reorganization with regard to the Acquiring Fund, such as allocating your premium payments to other Divisions.
All actions with regard to the Acquired Fund need to be completed by the Closing Date. In the absence of new instructions prior to the Closing Date, future premium payments previously allocated to the Acquired Fund Division will be allocated to the Acquiring Fund Division. The Acquiring Fund Division will be the Division for future allocations under the Dollar Cost Averaging, Earnings Sweep, and Rebalancing Programs (together, the “Programs”). In addition to the Acquiring Fund Division, there are other Divisions investing in mutual funds that seek long term growth of capital. If you want to transfer all or a portion of your Contract value out of the Acquired Fund Division prior to the Reorganization, you may do so and that transfer will not be treated as a transfer for the purpose of determining how many subsequent transfers may be made in any period or how many may be made in any period without charge. In addition, if you want to transfer all or a portion of your Contract value out of the Acquiring Fund Division after the Reorganization, you may do so within 60 days following the Closing Date and that transfer will not be treated as a transfer for the purpose of determining how many subsequent transfers may be made in any period or how many may be made in any period without charge. You will be provided with an additional notification of this free-transfer policy on or about April 26, 2021.
If you want to change your allocation instructions as to your future premium payments or the Programs or if you require summary descriptions of the other underlying funds and Divisions available under your contract or additional copies of the prospectuses for other funds underlying the Divisions, please contact:
For Jackson variable annuity policies:
Annuity Service Center |
P.O. Box 24068 |
Lansing, Michigan 48909-4068 |
1-800-644-4565 |
www.jackson.com |
For Jackson New York variable annuity policies:
Jackson of NY Service Center |
P.O. Box 24068 |
Lansing, Michigan 48909-4068 |
1-800-599-5651 |
www.jackson.com |
An owner of a variable annuity contract or certificate that participates in the Acquired Fund through the Divisions of separate accounts established by Jackson National Life Insurance Company or Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York (each, an “Insurance Company”) is entitled to instruct the applicable Insurance Company how to vote the Acquired Fund shares related to the ownership interest in those accounts as of the close of business on January 29, 2021. The attached Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement and Prospectus concerning the Meeting describe the matters to be considered at the Meeting.
You are cordially invited to attend the Meeting. Because it is important that your vote be represented whether or not you are able to attend, you are urged to consider these matters and to exercise your right to vote your shares by completing, dating, signing, and returning the enclosed voting instruction card in the accompanying return envelope at your earliest convenience or by relaying your voting instructions via telephone or the Internet by following the enclosed instructions. Of course, we hope that you will be able to attend the Meeting, and if you wish, you may vote your shares in person, even if you may have already returned a voting instruction card or submitted your voting instructions via telephone or the Internet. At any time prior to the Meeting, you may revoke your voting instructions by providing the Insurance Company with a properly executed written revocation of such voting instructions, properly executing later-dated voting instructions by a voting instruction card, telephone, or the Internet, or appearing and voting in person at the Meeting. Please respond promptly in order to save additional costs of proxy solicitation and to make sure you are represented.
| | Very truly yours, |
| | |
| | /s/ Mark D. Nerud |
| | |
| | Mark D. Nerud |
| | Trustee, President, and Chief Executive Officer |
| | JNL Series Trust |
JNL SERIES TRUST
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund
1 Corporate Way
Lansing, Michigan 48951
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON MARCH 26, 2021
To the Shareholders:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of Shareholders of the JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund (the “Boston Partners Fund” or the “Acquired Fund”), a series of JNL Series Trust (the “Trust”), will be held on March 26, 2021 at 12:30 p.m., Eastern Time, at the offices of Jackson National Life Insurance Company, 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, Michigan 48951 (the “Meeting”).
The Meeting will be held to act on the following proposals:
| 1. | To approve the Plan of Reorganization, adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), which provides for the reorganization of the Boston Partners Fund into the JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund, also a series of the Trust. |
| 2. | To transact other business that may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournments thereof. |
Please note that owners of variable annuity contracts or certificates (the “Contract Owners”) issued by Jackson National Life Insurance Company or Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York (each, an “Insurance Company”) who have invested in shares of the Acquired Fund through the investment divisions of a separate account or accounts of an Insurance Company (“Separate Account”) will be given the opportunity, to the extent required by law, to provide the applicable Insurance Company with voting instructions on the above proposals.
You should read the Proxy Statement and Prospectus attached to this notice prior to completing your proxy or voting instruction card. The record date for determining the number of shares outstanding, the shareholders entitled to vote, and the Contract Owners entitled to provide voting instructions at the Meeting and any adjournments thereof has been fixed as the close of business on January 29, 2021. If you attend the Meeting, you may vote or give your voting instructions in person.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT.
PLEASE RETURN YOUR PROXY CARD OR VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD PROMPTLY.
Regardless of whether you plan to attend the Meeting, you should vote or give voting instructions by promptly completing, dating, signing, and returning the enclosed proxy or voting instruction card for the Acquired Fund in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. You also can vote or provide voting instructions through the Internet or by telephone using the 12-digit control number that appears on the enclosed proxy or voting instruction card and following the simple instructions. At any time prior to the Meeting, you may revoke your voting instructions by providing the Insurance Company with a properly executed written revocation of such voting instructions, properly executing later-dated voting instructions by a voting instruction card, telephone, or the Internet, or appearing and voting in person at the Meeting. If you are present at the Meeting, you may change your vote or voting instructions, if desired, at that time. The Board recommends that you vote or provide voting instructions to vote FOR the proposal.
| | By order of the Board, |
| | |
| | /s/ Mark D. Nerud |
| | |
| | Mark D. Nerud |
| | Trustee, President, and Chief Executive Officer |
February 12, 2021
Lansing, Michigan
JACKSON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
JACKSON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
CONTRACT OWNER VOTING INSTRUCTIONS
REGARDING A SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS OF
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund
A SERIES OF THE JNL SERIES TRUST
TO BE HELD ON MARCH 26, 2021
DATED: FEBRUARY 12, 2021
GENERAL
These Contract Owner voting instructions are being furnished by Jackson National Life Insurance Company (“Jackson National”), or Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York (each, an “Insurance Company” and, together, the “Insurance Companies”), to owners of their variable annuity contracts or certificates (the “Contracts”) (the “Contract Owners”) who, as of January 29, 2021 (the “Record Date”), had net premiums or contributions allocated to the investment divisions of their separate accounts (the “Separate Accounts”) that are invested in shares of the JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund (the “Boston Partners Fund” or “Acquired Fund”), a series of the JNL Series Trust (the “Trust”).
The Trust is a Massachusetts business trust registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as an open-end management investment company.
Each Insurance Company is required to offer Contract Owners the opportunity to instruct it, as the record owner of all of the shares of beneficial interest in the Acquired Fund (the “Shares”) held by its Separate Accounts, as to how it should vote on the reorganization proposal (the “Proposal”) to be considered at the Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Acquired Fund referred to in the preceding Notice and at any adjournments (the “Meeting”). The enclosed Proxy Statement and Prospectus, which you should retain for future reference, concisely sets forth information about the proposed reorganization involving the Acquired Fund and another series of the Trust that a Contract Owner should know before completing the enclosed voting instruction card.
These Contract Owner Voting Instructions and the accompanying voting instruction card are being mailed to Contract Owners on or about February 18, 2021.
HOW TO INSTRUCT AN INSURANCE COMPANY
To instruct an Insurance Company as to how to vote the Shares held in the investment divisions of its Separate Accounts, Contract Owners are asked to promptly complete their voting instructions on the enclosed voting instruction card(s) and sign, date, and mail the voting instruction card(s) in the accompanying postage-paid envelope. Contract Owners also may provide voting instructions by phone at 1-866-256-0779 or by Internet at our website at www.proxypush.com/JNL.
If a voting instruction card is not marked to indicate voting instructions but is signed, dated, and returned, it will be treated as an instruction to vote the Shares in favor of the Proposal.
The number of Shares held in the investment division of a Separate Account corresponding to the Acquired Fund for which a Contract Owner may provide voting instructions was determined as of the Record Date by dividing (i) a Contract’s account value (minus any Contract indebtedness) allocable to that investment division by (ii) the net asset value of one Share of the Acquired Fund. At any time prior to an Insurance Company’s voting at the Meeting, a Contract Owner may revoke his or her voting instructions with respect to that investment division by providing the Insurance Company with a properly executed written revocation of such voting instructions, properly executing later-dated voting instructions by a voting instruction card, telephone or the Internet, or appearing and voting in person at the Meeting.
HOW AN INSURANCE COMPANY WILL VOTE
An Insurance Company will vote the Shares for which it receives timely voting instructions from Contract Owners in accordance with those instructions. Shares in each investment division of a Separate Account for which an Insurance Company receives a voting instruction card that is signed, dated, and timely returned but is not marked to indicate voting instructions will be treated as an instruction to vote the Shares in favor of the Proposal. Shares in each investment division of a Separate Account for which an Insurance Company receives no timely voting instructions from a Contract Owner, or that are attributable to amounts retained by an Insurance Company or its affiliate as surplus or seed money, will be voted by the applicable Insurance Company either for or against approval of the Proposal, or as an abstention, in the same proportion as the Shares for which Contract Owners (other than the Insurance Company) have provided voting instructions to the Insurance Company. Similarly, the Insurance Companies and their affiliates will vote their own shares and will vote shares that are held by the Fund of Funds whose shares are held by a Separate Account in the same proportion as voting instructions timely given by Contract Owners. As a result of proportionate voting, a small number of Contract Owners could determine the outcome of the Proposal. Please see “Additional Information about the Funds – Tax Status” below.
OTHER MATTERS
The Insurance Companies are not aware of any matters, other than the Proposal, to be acted on at the Meeting. If any other matters come before the Meeting, an Insurance Company will vote the Shares upon such matters in its discretion. Voting instruction cards may be solicited by employees of Jackson National or its affiliates as well as officers and agents of the Trust. The principal solicitation will be by mail, but voting instructions may also be solicited by telephone, personal interview, the Internet, or other permissible means.
The Meeting may be adjourned whether or not a quorum is present, by the chairperson of the Meeting from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place as determined by the chairperson of the Meeting for any reason, including failure of a Proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval. No shareholder vote shall be required for any adjournment. No notice need be given that the Meeting has been adjourned other than by announcement at the Meeting. Any business that might have been transacted at the original Meeting may be transacted at any adjourned Meeting.
It is important that your Contract be represented. Please promptly mark your voting instructions on the enclosed voting instruction card; then sign, date, and mail the voting instruction card in the accompanying postage-paid envelope. You may also provide your voting instructions by telephone at 1-866-256-0779 or by Internet at our website at www.proxypush.com/JNL.
PROXY STATEMENT
for
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund, a series of JNL Series Trust
and
PROSPECTUS
for
JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund, a series of JNL Series Trust
Dated
February 12, 2021
1 Corporate Way
Lansing, Michigan 48951
(517) 381-5500
This Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”) is being furnished to owners of variable annuity contracts or certificates (the “Contracts”) (the “Contract Owners”) issued by Jackson National Life Insurance Company (“Jackson National”) or Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York (each, an “Insurance Company” and together, the “Insurance Companies”) who, as of January 29, 2021, had net premiums or contributions allocated to the investment divisions of an Insurance Company’s separate accounts (the “Separate Accounts”) that are invested in shares of beneficial interest in the JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund (the “Boston Partners Fund” or the “Acquired Fund”), a series of the JNL Series Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The purpose of this Proxy Statement/Prospectus is for shareholders of the Boston Partners Fund to vote on a Plan of Reorganization, adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), which provides for the reorganization of the Boston Partners Fund into the JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (the “Multi-Manager Fund” or the “Acquiring Fund”), also a series of the Trust.
This Proxy Statement/Prospectus also is being furnished to the Insurance Companies as the record owners of shares and to other shareholders that were invested in the Acquired Fund as of January 29, 2021. Contract Owners are being provided the opportunity to instruct the applicable Insurance Company to approve or disapprove the proposal contained in this Proxy Statement/Prospectus in connection with the solicitation by the Board of proxies to be used at the Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Acquired Fund to be held at 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, Michigan 48951, on March 26, 2021, at 12:30 p.m., Eastern Time, or any adjournment or adjournments thereof (the “Meeting”).
THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The proposal described in this Proxy Statement/Prospectus is as follows:
Proposal | Shareholders Entitled to Vote on the Proposal |
1. To approve the Plan of Reorganization, adopted by the Board, which provides for the reorganization of the Boston Partners Fund into the Multi-Manager Fund. | Shareholders of the Boston Partners Fund |
The reorganization referred to in the above proposal is referred to herein as the “Reorganization.”
This Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which you should retain for future reference, contains important information regarding the proposal that you should know before voting or providing voting instructions. Additional information about the Trust has been filed with the SEC and is available upon oral or written request without charge. This Proxy Statement/Prospectus is being provided to the Insurance Companies and mailed to Contract Owners on or about February 18, 2021. It is expected that one or more representatives of each Insurance Company will attend the Meeting in person or by proxy and will vote shares held by the Insurance Company in accordance with voting instructions received from its Contract Owners and in accordance with voting procedures established by the Trust.
The following documents have been filed with the SEC and are incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement/Prospectus:
| 1. | The Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the Trust, each dated April 27, 2020, as supplemented, with respect to the Acquired Fund (File Nos. 033-87244 and 811-08894); |
| 2. | The Annual Report to Shareholders of the Trust with respect to the Acquired Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (File Nos. 033-87244 and 811-08894); |
| 3. | The Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders of the Trust with respect to the Acquired Fund for the period ended June 30, 2020 (File Nos. 033-87244 and 811-08894); |
| 4. | The Statement of Additional Information dated February 12, 2021, relating to the Reorganization (File No. 333-[ ]). |
For a free copy of any of the above documents, please call or write to the phone numbers or address below.
Contract Owners can learn more about the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund in any of the documents incorporated into this Proxy Statement/Prospectus, including the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report listed above, which have been furnished to Contract Owners. Contract Owners may request a copy thereof, without charge, by calling 1-800-644-4565 (Jackson Service Center) or 1-800-599-5651 (Jackson NY Service Center), by writing the JNL Series Trust, P.O. Box 30314, Lansing, Michigan 48909-7814, or by visiting www.jackson.com.
The Trust is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Accordingly, it must file certain reports and other information with the SEC. You can copy and review proxy materials, reports, and other information about the Trust at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549-1520. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. Proxy materials, reports, and other information about the Trust are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, at the prescribed rates, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, SEC Office of Consumer Affairs and Information Services, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549-1520.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY
You should read this entire Proxy Statement/Prospectus carefully. For additional information, you should consult the Plan of Reorganization, a copy of which is attached hereto as Appendix A.
The Proposed Reorganization
The proposed Reorganization is as follows:
Proposal | Shareholders Entitled to Vote on the Proposal |
1. To approve the Plan of Reorganization, adopted by the Board, which provides for the Reorganization of the Boston Partners Fund into the Multi-Manager Fund. | Shareholders of the Boston Partners Fund |
This Proxy Statement/Prospectus is soliciting shareholders with amounts invested in the Acquired Fund as of January 29, 2021, to approve the Plan of Reorganization, whereby the Acquired Fund will be reorganized into the Acquiring Fund. (The Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund are each sometimes referred to herein as a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds.”)
The Acquired Fund has two share classes, designated Class A and Class I shares (“Acquired Fund Shares”). The Acquiring Fund also has two share classes, designated Class A and Class I shares (“Acquiring Fund Shares”).
The Plan of Reorganization provides for:
| · | the transfer of all of the assets of the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for Acquiring Fund Shares having an aggregate net asset value equal to the Acquired Fund’s net assets; |
| · | the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of all the liabilities of the Acquired Fund; |
| · | the distribution to the shareholders (for the benefit of the Separate Accounts, as applicable, and thus the Contract Owners) of those Acquiring Fund Shares; and |
| · | the complete termination of the Acquired Fund. |
A comparison of the investment objective(s), principal investment policies and strategies, and principal risks of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund is included in the “Comparison of Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies,” “Comparison of Principal Risk Factors,” and “Comparison of Fundamental Policies” sections below. The Funds have identical distribution procedures, purchase procedures, exchange rights, and redemption procedures, which are discussed in “Additional Information about the Funds” below. Each Fund offers its shares to Separate Accounts and certain other eligible investors. Shares of each Fund are offered and redeemed at their net asset value without any sales load. You will not incur any sales loads or similar transaction charges as a result of the Reorganization.
The Reorganization is expected to be effective as of the close of business on April 23, 2021, or on such later date as may be deemed necessary in the judgment of the Board in accordance with the Plan of Reorganization (the “Closing Date”). As a result of the Reorganization, a shareholder invested in shares of the Acquired Fund would become an owner of shares of the Acquiring Fund. Such shareholder would hold, immediately after the Closing Date, Acquiring Fund Shares having an aggregate net asset value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Acquired Fund Shares that were held by the shareholder as of the Closing Date. Similarly, each Contract Owner whose Contract values are invested indirectly in shares of the Acquired Fund through the Investment Divisions of a Separate Account would become indirectly invested in shares of the Acquiring Fund through the Investment Divisions of a Separate Account. The Contract value of each such Contract Owner would be invested indirectly through the Investment Divisions of a Separate Account, immediately after the Closing Date, in shares of the Acquiring Fund having an aggregate net asset value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Acquired Fund Shares in which the Contract Owner invested indirectly through the Investment Divisions of a Separate Account as of the Closing Date. Following the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund will be the accounting and performance survivor. It is expected that the Reorganization will not be a taxable event for federal income tax purposes for Contract Owners. Please see “Additional Information about the Reorganization – Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization” below for further information.
The Board unanimously approved the Plan of Reorganization with respect to the Boston Partners Fund. Accordingly, the Board is submitting the Plan of Reorganization for approval by the Acquired Fund’s shareholders. In considering whether to approve the proposal (“Proposal”), you should review the Proposal for the Acquired Fund in which you were invested on the Record Date (as defined under “Voting Information”). In addition, you should review the information in this Proxy Statement/Prospectus that relates to the Proposal and the Plan of Reorganization generally.
The Board recommends that you vote “FOR” the Proposal to approve the Plan of Reorganization.
| PROPOSAL: | APPROVAL OF THE PLAN OF REORGANIZATION WITH RESPECT TO THE REORGANIZATION OF THE BOSTON PARTNERS FUND INTO THE MULTI-MANAGER FUND. |
This Proposal requests the approval of Boston Partners Fund shareholders of the Plan of Reorganization pursuant to which the Boston Partners Fund will be reorganized into the Multi-Manager Fund.
In considering whether you should approve this Proposal, you should note that:
| · | The Funds have the same investment objectives. Both Funds seek long-term growth of capital. For a detailed comparison of each Fund’s investment policies and strategies, see “Comparison of Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies” below and Appendix B. |
| · | Although the Funds have the same investment objectives, they employ different investment strategies in seeking to achieve those objectives. The Boston Partners Fund is managed by a single sub-adviser and seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in long positions in stocks identified by the sub-adviser as undervalued and taking short positions in stocks that the sub-adviser has identified as overvalued, while the Multi-Manager Fund is managed by unaffiliated sub-advisers and seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating among a variety of alternative strategies managed by the sub-advisers, sometimes referred to as “sleeves.” Under normal circumstances, the sub-adviser to the Boston Partners Fund expects to sell securities short so that the Boston Partners Fund’s portfolio is approximately 50% net long with an average of between 30% and 70% net long. Under normal market conditions, the Boston Partners Fund invests significantly (at least 40% unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the sub-adviser, in which case at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Boston Partners Fund may invest in both developed and emerging markets and up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures. Additionally, the Boston Partners Fund portfolio is regularly rebalanced. While both Funds employ a long-short strategy, the Multi-Manager Fund’s strategy is broader and also employs an event driven and merger arbitrage strategy, relative value strategy, and global macro strategy. The Multi-Manager Fund’s equity long/short strategy pursues a contrarian value strategy that seeks to identify absolute value opportunities across the capital structure and in a variety of market capitalizations, geographies, and sectors. Each of the Multi-Manager Fund’s sub-advisers may use different investment strategies in managing the Multi-Manager Fund’s assets, act independently from the others, and use its own methodology for selecting investments, while the Multi-Manager Fund’s adviser is responsible for selecting the Multi-Manager Fund’s alternative investment strategies and for determining the amount of Multi-Manager Fund assets to allocate to each of its sub-advisers. In addition, the Multi-Manager Fund seeks to gain exposure to commodity related instruments primarily by investing up to 25% of the total value of its assets through a wholly owned and controlled subsidiary of the Multi-Manager Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. For a detailed comparison of each Fund’s investment policies and strategies, see “Comparison of Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies” below and Appendix B. |
| · | The Funds have the same fundamental policies. While both Funds have the same fundamental policy with respect to purchasing or selling physical commodities other than foreign currencies, the limitations of such policy do not apply to the Multi-Manager Fund’s wholly owned subsidiary. For a detailed comparison of each Fund’s fundamental investment policies, see “Comparison of Fundamental Policies” below. |
| · | While there are some similarities in the risk profiles of the Funds, there are also some differences of which you should be aware. Each Fund’s principal risks include emerging markets and less developed countries risk, equity securities risk, foreign regulatory risk, foreign securities risk, high-yield bonds, lower-rated bonds, and unrated securities risk, investment style risk, market risk, mid-capitalization and small-capitalization investing risk, and portfolio turnover risk. However, the Boston Partners Fund is also subject to accounting risk, company risk, counterparty risk, currency risk, derivatives risk, European investment risk, exchange-traded funds investing risk, financial services risk, investment strategy risk, investments in IPOs risk, large-capitalization investing risk, liquidity risk, managed portfolio risk, model risk, Pacific Rim |
investing risk, sector risk, segregated account risk, short sales risk, small-capitalization investing risk, stock risk, swaps risk, unseasoned issuers risk, and volatility risk, while these generally are not principal risks for the Multi-Manager Fund. In addition, the principal risks of investing in the Multi-Manager Fund include allocation risk, convertible securities risk, corporate loan, sovereign entity loan, and bank loan risk, credit risk, event driven and special situations risk, fixed-income risk, interest rate risk, LIBOR replacement risk, and subsidiary risk, which are not principal risks of investing in the Boston Partners Fund. For a detailed comparison of each Fund’s risks, see both “Comparison of Principal Risk Factors” below and Appendix B.
| · | Jackson National Asset Management, LLC (“JNAM” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser and administrator for each Fund and would continue to manage and administer the Multi-Manager Fund after the Reorganization. JNAM has received an exemptive order from the SEC that generally permits JNAM, with approval from the Board, to appoint, dismiss, and replace each Fund’s unaffiliated sub-adviser(s) and to amend the advisory agreements between JNAM and the unaffiliated sub-advisers, without obtaining shareholder approval. However, any amendment to an advisory agreement between JNAM and the Trust that would result in an increase in the management fee rate specified in that agreement (i.e., the aggregate management fee) charged to a Fund will be submitted to shareholders for approval. JNAM has appointed Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”) as the sub-adviser, to manage the assets of the Boston Partners Fund, and JNAM has appointed Boston Partners, DoubleLine Capital LP ("DoubleLine"), First Pacific Advisors, LP ("FPA"), Lazard Asset Management LLC ("Lazard"), Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. ("Loomis Sayles"), Westchester Capital Management, LLC ("Westchester"), and Western Asset Management Company, LLC ("Western Asset") as the sub-advisers to each manage a portion of the assets of the Multi-Manager Fund. It is anticipated that Boston Partners, DoubleLine, FPA, Lazard, Loomis Sayles, Westchester, and Western Asset will continue to sub-advise the Multi-Manager Fund after the Reorganization. For a detailed description of JNAM, Boston Partners, DoubleLine, FPA, Lazard, Loomis Sayles, Westchester, and Western Asset, please see “Additional Information about the Funds - The Adviser” and “Additional Information about the Funds - The Sub-Advisers” below. |
| · | The Boston Partners Fund and Multi-Manager Fund had net assets of approximately $39.68-- million and $--1.03 billion, respectively, as of June 30, 2020. Thus, if the Reorganization had been in effect on that date, the combined Fund (the “Combined Fund”) would have had net assets of approximately $1.07 billion (net of estimated transaction expenses). |
| · | Class A Shareholders of the Boston Partners Fund will receive Class A shares of the Multi-Manager Fund, and Class I Shareholders of the Boston Partners Fund will receive Class I shares of the Multi-Manager Fund pursuant to the Reorganization. Shareholders will not pay any sales charges in connection with the Reorganization. Please see “Comparative Fee and Expense Tables,” “Additional Information about the Reorganization,” and “Additional Information about the Funds” below for more information. |
| · | Following the Reorganization, the management fees for the Multi-Manager Fund are expected to be higher than that of the Boston Partners Fund currently, but the total annual fund operating expense ratio for the Multi-Manager Fund is expected to be lower than that of the Boston Partners Fund currently. The lower total annual fund operating expense ratio after the Reorganization is a result of the Acquiring Fund’s lower dividend expense and borrowing fees relating to short sales. For a more detailed comparison of the fees and expenses of the Funds, please see “Comparative Fee and Expense Tables” and “Additional Information about the Funds” below. |
| · | The maximum management fee for the Boston Partners Fund is equal to an annual rate of 1.10% of its average daily net assets, while the maximum management fee for the Multi-Manager Fund is equal to an annual rate of 1.20% of its average daily net assets. As of December 31, 2019, the actual management fees of the Boston Partners Fund and the Multi-Manager Fund were 1.10% and 1.19%, respectively. In addition, the Boston Partners Fund pays a maximum administrative fee to JNAM at the rate of 0.15% of its average daily net assets, whereas the Multi-Manager Fund pays JNAM a maximum administrative fee of 0.20% of its average daily net assets. For a more detailed description of the fees and expenses of the Funds, please see “Comparative Fee and Expense Tables” and “Additional Information about the Funds” below. |
| · | Following the Reorganization, the Combined Fund will be managed in accordance with the investment objective, policies and strategies of the Multi-Manager Fund. It is currently anticipated that approximately 100% of the Boston Partners Fund’s holdings will be liquidated in advance of the Reorganization and that, in connection with the Reorganization, JNAM will allocate the resulting proceeds to the sleeves managed by the Multi-Manager Fund’s sub-advisers in accordance with the Multi-Manager Fund’s principal investment |
strategies. It is not expected that the Multi-Manager Fund will revise any of its investment policies following the Reorganization to reflect those of the Boston Partners Fund.
| · | The costs and expenses associated with the Reorganization relating to the solicitation of proxies, including preparing, filing, printing, and mailing of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and related disclosure documents, and the related legal fees, including the legal fees incurred in connection with the analysis under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) of the tax treatment of this transaction, and the costs associated with the preparation of the tax opinion, and obtaining a consent of independent registered public accounting firm will be borne by JNAM whether or not the Reorganization is consummated. No sales or other charges will be imposed on Contract Owners in connection with the Reorganization. |
| · | The Boston Partners Fund will bear transaction expenses, which typically include, but are not limited to, trade commissions, related fees and taxes, and any foreign exchange spread costs, where applicable (the “Transaction Costs”), associated with the Reorganization. Such Transaction Costs are estimated to be $12,745 (0.03% of net assets). Please see “Additional Information about the Reorganization” below for more information. |
| · | The Reorganization is not expected to be a taxable event for federal income tax purposes for owners of variable contracts whose contract values are determined by investment in shares of the Boston Partners Fund. Provided that the Contracts qualify to be treated as life insurance contracts under Section 7702(a) of the Code or annuity contracts under Section 72 of the Code, the Reorganization will not be a taxable event for federal income tax purposes for Contract Owners regardless of the tax status of the Reorganization, and any dividend declared, allocations or distributions in connection with the Reorganization will not be taxable to Contract Owners. The Insurance Companies, as shareholders, and Contract Owners are urged to consult with their own tax advisers as to the specific consequences to them of the Reorganizations, including the applicability and effect of any possible state, local, non-U.S. and other tax consequences of the Reorganization. Please see “Additional Information about the Reorganization – Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization” below for more information. |
Comparative Fee and Expense Tables
The following tables show the current fees and expenses of each Fund and the estimated pro forma fees and expenses of Class A and Class I shares of the Acquiring Fund after giving effect to the proposed Reorganization. The fee and expense information is presented as of December 31, 2019. The tables below do not reflect any fees and expenses related to the Contracts, which would increase overall fees and expenses. See a Contract prospectus for a description of those fees and expenses.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
| Acquired Fund: Boston Partners Fund | Acquiring Fund: Multi-Manager Fund | Pro Forma Multi-Manager Fund (assuming expected operating expenses if the Reorganization is approved) |
| Class A | Class I | Class A | Class I | Class A | Class I |
Management Fee | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.19% | 1.19% | 1.15% | 1.15% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.30% | 0.00% | 0.30% | 0.00% | 0.30% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses1, 2, 3 | 1.00% | 0.99% | 0.56% | 0.56% | 0.56% | 0.56% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses4 | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.09% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses5 | 2.41% | 2.10% | 2.14% | 1.84% | 2.10% | 1.80% |
1 | "Other Expenses" include an Administrative Fee which is payable to JNAM. "Other Expenses" for the Boston Partners Fund include an Administrative Fee of 0.15%. "Other Expenses" for the Multi-Manager Fund include an Administrative Fee of 0.20%. |
2 | "Other Expenses" for both Funds are based on amounts incurred during the period ended December 31, 2019. The amount includes the costs associated with each Fund's short sales on equity securities. When a cash dividend is declared on a security for which each Fund holds a short position, each Fund incurs the obligation to pay an amount equal to that dividend to the lender of the shorted security. In addition, each Fund incurs borrowing fees related to short sale transactions. The annualized ratios of dividend expense on short sales and borrowing fees related to short sales to assets for the period for the Boston Partners Fund and Multi-Manager Fund were 0.84% and 0.24%, respectively. Each Fund's actual dividend expense and borrowing fees on securities sold short in future periods may be significantly higher or lower than the amounts above due to, among other factors, the extent of each Fund's short positions, the actual dividends paid with respect to the securities each Fund sells short, and the actual timing of each Fund's short sale transactions, each of which is expected to vary over time. The annualized ratios of dividend expense on short sales and borrowing fees related to short sales have been restated to reflect current fees. |
3 | "Other Expenses" for the Multi-Manager Fund are based on amounts incurred during the period ended December 31, 2019. The amount includes financing costs associated with secured borrowings. The annualized ratios of financing costs related to secured borrowings were 0.12%. The Multi-Manager Fund's actual financing costs may be significantly higher or lower than the amounts above due to, among other factors, the extent of the Multi-Manager Fund's involvement with secured borrowings and the costs associated with those transactions, each of which is expected to vary over time. |
4 | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses for both Funds are the indirect expenses of investing in other investment companies. Accordingly, the expense ratio presented in the Financial Highlights section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus will not correlate to the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses disclosed above. |
5 | Expense information for the Pro Forma Multi-Manager Fund has been restated to reflect current fees. |
JNAM will voluntarily waive 0.10% of management fees on the Multi-Manager Fund’s assets between $850 million and $1 billion. There is no guarantee that JNAM will continue to provide the waiver in the future.
Expense Examples
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Funds with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This example does not reflect fees and expenses related to the Contracts, and the total expenses would be higher if they were included. The example assumes that:
- You invest $10,000 in a Fund for the time periods indicated;
- Your investment has a 5% annual return;
- The Fund’s operating expenses remain the same as they were as of December 31, 2019; and
- You redeem your investment at the end of each time period.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
Boston Partners Fund (Acquired Fund) | | | | |
Class A | $244 | $751 | $1,285 | $2,746 |
Class I | $213 | $658 | $1,129 | $2,431 |
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund) | | | | |
Class A | $217 | $670 | $1,149 | $2,472 |
Class I | $187 | $579 | $996 | $2,159 |
Pro Forma Multi-Manager Fund (assuming expected operating expenses if the Reorganization is approved) | | | | |
Class A | $213 | $658 | $1,129 | $2,431 |
Class I | $183 | $566 | $975 | $2,116 |
Portfolio Turnover
Each 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 Expense Examples, affect a Fund’s performance. For the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, the portfolio turnover rates for the Boston Partners Fund and the Multi-Manager Fund were 155% and 93%, respectively, of the average value of each portfolio. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, the portfolio turnover rates for the Boston Partners Fund and the Multi-Manager Fund were 117% and 147%, respectively, of the average value of each portfolio.
Comparison of Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers
The following table compares the investment adviser and the sub-advisers of the Boston Partners Fund with that of the Multi-Manager Fund.
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
Investment Adviser Jackson National Asset Management, LLC Investment Sub-Adviser Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. | Investment Adviser Jackson National Asset Management, LLC Investment Sub-Advisers Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. DoubleLine Capital LP First Pacific Advisors, LP Lazard Asset Management LLC Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. Westchester Capital Management, LLC Western Asset Management Company, LLC |
Comparison of Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies
The following table compares the investment objectives and principal investment strategies of the Boston Partners Fund with those of the Multi-Manager Fund. Although the Funds have the same investment objectives, they employ different investment strategies in seeking to achieve those objectives. Both Funds seek long-term growth of capital. The Boston Partners Fund is managed by a single sub-adviser and seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in long positions in stocks identified by the sub-adviser as undervalued and taking short positions in stocks that the sub-adviser has identified as overvalued, while the Multi-Manager Fund is managed by unaffiliated sub-advisers and seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating among a variety of alternative strategies managed by the sub-advisers, sometimes referred to as “sleeves.” Under normal circumstances, the sub-adviser to the Boston Partners Fund expects to sell securities short so that the Boston Partners Fund’s portfolio is approximately 50% net long with an average of between 30% and 70% net long. Under normal market conditions, the Boston Partners Fund invests significantly (at least 40% unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the sub-adviser, in which case at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Boston Partners Fund may invest in both developed and emerging markets and up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures. Additionally, the Boston Partners Fund portfolio is regularly rebalanced. While both Funds employ a long-short strategy, the Multi-Manager Fund’s strategy is broader and also employs an event driven and merger arbitrage strategy, relative value strategy and global macro strategy. The Multi-Manager Fund’s equity long/short strategy pursues a contrarian value strategy that seeks to identify absolute value opportunities across the capital structure and in a variety of market capitalizations, geographies and sectors. Each of the Multi-Manager Fund’s sub-advisers may use different investment strategies in managing the Multi-Manager Fund’s assets, act independently from the others, and uses its own methodology for selecting investments, while the Multi-Manager Fund’s adviser is responsible for selecting the Multi-Manager Fund’s alternative investment strategies and for determining the amount of Multi-Manager Fund assets to allocate to each of its sub-advisers. In addition, the Multi-Manager Fund seeks to gain exposure to commodity related instruments primarily by investing up to 25% of the total value of its assets through a wholly owned and controlled subsidiary of the Multi-Manager Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. The Board may change the investment objective of a Fund without a vote of the Fund’s shareholders. For more detailed information about each Fund’s investment strategies and risks, see below and Appendix B.
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
Investment Objective The investment objective of the Fund is to seek long-term growth of capital. | Investment Objective The investment objective of the Fund is to seek long term growth of capital. |
Principal Investment Strategies The Fund invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Sub-Adviser, Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”) as undervalued and takes short | Principal Investment Strategies The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating among a variety of alternative strategies managed by unaffiliated investment managers (“Sub- |
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
positions in stocks that Boston Partners has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales will be invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. The Fund will invest, both long and short, in securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies of any capitalization size. With a long position, the Fund purchases a stock outright; with a short position, the Fund sells a security that it does not own and must borrow to meet its settlement obligations. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less (“unseasoned issuers”). Boston Partners will determine the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. Selection of individual securities to be held long or sold short will be based on a mix of quantitative techniques and fundamental security analysis. Boston Partners selects stocks on the basis of three criteria: valuation, business fundamentals and business momentum. Boston Partners examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals, including return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. Boston Partners selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria. | Advisers”) sometimes referred to as “sleeves.” Each of the Sub-Advisers generally provides day-to-day management for a portion of the Fund’s assets. Each Sub-Adviser may use different investment strategies in managing Fund assets, acts independently from the others, and uses its own methodology for selecting investments. The Adviser is responsible for identifying and retaining the Sub-Advisers for the selected strategies and for monitoring the services provided by the Sub-Advisers. The Adviser provides qualitative and quantitative supervision as part of its process for selecting and monitoring the Sub-Advisers. The Adviser is also responsible for selecting the Fund’s alternative investment strategies and for determining the amount of Fund assets to allocate to each Sub-Adviser. Based on the Adviser’s ongoing evaluation of the Sub-Advisers, it may adjust allocations among Sub-Advisers. Below are the principal investment strategies for each sleeve, but the Sub-Advisers may also implement other investment strategies in keeping with their respective sleeve’s objective. |
The Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including without limitation exchange traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds (“ETFs”)), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and equity participations. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. | Relative Value Strategies DoubleLine Capital LP (“DoubleLine”) employs an opportunistic income strategy by allocating investments to fixed-income instruments and other investments with no limit on the duration of the strategy. DoubleLine may invest in, without limitation, asset-backed securities; domestic and foreign corporate bonds, including high-yield bonds; municipal bonds; bonds or other obligations issued by domestic or foreign governments, including emerging markets countries; real estate investment trust (“REIT”) debt securities; and mortgage-related securities. When investing in mortgage-related securities, DoubleLine may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government; collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) issued by domestic or foreign private issuers that represent an interest in or are collateralized by mortgage related securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government; commercial mortgage backed securities (“CMBS”); obligations issued by private issuers that represent an interest in or are collateralized by whole mortgage loans or mortgage related securities without a government guarantee but typically with some form |
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
| of private credit enhancement; “interest only” and “principal only” stripped mortgage securities; inverse floating rate securities; and debt or equity tranches of collateralized debt obligations collateralized by mortgage related securities. Lazard Asset Management LLC (“Lazard”) invests in convertible securities, preferred securities, equity, and debt, with the objective of current income, long-term capital appreciation and principal protection. Lazard’s Portfolio Management Team constructs a diversified portfolio of convertible securities, preferred stocks, equity, and debt that have been evaluated on relative valuation and risk attributes. Lazard may use over-the-counter total return swaps as part of its investment strategy. |
The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests significantly (ordinarily at least 40% —unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by Boston Partners, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Fund principally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets, but may also invest in issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries). | Global Macro Strategy Western Asset Management Company, LLC (“Western Asset”) focuses under normal circumstances seeking to achieve its investment objective by implementing an opportunistic investing strategy. Western Asset attempts to identify and capitalize on attractive relative-value opportunities principally in fixed-income markets around the globe by investing in a variety of securities and other instruments. The strategy invests in fixed-income securities, up to 50% below investment-grade and up to 50% in un-hedged non-U.S. investments, and may also invest up to 50% emerging markets. |
The Fund’s portfolio is rebalanced regularly. Boston Partners assesses each investment’s changing characteristics relative to its contribution to portfolio risk. Boston Partners will sell an investment held long or close out a short position that Boston Partners believes no longer offers an appropriate return-to-risk tradeoff. Under normal circumstances, Boston Partners expects to sell securities short so that the Fund’s portfolio is approximately 50% net long with an average of between 30% and 70% net long. | Equity Long/Short Strategies First Pacific Advisors, LP (“FPA”) pursues a contrarian value strategy that seeks to identify absolute value opportunities across the capital structure, and in a variety of market capitalizations, geographies and sectors with the long-term objective of achieving equity-like rates of return with less risk than the market. Being contrarian in nature means the management team focuses on out-of-favor companies, does not pay close attention to benchmark weightings and is willing to hold meaningful amounts of cash for prolonged periods if opportunities for investment do not present themselves. FPA seeks “value” in companies whose securities are trading at a substantial discount to FPA’s estimate of their intrinsic value. Investments typically include common and preferred stock, convertible securities, corporate and high yield bonds, as well as government debt. In addition, FPA may sell securities short. |
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
| Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”) pursues a multi-faceted strategy that invests in a long-short portfolio of equity securities and financial investments with equity-like characteristics designed to provide exposure to emerging markets. Generally, the Boston Partners sleeve invests in futures contracts, futures-related instruments, forwards, swaps and options to provide exposure to asset classes including, but not limited to, global developed and emerging equity, fixed-income and currencies (collectively, “Instruments”). The Fund will also seek to gain exposure to commodity related instruments primarily by investing in JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd. (“Subsidiary”), which invests primarily in those futures and swaps (as described more fully below). These Instruments may be used for investment or speculative purposes, hedging or as a substitute for investing in conventional securities. The Fund may also invest in fixed-income securities, money market instruments, and cash. There are no geographic limits on the market exposure of the Fund’s assets. This flexibility allows Sub-Adviser to look for investments or gain exposure to asset classes and markets around the world, including emerging markets, that it believes will enhance the Fund’s ability to meet its objective. The Fund may invest up to 25% of the value of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Currently, only the sleeve of the Fund managed by Boston Partners is used for investments in the Subsidiary. Generally, the Subsidiary invests primarily in precious metals, commodity futures and swaps on commodity futures, but it may also invest in financial futures, option and swap contracts, fixed-income securities, pooled investment vehicles, including those that are not registered pursuant to the 1940 Act, and other investments intended to serve as margin or collateral for the Subsidiary’s derivative positions. Boston Partners expects to invest the Fund’s assets in the Subsidiary in order to gain exposure to futures contracts traded on the Indian stock exchange. The Fund invests in the Subsidiary in order to gain exposure to the commodities markets within the limitations of the federal tax laws, rules and regulations that apply to regulated investment companies (“RICs”). Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. (“Loomis Sayles”) invests in equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. While the majority of |
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
| investments will be long, there may be opportunities where the strategy holds short investments. Under normal market conditions, the strategy will maintain long and short investments in equity securities. As a substitute for short investments, the strategy may utilize market hedging strategies consisting of short exposures to indices, sectors or other securities or assets. |
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public. | No corresponding strategy. |
The Fund may invest from time to time a significant portion of its assets in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than $1 billion. | The Fund may invest in securities and other financial instruments of companies of any market capitalization. The Fund may invest in securities and other financial instruments available in and which have exposure to both U.S. and non-U.S. markets, including emerging markets, which can be U.S. dollar-denominated or non-U.S. dollar-denominated and may be currency hedged or un-hedged. The Fund may invest in corporate loans. The Fund may invest in securities and other financial instruments of companies of any market capitalization. |
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities that are assets. | The Fund (all sleeves collectively) may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. The Fund considers investments in private equity securities and hedge funds as illiquid investments. |
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, used by U.S. and foreign corporations and other business organizations (e.g. trusts or limited liability companies). Such high yield debt obligations are not considered to be investment grade. Non-investment grade fixed-income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are rated BB or lower by Standard & Poor’s Rating Group, or have a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) (or, if unrated are determined by Boston Partners to be of comparable quality at the time of investment). The Fund may invest in securities of the lowest rating category, including securities in default. Boston Partners may, but is not required to, sell a bond or note held by the Fund in the event that its credit rating is downgraded. | No corresponding strategy. |
The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes. When trading derivatives, the Fund may be required to post securities to a segregated | Event Driven and Merger Arbitrage Strategy Westchester Capital Management, LLC (“Westchester”) employs a merger arbitrage strategy (“Merger Arbitrage Strategy”) that invests in the common stock, preferred stock, corporate debt, |
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
account. Asset segregation may be required for short sales and for many, but not all, derivatives transactions, including swaps, options, futures, forwards and contracts for differences. The Fund expects to utilize contracts for differences to maintain a significant portion of its short positions. | derivatives, total return swaps and/or contracts for difference and, occasionally, warrants of companies which are involved in publicly announced mergers, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations and other corporate reorganizations. The Fund may also invest in special purpose acquisition companies, a form of investment vehicle typically formed for the purpose of acquiring an operating business. Although a variety of strategies may be employed depending upon the nature of the reorganizations selected for investment, the simplest form of merger-arbitrage activity involves purchasing the shares of an announced acquisition target at a discount to their expected value upon completion of the acquisition. |
Comparison of Principal Risk Factors
While there are some similarities in the risk profiles of the Funds, there are also some differences of which you should be aware. Each Fund’s principal risks include emerging markets and less developed countries risk, equity securities risk, foreign regulatory risk, foreign securities risk, high-yield bonds, lower-rated bonds, and unrated securities risk, investment style risk, market risk, mid-capitalization and small-capitalization investing risk, and portfolio turnover risk. However, the Boston Partners Fund is also subject to accounting risk, company risk, counterparty risk, currency risk, derivatives risk, European investment risk, exchange-traded funds investing risk, financial services risk, investment strategy risk, investments in IPOs risk, large-capitalization investing risk, liquidity risk, managed portfolio risk, model risk, Pacific Rim investing risk, sector risk, segregated account risk, short sales risk, small-capitalization investing risk, stock risk, swaps risk, unseasoned issuers risk, and volatility risk, while these generally are not principal risks for the Multi-Manager Fund. In addition, the principal risks of investing in the Multi-Manager Fund include allocation risk, convertible securities risk, corporate loan, sovereign entity loan, and bank loan risk, credit risk, event driven and special situations risk, fixed-income risk, interest rate risk, LIBOR replacement risk, and subsidiary risk, which are not principal risks of investing in the Boston Partners Fund. For a detailed comparison of each Fund’s risks, see both the table below and Appendix B.
An investment in a Fund is not guaranteed. As with any mutual fund, the value of a Fund’s shares will change, and an investor could lose money by investing in a Fund. The following table compares the principal risks of an investment in each Fund. For additional information about each principal risk and other applicable risks, see Appendix B.
| Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Risks | Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
Accounting risk | X | |
Allocation risk | | X |
Company risk | X | |
Convertible securities risk | | X |
Corporate loan, sovereign entity loan, and bank loan risk | | X |
Counterparty risk | X | |
| Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Risks | Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
Credit risk | | X |
Currency risk | X | |
Derivatives risk | X | |
Emerging markets and less developed countries risk | X | X |
Equity securities risk | X | X |
European investment risk | X | |
Event driven and special situations risk | | X |
Exchange-traded funds investing risk | X | |
Financial services risk | X | |
Fixed-income risk | | X |
Foreign regulatory risk | X | X |
Foreign securities risk | X | X |
High-yield bonds, lower-rated bonds, and unrated securities risk | X | X |
Interest rate risk | | X |
Investment strategy risk | X | |
Investment style risk | X | X |
Investments in IPOs risk | X | |
Large-capitalization investing risk | X | |
LIBOR replacement risk | | X |
Liquidity risk | X | |
Managed portfolio risk | X | |
Market risk | X | X |
Mid-capitalization and small-capitalization investing risk | X | X |
Model risk | X | |
| Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Risks | Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
Pacific Rim investing risk | X | |
Portfolio turnover risk | X | X |
Sector risk | X | |
Segregated account risk | X | |
Short sales risk | X | |
Small-capitalization investing risk | X | |
Stock risk | X | |
Subsidiary risk | | X |
Swaps risk | X | |
Unseasoned issuers risk | X | |
Volatility risk | X | |
Comparison of Fundamental Policies
Each Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. The following table compares the fundamental policies of the Boston Partners Fund with those of the Multi-Manager Fund.
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
(1) The Fund is a “diversified company,” as such term is defined under the 1940 Act. | Same.
|
(2) The Fund may not invest more than 25% of the value of its assets in any particular industry (other than U.S. Government securities and/or foreign sovereign debt securities). | Same. |
(3) The Fund may not invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses. | Same. |
(4) The Fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities other than foreign currencies unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures, swaps and | The Fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities other than foreign currencies unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures, swaps and forward contracts or from investing in securities or other |
Acquired Fund | Acquiring Fund |
Boston Partners Fund | Multi-Manager Fund |
forward contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities). | instruments backed by physical commodities). Such limitations do not apply to the Fund’s wholly owned subsidiary or controlled foreign corporation. |
(5) The Fund may not lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to purchases of commercial paper, debt securities or repurchase agreements). | Same. |
(6) The Fund may not act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities of the Fund. | Same. |
(7) The Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. | Same. |
(8) The Fund may not borrow money, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, and any applicable exemptive relief. | Same. |
Comparative Performance Information
The performance information shown below provides some indication of the risks of investing in each Fund by showing changes in each Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how each Fund’s average annual returns compared with those of a broad-based securities market index which has investment characteristics similar to those of such Fund. For the Multi-Manager Fund, performance results include the effect of expense waiver/reduction arrangements for some or all of the periods shown. If such arrangements had not been in place, performance for those periods would have been lower. Each Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
The returns shown in the bar charts and tables below do not include charges imposed under the Contracts. If these amounts were reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
For the Multi-Manager Fund, effective April 27, 2020, the Fund was combined with JNL Institutional Alt 100 Fund, a series of Jackson Variable Series Trust, with the Multi-Manager Fund as the surviving Fund. The performance shown is the Multi-Manager Fund's historic performance and does not reflect the performance of the JNL Institutional Alt 100 Fund.
Following the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund will be the accounting and performance survivor.
Boston Partners Fund – Calendar Year Total Returns
(Acquired Fund)
Class A
Best Quarter (ended 6/30/2015): 4.24%; Worst Quarter (ended 12/31/2018): -7.76%
Class I
Best Quarter (ended 9/30/2018): 2.93%; Worst Quarter (ended 12/31/2018): -7.64%
Multi-Manager Fund – Calendar Year Total Returns
(Acquiring Fund)
Class A
Best Quarter (ended 3/31/2019): 4.18%; Worst Quarter (ended 12/31/2018): -2.97%
Class I
Best Quarter (ended 3/31/2019): 4.28%; Worst Quarter (ended 12/31/2018): -2.88%
Acquired Fund – Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019 | | | | | |
| 1 year | | 5 year | | Life of Fund (September 15, 2014) |
Boston Partners Fund (Class A) | 4.84 | % | 2.00 | % | 1.61 | % |
MSCI World Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 27.67 | % | 8.74 | % | 8.12 | % |
Acquired Fund – Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019 | | | |
| 1 year | | Life of Class (September 25, 2017) |
Boston Partners Fund (Class I) | 5.12 | % | -0.48 | % |
MSCI World Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 27.67 | % | 9.72 | % |
Acquiring Fund – Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019 | | | |
| 1 year | | Life of Fund (April 27, 2015) |
Multi-Manager Fund (Class A) | 9.08 | % | 1.76 | % |
Wilshire Liquid Alternative Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 6.68 | % | 0.91 | % |
Acquiring Fund – Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2019 | | | |
| 1 year | | Life of Class (September 25, 2017) |
Multi-Manager Fund (Class I) | 9.47 | % | 2.92 | % |
Wilshire Liquid Alternative Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 6.68 | % | 1.63 | % |
Capitalization
The following table shows the capitalization of each Fund as of June 30, 2020, and of the Multi-Manager Fund on a pro forma combined basis as of June 30, 2020 after giving effect to the proposed Reorganization. The actual net assets of the Boston Partners Fund and the Multi-Manager Fund on the Closing Date will differ due to fluctuations in net asset values, subsequent purchases, and redemptions of shares. No assurance can be given as to how many shares of the Multi-Manager Fund will be received by shareholders of Boston Partners Fund on the Closing Date, and the following table should not be relied upon to reflect the number of shares of the Multi-Manager Fund that will actually be received.
| Net Assets | Net Asset Value Per Share | Shares Outstanding |
Boston Partners Fund (Acquired Fund) – Class A | $39,120,080 | 9.04 | 4,326,122 |
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund) – Class A | $192,927,610 | 10.52 | 18,337,598 |
Adjustments | $(12,564) (a) | 0 | (608,677) (b) |
Pro forma Multi-Manager Fund – Class A (assuming the Reorganization is approved) | $232,035,126 | 10.52 | 22,055,043 |
Boston Partners Fund (Acquired Fund) – Class I | $563,962 | 9.13 | 61,799 |
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund) – Class I | $835,761,885 | 10.59 | 78,902,452 |
Adjustments | $(181) (a) | 0 | (8,562) (b) |
Pro forma Multi-Manager Fund – Class I (assuming the Reorganization is approved) | $836,325,666 | 10.59 | 78,955,689 |
| (a) | The costs and expenses associated with the Reorganization relating to the solicitation of proxies, including preparing, filing, printing, and mailing of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and related disclosure documents, and the related legal fees, including the legal fees incurred in connection with the analysis under the Code of the tax treatment of this Reorganization as well as the costs associated with the preparation of the tax opinion and obtaining a consent of independent registered public accounting firm, will be borne by JNAM whether or not the Reorganization is consummated. No sales or other charges will be imposed on Contract Owners in connection with the Reorganization. It is currently anticipated that approximately 100% of the Acquired Fund’s holdings will be liquidated in advance of the Reorganization and that, in connection with the Reorganization, JNAM will allocate the resulting proceeds to the sleeves managed by the Acquiring Fund’s sub-advisers in accordance with the Acquiring Fund’s principal investment strategies. The Acquired Fund will bear Transaction Costs associated with the Reorganization. Such Transaction Costs are estimated to be $12,745 (0.03% of net assets). |
| (b) | The adjustment to the pro forma shares outstanding number represents a decrease in shares outstanding of the Acquiring Fund to reflect the exchange of shares of the Acquired Fund. |
The Reorganization provides for the acquisition of all the assets and all the liabilities of the Boston Partners Fund by the Multi-Manager Fund. If the Reorganization had taken place on June 30, 2020, shareholders of the Boston Partners Fund would have received 3,717,445 and 53,237 Class A and Class I shares, respectively, of the Multi-Manager Fund.
After careful consideration, the Board unanimously approved the Plan of Reorganization with respect to the Boston Partners Fund. Accordingly, the Board has submitted the Plan of Reorganization for approval by the Boston Partners Fund’s shareholders. The Board recommends that you vote “FOR” this Proposal.
* * * * *
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE REORGANIZATION
Terms of the Plan of Reorganization
The terms of the Plan of Reorganization are summarized below. For additional information, you should consult the Plan of Reorganization, a copy of which is attached as Appendix A.
If shareholders of the Acquired Fund approve the Plan of Reorganization, then the assets of the Acquired Fund will be acquired by, and in exchange for, Class A and Class I shares, respectively, of the Acquiring Fund and the liabilities of the Acquired Fund will be assumed by the Acquiring Fund. The Acquired Fund will then be terminated by the Trust, and the Class A and Class I shares of the Acquiring Fund distributed to the Class A and Class I shareholders, respectively, of the Acquired Fund in the redemption of the Class A and Class I Acquired Fund Shares. Immediately after completion of the Reorganization, the number of shares of the Acquiring Fund then held by former shareholders of the Acquired Fund may be different than the number of shares of the Acquired Fund that had been held immediately before completion of the Reorganization, but the total investment will remain the same (i.e., the total value of the Acquiring Fund shares held immediately after the completion of the Reorganization will be the same as the total value of the Acquired Fund shares formerly held immediately before completion of the Reorganization).
It is anticipated that the Reorganization will be consummated as of the close of business on April 23, 2021, or on such later date as may be deemed necessary in the judgment of the Board and in accordance with the Plan of Reorganization, subject to the satisfaction of all conditions precedent to the closing. It is not anticipated that the Acquired Fund will hold any investment that the Acquiring Fund would not be permitted to hold (“non-permitted investments”).
Description of the Securities to Be Issued
The Class A shareholders of the Acquired Fund will receive Class A shares of the Acquiring Fund, and the Class I shareholders of the Acquired Fund will receive Class I shares of the Acquiring Fund in accordance with the procedures provided for in the Plan of Reorganization. Each such share will be fully paid and non-assessable by the Trust when issued and will have no preemptive or conversion rights.
The Trust may issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest of the Acquiring Fund and divide or combine such shares into a greater or lesser number of shares without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interests in the Trust. Each share of the Acquiring Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that Fund with each other share. The Trust reserves the right to create and issue any number of Fund shares. In that case, the shares of the Acquiring Fund would participate equally in the earnings, dividends, and assets of the Fund. Upon liquidation of the Acquiring Fund, shareholders are entitled to share proportionally (according to the net asset value of their shares of the Acquiring Fund) in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to shareholders. The Acquiring Fund is a series of the Trust.
The Trust currently offers two classes of shares, Class A and Class I shares, for the Acquiring Fund. Each series of the Trust has adopted a distribution plan in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Pursuant to the distribution plan, Class A shares of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund are charged a Rule 12b-1 fee at the annual rate of 0.30% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Class A shares of the respective Fund. Because these distribution/service fees are paid out of the Funds’ assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase your cost of investing and may cost more than paying other types of charges. Class I shares are not charged a Rule 12b-1 fee.
Board Considerations
At a meeting of the Board held on December 1-3, 2020 (the “Board Meeting”), the Board, including all of the independent trustees, who are not interested persons of the Funds (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) (the “Independent Trustees”), considered information relating to the proposed reorganization of the Acquired Fund, a series of the Trust, into the Acquiring Fund, also a series of the Trust (the “Reorganization”). Before approving the Reorganization, the Independent Trustees reviewed the foregoing information with their independent legal counsel and with management, reviewed with independent legal counsel applicable law and their duties in considering such matters, and met with independent legal counsel in a private session without management present.
The Board considered that the Acquired Fund was launched to provide long-term growth of capital. The Board also considered JNAM’s statement that the lack of investor interest in the Acquired Fund and continued opportunity to access other diversified, equity-hedged offerings has resulted in diminished merit for the Acquired Fund remaining on the Trust’s investment platform. The Board considered that the Reorganization is part of an overall rationalization of the Trust’s offerings and is designed to eliminate inefficiencies arising from offering overlapping funds with that serve as investment options for the Contracts issued by the Insurance Companies and certain non-qualified plans. The Board also considered that the Reorganization also seeks to increase assets under management in the Acquiring Fund in an effort to achieve additional economies of scale for beneficial owners of the Acquired Fund. The Board noted that the objective of the Reorganization is to seek to ensure that a consolidated family of investments offers a streamlined, complete, and competitive set of underlying investment options to serve the interests of shareholders and Contract Owners. Thus, the Board considered the recommendation of JNAM to merge the Acquired Fund into the Acquiring Fund given that it is anticipated that the Acquiring Fund’s multi-manager structure will provide Acquired Fund shareholders with improved risk-adjusted performance, greater manager diversification, and potentially fewer capacity constraints than the Acquired Fund.
The Board considered a number of principal factors presented at the time of the Board Meeting in reaching its determinations, including the following:
· Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies. The Board considered that the Reorganization will permit the Contract Owners and others with beneficial interest in the Acquired Fund to continue to invest in a professionally managed fund with similar investment goals, noting that both the Acquired Fund’s and the Acquiring Fund’s investment objective is to seek long-term growth of capital. The Board also considered management’s statement that the Acquiring Fund has produced significantly lower standard deviation, which JNAM believes is attributable to underlying manager diversification which combines multiple styles of investing. As described below, the Board also considered how the Acquired Fund’s shareholders will benefit from the Reorganization. For a full description of the investment objectives and investment strategies of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund, see “Comparison of Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies.”
| · | Operating Expenses. The Board considered that, if approved by the Acquired Fund’s shareholders, the Reorganization will result in a Combined Fund with a management fee that is expected to be higher than that of the Acquired Fund currently, and a total annual fund operating expense ratio that is expected to be lower than that of the Acquired Fund currently. The Board noted that the Acquiring Fund’s lower total annual fund operating expense ratio after the Reorganization is primarily a result from the Acquiring Fund’s lower dividend expense and borrowing fees relating to short sales. The Board further noted that the Acquiring Fund’s total annual fund operating expense ratio and management fee are expected to decrease after the Reorganization. See “Comparative Fee and Expense Tables.” |
· Larger Asset Base. The Board considered that the Reorganization may benefit Contract Owners and others with beneficial interests in the Acquired Fund by allowing them to invest in the Combined Fund that has a larger asset base than that of the Acquired Fund currently. The Board noted that as of September 30, 2020, the Acquired Fund had assets of $39.15 million as compared to assets of $1.06 billion for the Acquiring Fund. The Board considered that reorganizing the Acquired Fund into the Acquiring Fund offers Contract Owners and other investors the ability to benefit from economies of scale.
| · | Performance. The Board considered that the Acquiring Fund has outperformed the Acquired Fund for the for the three-month, one-year, three-year, and five-year periods ended September 30, 2020. The Board noted that the Acquiring Fund outperformed the Acquired Fund for the 2019 and 2018 calendar years. The Board also noted that during the 2019 calendar year, on a gross-of-fees basis, the Acquiring Fund returned 10.93%, while the Acquired Fund returned 6.47%. |
| · | Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers. The Board considered that the Funds currently have the same investment adviser and administrator, JNAM, and many of the same service providers, though they have different sub-advisers with the exception of Boston Partners. Specifically, the Board considered that Boston Partners is the sub-adviser for the Acquired Fund and a co-sub-adviser to the Acquiring Fund and that DoubleLine, FPA, Lazard, Loomis Sayles, Westchester, and Western Asset are the other co-sub-advisers to the Acquiring Fund. The Board also considered that the Combined Fund will continue to be sub-advised by Boston Partners, DoubleLine, FPA, Lazard, Loomis Sayles, Westchester, and Western Asset after the Reorganization. The Board noted that the custodian for the Acquiring Fund, State Street Bank & Trust Company, the transfer agent for the Acquiring Fund, JNAM, and the distributor for shares of the Acquiring Fund, Jackson National Life Distributors LLC, are the same as for the Acquired Fund and will remain the same immediately after the Reorganization. |
| · | Federal Income Tax Consequences. The Board considered that the Reorganization is not expected to be a taxable event for federal income tax purposes for Contract Owners. |
| · | Costs of Reorganization. The Board considered that the costs and expenses associated with the Reorganization relating to the solicitation of proxies, including preparing, filing, printing, and mailing of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and related disclosure documents, the related legal fees, including the legal fees incurred in connection with the analysis under the Code of the tax treatment of this transaction, as well as the costs associated with the preparation of the tax opinion, and obtaining a consent of independent registered public accounting firm will be borne by JNAM whether or not the Reorganization is consummated. No sales or other charges will be imposed on Contract Owners in connection with the Reorganization. The Board considered that it is currently anticipated that approximately 100% of the Acquired Fund’s holdings will be liquidated in advance of the Reorganization and that, in connection with the Reorganization, JNAM will allocate the resulting proceeds to the sleeves managed by the Acquiring Fund’s sub-advisers in accordance with the Acquiring Fund’s principal investment strategies. Thus the Board considered that the Acquired Fund will bear the Transaction Costs associated with the Reorganization and that such Transaction Costs are estimated to be $12,745 (0.03% of net assets). |
In summary, in determining whether to recommend approval of the Reorganization, the Board considered factors including (1) the terms and conditions of the Reorganization and whether the Reorganization would result in dilution of the Acquired Fund’s and Acquiring Fund’s shareholders’, Contract Owners’, and plan participants’ interests; (2) the compatibility of the Funds’ investment objectives, investment strategies, and investment restrictions, as well as shareholder services offered by the Funds; (3) the expense ratios and information regarding the fees and expenses of the Funds; (4) the advantages and disadvantages to the Acquired Fund’s and Acquiring Fund’s shareholders, Contract Owners, and plan participants of having a larger asset base in the Combined Fund; (5) the relative historical performance of the Funds; (6) the management of the Funds; (7) the federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization; and (8) the costs of the Reorganization. No one factor was determinative and each Trustee may have
attributed different weights to the various factors. The Board did not determine any considerations related to the Reorganization to be adverse.
The Board, including the Independent Trustees, determined that the Reorganization would be in the best interests of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund and that the interests of the Acquired Fund’s and Acquiring Fund’s Contract Owners and other investors would not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization. The Board voted unanimously to approve the Reorganization and recommended its approval by Contract Owners and others with beneficial interests in the Acquired Fund.
Description of Risk Factors
A Fund’s performance may be affected by one or more risk factors. For a detailed description of each Fund’s risk factors, please see “More Information on Strategies and Risk Factors” in Appendix B.
Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization
As a condition to the consummation of the Reorganization, each Fund will have received one or more opinions of Ropes & Gray LLP, dated on or before the effective date of the Reorganization, substantially to the effect that, on the basis of the existing provisions of the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations issued thereunder, current administrative rules, pronouncements and court decisions, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Reorganization will not be a taxable event for Contract Owners whose contract values are determined by investment in shares of the Acquired Fund. The opinion will be based on certain factual certifications made by officers of the Funds, the Adviser and the Insurance Companies offering the Contracts, and will also be based on reasonable assumptions.
None of the Trust, the Acquired Fund, or the Acquiring Fund has sought a tax ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), but each is acting in reliance upon the opinions of counsel discussed in the previous paragraph. The opinions are not binding on the IRS and do not preclude the IRS from adopting a contrary position. Contract Owners should consult their own tax advisors concerning the potential tax consequences, including state and local income taxes.
Contingency Plan
If the Reorganization is not approved by shareholders, the Funds will continue to operate as they currently do and the Board will consider what actions are appropriate and in the best interests of Contract Owners that have assets invested in the Acquired Fund.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
Management of the Trust
This section provides information about the Trust, the Adviser, and the sub-advisers for the Funds.
The Trust
The Trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust and is registered with the SEC as an open-end management investment company. Under Massachusetts law and the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, the management of the business and affairs of the Trust is the responsibility of its Board. Each Fund is a series of the Trust.
The Adviser
JNAM, located at 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, Michigan 48951, serves as the investment adviser to the Trust and provides the Funds with professional investment supervision and management. JNAM is registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Investment Advisers Act”). JNAM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jackson National, a U.S.-based financial services company. Jackson National is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jackson Financial Inc., which is a subsidiary of Prudential plc. Prudential plc is a publicly traded company incorporated in the United Kingdom. Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America, or with The Prudential Assurance Company Ltd, a subsidiary of M&G plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom. Athene Co-Invest Reinsurance Affiliate 1A Ltd., a Bermuda Class C insurer under the Bermuda Insurance Act 1978, owns a minority interest in Jackson Financial Inc. Prudential plc is also the ultimate parent of PPM America, Inc.
JNAM acts as investment adviser to the Trust pursuant to an Investment Advisory and Management Agreement. Under the Investment Advisory and Management Agreement, JNAM is responsible for managing the affairs and overseeing the investments of the Funds and determining how voting and other rights with respect to securities owned by the Funds will be exercised. JNAM also provides recordkeeping, administrative and exempt transfer agent services to the Funds and oversees the performance of services provided to the Funds by other service providers, including the custodian and shareholder servicing agent. JNAM is authorized to delegate certain of its duties with respect to a Fund to a sub-adviser, subject to the approval of the Board, and is responsible for overseeing that sub-adviser’s performance. JNAM is solely responsible for payment of any fees to the sub-adviser.
JNAM plays an active role in advising and monitoring each Fund and sub-adviser. When appropriate, JNAM recommends to the Board potential sub-advisers for a Fund. For those Funds managed by a sub-adviser, JNAM monitors each sub-adviser’s Fund management team to determine whether its investment activities remain consistent with the Funds’ investment strategies and objectives. JNAM also monitors changes that may impact the sub-adviser’s overall business, including the sub-adviser’s operations and changes in investment personnel and senior management, and regularly performs due diligence reviews of each sub-adviser. In addition, JNAM obtains detailed, comprehensive information concerning each Fund’s and sub-adviser’s performance and Fund operations. JNAM is responsible for providing regular reports on these matters to the Board.
The Investment Advisory and Management Agreement continues in effect for each Fund from year to year after its initial two-year term so long as its continuation is approved at least annually by (i) a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons of any such party except in their capacity as Trustees of the Trust, and (ii) the shareholders of the affected Fund or the Board. It may be terminated at any time upon 60 days’ notice by JNAM, or by a majority vote of the outstanding shares of a Fund with respect to that Fund, and will terminate automatically upon its assignment. The Investment Advisory and Management Agreement provides that JNAM shall not be liable for any error of judgment, or for any loss suffered by any Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of JNAM in the performance of its obligations and duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement. As compensation for its services, the Trust pays JNAM a separate fee in respect of each Fund as described in each Fund’s Prospectus.
Management Fees
As compensation for its advisory services, JNAM receives a fee from the Trust computed separately for the Funds, accrued daily and payable monthly. The fee JNAM receives from each Fund is set forth below as an annual percentage of the net assets of the Fund.
The table below shows the advisory fee rate schedule for each Fund as set forth in the Investment Advisory and Management Agreement and the aggregate annual fee the Fund paid to JNAM for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Each Fund’s advisory fee rate schedule is subject to contractual breakpoints that reduce the advisory fee rate should the Fund’s average daily net assets exceed specified amounts.
Fund | Assets | Advisory Fee (Annual Rate Based on Average Daily Net Assets of each Fund) | Aggregate Fee Paid to Adviser based on Average Daily Net Assets as of December 31, 2019 |
Boston Partners Fund | $0 to $500 million $500 million to $1 billion $1 billion to $3 billion $3 billion to $5 billion Over $5 billion | 1.100% 1.050% 1.000% 0.990% 0.980% | 1.10% |
Multi-Manager Fund1 | $0 to $1 billion $1 billion to $3 billion $3 billion to $5 billion Over $5 billion | 1.20% 1.10% 1.09% 1.08% | 1.19% |
1 | Effective April 26, 2021, the advisory fee schedule for the Acquiring Fund will be as follows: |
| | | Advisory Fee | |
| | Assets | (Annual Rate Based on Average Daily Net Assets of the Fund) | |
| | $0 to $850 million | 1.20% | |
| | $850 million to $3 billion | 1.10% | |
| | $3 billion to $5 billion | 1.09% | |
| | Over $5 billion | 1.08% | |
| | | | | | | |
A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Advisory and Management Agreement is available in the Trust’s Annual Report to shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2019 and will be available in the Trust’s Annual Report to shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2020.
JNAM selects, contracts with, and compensates the sub-advisers to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Funds. JNAM monitors the compliance of the sub-advisers with the investment objectives and related policies of the Funds, reviews the performance of the sub-advisers, and reports periodically on such performance to the Board. Under the terms of each of the sub-advisory agreements, the sub-adviser is responsible for supervising and managing the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the assigned Fund and for directing the purchase and sale of the Fund’s investment securities, subject to the oversight and supervision of JNAM and the Board. The sub-advisers formulate a continuous investment program for a Fund consistent with its investment strategies, objectives and policies outlined in its Prospectus. Each sub-adviser implements such program by purchases and sales of securities and regularly reports to JNAM and the Board with respect to the implementation of such program. As compensation for its sub-advisory services, each sub-adviser receives a fee from JNAM, computed separately for the applicable Fund, stated as an annual percentage of the Fund’s net assets. JNAM currently is obligated to pay the sub-advisers out of the advisory fee it receives from the applicable Fund.
The Acquiring Fund has co-sub-advisers. JNAM has entered into separate investment sub-advisory agreements with each of the Acquiring Fund’s sub-advisers. Each co-sub-adviser independently selects the investments for the portion of the Acquiring Fund that is allocated to it and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Acquiring Fund’s assets allocated to it. Pursuant to each sub-advisory agreement, JNAM pays each co-sub-adviser for providing services to JNAM with respect to the Acquiring Fund at a monthly fee at an annual rate equal to a percentage of the Fund’s assets allocated to it.
JNAM and the Trust, together with other investment companies of which JNAM is investment adviser, have received an exemptive order (the “Order”) that allows JNAM to hire, replace or terminate unaffiliated sub-advisers or materially amend a sub-advisory agreement with an unaffiliated sub-adviser with the approval of the Board, but without the approval of shareholders. However, any amendment to an advisory agreement between JNAM and the Trust that would result in an increase in the management fee rate specified in that agreement (i.e., the aggregate management fee) charged to a Fund will be submitted to shareholders for approval. Under the terms of the Order, if a new sub-adviser is hired by JNAM, the affected Fund will provide shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser and the new sub-advisory agreement within ninety (90) days of the change. The Order allows the Funds to operate more efficiently and with greater flexibility. JNAM provides oversight and evaluation services to the Funds, including, but not limited to the following services: performing initial due diligence on prospective sub-advisers for the Funds; monitoring the performance of sub-advisers; communicating performance expectations to the sub-advisers; and ultimately recommending to the Board whether a sub-adviser’s contract should be renewed, modified or terminated.
JNAM does not expect to recommend frequent changes of sub-advisers. Although JNAM will monitor the performance of the sub-advisers, there is no certainty that the sub-advisers or the Funds will obtain favorable results at any given time.
As compensation for the services for their respective Funds, the sub-adviser to the Acquired Fund, Boston Partners, and the sub-advisers to the Acquiring Fund, Boston Partners, DoubleLine, FPA, Lazard, Loomis Sayles, Westchester, and Western Asset, each receive a sub-advisory fee that is payable by JNAM. The following table shows the amount of sub-advisory fees that JNAM paid the sub-advisers (out of JNAM’s advisory fees) for the services provided by the respective sub-advisers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019:
Fund | Sub-Advisers | Aggregate Fees Paid to Sub-Advisers |
Dollar Amount | As a Percentage of Average Daily Net Assets as of December 31, 2019 |
Boston Partners Fund | Boston Partners | $3,678,868 | 0.88% |
Multi-Manager Fund | FPA Lazard Western Asset Westchester Boston Partners Loomis Sayles DoubleLine®2 | $10,433,3241 | 0.90% |
1 | This amount includes the amount paid to BlueBay Asset Management LLP, a former sub-adviser to the Multi-Manager Fund. |
2 | A fee discount shall apply when DoubleLine is providing sub-advisory services to JNAM for at least two separate and distinct funds. The sub-adviser provides sub-advisory services for the JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (for the discrete portion of Average Daily Net Assets managed by DoubleLine), JNL/DoubleLine® Core Fixed Income Fund, JNL/DoubleLine® Emerging Markets Fixed Income Fund, JNL/DoubleLine® Shiller Enhanced CAPE® Fund, and the JNL/DoubleLine® Total Return Fund (together known as the “Sub-Advised Funds”). For the purposes of calculating the sub-advisory fee discounts, DoubleLine® applies discounts based on the combined assets of the Sub-Advised Funds. |
| | | | |
A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of the sub-advisory agreements is available in the Trust’s Annual Report to shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2019 and will be available in the Trust’s Annual Report to shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2020.
In addition to the investment advisory fee, each Fund currently pays to JNAM (the “Administrator”) an administrative fee as an annual percentage of the average daily net assets of each Fund, accrued daily and paid monthly, as set forth below.
Fund | Assets | Administrative Fee (Annual Rate Based on Average Net Assets) |
Boston Partners Fund | $0 to $3 billion Assets over $3 billion | 0.15% 0.13% |
Multi-Manager Fund | $0 to $3 billion Assets over $3 billion | 0.20% 0.18% |
In return for the administrative fee, the Administrator provides or procures all necessary administrative functions and services for the operation of each Fund. In addition, the Administrator, at its own expense, provides or procures routine legal, audit, fund accounting, custody (except overdraft and interest expense), printing and mailing, a portion of the Chief Compliance Officer costs and all other services necessary for the operation of each Fund. Each Fund is responsible for trading expenses including brokerage commissions, interest and taxes, and other non-operating expenses. Each Fund is also responsible for nonrecurring and extraordinary legal fees, interest expenses, registration fees, licensing costs, directors and officers insurance, expenses related to the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer, and the fees and expenses of the Independent Trustees and of independent legal counsel to the Independent Trustees (categorized as “Other Expenses” in the fee tables).
The Sub-Advisers
The sub-adviser to the Acquired Fund is Boston Partners, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of ORIX Corporation of Japan. Boston Partners provides investment management and investment advisory services to other institutional and proprietary accounts.
Boston Partners Fund (Acquired Fund) |
Sub-Adviser & Portfolio Managers | Portfolio Managers’ Business Experience |
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. 60 E 42nd Street, Suite 1550 New York, New York 10165 | Mr. Feeney is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer for Boston Partners. He is responsible for the firm’s strategic, financial and operating decisions, and all aspects of investment management including the firm’s fundamental and quantitative |
Boston Partners Fund (Acquired Fund) |
Sub-Adviser & Portfolio Managers | Portfolio Managers’ Business Experience |
Portfolio Managers Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. Christopher K. Hart Joshua Jones Joshua White | research groups. He was one of the original partners of Boston Partners Asset Management in 1995. Prior to assuming these roles, he was director of research. Mr. Feeney joined the firm upon its inception in 1995 from Putnam Investments where he managed mortgage-backed securities portfolios. He began his career at the Bank of Boston where he was a loan officer specializing on highly leveraged loan portfolios. Mr. Feeney holds a B.S. degree in finance (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of New Hampshire and an M.B.A. with High Honors from the University of Chicago. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is past President of the Fixed Income Management Society of Boston. He has 34 years of investment experience. Mr. Hart is a portfolio manager for Boston Partners Global Equity and International Equity products. Prior to this, he was the portfolio manager for the Boston Partners International Small Cap Value product and before that, an assistant portfolio manager for the Boston Partners Small Cap Value products for three years. Previously, he was a research analyst and specialized in conglomerates, engineering and construction, building, machinery, aerospace & defense, and REITs sectors of the equity market. He joined the firm from Fidelity Investments where he was a research analyst. Mr. Hart holds a B.S. degree in finance, with a concentration in corporate finance from Clemson University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has 28 years of investment experience. Mr. Jones is a portfolio manager on Boston Partners Global and International products. Prior to this role, he was a research analyst specializing in the energy, metals and mining sectors of the equity market and was a global generalist. He joined the firm from Cambridge Associates where he was a consulting associate specializing in hedge fund clients. Mr. Jones holds a B.A. degree in economics from Bowdoin College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has 15 years of investment experience. Mr. White is a portfolio manager on Boston Partners Global and International products. Prior to this role, he was an equity analyst serving as a global generalist. Mr. White holds a B.A. degree in mathematics from Middlebury College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and has twelve years of experience. |
Boston Partners is also a co-sub-adviser to the Acquiring Fund. The individuals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Boston Partners strategy of the Acquiring Fund’s portfolio are Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. and Paul Korngiebel.
The other co-sub-advisers to the Acquiring Fund are DoubleLine, FPA, Lazard, Loomis Sayles, Westchester, and Western Asset.
DoubleLine is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. It provides investment management and sub-advisory services to public as well as various institutional and sub-advised accounts.
FPA is independently owned with 31 investment professionals and 89 employees in total. FPA’s equity and fixed-income styles are linked by a common fundamental value orientation. FPA’s goal is to provide a consistent, risk-averse and disciplined approach to long-term investing in individual securities with the objective of achieving superior long-term total returns for client portfolios while maintaining a focus on capital preservation. The individuals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the FPA strategy of the Fund’s portfolio are Mark Landecker, Steven Romick, and Brian A. Selmo.
Lazard is a subsidiary of Lazard Frères & Co. LLC, a New York limited liability company, which provides its clients with a wide variety of investment banking, brokerage and related services. Lazard and its affiliates provide investment management services to client discretionary accounts of both individuals and institutions. The individuals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Lazard strategy of the Acquiring Fund’s portfolio are Sean H. Reynolds and Frank Bianco.
Loomis Sayles is a Delaware limited partnership, registered as an investment adviser that provides investment advice to retirement and pension plans, institutional and corporate clients, insurance companies, mutual funds and high net worth individuals. Loomis Sayles is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act. Loomis Sayles has managed client assets for more than 75 years. The individual primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Loomis Sayles strategy of the Acquiring Fund’s portfolio is Aziz V. Hamzaogullari.
Westchester, a registered investment adviser since 2010. Westchester and its affiliate manage merger-arbitrage programs and other investment strategies similar to the Fund’s investment strategies for other institutional investors, including other registered open-end investment companies. Mr. Roy D. Behren and Mr. Michael T. Shannon are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Westchester strategy of the Acquiring Fund’s portfolio.
Western Asset was established in 1971 and now a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), acts as investment adviser to institutional accounts, such as corporate pension plans, mutual funds and endowment funds. On February 18, 2020, Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin”) and Legg Mason announced that they had entered into an agreement under which Franklin would acquire Legg Mason and its affiliates, including Western Asset. The transaction was completed on July 31, 2020. Upon completion of the transaction, Western Asset became a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin. Franklin is a holding company that, together with its subsidiaries, operates as Franklin Templeton®. Certain Franklin subsidiaries currently serve as sub-advisers or sub-sub-advisers to existing funds of the Trust. Franklin is located at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, California 94403.
The Western Asset strategy is managed by a broad team of investment professionals. Senior members of the portfolio management team are responsible for the development of investment strategy and oversight for the Western Asset strategy and coordination of other relevant investment team members. They work together with the broader Western Asset investment management team on portfolio structure, duration weighting and term structure decisions. The individuals responsible for day-to-day portfolio management, development of investment strategy, oversight and coordination of the Western Asset strategy are S. Kenneth Leech (Chief Investment Officer) and Prashant Chandran (Portfolio Manager). Each of Messrs. Leech and Chandran has been employed by Western Asset as an investment professional for at least the past five years and has been part of the portfolio management team for the Western Asset strategy since its inception in 2015.
The following table describes the Acquiring Fund’s sub-advisers, portfolio managers, and each portfolio manager’s business experience. Information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts they manage and their ownership of securities of the Acquiring Fund is available in the Trust’s Statement of Additional Information.
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund)* |
Sub-Advisers & Portfolio Managers | Portfolio Managers’ Business Experience |
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. 60 E 42nd Street, Suite 1550 New York, New York 10165 Portfolio Managers Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. Paul Korngiebel, CFA | Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer for Boston Partners. He is responsible for the firm’s strategic, financial and operating decisions, and all aspects of investment management including the firm’s fundamental and quantitative research groups. He was one of the original partners of Boston Partners Asset Management in 1995. Prior to assuming these roles, he was director of research. Mr. Feeney joined the firm upon its inception in 1995 from Putnam Investments where he managed mortgage-backed securities portfolios. He began his career at the Bank of Boston where he was a loan officer specializing on highly leveraged loan portfolios. Mr. Feeney holds a B.S. degree in finance (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of New Hampshire and an M.B.A. with High Honors from the University of Chicago. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is past President of the Fixed Income Management Society of Boston. He has 34 years of investment experience. Paul Korngiebel, CFA, is a portfolio manager on all Boston Partners Emerging Markets strategies, including Boston Partners Emerging |
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund)* |
Sub-Advisers & Portfolio Managers | Portfolio Managers’ Business Experience |
| Markets Equity and Emerging Markets Long/Short Equity. He also serves as a supporting member of the greater Global Equity team, providing input on idea generation for various international and global portfolios. Mr. Korngiebel joined the firm from Deccan Value Advisors, which he co-founded, and prior to that he worked at Brandes Investment Partners. Both firms are dedicated to global value investing. Mr. Korngiebel holds a B.A. from Bowdoin (Phi Beta Kappa), M.A. degrees from Harvard and St. Johns College, and an M.B.A. degree from Northwestern (Beta Gamma Sigma). He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and has nineteen years of investment experience. |
DoubleLine Capital LP 505 N. Brand Boulevard, Suite 860 Glendale, California 91203 Portfolio Managers Jeffrey E. Gundlach Jeffrey J. Sherman | Jeffrey E. Gundlach is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of DoubleLine and DoubleLine Equity LP and is Chief Investment Officer of DoubleLine Capital. Mr. Gundlach has been Chief Executive Officer of DoubleLine Capital since its inception in December 2009 and of DoubleLine Equity since its inception in 2013. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College summa cum laude holding a BA in Mathematics and Philosophy. He attended Yale University as a PhD candidate in Mathematics. Jeffrey J. Sherman has been the Deputy Chief Investment Officer of DoubleLine since June 2016 and a Portfolio Manager since September 2010. He participates on the Fixed Income Asset Allocation Committee and a portfolio manager for derivative-based and multi-asset strategies. He joined DoubleLine in December 2009. Prior to DoubleLine, he was a Senior Vice President at TCW where he worked as a portfolio manager and quantitative analyst focused on fixed-income and real-asset portfolios. Mr. Sherman assisted in developing real-asset strategies for TCW and was a portfolio manager overseeing several commodity funds. Prior to TCW, he was a statistics and mathematics instructor at both the University of the Pacific and Florida State University. Mr. Sherman holds a BS in Applied Mathematics from the University of the Pacific and a MS in Financial Engineering from the Claremont Graduate University. He is a CFA charterholder. |
First Pacific Advisors, LP 11601 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1200 Los Angeles, California90025 Portfolio Managers Mark Landecker, CFA Steven Romick, CFA Brian A. Selmo, CFA | Mark Landecker, CFA, Partner, joined FPA in 2009. He serves as Portfolio Manager for the FPA Crescent Fund. Prior to joining FPA, Mr. Landecker served as Portfolio Manager at both Kinney Asset Management and Arrow Investments, Inc., and as associate at TD Capital and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Landecker earned a BBA (with honors) from the Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, Canada. Steven Romick, CFA, Managing Partner, joined FPA in 1996. He serves as Portfolio Manager of the FPA Contrarian Value Strategy. Prior to joining FPA, Mr. Romick was Chairman of Crescent Management and a consulting security analyst for Kaplan, Nathan & Co. Mr. Romick earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Northwestern University. Brian A. Selmo, CFA, Partner, joined FPA in 2008. He serves as Portfolio Manager for the FPA Crescent Fund and Director of Research for the FPA Contrarian Value Strategy. Prior to joining FPA, Mr. Selmo was founder and managing member of Eagle Lake Capital, LLC, and Portfolio Manager of its predecessor. Previously, Mr. Selmo was an analyst at Third Avenue Management and Rothschild, Inc. Mr. Selmo earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics (with honors) from The Johns Hopkins University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. |
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund)* |
Sub-Advisers & Portfolio Managers | Portfolio Managers’ Business Experience |
Lazard Asset Management LLC 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, New York 10112 Portfolio Managers Sean H. Reynolds Frank Bianco, CFA | Sean H. Reynolds, Managing Director, Portfolio Manager/Analyst, is a Portfolio Manager/Analyst for all capital structure and convertibles-based strategies. Prior to joining Lazard in 2007, Mr. Reynolds was a portfolio manager for convertible arbitrage strategies at SAC Capital Management from April 2003 to August 2006 and, subsequent to this, senior portfolio manager at Sailfish Capital Partners' G2 Multistrategy Fund. Previously he was a convertible arbitrage portfolio manager at the Clinton Group, Inc. From 1997 to 2002, Mr. Reynolds was a managing director and Head of Convertibles Sales (US) at Deutsche Bank Securities, including a period as an executive member of the North American Management Committee, Deutsche Bank Equities. Prior to 1997, Mr. Reynolds was responsible for global convertible securities sales at UBS Securities and domestic convertibles at Merrill Lynch. He has been in the investment industry since 1993. Mr. Reynolds has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Math and BAI (BSc) in Engineering from Trinity College Dublin. Frank Bianco is a Portfolio Manager/Analyst for all capital structure and convertibles-based strategies. He began working in the investment field in 1991. Prior to joining Lazard in 2009, Mr. Bianco was a Portfolio Manager and Head of Credit Research at Argent Funds Group LLC, where he oversaw domestic and international convertible bond, high yield and equity derivative portfolios. Prior to that, Mr. Bianco was a senior research analyst at McMahan Securities Co. L.P., covering the Biotechnology and Healthcare sectors. Previously, he was a senior research analyst in the Credit Risk Management division of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Mr. Bianco started his career as a credit analyst at American International Group. Frank has a BA in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University. He is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA). Frank is a CFA® charterholder. |
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. One Financial Center Boston, Massachusetts 02111 Portfolio Manager Aziz V. Hamzaogullari, CFA | Aziz V. Hamzaogullari, CFA is the chief investment officer and founder of the Growth Equity Strategies Team and Loomis Sayles. He is the portfolio manager of the Loomis Sayles large cap, global and all cap growth strategies, including the Loomis Sayles Growth and Global Growth mutual funds and products outside the US, as well as the Skorum Long/Short Equity Fund. Mr. Hamzaogullari is also an executive vice president and a member of Loomis Sayles' Board of Directors. Mr. Hamzaogullari joined Loomis Sayles in 2010 from Evergreen Investments where he was a senior portfolio manager. He joined Evergreen in 2001, was promoted to director of research in 2003 and portfolio manager in 2006. Mr. Hamzaogullari was head of Evergreen’s Berkeley Street Growth Equity team and was the founder of the research and investment process. Prior to Evergreen, Mr. Hamzaogullari was a senior equity analyst and portfolio manager at Manning & Napier Advisors. He has 26 years of investment industry experience. He earned a BS from Bilkent University, Turkey, and an MBA from George Washington University. He is also a member of CFA Society Boston. |
Westchester Capital Management, LLC 100 Summit Lake Drive Valhalla, New York 10595 Portfolio Managers Roy D. Behren Michael T. Shannon | Mr. Behren has served as Co-President of Westchester since 2011, served as a research analyst for Westchester Capital Management, Inc. (Westchester’s predecessor adviser) from 1994 until 2010 and as the Chief Compliance Officer of Westchester Capital Management, Inc. from 2004 until June 2010. Mr. Shannon has served as Co-President of Westchester since 2011, and served as Westchester Capital Management Inc.’s Director of Research from May 1996 until April 2005. From April 2005 to April 2006, Mr. Shannon was Senior Vice President in charge of the Special Situations and Mergers Group of D.E. Shaw & Co. Mr. Shannon returned to Westchester in May 2006 as a research analyst and portfolio strategist. |
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund)* |
Sub-Advisers & Portfolio Managers | Portfolio Managers’ Business Experience |
Western Asset Management Company, LLC 385 East Colorado Boulevard Pasadena, California 91101 Portfolio Managers S. Kenneth Leech Prashant Chandran | Ken Leech joined Western Asset in 1990 as Director of Portfolio Management. In this position, he oversaw interest rate strategy and led the Long Duration effort. In 1998, he was named CIO and spearheaded the performance and product development efforts that helped underpin Western Asset’s global growth and success. After taking medical leave for much of 2008, Mr. Leech resumed investment duties in early 2009 and was named Chairman of the Global Strategy Committee. In this position, he directed the global portfolio management and the macro-strategy alternative efforts. In 2013, he became Co-CIO as part of the transition process before fully resuming the CIO role in April 2014. Prior to joining Western Asset, Mr. Leech spent much of his career focusing on proprietary trading, most recently with Greenwich Capital (1988–1990) and the First Boston Corporation (1980–1988). In his four years at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, he obtained three degrees while graduating summa cum laude. Mr. Prashant Chandran returned to Western Asset as a Portfolio Manager in 2007 after working at Tahoma Capital. In 2005, Mr. Chandran was a Research Analyst for Western Asset and for over five years was Director of Capital Markets at Microsoft Corporation. Mr. Chandran graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He has an MS from the University of Toledo and an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business. He is a CFA charterholder. |
* Additional portfolio managers for the Multi-Manager Fund are listed in the “Additional Information about the Funds – Portfolio Management” below.
Portfolio Management
The allocations for the Acquiring Fund are made by JNAM. The individuals responsible for application of the Acquiring Fund’s strategy, executing trades and allocation of capital to the various strategies for the Acquiring Fund are William Harding, Sean Hynes, and Mark Pliska. The following table describes the Fund’s Adviser, portfolio managers, and each portfolio manager’s business experience.
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund)* |
Adviser & Portfolio Managers | Portfolio Managers’ Business Experience |
Jackson National Asset Management, LLC 225 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606 Portfolio Managers William Harding, CFA Sean Hynes, CFA, CAIA Mark Pliska, CFA | William Harding, CFA, is Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer for JNAM since July 2014. Mr. Harding was a Vice President, Head of Investment Management from October 2012 to June 2014. Mr. Harding leads the Investment Management function responsible for oversight of sub-advisor performance and risk, due diligence and manager research. Mr. Harding was previously the Head of Manager Research for Morningstar Inc.’s Investment Management division and has over 20 years of investment experience including asset allocation, manager research, portfolio management, and performance evaluation. Mr. Harding graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. He holds an MBA from Loyola University Chicago and he is a Chartered Financial Analyst. Sean Hynes, CFA, CAIA, is Assistant Vice President, Investment Management for JNAM since April 2013. Mr. Hynes provides leadership for the performance analysis and due diligence review of |
Multi-Manager Fund (Acquiring Fund)* |
Adviser & Portfolio Managers | Portfolio Managers’ Business Experience |
| external investment managers. He develops and maintains key relationships with asset managers and provides leadership and direction to Investment Management staff. Prior to joining JNAM, Mr. Hynes was an Investment Manager for Morningstar Investment Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Morningstar Inc., and a research associate for Managers Investment Group. Mr. Hynes holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Notre Dame, and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a CFA and CAIA charterholder. Mark Pliska, CFA, is a Portfolio Manager for JNAM. Mr. Pliska is responsible for manager research, portfolio construction, and asset allocation of Funds. Prior to joining JNAM in 2011, Mr. Pliska worked as an Investment Analyst for Plan Sponsor Advisors from 2008 to 2011, where he was responsible for the selection and monitoring of investment managers, client reporting, and asset allocation for defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and prior to that, Mr. Pliska was a Research Analyst for DWM Financial Group from 2006 to 2008. Mr. Pliska is a National Merit Scholar and holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Kansas. |
* Additional portfolio managers for the Multi-Manager Fund are listed in the “Additional Information about the Funds – The Sub-Advisers” above.
The Trust’s Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of securities in the Acquiring Fund.
Additional Information
Classes of Shares
The Trust has adopted a multi-class plan pursuant to Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act. Under the multi-class plan, the Funds have two classes of shares, Class A and Class I. As discussed in “Distribution Arrangements” below, the Class A shares of the Funds are subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee equal to 0.30% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares. Class I shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Under the multi-class structure, the Class A shares and Class I shares of the Funds represent interests in the same portfolio of securities and are substantially the same except for “class expenses.”
The expenses of the Funds are borne by each class of shares based on the net assets of the Fund attributable to each Class, except that class expenses are allocated to the appropriate class. “Class expenses” include any distribution, administrative or service expense allocable to that class, pursuant to the distribution plan described below, and any other expenses that JNAM determines, subject to ratification or approval by the Board, to be properly allocable to that class, including: (i) printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing to the shareholders of a particular class (or Contract Owners funded by shares of such class) materials such as Prospectuses, shareholder reports and (ii) professional fees relating solely to one class.
Distribution Arrangements
Jackson National Life Distributors LLC (“JNLD” or the “Distributor”), 300 Innovation Dr., Franklin, Tennessee 37067, is the principal underwriter of the Funds of the Trust. JNLD is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jackson. Jackson is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jackson Financial Inc., which is a subsidiary of Prudential plc. Prudential plc is a publicly traded company incorporated in the United Kingdom. Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America, or with The Prudential Assurance Company Ltd., a subsidiary of M&G plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom. Athene Co-Invest Reinsurance Affiliate 1A Ltd., a Bermuda Class C insurer under the Bermuda Insurance Act 1978, owns a minority interest in Jackson Financial Inc.
JNLD is responsible for promoting sales of each Fund’s shares. The Distributor also is the principal underwriter of the variable annuity insurance products issued by Jackson National and its subsidiaries. On behalf of the Funds, the Trust has adopted, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, an Amended and Restated
Distribution Plan (“Plan”) with respect to the Class A shares of each Fund. The Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, must approve, at least annually, the continuation of the Plan. Under the Plan, each Fund pays a Rule 12b-1 fee to JNLD, as principal underwriter, at an annual rate of 0.30% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributed to Class A shares, as compensation for distribution, administrative or other service activities incurred by JNLD and its affiliates with respect to Class A shares. Class I shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Because these fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets on an on-going basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. To the extent consistent with the Plan and applicable law, the Distributor may use the Rule 12b-1 fee to compensate broker-dealers, administrators, financial intermediaries or others for providing or assisting in providing distribution and related additional services.
The Distributor and/or an affiliate have the following relationships with one or more of the sub-advisers and/or their respective affiliates:
| · | The Distributor receives payments from certain of the sub-advisers to assist in defraying the costs of certain promotional and marketing meetings in which those sub-advisers participate. The amounts paid depend on the nature of the meetings, the number of meetings attended, the costs expected to be incurred, and the level of the sub-adviser’s participation. |
| · | The Distributor acts as distributor of variable insurance contracts and variable life insurance policies issued by the Insurance Companies. The compensation consists of commissions, trail commissions, and other compensation or promotional incentives as described in the Prospectus or statement of additional information for the variable insurance contracts and variable life insurance policies. |
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Financial Intermediaries
Only Separate Accounts of the Insurance Companies and series, including fund of funds, of registered investment companies in which either or both of the Insurance Companies invest may purchase shares of the Funds. You may invest indirectly in the Funds through your purchase of a variable annuity or life insurance contract issued by Separate Accounts of the Insurance Companies that invests directly, or through a fund of funds, in these Funds. Any minimum initial or subsequent investment requirements and redemption procedures are governed by the applicable Separate Account through which you invest indirectly. If an investor invests in the Funds under a variable insurance contract or a plan that offers a variable insurance contract as a plan option through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a financial institution), the Funds and their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and the salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Investment in Trust Shares
Shares of the Funds are presently offered only to Separate Accounts of the Insurance Companies to fund the benefits under certain Contracts, to non-qualified retirement plans, and to other regulated investment companies. The Separate Accounts, through their various sub-accounts that invest in designated Funds, purchase the shares of the Funds at their net asset value (“NAV”) using premiums received on Contracts issued by the insurance company. Shares of the Funds are not available to the general public for direct purchase.
Purchases are effected at NAV next determined after the purchase order is received by JNAM as the Funds’ transfer agent in proper form. There is no sales charge.
The Funds are managed by sub-advisers who manage publicly available mutual funds that have similar names and investment objectives. While some of the Funds may be similar to or modeled after publicly available mutual funds, Contract Owners should understand that the Funds are not otherwise directly related to any publicly available mutual fund. Consequently, the investment performance of publicly available mutual funds and any corresponding Fund may differ substantially.
The price of each Fund’s shares is based on its NAV. The NAV of each Fund’s shares is generally determined by JNAM once each day on which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open (a “Business Day”) at the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday). However, consistent with legal requirements, calculation of each Fund’s NAV may be suspended on days determined by the Board during times of NYSE market closure, which may include times during which the SEC issues policies or protocols associated with such closure pursuant to Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. The NAV per share of each Fund is calculated by adding the value of all securities and other assets of a Fund, deducting its liabilities, and dividing by
the number of shares outstanding. To the extent circumstances prevent the use of the primary calculation methodology previously described, the Adviser may use alternative methods to calculate the NAV. Generally, the value of exchange-listed or exchange-traded securities is based on their respective market prices, and fixed income securities are valued based on prices provided by an independent pricing service.
Domestic fixed-income and foreign securities are normally priced using data reflecting the closing of the principal markets or market participants for those securities, which may be earlier than the NYSE close. Information that becomes known to the Funds or its agents after the NAV has been calculated on a particular day will not normally be used to retroactively adjust the price of a security or the NAV determined earlier that day.
The Board has adopted procedures pursuant to which JNAM may determine, subject to Board oversight, the “fair value” of a security for which a current market price is not available or the current market price is considered unreliable or inaccurate. Under these procedures, the “fair value” of a security generally will be the amount, determined by JNAM in good faith, that the owner of such security might reasonably expect to receive upon its current sale.
The Board has established a valuation committee to review fair value determinations pursuant to the Trust’s “Valuation Guidelines.” The valuation committee will also review the value of restricted securities, securities and assets for which a current market price is not readily available, and securities and assets for which there is reason to believe that the most recent market price does not accurately reflect current value (e.g., disorderly market transactions). In the event that the NYSE is closed unexpectedly or opens for trading but closes earlier than scheduled, the valuation committee will evaluate if trading activity on other U.S. exchanges and markets for equity securities is otherwise reflective of normal market activity. To the extent an NYSE closure is determined to be accompanied by a disruption of normal market activity, the valuation committee may utilize the time the NYSE closed for purposes of measuring and calculating the Funds’ NAVs. To the extent an NYSE closure is determined to not have resulted in a disruption of normal market activity, the valuation committee may utilize the time the NYSE was scheduled to close for purposes of measuring and calculating the Funds’ NAVs.
The Funds may invest in securities primarily listed on foreign exchanges and that trade on days when the Fund does not price its shares. As a result, a Fund’s NAV may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares.
Because the calculation of a Fund’s NAV does not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the closing prices of the majority of foreign portfolio securities used in the calculation, there exists a risk that the value of foreign portfolio securities will change after the close of the exchange on which they are traded, but before calculation of the Fund’s NAV (“time-zone arbitrage”). Accordingly, the Trust’s procedures for valuing of portfolio securities also authorize JNAM, subject to oversight by the Board, to determine the “fair value” of such foreign securities for purposes of calculating a Fund’s NAV. JNAM will “fair value” foreign securities held by a Fund if it determines that a “significant event” has occurred subsequent to the close of trading in such securities on the exchanges or markets on which the securities owned by a Fund principally are traded, but prior to the time of the Fund’s NAV calculation, which reasonably can be expected to affect the value of such security. Under the Trust’s valuation procedures, a “significant event” affecting a single issuer might include, but is not limited to, an announcement by the issuer, a competitor, a creditor, a major holder of the issuer’s securities, a major customer or supplier, or a governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory authority relating to the issuer, the issuer’s products or services, or the issuer’s securities, and a “significant event” affecting multiple issuers might also include, but is not limited to, a substantial price movement in other securities markets, an announcement by a governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory authority relating to securities markets, political or economic matters, or monetary or credit policies, a natural disaster such as an earthquake, flood or storm, or the outbreak of civil strife or military hostilities. When fair valuing foreign equity securities, the Adviser adjusts the closing prices of foreign portfolio equity securities (except foreign equity securities traded in North America and South America) based upon pricing models provided by a third party vendor in order to reflect the “fair value” of such securities for purposes of determining a Fund’s NAV. Foreign equity securities traded in North America and South America may be fair valued utilizing international adjustment factors in response to local market holidays, exchange closures, or other events as deemed necessary in order to reflect the “fair value” of such securities for purposes of determining a Fund’s NAV. These procedures seek to minimize the opportunities for “time zone arbitrage” in Funds that invest all or substantial portions of their assets in foreign securities, thereby seeking to make those Funds significantly less attractive to “market timers” and other investors who might seek to profit from time zone arbitrage and seeking to reduce the potential for harm to other Fund investors resulting from such practices. However, these procedures may not completely eliminate opportunities for time zone arbitrage because it is not possible to predict in all circumstances whether post-closing events will have a significant impact on securities prices.
All investments in the Trust are separately credited to the shareholder’s account in the form of full and fractional shares of the designated Fund (rounded to the nearest 1/1000 of a share). The Trust does not issue share certificates.
“Market Timing” Policy
Fund shares may only be purchased by Separate Accounts of the Insurance Companies, the Insurance Companies themselves, unqualified retirement plans and certain other regulated investment companies.
The interests of a Fund’s long-term shareholders may be adversely affected by certain short-term trading activity by other Contract Owners invested in the Separate Accounts. Such short-term trading activity, when excessive, has the potential to, among other things, compromise efficient portfolio management, generate transaction and other costs, and dilute the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders. This type of excessive short-term trading activity is referred to herein as “market timing.” The Funds are not intended to serve as vehicles for market timing. The Board has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing.
The Funds, directly and through its service providers, and the insurance company and qualified retirement plan service providers (collectively, “service providers”) take various steps designed to deter and curtail market timing with the cooperation of the Insurance Companies. For example, in the event of a round trip transfer, complete or partial redemptions by a shareholder from a sub-account investing in a Fund is permitted; however, once a complete or partial redemption has been made from a sub-account that invests in a Fund, through a sub-account transfer, shareholders will not be permitted to transfer any value back into that sub-account (and the corresponding Fund) within fifteen (15) calendar days of the redemption. The Funds will treat as short-term trading activity any transfer that is requested into a sub-account that was previously redeemed within the previous fifteen (15) calendar days, whether the transfer was requested by the shareholders or a third party authorized by the shareholder.
In addition to identifying any potentially disruptive trading activity, the Funds’ Board has adopted a policy of “fair value” pricing to discourage investors from engaging in market timing or other excessive trading strategies for international Funds. The “fair value” pricing policy applies to all Funds where a significant event (as described above) has occurred. The “fair value” pricing policy is described under “Investment in Trust Shares” above.
The policies and procedures described above are intended to deter and curtail market timing in the Funds. However, there can be no assurance that these policies, together with those of the Insurance Companies, and any other insurance company that may invest in the Funds in the future, will be totally effective in this regard. The Funds rely on the Insurance Companies to take the appropriate steps, including daily monitoring of separate account trading activity, to further deter market timing. If they are ineffective, the adverse consequences described above could occur.
A description of Jackson National’s anti-market timing policies and procedures can be found in the appropriate variable insurance contract Prospectus (the “Separate Account Prospectus”). The rights of the Separate Accounts to purchase and redeem shares of a Fund are not affected by any Fund’s anti-market timing policies if they are not in violation of the Separate Accounts’ anti-market timing policies and procedures.
Share Redemption
A Separate Account redeems shares of a Fund to make benefit or withdrawal payments under the terms of its Contracts. Redemptions typically are processed on any day on which the Trust and the NYSE are open for business and are effected at net asset value next determined after the redemption order is received by JNAM, the Fund’s transfer agent, in proper form.
The Trust may suspend the right of redemption only under the following circumstances:
| · | When the NYSE is closed (other than weekends and holidays) or trading is restricted; |
| · | When an emergency exists, making disposal of portfolio securities or the valuation of net assets not reasonably practicable; or |
| · | During any period when the SEC has by order permitted a suspension of redemption for the protection of shareholders. |
The Funds typically expect that a Fund will hold cash or cash equivalents to meet redemption requests. The Funds may also use the proceeds of orders to purchase Fund shares or the proceeds from the sale of portfolio securities to meet redemption requests, if consistent with the management of each Fund. These redemption methods will be used regularly and may also be used in stressed market conditions. The Funds have in place a line of credit intended to provide short-term financing, if necessary, subject to certain conditions, in connection with stressed market conditions
or atypical redemption activity. The Funds, pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC and a master Interfund Lending agreement, also have the ability to lend or borrow money for temporary purposes directly to or from one another.
In the case of a liquidity event, a Fund’s share price and/or returns may be negatively impacted. If a liquidity event occurs, JNAM will notify the Board of the liquidity event and take corrective action. Corrective action may include, among other things, use of the Fund’s line of credit or Interfund Lending Program.
Redemptions will generally be in the form of cash, although a Fund reserves the right to redeem in kind from another Fund. If a Fund redeems shares in kind from another Fund, it may bear transaction costs and will bear market risks until such time as such securities are converted to cash.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The Funds, which currently intend to qualify and be eligible for treatment as partnerships, generally do not expect to make distributions of their net investment income and net realized capital gains.
For both Funds, distributions other than in redemption of Fund shares, if any, are automatically reinvested at net asset value in shares of the distributing class of that Fund.
Tax Status
Each Fund intends (and the Acquiring Fund intends to continue) to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and neither Fund expects to make regular distributions (other than in redemption of Fund Shares) to shareholders. The interests in the Funds are generally owned by one or more Separate Accounts that hold such interests pursuant to Contracts, by various funds of the Trust, which are partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and by Jackson National.
Each Fund is treated as a partnership separate from the Trust for purposes of the Code. Therefore, the assets, income, and distributions, if any, of each Fund are considered separately for purposes of determining the tax classification of such Fund.
Because the shareholders of the Funds are Separate Accounts of variable insurance contracts, certain other partnerships, the owners of which are Separate Accounts, and Jackson National, there are no tax consequences to those shareholders from buying, holding, exchanging and selling shares of the Funds. Distributions from the Funds, if any, are not taxable to those shareholders. However, owners of Contracts should consult the applicable Separate Account Prospectus for more detailed information on tax issues related to the Contracts.
Each Fund intends (and the Acquiring Fund intends to continue) to comply with the diversification requirements currently imposed by the Code and U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder, on separate accounts of insurance companies as a condition of maintaining the tax-advantaged status of the Contracts issued by Separate Accounts. The Investment Advisory and Management Agreement and sub-advisory agreement require the Funds to be operated in compliance with these diversification requirements. The Adviser or sub-advisers may depart from the investment strategy of a Fund only to the extent necessary to meet these diversification requirements.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund for the past five years or, if shorter, the period of the Fund’s operations. The following tables provide selected per share data for one share of each Fund. The total returns in the financial highlights table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions) held for the entire period. The information does not reflect any charges imposed under a Contract. If charges imposed under a variable contract were reflected, the returns would be lower. You should refer to the appropriate Contract prospectus regarding such charges. Following the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund will be the accounting and performance survivor.
The annual information below has been derived from financial statements audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, and should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto, together with the report of KPMG LLP thereon, in the Trust’s Annual Report. The information for the period ended June 30, 2020 has not been audited. The unaudited interim financial statements as of June 30, 2020 reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, of a normal recurring nature and necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim period presented. Each Fund’s financial statements are included in the Trust’s Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report, which are available upon request.
JNL Series Trust – Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund
Financial Highlights
For a Share Outstanding
The information for the period ended June 30, 2020 has not been audited.
| | | | Increase (decrease) from investment operations | | Distributions from | | | | | Supplemental data | | | | Ratios(a) | | |
Period ended | Net asset value, beginning of period($) | Net investment income (loss)($)(b) | Net realized & unrealized gains (losses)($) | Total from investment operations($) | | Net investment income($) | Net realized gains on investment transactions($) | Net asset value, end of period($) | Total return(%)(c) | Net assets, end of period (in thousands)($) | Portfolio turnover (%)(d) | | Net expenses to average net assets(%)(e) | Total expenses to average net assets(%)(e) | Net investment income (loss) to average net assets(%)(f) |
|
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund (Acquired Fund)(g) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Class A | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
06/30/20 | | 10.18 | | 0.01 | | (1.15) | | (1.14) | | | — | | — | | 9.04 | | (11.20) | | 39,120 | | 155 | | | 2.04 | (h) | 2.04 | (h) | 0.30 | |
12/31/19 | | 9.71 | | 0.07 | | 0.40 | | 0.47 | | | — | | — | | 10.18 | | 4.84 | | 41,958 | | 117 | | | 2.40 | (h) | 2.40 | (h) | 0.68 | |
12/31/18 | | 11.07 | | 0.06 | | (1.10) | | (1.04) | | | — | | (0.32) | | 9.71 | | (9.51) | | 36,208 | | 131 | | | 2.15 | (h) | 2.15 | (h) | 0.54 | |
12/31/17 | | 10.28 | | (0.03) | | 0.82 | | 0.79 | | | — | | — | | 11.07 | | 7.68 | | 38,518 | | 106 | | | 2.20 | (h) | 2.20 | (h) | (0.31) | |
12/31/16 | | 10.45 | | 0.08 | | 0.12 | | 0.20 | | | — | | (0.37) | | 10.28 | | 1.96 | | 710,297 | | 157 | | | 2.34 | (h) | 2.34 | (h) | 0.79 | |
12/31/15 | | 9.86 | | (0.03) | | 0.62 | | 0.59 | | | — | | — | | 10.45 | | 5.98 | | 580,065 | | 177 | | | 2.25 | (h) | 2.25 | (h) | (0.34) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Class I | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
06/30/20 | | 10.26 | | 0.02 | | (1.15) | | (1.13) | | | — | | — | | 9.13 | | (11.01) | | 564 | | 155 | | | 1.80 | (h) | 1.80 | (h) | 0.42 | |
12/31/19 | | 9.76 | | 0.10 | | 0.40 | | 0.50 | | | — | | — | | 10.26 | | 5.12 | | 358,933 | | 117 | | | 2.09 | (h) | 2.09 | (h) | 1.00 | |
12/31/18 | | 11.09 | | 0.09 | | (1.10) | | (1.01) | | | — | | (0.32) | | 9.76 | | (9.22) | | 406,630 | | 131 | | | 1.85 | (h) | 1.85 | (h) | 0.82 | |
12/31/17 | ‡‡ | 10.70 | | 0.00 | | 0.39 | | 0.39 | | | — | | — | | 11.09 | | 3.64 | | 583,585 | | 106 | | | 1.97 | (h) | 1.97 | (h) | (0.16) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Acquiring Fund)(g) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Class A | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
06/30/20 | | 10.69 | | 0.04 | | (0.21) | | (0.17) | | | — | | — | | 10.52 | | (1.59) | | 192,927 | | 93 | | | 2.19 | (h) | 2.19 | (h) | 0.80 | |
12/31/19 | | 9.80 | | 0.13 | | 0.76 | | 0.89 | | | — | | — | | 10.69 | | 9.08 | | 16,769 | | 147 | | | 2.05 | (h) | 2.05 | (h) | 1.22 | |
12/31/18 | | 10.19 | | 0.06 | | (0.45) | | (0.39) | | | — | | — | | 9.80 | | (3.83) | | 14,981 | | 181 | (i) | | 1.98 | (h) | 1.98 | (h) | 0.61 | |
12/31/17 | | 9.63 | | 0.01 | | 0.60 | | 0.61 | | | (0.05) | | — | | 10.19 | | 6.39 | | 13,079 | | 240 | (i) | | 2.05 | (h)(j) | 2.21 | (h)(j) | 0.14 | |
12/31/16 | | 9.57 | | 0.01 | | 0.14 | | 0.15 | | | (0.03) | | (0.06) | | 9.63 | | 1.60 | | 802,534 | | 278 | | | 2.07 | (h) | 2.49 | (h) | 0.12 | |
12/31/15 | * | 10.00 | | 0.00 | | (0.43) | | (0.43) | | | — | | — | | 9.57 | | (4.30) | | 707,434 | | 178 | | | 2.10 | (h) | 2.51 | (h) | 0.07 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Class I | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
06/30/20 | | 10.75 | | 0.07 | | (0.23) | | (0.16) | | | — | | — | | 10.59 | | (1.49) | | 835,762 | | 93 | | | 1.74 | (h) | 1.74 | (h) | 1.26 | |
12/31/19 | | 9.82 | | 0.16 | | 0.77 | | 0.93 | | | — | | — | | 10.75 | | 9.47 | | 1,203,696 | | 147 | | | 1.75 | (h) | 1.75 | (h) | 1.53 | |
12/31/18 | | 10.20 | | 0.09 | | (0.45) | | (0.36) | | | (0.02) | | — | | 9.82 | | (3.55) | | 1,064,593 | | 181 | (i) | | 1.68 | (h) | 1.68 | (h) | 0.91 | |
12/31/17 | ‡‡ | 10.09 | | 0.02 | | 0.09 | | 0.11 | | | — | | — | | 10.20 | | 1.09 | | 1,026,572 | | 240 | (i) | | 1.64 | (h)(j) | 1.64 | (h)(j) | 0.59 | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
* | Commencement of operations for the Multi-Manager Fund was April 27, 2015. |
‡‡ | Effective September 25, 2017, Class I shares were offered by the Fund. |
(a) | Annualized for periods less than one year. |
(b) | Calculated using the average shares method. Net investment income(loss) per share and ratios of net investment income(loss) to average net assets for Class I shares can be less than Class A shares for certain Funds or can be significantly more than Class A shares for certain Funds because the net assets for Class I shares increased significantly after the Funds of Funds investment in the underlying fund was sold in Class A and purchased in Class I effective September 25, 2017 and also as a result of the timing of income received in the Fund before and after September 25, 2017. |
(c) | Total return assumes reinvestment of all distributions for the period. Total return is not annualized for periods less than one year and does not reflect payment of the expenses that apply to the variable accounts or any annuity charges and if it did performance would be lower. |
(d) | Portfolio turnover is not annualized for periods of less than one year. Securities sold short are considered long term investments for purposes of calculating portfolio turnover. Dollar roll and in-kind transactions are excluded for purposes of calculating portfolio turnover. Fixed income securities with maturities greater than one year that are purchased for short term investment are excluded from the portfolio turnover calculation. Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole, without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued. |
(e) | The expenses or expense waivers for certain Funds' Class I shares were $0.00 for one or more days during certain periods and this was a result of the net assets for the respective Class being below a level to generate an expense allocation greater than $0.005 for that day. Additionally, the expenses or expense waivers for certain Funds' Class I shares were $0.01 for one or more days during certain periods and this was a result of the net assets for the respective Class being at a level to generate an expense allocation between $0.005 and $0.01 for that day and rounded to $0.01. As a result, the ratios of net and total expenses to average net assets during the period for Class I shares can be less than or more than the anticipated ratios of net and total expenses to average net assets depending on the net assets that Class I shares acquired during the period. |
(f) | Net investment income(loss) per share and ratios of net investment income(loss) to average net assets for Class I shares can be less than Class A shares for certain Funds or can be significantly more than Class A shares for certain Funds because the net assets for Class I shares increased significantly after the Funds of Funds investment in the underlying fund was sold in Class A and purchased in Class I effective September 25, 2017 and also as a result of the timing of income received in the Fund before and after September 25, 2017. |
(g) | Prior to September 25, 2017, the Fund accrued the Rule 12b-1 fee at the maximum annual rate up to 0.20% of the average daily net assets of Class A shares of the Fund. Effective September 25, 2017, the maximum annual rate for Rule 12b-1 fees paid by the Fund changed from 0.20% to 0.30% of the average daily net assets of the Class A shares of the Fund. |
(h) | The net and total expense ratios to average net assets without dividend expenses, net borrowing fees on securities sold short or interest expense for the Funds were as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Multi-Manager Fund | | June 30, 2020 (%) | December 31, 2019 (%) | December 31, 2018 (%) | December 31, 2017(%) | December 31, 2016 (%) | December 31, 2015 (%) |
| | Class A – Net expenses / Total expenses 1,2 | | 1.73 | 1.69 | 1.70 | 1.70/1.86 | 1.74/2.16 | 1.74 |
| | Class I | | 1.39 | 1.39 | 1.40 | 1.45 | N/A | N/A |
| Boston Partners Fund | | | | | | | |
| | Class A | | 1.55 | 1.55 | 1.56 | 1.54 | 1.56 | 1.55 |
| | Class I | | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.26 | 1.28 | N/A | N/A |
| | 1 | Effective September 19, 2016, the Multi-Manager Fund voluntarily and contractually began waiving a portion of advisory fees. Effective September 25, 2017, the voluntary and contractual waivers were discontinued. |
| | 2 | Prior to September 25, 2017, pursuant to contractual and voluntary fee waiver agreements, JNAM waived a portion of its advisory fees for the Multi-Manager Fund. Effective September 25, 2017, the contractual and voluntary advisory fee waivers were discontinued and the waived portion of advisory fees for the Multi-Manager Fund was converted to a permanent reduction in advisory fees. For certain Funds that had a significant increase in Class I shares during the year, the difference between the ratios of net and total expenses to average net assets for each share class may differ for those Funds that discontinued the waivers. |
(i) | Portfolio turnover including dollar roll transactions for the Fund was as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
| | | | June 30, 2020 (%) | December 31, 2019 (%) | December 31, 2018 (%) | December 31, 2017(%) | December 31, 2016 (%) | December 31, 2015 (%) |
| | Multi-Manager Fund | | N/A | N/A | 181 | 240 | N/A | N/A |
| | | | | | | | |
(j) | Prior to September 25, 2017, pursuant to contractual and voluntary fee waiver agreements, JNAM waived a portion of its advisory fees for the Multi-Manager Fund. Effective September 25, 2017, the contractual and voluntary advisory fee waivers were discontinued and the waived portion of advisory fees for the Multi-Manager Fund was converted to a permanent reduction in advisory fees. For certain Funds that had a significant increase in Class I shares during the year, the difference between the ratios of net and total expenses to average net assets for each share class may differ for those Funds that discontinued the waivers. |
VOTING INFORMATION
The following information applies to the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund into the Acquiring Fund for which you are entitled to vote.
The Meeting
The Meeting will be held at 12:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on March 26, 2021, at 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, Michigan 48951, together with any adjournment thereof. The Meeting is being held to consider and vote on the Plan of Reorganization, which provides for the reorganization of the Boston Partners Fund into the Multi-Manager Fund, and any other business that may properly come before the Meeting. Only shareholders of the Acquired Fund are entitled to vote on this matter.
A copy of the Plan of Reorganization is attached hereto as Appendix A of this Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
The Board fixed the close of business on January 29, 2021, as the Record Date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.
Quorum and Voting
The Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Trust, dated September 6, 2019 (the “By-Laws”), provide that except as otherwise provided by law, the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust dated June 1, 1994 and amended and restated on September 25, 2017 (the “Declaration of Trust”), or the By-Laws, the holders of a majority of the shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, present by means of remote communication in a manner, if any, authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The presence of the Insurance Companies, through the presence of an authorized representative, constitutes a quorum. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum.
The By-Laws further provide that shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A proxy with respect to shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to the exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise, and the burden of proving its invalidity shall rest on the challenger. At all meetings of Shareholders, unless inspectors of election have been appointed, all questions relating to the qualification of voters and the validity of proxies and the acceptance or rejection of votes shall be decided by the chairman of the meeting. Any person giving voting instructions may revoke them at any time prior to their exercise by submitting to the Secretary of the Trust a superseding voting instruction form or written notice of revocation. Voting instructions can be revoked until the Meeting date. Only the Contract Owner executing the voting instructions can revoke them. The Insurance Companies will vote the shares of the Fund in accordance with all properly executed and unrevoked voting instructions. Unless otherwise specified in the proxy, the proxy shall apply to all shares of the Fund owned by the Shareholder.
Required Vote
The vote of the “majority of the outstanding voting shares” of a Fund is required to approve the Proposal. The vote of the “majority of the outstanding voting shares” means the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund entitled to vote thereon present in person or by proxy at the Meeting if holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present in person or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Except as otherwise provided by law, if a Shareholder abstains from voting as to any matter, then the shares represented by such abstention will be treated as shares that are present at the Meeting for purposes of determining the existence of a quorum. However, abstentions will not be counted as a vote cast on such proposal. The approval of the Proposal depends upon whether a sufficient number of votes are cast for the Proposal. Accordingly, an instruction to abstain from voting on any proposal has the same practical effect as an instruction to vote against the Proposal.
Contract Owner Voting Instructions
The Trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust. Shares of the Trust currently are sold only to Separate Accounts of the Insurance Companies to fund the benefits of variable insurance contracts, to certain non-qualified employee benefit plans of Jackson National, or directly to the Insurance Companies. In addition, shares of the Trust are sold to certain funds of the Trust organized as funds-of-funds. Although the Insurance Companies legally own all
of the shares of the Fund held in their respective Separate Accounts that relate to the Contracts, a portion of the value of each Contract is invested by the Insurance Companies, as provided in the Contract, in shares of one or more funds.
Contract Owners have the right under the interpretations of the 1940 Act to instruct the relevant Insurance Company how to vote the shares attributable to their Contract. Contract Owners at the close of business on the Record Date will be entitled to notice of the Meeting and to instruct the relevant Insurance Company how to vote at the Meeting or any adjourned session. The Insurance Company will vote all such shares in accordance with the voting instructions timely given by the Contract Owners with assets invested in the Acquired Fund. Shares for which the Insurance Company receives a voting instruction card that is signed, dated, and timely returned but is not marked to indicate voting instructions will be treated as an instruction to vote the Shares in favor of the Proposal. Shares for which the Insurance Company receives no timely voting instructions from a Contract Owner will be voted by the applicable Insurance Company either for or against approval of the applicable Proposal, or as an abstention, in the same proportion as the Shares for which Contract Owners have provided voting instructions to the Insurance Company. The Insurance Companies and their affiliates will vote their own shares and shares held by other regulated investment companies in the same proportion as voting instructions timely given by Contract Owners. As a result, a small number of Contract Owners may determine the outcome of the vote.
Contract Owners may use the enclosed voting instructions form as a ballot to give their voting instructions for those shares attributable to their Contract as of the Record Date. The Insurance Companies have fixed the close of business on March 24, 2021 as the last day on which voting instructions will be accepted, other than those provided in person at the Meeting.
Proxy and Voting Instruction Solicitations
The Board is soliciting proxies from shareholders of the Acquired Fund. The Insurance Companies are the shareholders of record and are soliciting voting instructions from their Contract Owners as to how to vote at the Meeting. In addition to the mailing of these proxy materials, voting instructions may be solicited by letter, telephone or personal contact by officers or employees of the Trust, JNAM or officers or employees of the Insurance Companies.
JNAM, as the Trust’s administrator, has retained the services of Donnelley Financial LLC (“DFS”), 35 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. Under the agreement between JNAM and DFS, DFS’s subcontractor, Mediant Communications (“Mediant”), 400 Regency Parkway, Suite 200, Cary, North Carolina 27519, will provide proxy distribution, solicitation, and tabulation services (the “Services”). The anticipated cost of the Services to be provided by Mediant in connection with this proxy solicitation is approximately $11,292 and will be borne by JNAM whether or not the Reorganization is consummated.
The costs of printing and mailing of the Notice, this Proxy Statement/Prospectus, and the accompanying voting instruction card, and the solicitation of Contract Owner voting instructions, will be paid by JNAM whether or not the Reorganization is consummated. The Trust does not expect to bear any significant expenses in connection with the Meeting or the solicitation of proxies and voting instructions.
Adjournments
Any authorized voting instructions will be valid for any adjournment of the Meeting. If the Trust receives an insufficient number of votes to approve the Proposal, the Meeting may be adjourned to permit the solicitation of additional votes. The Meeting may be adjourned by the chairperson of the Meeting from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place as determined by the chairperson of the Meeting for any reason, including failure of a Proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval. No Shareholder vote shall be required for any adjournment. No notice need be given that the Meeting has been adjourned other than by announcement at the Meeting. Any business that might have been transacted at the original Meeting may be transacted at any adjourned Meeting.
Revocation of Voting Instructions
Any person giving voting instructions may revoke them at any time prior to the Meeting by submitting to the Insurance Companies a superseding voting instruction form or written notice of revocation or by appearing and voting in person at the Meeting. Only the Contract Owner executing the voting instructions can revoke them. The Insurance Companies will vote the shares of the Acquired Fund in accordance with all properly executed and un-revoked voting instructions.
Outstanding Shares and Principal Shareholders
The Insurance Companies will vote on the Reorganization as instructed by their Contract Owners. [As of January 29, 2021, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, beneficially owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund.]
Because the shares of the Funds are sold only to the separate accounts of the Insurance Companies, certain funds of the Trust organized as funds-of-funds, and certain non-qualified retirement plans, the Insurance Companies, through the Separate Accounts which hold shares in the Trust as funding vehicles for the Contracts and certain retirement plans, are the owners of record of substantially all of the shares of the Trust. In addition, Jackson National, through its general account, is the beneficial owner of shares in certain of the Funds, in some cases representing the initial capital contributed at the inception of a Fund, and in other cases representing investments made for other corporate purposes. The table below shows the number of outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund as of the Record Date that are entitled to vote at the Meeting.
Fund | Total Number of Outstanding Shares |
Boston Partners Fund (Class A) | [To be Provided] |
Boston Partners Fund (Class I) | [To be Provided] |
As of the Record Date, [January 29, 2021], the following person(s) owned 5% or more of the shares of the Acquired Fund either beneficially or of record:
Boston Partners Fund – Class A Shares |
Contract Owner’s Name/Address | Percent Ownership of Shares of the Fund | Percent Ownership of Shares of the Combined Fund (assuming the Reorganization occurs) |
[To be Provided] | [To be Provided] | [To be Provided] |
Boston Partners Fund – Class I Shares |
Contract Owner’s Name/Address | Percent Ownership of Shares of the Fund | Percent Ownership of Shares of the Combined Fund (assuming the Reorganization occurs) |
[To be Provided] | [To be Provided] | [To be Provided] |
* * * * *
APPENDIX A
PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
JNL SERIES TRUST
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short EQUITY Fund
JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund
This Plan of Reorganization has been entered into on April 23, 2021, by JNL SERIES TRUST (the “Trust”), Massachusetts business trust, on behalf of its JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short EQUITY Fund (the “Acquired Fund”) and its JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”).
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in accord with the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company, and has established several separate series of shares (“funds”), with each fund having its own assets and investment policies;
WHEREAS, the Trust’s Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust, has determined that participation in the transaction described herein is in the best interests of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund, and that the interests of the existing shareholders of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund will not be diluted as a result of the transaction described herein;
WHEREAS, Article II, Section 2.1 of the Trust’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, dated September 25, 2017 (the “Declaration of Trust”), authorizes the Board of Trustees to conduct the business of the Trust and carry on its operations; and
WHEREAS, the Trust’s Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust, has approved the reorganization of the Acquired Fund with and into the Acquiring Fund (the “Reorganization”), subject to the approval of the shareholders of the Acquired Fund].
NOW, THEREFORE, all the assets, liabilities, and interests of the Acquired Fund shall be transferred on the Closing Date to the Acquiring Fund, as described below; provided, however, that such transaction shall not occur unless and until this Plan of Reorganization shall have first been approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Acquired Fund as provided in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act; and provided further that the Board of Trustees may terminate this Plan of Reorganization at or prior to the Closing Date:
- The Closing Date shall be April 23, 2021, or if the New York Stock Exchange or another primary trading market for portfolio securities of the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund (each, an “Exchange”) is closed to trading or trading thereon is restricted, or trading or the reporting of trading on an Exchange or elsewhere is disrupted so that, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees, accurate appraisal of the value of either the Acquired Fund’s or the Acquiring Fund’s net assets and/or the net asset value per share of Acquiring Fund shares is impracticable, the Closing Date shall be postponed until the first business day after the day when such trading has been fully resumed and such reporting has been restored;
- The obligations of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund to complete the transaction described herein shall be subject to receipt by the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund of an opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP dated on the Closing Date (which opinion will be subject to certain qualifications) satisfactory to both parties substantially to the effect that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, on the basis of the existing provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, current administrative rules, and court decisions, and assuming, among other assumptions, that the variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies funded by insurance company separate accounts that hold shares of the Funds (for purposes of this paragraph, each a “contract” and collectively, the “contracts”) and the insurance companies issuing the contracts are properly structured under Subchapter L of the Code, the Reorganization will not be a taxable event for contract owners (the “Tax Opinion”). The Tax Opinion will be based on certain factual certifications made by officers of the Trust, on behalf of each Fund and will also be based on reasonable assumptions. The Tax Opinion may state that it is not a guarantee that the tax consequences of the Reorganization will be as described above, and that there is no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service or a court would agree with the opinion.
- On or before the Closing Date, and before effecting the Reorganization described herein, the Trust shall have received a satisfactory written opinion of legal counsel as to such transaction that the securities to be issued in connection with such transaction have been duly authorized and, when issued in accordance with this Plan of Reorganization, will have been validly issued and fully paid and will be non-assessable by the Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund.
- In exchange for all of its shares of the Acquired Fund, each shareholder of such Acquired Fund shall receive a number of shares, including fractional shares, of the corresponding share class of the Acquiring Fund equal in dollar value to the number of whole and fractional shares that such shareholder owns in such Acquired Fund. Each shareholder of such Acquired Fund shall thereupon become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund.
- For purposes of this transaction, the value of the shares of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund shall be determined as of 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Closing Date. Those valuations shall be made in the usual manner as provided in the relevant prospectus of the Trust.
- Upon completion of the foregoing transaction (and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, within 24 months of the date hereof), the Acquired Fund shall be terminated and no further shares shall be issued by it. The classes of the Trust’s shares representing such Acquired Fund shall thereupon be closed and the shares previously authorized for those classes shall be reclassified by the Board of Trustees. The Trust’s Board of Trustees and management of the Trust shall take whatever actions may be necessary under Massachusetts law and the 1940 Act to effect the termination of the Acquired Fund.
- The costs and expenses associated with the Reorganization relating to the solicitation of proxies, including preparing, filing, printing, and mailing of the proxy statement and related disclosure documents, and the costs and expenses related to the preparation of the tax opinion and obtaining a consent of independent registered public accounting firm will be borne by Jackson National Asset Management, LLC (“JNAM”) whether or not the Reorganization is consummated. No sales or other charges will be imposed on contract owners in connection with the Reorganization. The legal expenses associated with the Reorganization, including the legal fees incurred in connection with the analysis under the Code of the tax treatment of this transaction, will also be borne by JNAM.
A copy of the Declaration of Trust is on file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees as Trustees, and is not binding on any of the Trustees, officers, or shareholders of the Trust individually, but only binding on the assets and properties of the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund, respectively.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund, has caused this Plan of Reorganization to be executed and attested in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, on the date first written above.
| JNL SERIES TRUST |
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| By: | |
| | Mark D. Nerud, Trustee, President, and Chief Executive Officer |
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| Attest: | |
| | Susan S. Rhee, Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary |
APPENDIX B
More Information on Strategies and Risk Factors
Acquired Fund
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund
Class A
Class I
Investment Objective. The investment objective of the Fund is to seek long-term growth of capital.
Principal Investment Strategies. The Fund invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Boston Partners as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that Boston Partners has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales will be invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. The Fund will invest, both long and short, primarily in equity securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies of any market capitalization size. With a long position, the Fund purchases a stock outright; with a short position, the Fund sells a security that it does not own and must borrow to meet its settlement obligations. The Fund is then obligated to return a security of the same issuer and quantity at some future date. The Fund may realize a loss to the extent the security increases in value or a profit to the extent the security declines in value (after taking into account any associated costs). The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less (“unseasoned issuers”). Boston Partners will determine the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. Selection of individual securities to be held long or sold short will be based on a mix of quantitative techniques and fundamental security analysis. Boston Partners selects stocks on the basis of three criteria: valuation, business fundamentals and business momentum. Boston Partners examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer’s operating and financial fundamentals, including return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. Boston Partners selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may invest in all types of equity and equity-related securities, including without limitation exchange traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies (including exchanged-traded funds (“ETFs”)), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and equity participations. An equity participation is a type of loan that gives the lender a portion of equity ownership in a property, in addition to principal and interest payments. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.
The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests significantly (ordinarily at least 40% —unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by Boston Partners, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) in non-U.S. companies. The Fund principally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets, but may also invest in issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries).
The Fund’s portfolio is rebalanced regularly. Boston Partners assesses each investment’s changing characteristics relative to its contribution to portfolio risk. Boston Partners will sell an investment held long or close out a short position that Boston Partners believes no longer offers an appropriate return-to-risk tradeoff.
Under normal circumstances, Boston Partners expects to sell securities short so that the Fund’s portfolio is approximately 50% net long with an average of between 30% and 70% net long.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
Boston Partners will sell a stock when it no longer meets one or more investment criteria, either through obtaining target value or due to an adverse change in fundamentals or business momentum. Each holding has a target valuation established at purchase, which Boston Partners regularly monitors and adjusts as appropriate.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest from time to time a significant portion of its assets in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than $1 billion.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, used by U.S. and foreign corporations and other business organizations (e.g. trusts or limited liability companies). Such high yield debt obligations are not considered to be investment grade. Non-investment grade fixed-income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are rated BB or lower by S&P Global Ratings, or have a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) (or, if unrated are determined by Boston Partners to be of comparable quality at the time of investment). The Fund may invest in securities of the lowest rating category, including securities in default. Boston Partners may, but is not required to, sell a bond or note held by the Fund in the event that its credit rating is downgraded.
The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives, including put and call options, futures, forward contracts and swaps, in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, for hedging and non-hedging purposes. When trading derivatives, the Fund may be required to post securities to a segregated account. Asset segregation may be required for short sales and for many, but not all, derivatives transactions, including swaps, options, futures, forwards and contracts for differences. The Fund expects to utilize contracts for differences to maintain a significant portion of its short positions.
While Boston Partners intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. Boston Partners will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not guaranteed. As with any mutual fund, the value of the Fund’s shares will change, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The following descriptions of the principal risks do not provide any assurance either of the Fund’s investment in any particular type of security, or assurance of the Fund’s success in its investment selections, techniques and risk assessments. As a managed portfolio, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective for a variety of reasons including changes in the financial condition of issuers (due to such factors as management performance, reduced demand or overall market changes), fluctuations in the financial markets, declines in overall securities prices, or the Sub-Adviser's investment techniques otherwise failing to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:
| · | Emerging markets and less developed countries risk |
| · | European investment risk |
| · | Exchange-traded funds investing risk |
| · | High-yield bonds, lower-rated bonds, and unrated securities risk |
| · | Investment strategy risk |
| · | Investments in IPOs risk |
| · | Large-capitalization investing risk |
| · | Mid-capitalization and small-capitalization investing risk |
| · | Pacific Rim investing risk |
| · | Small-capitalization investing risk |
Please see the “Glossary of Risks” section at the end of Appendix B for a description of these risks. There may be other risks that are not listed in this Prospectus that could cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decline and that could prevent the Fund from achieving its stated investment objective. This Prospectus does not describe all of the risks of every technique, investment strategy or temporary defensive position that the Fund may use. For additional information regarding the risks of investing in the Fund, please refer to the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Additional Information About the Other Investment Strategies, Other Investments and Risks of the Fund (Other than Principal Strategies/Risks). There may be additional risks that may affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its stated investment objective. Those additional risks are:
| · | China and India country specific risk |
| · | Government regulatory risk |
| · | Regulatory investment limits risk |
| · | Temporary defensive positions and large cash positions risk |
| · | When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments risk |
Please see the “Glossary of Risks” section at the end of Appendix B for a description of these risks.
In addition, the performance of the Fund depends on the Sub-Adviser's abilities to effectively implement the investment strategies of the Fund.
The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information has more information about the Fund’s authorized investments and strategies, as well as the risks and restrictions that may apply to it.
Acquiring Fund
JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund
Class A
Class I
Investment Objective. The investment objective of the Fund is to seek long term growth of capital.
Principal Investment Strategies. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating among a variety of alternative strategies managed by unaffiliated investment managers (“Sub-Advisers”) sometimes referred to as “sleeves.” Each of the Sub-Advisers generally provides day-to-day management for a portion of the Fund’s assets.
Each Sub-Adviser may use different investment strategies in managing Fund assets, acts independently from the others, and uses its own methodology for selecting investments. Jackson National Asset Management, LLC (“JNAM” or “Adviser”) is responsible for identifying and retaining the Sub-Advisers for the selected strategies and for monitoring the services provided by the Sub-Advisers. JNAM provides qualitative and quantitative supervision as part of its process for selecting and monitoring the Sub-Advisers, as described in the “Management of the Trust” section in this Prospectus. JNAM is also responsible for selecting the Fund’s alternative investment strategies and for determining the amount of Fund assets to allocate to each Sub-Adviser. Based on JNAM’s ongoing evaluation of the Sub-Advisers, JNAM may adjust allocations among Sub-Advisers.
Below are the principal investment strategies for each sleeve, but the Sub-Advisers may also implement other investment strategies in keeping with their respective sleeve’s objective.
Equity Long/Short Strategies
| · | FPA pursues a contrarian value strategy that seeks to identify absolute value opportunities across the capital structure, and in a variety of market capitalizations, geographies and sectors with the long-term objective of achieving equity-like rates of return with less risk than the market. Being contrarian in nature means the management team focuses on out-of-favor companies, does not pay close attention to benchmark weightings and is willing to hold meaningful amounts of cash for prolonged periods if opportunities for investment do not present themselves. FPA seeks “value” in companies whose securities are trading at a substantial discount to FPA’s estimate of their intrinsic value. Investments typically include common and preferred stock, convertible securities, corporate and high yield bonds, as well as government debt. In addition, FPA may sell securities short. The resulting gross exposure of the portfolio will tend to be in the range of 50%-80% and net market exposure will tend to be in the range of 45%-80%. |
| · | Boston Partners pursues a multi-faceted strategy that invests in a long-short portfolio of equity securities and financial investments with equity-like characteristics designed to provide exposure to emerging markets. Securities are selected by the Boston Partners using its “three circles” approach which combines a quantitative screening with a fundamental bottom up selection process. This investment strategy is grounded in the following principles: (1) low valuation stocks outperform high valuation stocks; (2) companies with strong fundamentals, e.g. high and sustainable returns on invested capital, outperform companies with weak fundamentals; and (3) stocks with positive business momentum, e.g. rising earnings estimates, outperform stocks with negative business momentum. With a long position, the Fund purchases a stock outright; with a short position, the Fund sells a security that it does not own and must borrow to meet its settlement obligations. Boston Partners examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of issuers, including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuer's operating and financial fundamentals, such as return-on equity and earnings growth and cash flow. |
Under normal circumstances, Boston Partners expects that the Fund’s long positions will not exceed approximately 50% of the Fund’s net assets with a typical range of 30% to 70% net long. The Fund’s long and short positions may involve (without limit) equity securities of non-U.S. issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States.
Generally, the Boston Partners sleeve invests in futures contracts, futures-related instruments, forwards, swaps and options to provide exposure to asset classes including, but not limited to, global developed and emerging equity, fixed-income and currencies (collectively, “Instruments”). The Fund will also seek to gain exposure to commodity related instruments primarily by investing in JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd. (“Subsidiary”), which invests primarily in those futures and swaps (as described more fully below). These Instruments may be used for investment or speculative purposes, hedging or as a substitute for investing in conventional securities. The Fund may also invest in fixed-income securities, money market instruments, and cash. There are no geographic limits on the market exposure of the Fund’s assets. This flexibility allows Boston Partners to look for investments or gain exposure to asset classes and markets around the world, including emerging markets, that it believes will enhance the Fund’s ability to meet its objective. The Fund may also invest in exchange-traded funds or exchange-traded notes through
which the Fund can participate in the performance of one or more Instruments. The Fund’s return is expected to be derived principally from changes in the value of securities and its portfolio is expected to consist principally of securities.
The Fund may invest up to 25% of the value of its total assets in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary is a wholly owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund, organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company. Currently, only the sleeve of the Fund managed by Boston Partners is used for investments in the Subsidiary. Generally, the Subsidiary invests primarily in precious metals, commodity futures and swaps on commodity futures, but it may also invest in financial futures, option and swap contracts, fixed-income securities, pooled investment vehicles, including those that are not registered pursuant to the 1940 Act, and other investments intended to serve as margin or collateral for the Subsidiary’s derivative positions. Boston Partners expects to invest the Fund’s assets in the Subsidiary in order to gain exposure to futures contracts traded on the Indian stock exchange. The Fund invests in the Subsidiary in order to gain exposure to the commodities markets within the limitations of the federal tax laws, rules and regulations that apply to regulated investment companies (“RICs”). The Subsidiary is subject to the same general investment policies and restrictions as the Fund, except that, unlike the Fund, the Subsidiary is able to invest without limitation in precious metals and commodity-related investments subject to the same 1940 Act asset coverage requirements that are applicable to the Fund. In addition, to the extent applicable to the investment activities of the Subsidiary, the Subsidiary will be subject to the same fundamental and nonfundamental investment restrictions, will comply with the 1940 Act custody and affiliated transaction requirements, and will follow the same compliance policies and procedures as the Fund. The Fund is the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary and does not expect shares of the Subsidiary to be offered or sold to other investors. The Subsidiary is advised by Jackson National Asset Management, LLC (“JNAM” or “Adviser”) and has the same money managers as the Boston Partners sleeve. The Trust’s President and Vice President, who are the President and Chief Operating Officer, respectively, of JNAM, serve as directors of the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary has entered into a separate investment advisory agreement with JNAM for the management of the Subsidiary’s portfolio pursuant to which JNAM has agreed to receive an advisory fee for services to the Subsidiary calculated in the same manner as the advisory fee the Fund pays. See section entitled “Management Fee” in the Prospectus.
| · | Loomis Sayles invests in equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. While the majority of investments will be long, there may be opportunities where the strategy holds short investments. Under normal market conditions, the strategy will maintain long and short investments in the equity securities. As a substitute for short investments, the strategy may utilize market hedging strategies consisting of short exposures to indices, sectors or other securities or assets. Loomis Sayles may also use long or short total return swaps for either hedging purposes or investment purposes as part of its investment strategy. |
Loomis Sayles follows a well-defined buy and sell discipline in constructing and managing the strategy’s portfolio. For long positions, Loomis Sayles looks to invest in those few high-quality businesses with sustainable competitive advantages and profitable growth when they sell at a significant discount to estimates of intrinsic value. Shorting will be done only when secular and/or opportunistic shorts are presented. Loomis Sayles looks to short the stock of those companies with structurally deficient business models when the market price is well above intrinsic value and/or of companies where the market price embeds high expectations relative to long-term intrinsic value. Loomis Sayles will consider selling or covering a portfolio investment when they believe an unfavorable structural change occurs within a given business or the markets in which it operates, a critical underlying investment assumption is flawed, when a more attractive reward-to-risk opportunity becomes available, when the current price fully reflects intrinsic value, or for other investment reasons which Loomis Sayles deems appropriate.
Event Driven and Merger Arbitrage Strategy
| · | Westchester Capital Management, LLC (“Westchester”) employs a merger arbitrage strategy (“Merger Arbitrage Strategy”) that invests in the common stock, preferred stock, corporate debt, derivatives, total return swaps and/or contracts for difference and, occasionally, warrants of companies which are involved in publicly announced mergers, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations and other corporate reorganizations. The Fund may also invest in special purpose acquisition companies, a form of investment vehicle typically formed for the purpose of acquiring an operating business. Although a variety of strategies may be employed depending upon the nature of the reorganizations selected for investment, the |
simplest form of merger-arbitrage activity involves purchasing the shares of an announced acquisition target at a discount to their expected value upon completion of the acquisition.
Relative Value Strategies
| · | DoubleLine employs an opportunistic income strategy by allocating investments to fixed-income instruments and other investments with no limit on the duration of the strategy. DoubleLine may invest in, without limitation, asset-backed securities; domestic and foreign corporate bonds, including high-yield bonds; municipal bonds; bonds or other obligations issued by domestic or foreign governments, including emerging markets countries; REIT debt securities; and mortgage-related securities. When investing in mortgage-related securities, DoubleLine may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government; CMOs issued by domestic or foreign private issuers that represent an interest in or are collateralized by mortgage related securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government; CMBS; obligations issued by private issuers that represent an interest in or are collateralized by whole mortgage loans or mortgage related securities without a government guarantee but typically with some form of private credit enhancement; “interest only” and “principal only” stripped mortgage securities; inverse floating rate securities; and debt or equity tranches of collateralized debt obligations collateralized by mortgage related securities. |
DoubleLine operates under the cardinal mandate of delivering superior risk-adjusted fixed income returns. DoubleLine seeks to deliver positive absolute returns in excess of an appropriate aggregate fixed-income index with portfolio volatility that is similar to U.S. long-term treasury securities. Investment ideas employed by DoubleLine must offer an asymmetric, positively skewed risk-reward profile. As a result, a great deal of DoubleLine’s analysis seeks to identify fixed-income securities that they believe offer greater potential payoff than potential loss under multiple scenarios. Ultimately, a combination of risk management, asset allocation and security selection forms DoubleLine’s investment process. There can be no assurance that the strategy will achieve its investment objective.
The strategy is constructed with the intent to outperform under a range of future outcomes. DoubleLine’s risk integration process seeks to combine assets that will perform differently in different scenarios so that the overall portfolio generates acceptable performance. This process includes balancing the strength of cash flows from certain asset classes against various potential economic or market risks.
| · | Lazard invests in convertible securities, preferred securities, equity, and debt, with the objective of current income, long-term capital appreciation and principal protection. Utilizing both quantitative and fundamental analysis to determine the best portfolio candidates, Lazard’s Portfolio Management Team constructs a diversified portfolio of convertible securities, preferred stocks, equity, and debt that have been evaluated on relative valuation and risk attributes. The strategy also will use derivatives and other securities, such as index or sector ETFs to seek to minimize market and interest rate risk. Lazard may use over-the-counter total return swaps as part of its investment strategy. |
Global Macro Strategy
| · | Western Asset focuses under normal circumstances seeking to achieve its investment objective by implementing an opportunistic investing strategy. Western Asset attempts to identify and capitalize on attractive relative-value opportunities principally in fixed-income markets around the globe by investing in a variety of securities and other instruments. The strategy invests in fixed-income securities, up to 50% below investment-grade and up to 50% in un-hedged non-U.S. investments, and may also invest up to 50% emerging markets. |
JNAM also may choose to allocate the Fund’s assets to additional strategies in the future. There is no assurance that any or all of the strategies discussed in this prospectus will be used by JNAM or the Sub-Advisers.
JNAM may also manage Fund assets directly to seek to enhance returns, or to hedge and to manage the Fund’s cash and short-term instruments.
JNAM and the Sub-Advisers will implement the various alternative investment strategies by taking long and/or short positions in a broad range of asset classes, such as equity securities, fixed-income, derivatives, other investment companies, currency- and commodity-related instruments and structured products. Long positions benefit from an
increase in the price of the underlying instrument or asset class, while short positions benefit from a decrease in that price. The Fund has flexibility in the relative weighting of each asset class and expects to vary the percentages of assets invested in each asset class from time to time. JNAM’s allocations to the underlying Sub-Advisers will be a function of a variety of factors including each underlying strategy’s expected returns, volatility, correlation, and contribution to the Fund’s overall risk profile. In addition, we will also consider whether a particular market environment or more or less conducive to the underlying strategy. The Fund may invest in securities and other financial instruments of companies of any market capitalization. The Fund may invest in securities and other financial instruments available in and which have exposure to both U.S. and non-U.S. markets, including emerging markets, which can be U.S. dollar-denominated or non-U.S. dollar-denominated and may be currency hedged or un-hedged. The Fund may invest in corporate loans.
The Fund may invest in securities and other financial instruments of companies of any market capitalization.
The Fund (all sleeves collectively) may invest up to 15% of its assets in illiquid investments. The Fund considers investments in private equity securities and hedge funds as illiquid investments.
The Fund may invest in a variety of equity securities, including common stock, preferred stock, rights and warrants to purchase common stock, depositary receipts, securities convertible into common and preferred stock and non-convertible preferred stock. Additionally, from time to time, the Fund may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings (“IPOs”).
With respect to the Fund’s fixed-income investments, the Fund may invest in a variety of instruments including bonds, debt securities and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and non-U.S. public- or private-sector entities. The value of the bond’s principal or the interest income paid on the bond is adjusted to track changes in an official inflation measure. The Fund may also invest in exchange traded notes (“ETNs”). The average portfolio duration of the fixed-income portion of the Fund will vary based on the Sub-Advisers’ and JNAM’s forecast of interest rates and there are no limits regarding portfolio duration or average maturity.
The Fund may invest in other pooled investment vehicles, including other investment companies, European registered investment funds (“UCITS”), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), private investment funds, and partnership interests, including master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). A private investment fund is a type of financial investment company that is generally exempt from federal securities regulations and laws and has either less than 100 investors or where its member investors have substantial funds invested elsewhere. Unless otherwise indicated, references to the Fund’s investments and related risk factors in this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) include investments by any underlying mutual funds, or other pooled investment vehicles in which the Fund may invest.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not guaranteed. As with any mutual fund, the value of the Fund’s shares will change, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The following descriptions of the principal risks do not provide any assurance either of the Fund’s investment in any particular type of security, or assurance of the Fund’s success in its investment selections, techniques and risk assessments. As a managed portfolio, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective for a variety of reasons including changes in the financial condition of issuers (due to such factors as management performance, reduced demand or overall market changes), fluctuations in the financial markets, declines in overall securities prices, or the Sub-Advisers' investment techniques otherwise failing to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:
| · | Mid-capitalization and small-capitalization investing risk |
| · | Emerging markets and less developed countries risk |
| · | Event driven and special situations risk |
| · | High-yield bonds, lower-rated bonds, and unrated securities risk |
| · | Corporate loan, sovereign entity loan, and bank loan risk |
| · | Convertible securities risk |
Please see the “Glossary of Risks” section at the end of Appendix B for a description of these risks. There may be other risks that are not listed in this Prospectus that could cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decline and that could prevent the Fund from achieving its stated investment objective. This Prospectus does not describe all of the risks of every technique, investment strategy or temporary defensive position that the Fund may use. For additional information regarding the risks of investing in the Fund, please refer to the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Additional Information About the Other Investment Strategies, Other Investments and Risks of the Fund (Other than Principal Strategies/Risks). Investing Through the Bond Connect Program. The Fund may invest in bonds traded on the China Interbank Bond Market CIBM through the China – Hong Kong Bond Connect program (“Bond Connect”) that are regulated by both Hong Kong and China. These bonds involve a high degree of risk and special considerations not typically associated with investing in other more established markets. The Fund will not be able to buy or sell securities through Bond Connect when either the Chinese and Hong Kong markets are closed for trading, and the Chinese and/or Hong Kong markets may be closed for trading for extended periods of time because of local holidays. In addition, the Fund and/or securities offered through Bond Connect may lose their eligibility for trading through the program at any time, which includes by actions taken by regulators in Hong Kong or China. This could adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value and its ability to trade through Bond Connect, particularly during periods of heightened volatility or market disruptions.
The operational aspects, including the trading and settlement bonds, of Bond Connect may change over time. It currently operates under a recordkeeping system that presents a number of risks including settlement delays, custody, defaults by counterparties and a limited ability to enforce rights. It may be more difficult, or impossible, to obtain and/or enforce a judgment. The regulatory and legal framework of Bond Connect is less extensive and still developing. Trading through Bond Connect may subject the Fund to various taxes, some of which are currently uncertain.
There may be additional risks that may affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its stated investment objective. Those additional risks are:
| · | Investment strategy risk |
| · | Regulatory investment limits risk |
| · | Temporary defensive positions and large cash positions risk |
Please see the “Glossary of Risks” section at the end of Appendix B for a description of these risks.
In addition, the performance of the Fund depends on the Sub-Advisers’ abilities to effectively implement the investment strategies of the Fund.
The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information has more information about the Fund’s authorized investments and strategies, as well as the risks and restrictions that may apply to it.
Glossary of Risks
Accounting risk – The Fund makes investment decisions, in part, on information drawn from the financial statements of issuers. Financial statements may not be accurate, may reflect differing approaches with respect to auditing and reporting standards and may affect the ability of the Fund’s investment manager to identify appropriate investment opportunities.
Allocation risk – The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends upon the investment manager’s analysis of such factors as macroeconomic trends, outlooks for various industries and asset class valuations and investment manager’s ability to select an appropriate mix of asset classes. The Fund is subject to the risk of changes in market, investment, and economic conditions, as well as the selection and percentages of allocations.
China and India country specific risks – Investments in equity and equity-related securities in the Greater China region and India will expose the Fund to that country’s market, currency, and other risks, including volatility and structural risks. Government reforms and the move to capitalism may not positively impact the economies of either country. Stable economic growth may be hampered by a number of factors, including burdensome regulatory requirements, inflation, poor allocation of resources and the reinvestment of capital, government price controls and capital restrictions, currency fluctuations, and social instability. As a result, investments in the Greater China region and India may be volatile.
Company risk – Investments in U.S. and foreign-traded equity securities may fluctuate more than the values of other types of securities in response to changes in a particular company’s financial condition. For example, poor earnings performance of a company may result in a decline of its stock price.
Convertible securities risk – Convertible securities have investment characteristics of both equity and debt securities. Investments in convertible securities may be subject to market risk, credit and counterparty risk, interest rate risk and other risks associated with investments in equity and debt securities, depending on the price of the underlying security and the conversion price. While equity securities may offer the potential for greater long-term growth than most debt securities, they generally have higher volatility. A convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer-specific risks that apply to the underlying common stock, since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted. In addition, because companies that issue convertible securities are often small- or mid-capitalization companies, to the extent the Fund invests in convertible securities, it will be subject to the risks of investing in these companies.
The value of convertible and debt securities may fall when interest rates rise. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, generally making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Convertible securities normally are “junior” securities, which means that an issuer usually must pay interest on its non-convertible debt before it can make payments on its convertible securities. If an issuer stops making interest or principal payments, these securities may become worthless and the Fund could lose its entire investment. In the event of a liquidation of the issuing company, holders of convertible securities may be paid before the company’s common stockholders but after holders of any senior debt obligations of the company. Due to their hybrid nature, convertible securities are typically more sensitive to changes in interest rates than the underlying common stock, but less sensitive than a fixed rate corporate bond.
Corporate loan, sovereign entity loan, and bank loan risk – Commercial banks, sovereign entities, and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate loans to companies or sovereign entities that need capital to grow, restructure, or for infrastructure projects. These instruments are commonly referred to as “loans” or “bank loans.” Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at “floating” rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of such loan investments is generally less exposed to the adverse effects of interest rate fluctuations than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. However, the market for certain loans may not be sufficiently liquid, and the Fund may have difficulty selling such securities. It may take longer than seven days for transactions in loans to settle. Certain loans may be classified as “illiquid” securities.
Due to restrictions on transfers in loan agreements and the nature of private syndication of loans, some loans are not as easily purchased or sold as publicly traded securities. Some loans are illiquid, which may make it difficult for the Fund to value them or dispose of them at the price at which the Fund has valued the loan. In addition, compared to public securities, purchases and sales of loans generally take longer to settle. It may take longer than seven days for transactions in loans to settle. To the extent the extended loan settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity
needs, such as the need to satisfy redemption requests, the Fund may hold cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow to meet its short-term liquidity needs. Additionally, because a loan may not be considered a security, the Fund may not be afforded the same legal protections afforded securities under federal securities laws. Thus, the Fund must rely on contractual provisions in the loan agreement and common-law fraud protections under applicable state law.
Bank loans may not be considered securities under the federal securities laws and accordingly, may offer less legal protection in the event of fraud or misrepresentation in connection with the purchase or sale of such instruments. Instead, lenders generally rely on the contractual provisions in the loan agreement itself, and common-law fraud protections under applicable state law.
Bank loans usually have mandatory and optional prepayment provisions. If a borrower prepays a loan, the Fund will have to reinvest the proceeds in other loans or financial assets that may pay lower rates of return.
A Sub-Adviser may take steps to ensure that it does not receive material nonpublic information about the issuers of loans who also issue (directly or through a related entity) publicly traded securities. In that circumstance, a Sub-Adviser may have less information than other investors about certain of the loans in which it invests or seeks to invest. This may place the Fund at a disadvantage relative to other investors in loans.
A lead bank or other financial institution will often act as agent for all holders of a particular corporate loan. The agent administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. Unless a holder of the corporate loan, such as the Fund, has direct recourse against the borrower, the holder may have to rely on the agent to apply appropriate credit remedies against a borrower under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness. The agent may also be responsible for distributing income from the corporate loan and, as a result, holders of the loan might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on the loan and could suffer a loss of principal or interest. In addition, investments in corporate loans may expose the holders of the corporate loan, including the Fund, to the credit risk of both the financial institution and the underlying borrower. In the event of the insolvency of an agent bank, a corporate loan could be subject to settlement risk, as well as the risk of interruptions in the administrative duties performed in the day-to-day administration of the loan (such as processing LIBOR calculations and processing draws).
Certain corporate loans may be issued in connection with highly leveraged transactions, including leveraged buyout loans, leveraged recapitalization loans, and other types of acquisition financing. Leveraged buyout loans are subject to greater credit risks than other investments including a greater possibility that the borrower may default or enter bankruptcy.
Some loans may be “covenant lite” loans which do not include terms which allow the lender to monitor the performance of the borrower and declare a default if certain criteria are breached.
If a Fund invests in a loan via participation, the Fund will be exposed to the ongoing counterparty risk of the entity providing exposure to the loan (and in certain circumstances, such entity’s credit risk) in addition to the exposure the Fund has to the creditworthiness of the borrower.
Counterparty risk – Transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the credit risk of the counterparty. A Fund that enters into contracts with counterparties, such as repurchase or reverse repurchase agreements or over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives contracts, or that lends its securities, runs the risk that the counterparty will be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments or otherwise honor its obligations. If a counterparty fails to meet its contractual obligations, files for bankruptcy, or otherwise experiences a business interruption, the Fund could suffer losses, including monetary losses, miss investment opportunities or be forced to hold investments it would prefer to sell. Counterparty risk is heightened during unusually adverse market conditions.
Participants in OTC derivatives markets typically are not subject to the same level of credit evaluation and regulatory oversight as are members of exchange-based markets, and, therefore, OTC derivatives generally expose a Fund to greater counterparty risk than exchange-traded derivatives. A Fund is subject to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a derivative in accordance with its terms because of a dispute over the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem. If a counterparty’s obligation to a Fund is not collateralized, then the Fund is essentially an unsecured creditor of the counterparty. If a counterparty defaults, the Fund will have contractual remedies, but the Fund may be unable to enforce them, which may cause the Fund to
suffer a loss. Counterparty risk is greater for derivatives with longer maturities because there is more time for events to occur that may prevent settlement. Counterparty risk also is greater when a Fund has concentrated its derivatives with a single or small group of counterparties. Counterparty risk still exists even if a counterparty’s obligations are secured by collateral because the Fund’s interest in the collateral may not be perfected or additional collateral may not be promptly posted as required.
A Fund also is subject to counterparty risk because it executes its securities transactions through brokers and dealers. If a broker or dealer fails to meet its contractual obligations, goes bankrupt, or otherwise experiences a business interruption, the Fund could miss investment opportunities or be unable to dispose of investments it would prefer to sell, resulting in losses for the Fund.
Counterparty risk with respect to derivatives will be affected by rules and regulations affecting the derivatives market. Some derivatives transactions are required to be centrally cleared, and a party to a cleared derivatives transaction is subject to the credit risk of the clearing house and the clearing member through which it holds its cleared position, rather than the credit risk of its original counterparty to the derivatives transaction. Credit risk of market participants with respect to derivatives that are centrally cleared is concentrated in a few clearing houses, and it is not clear how an insolvency proceeding of a clearing house would be conducted and what impact an insolvency of a clearing house would have on the financial system. A clearing member is obligated by contract and by applicable regulation to segregate all funds received from customers with respect to cleared derivatives transactions from the clearing member’s proprietary assets. However, all funds and other property received by a clearing member from its customers with respect to cleared derivatives are generally held by the clearing member on a commingled basis in an omnibus account, and the clearing member may invest those funds in certain instruments permitted under the applicable regulations. Therefore, a Fund might not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of a Fund’s clearing member because the Fund would be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of the clearing member’s customers for a relevant account class. Also, the clearing member is required to transfer to the clearing house the amount of margin required by the clearing house for cleared derivatives, which amounts are generally held in an omnibus account at the clearing house for all customers of the clearing member. Regulations promulgated by the CFTC require that the clearing member notify the clearing house of the initial margin provided by the clearing member to the clearing house that is attributable to each customer. However, if the clearing member does not accurately report a Fund’s initial margin, the Fund is subject to the risk that a clearing house will use the Fund’s assets held in an omnibus account at the clearing house to satisfy payment obligations of a defaulting customer of the clearing member to the clearing house. In addition, clearing members generally provide the clearing house the net amount of variation margin required for cleared swaps for all of its customers in the aggregate, rather than individually for each customer. A Fund is therefore subject to the risk that a clearing house will not make variation margin payments owed to the Fund if another customer of the clearing member has suffered a loss and is in default, and the risk that the Fund will be required to provide additional variation margin to the clearing house before the clearing house will move the Fund’s cleared derivatives transactions to another clearing member. In addition, if a clearing member does not comply with the applicable regulations or its agreement with a Fund, or in the event of fraud or misappropriation of customer assets by a clearing member, the Fund could have only an unsecured creditor claim in an insolvency of the clearing member with respect to the margin held by the clearing member.
Credit risk – The price of a debt security can decline in response to changes in the financial condition of the issuer, borrower, guarantor, counterparty, or other entity responsible for payment. The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security, or the counterparty to a derivatives contract, repurchase agreement or a loan of portfolio securities, is unable or unwilling to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. Changes in an issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of the issuer’s financial strength or in a security’s credit rating, which reflects a third party’s assessment of the credit risk presented by a particular issuer, may affect debt securities’ value. When a fixed-income security is not rated, the Fund’s investment manager may have to assess the risk of the security itself. The Fund may incur substantial losses on debt securities that are inaccurately perceived to present a different amount of credit risk by the market, the investment manager or the rating agencies than such securities actually do. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in municipal bonds, they are subject to the risk that litigation, legislation or other political events, local business or economic conditions, or the bankruptcy of the issuer could have a significant effect on an issuer’s ability to make payments of principal and/or interest.
Currency risk – Investments in foreign currencies, securities that trade in or receive revenues in foreign currencies or derivatives that provide exposure to foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies may decline in value, or, in the case of hedging positions, that the currency may decline in value relative to the currency being
hedged. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and may be affected by a number of factors, such as the general economics of a country, the actions (or inaction) of U.S. and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation. The Fund accrues additional expenses when engaging in currency exchange transactions, and valuation of a Fund’s foreign securities may be subject to greater risk because both the price of the currency (relative to the U.S. dollar) and the price of the security may fluctuate with market and economic conditions. A decline in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. dollar reduces the value in U.S. dollars of investments denominated in that foreign currency.
Cybersecurity risk – Cyber attacks could cause business failures or delays in daily processing and the Fund may need to delay transactions, consistent with regulatory requirements, as a result could impact the performance of the Fund.
Derivatives risk – Certain Funds may invest in derivatives, which are financial instruments whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of underlying assets, reference rates, or indices. Derivatives can be highly volatile and may be subject to transaction costs and certain risks, such as unanticipated changes in securities prices and global currency investment. Derivatives also are subject to a number of risks described elsewhere in this section, such as leverage risk, liquidity risk, interest rate risk, market risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk. They also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, interest rate or index. Gains or losses from derivatives can be substantially greater than the derivatives’ original cost. Certain derivatives transactions may subject the Fund to counterparty risk.
The Fund’s investment manager must choose the correct derivatives exposure versus the underlying assets to be hedged or the income to be generated, in order to realize the desired results from the investment. The Fund’s investment manager must also correctly predict price, credit or their applicable movements, during the life of a derivative, with respect to the underlying asset in order to realize the desired results from the investment.
The Fund could experience losses if its derivatives were poorly correlated with its other investments, or if the Fund were unable to liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for many derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives. The value of derivatives may fluctuate more rapidly than other investments, which may increase the volatility of the Fund, depending on the nature and extent of the derivatives in the Fund’s portfolio.
If the Fund’s investment manager uses derivatives in attempting to manage or “hedge” the overall risk of the portfolio, the strategy might not be successful and the Fund may lose money. To the extent that the Fund is unable to close out a position because of market illiquidity or counterparty default, the Fund may not be able to prevent further losses of value in its derivatives holdings and the Fund’s liquidity may be impaired to the extent that it has a substantial portion of its otherwise liquid assets marked as segregated on its books to cover its obligations under such derivative instruments.
The Fund may also be required to take or make delivery of an underlying instrument that the manager would otherwise have attempted to avoid. Investors should bear in mind that, while a Fund may intend to use derivative strategies on a regular basis, it is not obligated to actively engage in these transactions, generally or in any particular kind of derivative, if the investment manager elects not to do so due to availability, cost or other factors.
The Fund’s use of derivative instruments may involve risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other more traditional investments. Certain derivative transactions may have a leveraging effect on the Fund. For example, a small investment in a derivative instrument may have a significant impact on the Fund’s exposure to interest rates, currency exchange rates or other investments. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a derivative instrument may cause an immediate and substantial loss or gain. The Fund may engage in such transactions regardless of whether the Fund owns the asset, instrument or components of the index underlying the derivative instrument. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in these types of instruments, which could cause the Fund’s investment exposure to exceed the value of its portfolio securities and its investment performance could be affected by securities it does not own.
The U.S. Government has enacted legislation that provides for new regulation of the derivatives market, including clearing, margin, reporting, and registration requirements. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been tasked with developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”). While certain of the rules are effective, other rules are not yet
final and/or effective, so its ultimate impact remains unclear. The Dodd-Frank Act substantially increased regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market and participants in that market, imposing various requirements on transactions involving instruments that fall within the Dodd-Frank Act’s definition of “swap” and “security-based swap.” It is possible that government regulation of various types of derivative instruments could potentially limit or completely restrict the ability of a Fund to use these instruments as a part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using these instruments or make them less effective. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which a Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent a Fund from using these instruments or affect the pricing or other factors relating to these instruments, or may change availability of certain investments.
The CFTC and certain futures exchanges have established limits, referred to as “position limits,” on the maximum net long or net short positions which any person or entity may hold or control in particular options and futures contracts (and certain related swap positions). All positions owned or controlled by the same person or entity, even if in different accounts, may be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the applicable position limits have been exceeded and, as a result, the investment manager’s trading decisions may have to be modified or positions held by a Fund may have to be liquidated in order to avoid exceeding such limits. Even if the Fund does not intend to exceed applicable position limits, it is possible that different clients managed by the investment manager or its affiliates may be aggregated for this purpose. The modification of investment decisions or the elimination of open positions, if it occurs, may adversely affect the profitability of the Fund.
Under the Dodd-Frank Act, a Fund also may be subject to additional recordkeeping and reporting requirements. In addition, the tax treatment of certain derivatives, such as certain swaps, is unclear under current law and may be subject to future legislation, regulation or administrative pronouncements issued by the IRS. Other future regulatory developments may also impact a Fund’s ability to invest or remain invested in certain derivatives. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which a Fund itself is regulated. The investment manager cannot predict the effects of any new governmental regulation that may be implemented or the ability of a Fund to use swaps or any other financial derivative product, and there can be no assurance that any new governmental regulation will not adversely affect a Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Emerging markets and less developed countries risk – Emerging market and less developed countries generally are located in Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Central and South America and Africa. Investments in, or exposure to, securities that are tied economically to emerging market and less developed countries are subject to all of the risks of investments in, or exposure to, foreign securities, generally to a greater extent than in developed markets, among other risks. Investments in securities that are tied economically to emerging markets involve greater risk from economic and political systems that typically are less developed, and likely to be less stable, than those in more advanced countries. The Fund also will be subject to the risk of adverse foreign currency rate fluctuations. Emerging market and less developed countries may also have economies that are predominantly based on only a few industries or dependent on revenues from particular commodities. There may be government policies that restrict investment by foreigners, greater government influence over the private sector, and a higher risk of a government taking private property in emerging and less developed countries. Moreover, economies of emerging market countries may be dependent upon international trade and may be adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. As a result of these risks, investments in securities tied economically to emerging markets tend to be more volatile than investments in securities of developed countries.
Underdeveloped securities exchanges and low or nonexistent trading volume in securities of issuers may result in a lack of liquidity and in price volatility. A fund may not be able to sell such securities in a timely manner, and may receive less than the currently available market price when selling such emerging market securities. Emerging market countries often have less uniformity in accounting and reporting requirements and less reliable clearance and settlement, registration and custodial procedures, which could result in ownership registration being completely lost. Issuers in emerging markets typically are subject to greater risk of adverse changes in earnings and business prospects than are companies in developed markets. Loss may also result from the imposition of exchange controls, confiscations and other government restrictions, including confiscatory taxes on investment proceeds and other restrictions on the ability of foreign investors to withdraw their money at will, or from problems in security registration or settlement and custody. Investments in, or exposure to, emerging market securities may be more susceptible to investor sentiment than investments in developed countries. As a result, emerging market securities may be adversely affected by negative perceptions about an emerging market country’s stability and prospects for continued growth. The Fund will also be subject to the risk of negative foreign currency rate fluctuations. Investments in, or exposure to, emerging market securities tend to be more volatile than investments in developed countries.
Frontier market countries are emerging market countries that are considered to have the smallest, least mature and least liquid securities markets. Frontier market countries generally have smaller economies and less developed capital markets than traditional emerging markets, and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries are magnified in frontier market countries. The economies of frontier market countries are less correlated to global economic cycles than those of their more developed counterparts and their markets have low trading volumes, low security market capitalizations, and the potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity. This volatility may be further heightened by the actions of a few major investors. For example, a substantial increase or decrease in cash flows of mutual funds investing in these markets could significantly affect local stock prices and, therefore, the price of Fund shares. These factors make investing in frontier market countries significantly riskier than in other countries and any one of them could cause the price of the Fund’s shares to decline.
Equity securities risk – Common and preferred stocks represent equity ownership in a company. Stock markets are volatile, and equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed-income securities. The price of equity or equity-related securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equity or equity-related securities. The value of equity or equity-related securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in decline or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate. They may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or an increase in production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, they may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a company or industry, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment.
European investment risk – Investing in Europe involves many of the same risks as investing in foreign securities generally. In addition, investing in Europe poses some unique risks. Europe includes both developed and emerging markets and investments by a Fund will be subject to the risks associated with investments in such markets. Most developed countries in Western Europe are members of the European Union (“EU”) and many are also members of the European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”). The EU is an economic and political union of most western European countries and a growing number of eastern European countries. One of the key mandates of the EU is the establishment and administration of a common single market, consisting of, among other things, a single currency and a common trade policy. In order to pursue this goal, member states established the EMU, which sets out different stages and commitments that member states need to follow to achieve greater economic and monetary policy coordination, including the adoption of a single currency, the euro. Many member states have adopted the euro as their currency and, as a result, are subject to the monetary policies of the European Central Bank (“ECB”). Performance is expected to be closely tied to social, political, security, and economic conditions within Europe and to be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds. Recent security concerns related to immigration, war and geopolitical risk, and terrorism could have a negative impact on the EU and investments within EU countries.
The global economic crisis of the past several years has caused severe financial difficulties for many EU countries, pushing some to the brink of insolvency and causing others to experience recession, large public debt, restructuring of government debt, credit rating downgrades and an overall weakening of banking and financial sectors. Some of those countries have depended on, and may continue to be dependent on, the assistance from others such as the ECB, the International Monetary Fund, or other governments and institutions to address those issues. Failure by one or more EU countries to implement reforms or attain a certain performance level imposed as a condition of assistance, or an insufficient level of assistance, could deepen or prolong the economic downturn which could have a significant adverse effect on the value of investments in those and other European countries. By adopting the euro as its currency, members of the EMU are subject to fiscal and monetary controls that could limit to some degree the ability to implement their own economic policies. Additionally, EMU member countries could voluntarily abandon the euro or involuntarily be forced out of the euro, including by way of a partial or complete dissolution of the monetary union. The effects of such outcomes on the rest of the Eurozone and global markets as a whole are unpredictable, but are likely to be negative, including adversely impacted market values of Eurozone and various other securities and currencies, redenomination of certain securities into less valuable local currencies, and more volatile and illiquid markets. Under such circumstances, investments denominated in euros or replacement currencies may be difficult to value, the ability to operate an investment strategy in connection with euro-denominated securities may be significantly impaired and the value of euro-denominated investments may decline significantly and unpredictably.
Additionally, the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU, commonly known as “Brexit,” may have significant political and financial consequences for Eurozone markets, including greater market volatility and illiquidity, currency fluctuations, deterioration in economic activity, a decrease in business confidence and an increased likelihood of a recession in the United Kingdom and the EU. There may also be similar Brexit movements in other EU countries, which could impact the economic, security, and political fabric of the EU. The withdrawal agreement entered into between the United Kingdom and the EU entered into force on January 31, 2020, at which time the United Kingdom ceased to be a member of the EU. Following the withdrawal, there will be an eleven-month transition period, ending December 31, 2020, during which the United Kingdom will negotiate its future relationship with the EU. Brexit has already resulted in significant volatility in European and global financial markets and uncertainty about the integrity and functioning of the EU, both of which may persist for an extended period of time.
Event driven and special situations risk – At times, the Fund may seek to benefit from what are considered “special situations,” such as mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, liquidations, spin-offs, tender or exchange offers, reorganizations, restructurings or other unusual events that are expected to affect a particular issuer. Such special situations may involve so-called “distressed companies,” the debt obligations of which typically are unrated, lower-rated, in default or close to default. Also, securities of distressed companies are generally more likely to become worthless. There is a risk that the expected change or event might not occur, which could cause the price of the security to fall, perhaps sharply. In that case, the investment might not produce the expected gains or might cause a loss. This is an aggressive investment technique that may be considered speculative.
Exchange-traded funds investing risk – Most exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) are investment companies whose shares are purchased and sold on a securities exchange. Generally, an ETF represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market segment or index. Many ETFs have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC to permit unaffiliated funds to invest in the ETFs’ shares beyond the statutory limitations, subject to certain conditions. A Fund may rely on these exemptive orders to invest in unaffiliated ETFs. An investment in an ETF generally presents the following risks: (i) the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional mutual fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies; (ii) the risk that an ETF may fail to accurately track the market segment or index that underlies its investment objective; (iii) price fluctuation, resulting in a loss to the Fund; (iv) the risk that an ETF may trade at a discount to its net asset value; (v) the risk that an active market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (vi) the risk that an ETF may no longer meet the listing requirements of any applicable exchanges on which that ETF is listed. When the Fund invests in an ETF, shareholders of the Fund bear their proportionate share of the ETF’s fees and expenses as well as their share of the Fund’s fees and expenses.
In addition, many ETFs invest in securities included in, or representative of, underlying indexes regardless of investment merit or market trends and, therefore, these ETFs do not change their investment strategies to respond to changes in the economy, which means that an ETF may be particularly susceptible to a general decline in the market segment relating to the relevant index. As with traditional mutual funds, ETFs charge asset-based fees. The Funds will indirectly pay a proportional share of the asset-based fees of the ETFs in which the Funds invest. During periods of market volatility, there may be delays in the pricing of ETFs, and ETF exchange-traded prices may also be subject to volatility, which could cause the Fund to lose money.
Expense risk – Fund expenses are subject to a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the Fund’s net assets. Accordingly, actual expenses may be greater or less than those indicated in the Fund’s Prospectus. For example, to the extent that the Fund’s net assets decrease due to market declines or redemptions, the Fund’s expenses will increase as a percentage of Fund net assets. During periods of high market volatility, these increases in the Fund’s expense ratio could be significant.
Financial services risk – An investment in issuers in the financial services sector may be adversely affected by, among other things: (i) changes in the regulatory framework; (ii) interest rate changes that may negatively affect financial service businesses; (iii) exposure of a financial institution to a non-diversified or concentrated loan portfolio; (iv) exposure to financial leverage and/or investments or agreements which, under certain circumstances, may lead to losses (e.g., sub-prime loans); and (v) the risk that a market shock or other unexpected market, economic, political, regulatory, or other event might lead to a sudden decline in the values of most or all companies in the financial services sector.
Fixed-income risk – The price of fixed-income securities responds to economic developments, particularly interest rate changes, as well as to perceptions about the credit risk of individual issuers. Rising interest rates generally will cause the price of bonds and other fixed-income debt securities to fall. In addition, falling interest rates may cause
an issuer to redeem, call or refinance a security before its stated maturity, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities. Longer maturity fixed-income securities may be subject to greater price fluctuations than shorter maturity fixed-income securities. Bonds and other fixed-income debt securities are subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that the credit strength of an issuer will weaken and/or an issuer of a fixed income security will fail to make timely payments of principal or interest and the security will go into default. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates in periods of historically low rates.
Foreign regulatory risk – The Adviser is a subsidiary of Jackson. Jackson is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jackson Financial Inc., which is a subsidiary of Prudential plc. Prudential plc is a publicly traded company incorporated in the United Kingdom and is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America, or with The Prudential Assurance Company Ltd, a subsidiary of M&G plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom. Athene Co-Invest Reinsurance Affiliate 1A Ltd., a Bermuda Class C insurer under the Bermuda Insurance Act 1978, owns a minority interest in Jackson Financial Inc. Through its ownership structure, the Adviser has a number of global financial industry affiliates. As a result of this structure, and the asset management and financial industry business activities of the Adviser and its affiliates, the Adviser and the Fund may be prohibited or limited in effecting transactions in certain securities. Additionally, the Adviser and the Fund may encounter trading limitations or restrictions because of aggregation issues or other foreign regulatory requirements.
Foreign regulators or foreign laws may impose position limits on securities held by the Fund, and the Fund may be limited as to which securities it may purchase or sell, as well as the timing of such purchases or sales. These foreign regulatory limits may increase the Fund’s expenses and may limit the Fund’s performance. In addition, foreign regulatory requirements may increase the cost of transactions in certain countries, and may increase Fund legal and compliance costs.
Foreign securities risk – Investments in, or exposure to, foreign securities involve risks not typically associated with U.S. investments. These risks include, among others, adverse fluctuations in foreign currency values, possible imposition of foreign withholding or other taxes on income payable on the securities, as well as adverse political, social and economic developments, such as political upheaval, acts of terrorism, financial troubles, or natural disasters. Many foreign securities markets, especially those in emerging market countries, are less stable, smaller, less liquid, and less regulated than U.S. securities markets, and the costs of trading in those markets is often higher than in U.S. securities markets. There may also be less publicly available information about issuers of foreign securities compared to issuers of U.S. securities and foreign issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping standards and requirements as domestic issuers. In addition, the economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to issues such as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Such factors may adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries or regions.
Investments in, or exposure to, foreign securities could be affected by restrictions on receiving the investment proceeds from a foreign country, confiscatory foreign tax laws, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations. Transactions may be subject to less efficient settlement practices, including extended clearance and settlement periods. Foreign accounting may be less revealing than U.S. accounting practices and regulation may be inadequate or irregular. Investments in, or exposure to, emerging market countries and/or their securities markets may present market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed countries. In addition, the risks associated with investing in a narrowly defined geographic area are generally more pronounced with respect to investments in, or exposure to, emerging market countries.
Government regulatory risk – Certain industries or sectors, including, but not limited to, real estate, financial services, utilities, oil and natural gas exploration and production, anything environment-related, and health care are subject to increased regulatory requirements. There can be no guarantee that companies in which the Fund invests will meet all applicable regulatory requirements. Certain companies could incur substantial fines and penalties for failing to meet government regulatory requirements. These requirements may also result in additional compliance expenses and costs. Such increased regulatory compliance costs could hurt a company’s performance.
High-yield bonds, lower-rated bonds, and unrated securities risk – High-yield bonds, lower-rated bonds, and unrated securities are broadly referred to as “junk bonds,” and are considered below “investment-grade” by national ratings agencies. Junk bonds typically have a higher yield to compensate for a greater risk that the issuer might not make its interest and principal payments. As a result, an investment in junk bonds is considered speculative. An
unanticipated default would result in a reduction in income and a decline in the market value of the related securities. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress which could adversely affect their ability to service principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. The market prices of junk bonds are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, but more sensitive to adverse economic or political changes, or individual developments specific to the issuer. Periods of economic or political uncertainty and change can be expected to result in price volatility. High-yield bonds may be subject to liquidity risk, and the Fund may not be able to sell a high-yield bond at the price at which it is currently valued. The credit rating of a below investment grade security does not necessarily address its market value risk and may not reflect its actual credit risk. Ratings and market value may change from time to time, positively or negatively, to reflect new developments regarding the issuer.
Interest rate risk – When interest rates increase, fixed-income securities generally will decline in value. Conversely, as interest rates decrease, the prices of fixed income securities tend to increase. In a low interest rate environment, an increase in interest rates could have a negative impact on the price of fixed income securities, and could negatively impact a Fund’s portfolio of fixed income securities. Long-term fixed income securities normally have more price volatility than short-term fixed income securities. The value of certain equity investments, such as utilities and real estate-related securities, may also be sensitive to interest rate changes. A nominal interest rate can be described as the sum of a real interest rate and an expected inflation rate. Inflation-indexed securities, including TIPS, decline in value when real interest rates rise. In certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than normal interest rates, inflation-indexed securities may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar durations.
Floating rate investments have adjustable interest rates and as a result, generally fluctuate less in response to interest rate changes than will fixed-rate investments. However, because floating rates generally only reset periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates may cause a fluctuation in a Fund’s value. In addition, extreme increases in prevailing interest rates may cause an increase in defaults on floating rate investments, which may cause a further decline in a Fund’s value. Finally, a decrease in interest rates could adversely affect the income earned by the Fund from its floating rate debt securities.
At times, when interest rates in the United States are at or near historic lows, a Fund may face increased exposure to risks associated with rising interest rates.
Investment strategy risk – The investment manager uses the principal investment strategies and other investment strategies to seek to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. Investment decisions made by the investment manager in accordance with these investment strategies may not produce the returns the investment manager expected, and may cause the Fund’s shares to decline in value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Investment style risk – The returns from a certain investment style may be lower than the returns from the overall stock market. For example, value funds typically emphasize stocks whose prices are below-average in comparison to earnings and book value, although they may yield above-average dividends. A value stock may not increase in price if other investors fail to recognize the company’s value or the factors that are expected to increase the price of the security do not occur. As another example, growth funds generally focus on stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue and earnings. Growth stock prices frequently reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and if earnings growth expectations are not met, their stock prices will likely fall, which may reduce the value of a Fund’s investment in those stocks. Over market cycles, different investment styles may sometimes outperform other investment styles (for, example, growth investing may outperform value investing).
Investments in IPOs risk –The Fund may purchase shares issued as part of, or a short period after, companies’ initial public offerings (“IPOs”), and may at times dispose of those shares shortly after their acquisition. The Fund’s purchase of shares issued in IPOs exposes it to the risks associated with companies that have little operating history as public companies, as well as to the risks inherent in those sectors of the market where these new issuers operate. The market for IPO issuers has been volatile, and share prices of newly public companies have fluctuated in significant amounts over short periods of time. The purchase of shares issued in IPOs may have a greater impact upon the Fund’s total returns during any period that the Fund has a small asset base. As the Fund’s assets grow, any impact of IPO investments on the Fund’s total return may decline.
Large-capitalization investing risk – Large-capitalization stocks as a group could fall out of favor with the market, which may cause the Fund to underperform funds that focus on other types of stocks. In addition, larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in technology and consumer preferences. Many larger companies also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.
Leverage risk – Certain transactions, such as reverse repurchase agreements, futures, forwards, swaps, or other derivative instruments, include the use of leverage and may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions at disadvantageous times to satisfy its obligations or to meet asset segregation requirements. Leverage, including borrowing, may cause the Fund to be more volatile because leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. The effect of using leverage is to amplify the Fund’s gains and losses in comparison to the amount of the Fund’s assets (that is, assets other than borrowed assets) at risk, which may cause the Fund’s portfolio to be more volatile. If the Fund uses leverage, the Fund has the risk of capital losses that exceed the net assets of the Fund. To minimize these risks, the Fund attempts to segregate on its books (cover) liquid assets sufficient to cover the value of such transactions; however, such coverage techniques may not always be successful and the Funds could lose money.
LIBOR replacement risk – In addition to other interbank offered rates, the most common benchmark rate for floating rate securities is London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is the rate of interest offered on short-term interbank deposits, as determined by trading between major international banks. The UK Financial Conduct Authority has announced that LIBOR rates will no longer be published after the end of 2021.The elimination of LIBOR may adversely affect the interest rates on, and value of, certain Fund investments for which the value is tied to LIBOR. Alternatives to LIBOR are established or in development in most major currencies, including the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) that is intended to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR. Markets are slowly developing in response to these new reference rates. However, questions around the rate transition’s effect on the liquidity of securities and how to appropriately adjust these rates at the time of transition remain undetermined for a Fund. The effects of discontinuation of LIBOR on a Fund will vary, and it is difficult to predict the full impact of the transition away from LIBOR on a Fund until new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new products, instruments and contracts are commercially accepted and market practices become more settled.
Liquidity risk – Investments in securities that are difficult to purchase or sell (illiquid or thinly traded securities) may reduce returns if the Fund is unable to sell the securities at an advantageous time or price or achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. An “illiquid investment” is defined as an investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven (7) calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Liquidity risk arises, for example, from small average trading volumes, trading restrictions, or temporary suspensions of trading. In times of market volatility, certain securities or classes of securities may become illiquid. Government or regulatory actions may decrease market liquidity, and the liquidity for certain securities. Small-capitalization companies and companies domiciled in emerging markets pose greater liquidity and price volatility risks. Certain securities that were liquid when purchased may later become illiquid or less liquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress. Illiquid securities may also be difficult to value, may be required to be fair valued according to the valuation procedures approved by the Board, and may reflect a discount, which may be significant, from the market price of comparable securities for which a liquid market exists. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund will not be able to meet requests to redeem shares issued by a Fund without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interests in the Fund because of unusual market conditions, an unusually high volume of redemption requests, or other reasons. To meet redemption requests, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions. In addition, although the fixed-income securities markets have grown significantly in the last few decades, regulations and business practices have led some financial intermediaries to curtail their capacity to engage in trading (i.e., “market making”) activities for certain debt securities. As a result, dealer inventories of fixed-income securities, which provide an indication of the ability of financial intermediaries to make markets in fixed-income securities, are at or near historic lows relative to market size. Because market makers help stabilize the market through their financial intermediary services, further reductions in dealer inventories could have the potential to decrease liquidity and increase volatility in the fixed-income securities markets.
Managed portfolio risk – As an actively managed portfolio, the value of the Fund’s investments could decline because the financial condition of an issuer may change (due to such factors as management performance, reduced demand or overall market changes), financial markets may fluctuate or overall prices may decline, or the Fund’s manager’s investment techniques could fail to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, or may negatively affect the Fund’s investment performance, or legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques
available to the manager of the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.
Market risk – Stock market risk refers to the fact that stock (equity securities) prices typically fluctuate more than the values of other types of securities, typically in response to changes in the particular company’s financial condition and factors affecting the market in general. Over time, the stock market tends to move in cycles, with periods when stock prices rise, and periods when stock prices decline. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the price of the various stocks held by the Fund. Consequently, a broad-based market drop may also cause a stock’s price to fall.
Bond market risk generally refers to credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the actual or perceived risk that the issuer of the bond will not pay the interest and principal payments when due. Bond value typically declines if the issuer’s credit quality deteriorates. Interest rate risk is the risk that interest rates will rise and the value of bonds will fall. A broad-based market drop may also cause a bond’s price to fall.
Portfolio securities may also decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally, such as real or perceived adverse economic, political or regulatory conditions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment, public health issues, war, terrorism or natural disasters, or due to factors affecting particular industries represented in the securities markets, such as competitive conditions. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole, and adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may not have the same impact on all types of securities. In addition, the markets may not favor a particular kind of security, including equity securities or bonds. The values of securities may fall due to factors affecting a particular issuer, industry or the securities market as a whole.
Mid-capitalization and small-capitalization investing risk – The securities of mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies involve greater risks than those associated with larger, more established companies and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements. Securities of such issuers may lack sufficient market liquidity to enable a Fund to effect sales at an advantageous time or without a substantial drop in price. Both mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies often have narrower markets and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. As a result, their performance can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of a Fund’s portfolio. Securities of such issuers may lack sufficient market liquidity to conduct transactions at an advantageous time, or without a substantial drop in price. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater these risks become.
Model risk – Funds that use models bear the risk that the proprietary quantitative models used by the portfolio managers will not be successful in identifying securities that will help the Funds achieve their investment objectives, which may cause a Fund to underperform its benchmark or other funds with a similar investment objective.
Pacific Rim investing risk – The Pacific Rim economies are in various stages of economic development. Many of the economies in the region can be characterized as developing, newly industrialized, or developed. Many of the Pacific Rim economies may be intertwined, so they may experience recessions at the same time. Furthermore, many of the Pacific Rim economies are characterized by high inflation, undeveloped financial services sectors, heavy reliance on international trade, frequent currency fluctuations, devaluations, or restrictions, political and social instability, and less efficient markets. The Australia and New Zealand economies are largely dependent on the economies of Asian countries and on the price and demand for agricultural products and natural resources. If a Fund concentrates investments in Pacific Rim markets, the Fund’s performance is expected to be closely tied to social, political, and economic conditions within the Pacific Rim region and to be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds.
Portfolio turnover risk – Frequent changes in the securities held by a Fund, including investments made on a shorter-term basis or in derivative instruments or in instruments with a maturity of one year or less at the time of acquisition, may increase transaction costs, which may reduce performance.
Redemption risk – Large redemption activity could result in the Fund being forced to sell portfolio securities at a loss or before the Adviser or Sub-Adviser would otherwise decide to do so. Large redemption activity in the Fund may also result in increased expense ratios, higher levels of realized capital gains or losses with respect to the Fund's portfolio securities, higher brokerage commissions, and other transaction costs. It could be difficult for a Fund to meet large redemption requests where there is minimal liquidity in the Fund’s portfolio securities.
Regulatory investment limits risk – The U.S. “Federal Securities Laws” may limit the amount a Fund may invest in certain securities. These limits may be Fund specific or they may apply to the investment manager. As a result of these regulatory limitations under the Federal Securities Laws and the asset management and financial industry business activities of the investment manager and its affiliates, the investment manager and the Fund may be prohibited from or limited in effecting transactions in certain securities. The investment manager and the Fund may encounter trading limitations or restrictions because of aggregation issues or other regulatory requirements. The Federal Securities Laws may impose position limits on securities held by the Fund, and the Fund may be limited as to which securities it may purchase or sell, as well as the timing of such purchases or sales. These regulatory investment limits may increase the Funds’ expenses and may limit the Funds’ performance.
Sector risk – Companies with similar characteristics may be grouped together in broad categories called sectors. Sector risk is the risk that securities of companies within specific sectors of the economy can perform differently than the overall market. For example, this may be due to changes in the regulatory or competitive environment, or changes in investor perceptions regarding a sector. Because the Fund may allocate relatively more assets to certain sectors than others, the Fund’s performance may be more susceptible to any developments which affect those sectors emphasized by the Fund. In addition, the Fund could underperform other funds investing in similar sectors or comparable benchmarks because of the portfolio managers’ choice of securities within such sector.
Air transportation sector risk – The air transportation sector can be significantly affected by competition within the industry, domestic and foreign economies, government regulation, labor relations, terrorism, and the price of fuel. Airline deregulation has substantially diminished the government’s role in the air transport sector while promoting an increased level of competition. However, regulations and policies of various domestic and foreign governments can still affect the profitability of individual carriers as well as the entire industry.
Financial services sector risk – An investment in issuers in the financial services sector may be adversely affected by, among other things: (i) changes in the regulatory framework or interest rates that may negatively affect financial service businesses; (ii) exposure of a financial institution to a non-diversified or concentrated loan portfolio; (iii) exposure to financial leverage and/or investments or agreements which, under certain circumstances, may lead to losses, for example sub-prime loans; and (iv) the risk that a market shock or other unexpected market, economic, political, regulatory, or other event might lead to a sudden decline in the values of most or all companies in the financial services sector.
Gold-mining companies sector risk – An investment in issuers in the gold-mining sector may be susceptible to financial, economic, political or market events, as well as government regulation, impacting the gold industry. Fluctuations in the price of gold often dramatically affect the profitability of companies in the gold-mining sector.
Health care sector risk – An investment in issuers in the health care sector may be adversely affected by government regulations and government health care programs and increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services. Health care companies are heavily dependent on patent protection and the expiration of a patent may adversely affect their profitability. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. Regulatory approvals are generally required before new drugs and medical devices or procedures may be introduced and before the acquisition of additional facilities by health care providers, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market. Health care companies are also subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Health care companies may also be thinly capitalized and susceptible to product obsolescence.
Infrastructure companies sector risk – Securities and instruments of infrastructure companies are more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting their industries. Infrastructure companies may be subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, high leverage, costs associated with environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown, surplus capacity, increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning the availability of fuel at reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors. Infrastructure companies may also be affected by or subject to: regulation by various government authorities; government regulation of rates charged to customers; service interruption due to environmental, operational or other mishaps; the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and accounting standards; and
general changes in market sentiment toward infrastructure and utilities assets. Other factors that may affect the operations of infrastructure-related companies include innovations in technology, significant changes to the number of ultimate end-users of a company’s products, increased susceptibility to terrorist acts or political actions, risks of environmental damage due, and general changes in market sentiment toward infrastructure and utilities assets.
Natural resource-related securities risk – An investment in natural resource-related securities may be subject to the risks associated with natural resource investments in addition to the general risk of the stock market. Such investments are more vulnerable to the price movements of natural resources and factors that particularly affect the oil, gas, mining, energy, chemicals, paper, steel or agriculture sectors. Such factors may include price fluctuations caused by real and perceived inflationary trends and political developments, the cost assumed by natural resource companies in complying with environmental and safety regulations, changes in supply of, or demand for, various natural resources, changes in energy prices, the success of exploration projects, changes in commodity prices, and special risks associated with natural or man-made disasters. A Fund that invests primarily in companies with natural resource assets is subject to the risk that it may perform poorly during a downturn in natural resource prices.
Precious metals-related securities risk – Prices of precious metals and of precious metals-related securities historically have been very volatile. The high volatility of precious metal prices may adversely affect the financial condition of companies involved with precious metals. The production and sale of precious metals by governments or central banks or other larger holders can be affected by various economic, financial, social and political factors, which may be unpredictable and may have a significant impact on the prices of precious metals. Other factors that may affect the prices of precious metals and securities related to them include changes in inflation, the outlook for inflation and changes in industrial and commercial demand for precious metals.
Utilities sector risk – Utility company securities are particularly sensitive to interest rate movements; when interest rates rise, the stock prices of these companies tend to fall. The continually changing regulatory environment, at both the state and federal level, has led to greater competition in the industry and the emergence of non-regulated providers as a significant part of the industry, which may make some companies less profitable. Companies in the utilities industry may: (i) be subject to risks associated with the difficulty of obtaining adequate returns on invested capital in spite of frequent rate increases and of financing large construction programs during periods of inflation; (ii) face restrictions on operations and increased costs due to environmental and safety regulations, including increased fuel costs; (iii) find that existing plants and equipment or products have been rendered obsolete by technical innovations; (iv) confront challenging environmental conditions, including natural or man-made disasters; (v) tackle difficulties of the capital markets in absorbing utility debt and equity securities; (vi) incur risks associated with the operation of nuclear power plants; and (vii) face the effects of energy conservation and other factors affecting the level of demand for services. Government regulators monitor and control utility revenues and costs, and therefore may limit utility profits. The deregulation of certain utility companies may eliminate restrictions on profits, but may also subject these companies to greater risks of loss. Adverse regulatory changes could prevent or delay utilities from passing along cost increases to customers, which could hinder a utility’s ability to meet its obligations to its suppliers. Furthermore, regulatory authorities, which may be subject to political and other pressures, may not grant future rate increases, or may impose accounting or operational policies, any of which could affect a company's profitability and the value of its securities. In addition, federal, state and municipal governmental authorities may review existing construction projects, and impose additional, regulations governing the licensing, construction and operation of power plants. Any of these factors could result in a material adverse impact on the Fund’s holdings and the performance of the Fund and, to the extent a Fund is concentrated in the utilities sector, any potential material adverse impact may be magnified.
Securities lending risk – The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions provided a number of conditions are satisfied, including that the loan is fully collateralized. When the Fund lends portfolio securities, its investment performance will continue to reflect changes in the value of the securities loaned, and the fund will also receive a fee or interest on the collateral. Securities lending involves the risk of loss or delays in recovery of the loaned security or loss of rights in the collateral if the borrower fails to return the security loaned or becomes insolvent. The Fund will also bear the risk of any decline in value of securities acquired with cash collateral. The Fund may pay lending fees to a party arranging the loan.
Segregated account risk – A security held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position it is covering is outstanding, unless it is replaced with a similar security. As a result, there is a possibility that segregation in a specific segregated account of a large percentage of the Fund’s assets could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Settlement risk – Settlement risk is the risk that a settlement in a transfer system does not take place as expected. Delayed settlement may affect a Fund’s liquidity due to the timing and receipt of the proceeds from the sale of that security. Loan transactions often settle on a delayed basis compared with securities and the Fund may not receive proceeds from the sale of a loan for a substantial period after the sale, potentially impacting the ability of the Fund to make additional investments or meet redemption obligations. It may take longer than seven days for transactions in loans to settle. In order to meet short-term liquidity needs, the Fund may draw on its cash or other short-term positions, maintain short-term or other liquid assets sufficient to meet reasonably anticipated redemptions, or maintain a credit facility.
Short sales risk – A short sale may be effected by selling a security that the Fund does not own. If the price of the security sold short increases, the Fund would incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a gain. The Fund may take a short position in securities or in a derivative instrument, such as a future, forward or swap. Short sales involve greater reliance on the investment manager’s ability to accurately anticipate the future value of an instrument, potentially higher transaction and other costs (that will reduce potential Fund gains and increase potential Fund losses), and imperfect correlation between the actual and desired level of exposure. Because the Fund’s potential loss on a short position arises from increases in the value of the asset sold short, the extent of such loss, like the price of the asset sold short, is theoretically unlimited. By investing the proceeds received from selling securities short, the Fund could be deemed to be employing a form of leverage, which creates special risks. The Fund’s long positions could decline in value at the same time that the value of the short positions increase, thereby increasing the Fund’s overall potential for loss to a greater extent than would occur without the use of leverage. Short positions typically involve increased liquidity risk and transaction costs, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms.
Small-capitalization investing risk – Investing in smaller companies, some of which may be newer companies or start-ups, generally involves greater risks than investing in larger, more established ones. The securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations often are less widely held and trade less frequently and in lesser quantities, and their market prices often fluctuate more, than the securities of companies with larger market capitalizations. In addition, such securities may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements. Securities of such issuers may lack sufficient market liquidity to enable the Fund to effect sales at an advantageous time or without a substantial drop in price. Small-capitalization companies often have limited product lines, narrower markets and more limited managerial and financial resources, or may depend on the expertise of a few people, than larger, more established companies. As a result, their performance can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of the Fund’s portfolio. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater these risks become.
Stock risk – Stock markets may experience significant short-term volatility and may fall sharply at times. Different stock markets may behave differently from each other and U.S. stock markets may move in the opposite direction from one or more foreign stock markets. The prices of individual stocks generally do not all move in the same direction at the same time and a variety of factors can affect the price of a particular company’s stock.
Subsidiary risk (for JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund only) – Each applicable Fund is the sole owner of a Cayman Islands entity (each, a “Subsidiary”), which invests directly in its Subsidiary. By investing in its Subsidiary, a Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiary’s investments. The commodity-related instruments held by a Subsidiary are generally similar to those that are permitted to be held by its parent Fund without regard to certain U.S. federal income tax rules, and are generally subject to the same risks that apply to similar investments held directly by the Fund (see “Commodity-linked derivatives risk,” “Commodities regulatory risk,” and “Commodity Risk” above). There can be no assurance that the investment objective of any Subsidiary will be achieved. Each Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, is not subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. However, each Fund wholly owns and controls its Subsidiary, and each Fund and its Subsidiary is managed by the Fund’s Adviser and applicable Sub-Adviser, making it unlikely that a Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of its parent Fund and its shareholders. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of a Fund and/or its Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and the Fund’s SAI and could affect the Fund.
Swaps risk – Swap agreements are subject to the risks of derivatives, including risk that the party with whom the Fund has entered into the swap will default on its obligation to pay the Fund and the risk that the Fund will not be able to meet its obligations to pay the other party to the agreement. Swap agreements historically have been OTC, two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods typically ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. There are various types of swaps, including but not limited to, total return swaps, credit default swaps and interest rate swaps; all of these and other swaps are derivatives and as such, each is subject to the general risks relating to derivatives described herein.
The Dodd–Frank Act mandates a new regulatory framework for trading swaps in the United States. Standardized swaps will be required to be executed on or subject to the rules of designated contract markets or swap execution facilities and cleared by a central counterparty, a derivatives clearing organization (“DCO”). Central clearing is intended to reduce the risk of default by the counterparty. However, central clearing may increase the costs of swap transactions by requiring the posting of initial and variation margin. There may also be risks introduced of a possible default by the DCO or by a clearing member or futures commission merchant through which a swap is submitted for clearing. The regulations to implement the Dodd-Frank Act as well as other foreign regulations are still being developed so there may be further changes to the system intended to safeguard the collateral of parties to swaps.
Temporary defensive positions and large cash positions risk – In anticipation of, or in response to, adverse market or other conditions, or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, and Sub-Adviser transitions, and/or Fund mergers or rebalances, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a significant portion, without limitation, of its assets in cash, cash equivalents, affiliated and unaffiliated money market funds, or high-quality debt instruments. During periods in which the Fund employs such a temporary defensive strategy or holds large cash positions, it will not be pursuing, and will not achieve, its investment objective. Taking a defensive or large cash position may reduce the potential for appreciation of the portfolio and may affect performance.
Unseasoned issuers risk – Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell.
Volatility risk – The Fund may have investments that appreciate or depreciate significantly in value over short periods of time. This may cause the Fund’s net asset value per share to experience significant appreciations or depreciations in value over short periods of time.
When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments risk – When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments transactions arise when securities are purchased by the Fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price or yield to the Fund at the time of entering into the transaction. When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose value prior to its delivery. There also is 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. In addition, these investments may create a form of investment leverage, which may increase the Fund’s volatility and may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio securities when it may not be advantageous.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
February 12, 2021
JNL SERIES TRUST
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund
(a series of JNL Series Trust)
(the “Acquired Fund”)
AND
JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund
(a series of JNL Series Trust)
(the “Acquiring Fund”)
1 Corporate Way
Lansing, Michigan 48951
(517) 381-5500
Acquisition of the assets and assumption of the liabilities of: | By and in exchange for shares of: |
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund | JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund |
This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) relates specifically to the proposed reorganization of the Acquired Fund into the Acquiring Fund under which the Acquiring Fund would acquire all of the assets of the Acquired Fund in exchange solely for shares of the Acquiring Fund and that Acquiring Fund’s assumption of all of the Acquired Fund’s liabilities (the “Reorganization”). This SAI is available to separate accounts, registered investment companies, and non-qualified plans of Jackson National Life Insurance Company or Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York with amounts allocated to the Acquired Fund and to other shareholders of the Acquired Fund as of January 29, 2021.
This SAI consists of the cover page, the information set forth below and the following described documents, each of which is incorporated by reference herein and accompanies this SAI:
(1) The Acquired Fund’s and the Acquiring Fund’s Statement of Additional Information dated April 27, 2020, as supplemented (File Nos. 033-87244 and 811-08894);
(2) The Annual Report to Shareholders of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (File Nos. 033-87244 and 811-08894); and
(3) The Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund for the period ended June 30, 2020 (File Nos. 033-87244 and 811-08894).
This SAI is not a prospectus. A Proxy Statement and Prospectus dated February 12, 2021, relating to the Reorganization (the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”) may be obtained at no charge by calling 1-800-644-4565 (Jackson Service Center), 1-800-599-5651 (Jackson NY Service Center), by writing JNL Series Trust, P.O. Box 30314, Lansing, Michigan 48909-7814 or by visiting www.jackson.com. This SAI should be read in conjunction with the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION
JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund merging into JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund
In accordance with the instructions to the Form N-14 proxy statement and prospectus, pro forma financial information for JNL/Boston Partners Global Long Short Equity Fund (“Boston Partners Fund”) and JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (“Multi-Manager Fund”) after giving effect to the proposed reorganization (the “Reorganization”) is not required to be included in this SAI because the net assets of the Boston Partners Fund as of December 1, 2020, within 30 days prior to date of filing of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus for the Reorganization, are less than 10 percent of the net assets of the Multi-Manager Fund.
JNL SERIES TRUST
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 15. Indemnification. |
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Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust: Article IV of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, as amended, provides that each of its Trustees and Officers (including persons who serve at the Registrant’s request as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Registrant has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) (each, a “Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Registrant against all liabilities and expenses that may be incurred by reason of being or having been such a Covered Person, except that no Covered Person shall be indemnified against any liability to the Registrant or its shareholders to which such Covered Person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person’s office. |
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Article IV, Section 4.3 of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, as amended, provides the following: |
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(a) | Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in paragraph (b) below: |
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| (i) | every person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust (including any individual who serves at its request as director, officer, partner, trustee or the like of another organization in which it has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) shall be indemnified by the Trust, or by one or more Series thereof if the claim arises from his or her conduct with respect to only such Series (unless the Series was terminated prior to any such liability or claim being known to the Trustees, in which case such obligations, to the extent not satisfied out of the assets of a Series, the obligation shall be an obligation of the Trust), to the fullest extent permitted by law against all liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Trustee or officer and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof; |
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| (ii) | the words “claim,” “action,” “suit,” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, or other, including appeals), actual or threatened; and the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include, without limitation, attorneys' fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities. |
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(b) | No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Trustee or officer: |
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| (i) | against any liability to the Trust, a Series thereof or the Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office; |
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| (ii) | with respect to any matter as to which he shall have been finally adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust or a Series thereof; |
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| (iii) | in the event of a settlement or other disposition not involving a final adjudication as provided in paragraph (b)(ii) resulting in a payment by a Trustee or officer, unless there has been a determination that such Trustee or officer did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office: |
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| | (A) | by the court or other body approving the settlement or other disposition; |
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| | (B) | based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) by (i) vote of a majority of the Non-interested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Non-interested Trustees then in office act on the matter) or (ii) written opinion of independent legal counsel; or |
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| | (C) | by a vote of a majority of the Shares outstanding and entitled to vote (excluding Shares owned of record or beneficially by such individual). |
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(c) | The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not affect any other rights to which any Trustee or officer may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be such Trustee or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and assigns of such a person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which personnel of the Trust or any Series thereof other than Trustees and officers may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law. |
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(d) | Expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding of the character described in paragraph (a) of this Section 4.3 may be advanced by the Trust or a Series thereof prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the recipient to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under this Section 4.3, provided that either: |
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| (i) | such undertaking is secured by a surety bond or some other appropriate security provided by the recipient, or the Trust or Series thereof shall be insured against losses arising out of any such advances; or |
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| (ii) | a majority of the Non-interested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Non-interested Trustees act on the matter) or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion shall determine, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the recipient ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification. |
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As used in Section 4.3 of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, a “Non-interested Trustee” is one who (i) is not an Interested Person of the Trust (including anyone who has been exempted from being an Interested Person by any rule, regulation or order of the Commission), and (ii) is not involved in the claim, action, suit or proceeding. |
Indemnification Arrangements: The foregoing indemnification arrangements are subject to the provisions of Section 17(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. |
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Insofar as indemnification by the Registrant for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, 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 such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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 director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted against the Registrant by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
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In addition to the above indemnification, Jackson National Life Insurance Company extends its indemnification of its own officers, directors and employees to cover such persons’ activities as officers, trustees or employees of the Registrant. |
Item 16. Exhibits | |
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(1) | | | | |
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(2) | | | | |
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(3) | | | Not Applicable. | |
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(4) | | | Plan of Reorganization, filed as Appendix A to the Proxy Statement and Prospectus set forth in Part A to this Registration Statement on Form N-14. | |
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(5) | | | Provisions of instruments defining the rights of holders of the securities being registered are contained in the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-laws (See Exhibits (1) and (2) above). | |
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(6) | (a) | | Jackson National Asset Management, LLC (“JNAM”) | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| | (v) | | |
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| | (vi) | | |
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| | (vii) | | |
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| | (viii) | | |
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| | (ix) | | |
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| | (x) | | |
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| | (xi) | | |
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| | (xii) | | |
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| | (xiii) | | |
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| | (xiv) | | |
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| | (xv) | | |
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| | (xvi) | | |
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| | (xvii) | | |
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| | (xviii) | | |
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| | (xix) | | |
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| | (xx) | | |
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| | (xxi) | | |
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| (b) | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| (c) | | Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (formerly, Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (“Robeco”) (“Boston Partners”) | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| | (v) | | |
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| | (vi) | | |
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| | (vii) | | |
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| | (viii) | | |
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| | (ix) | | |
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| (d) | | DoubleLine Capital LP (“DoubleLine”) | |
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| | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| | (v) | | |
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| | (vi) | | |
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| | (vii) | | |
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| | (viii) | | |
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| | (ix) | | |
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| | (x) | | |
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| (e) | | Lazard Asset Management LLC (“Lazard”) | |
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| | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| | (v) | | |
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| | (vi) | | |
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| | (vii) | | |
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| | (viii) | | |
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| | (ix) | | |
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| | (x) | | |
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| | (xi) | | |
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| | (xii) | | |
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| | (xiii) | | |
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| (f) | | Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. (“Loomis”) | |
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| | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| (g) | | Westchester Capital Management, LLC (“Westchester”) | |
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| | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| (h) | | Western Asset Management Company, LLC (“Western”) | |
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| | (i) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between JNAM and Western, effective July 31, 2020.22 | |
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(7) | | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| | (v) | | |
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(8) | | | Not Applicable. | |
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(9) | | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| | (v) | | |
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| | (vi) | | |
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| | (vii) | | |
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| | (viii) | | |
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| | (ix) | | |
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| | (x) | | |
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| | (xi) | Amendment, effective August 13, 2018, to Custody Agreement between Registrant, State Street, RICs, Cayman Entities, and PPM Funds, dated December 30, 2010. 17 (This amendment adds JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd. and JNL/Eaton Vance Global Macro Absolute Return Advantage Fund Ltd., additional “Cayman Entities,” as parties.) | |
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| | (xii) | | |
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| | (xiii) | | |
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| | (xiv) | Amendment, effective April 27, 2020, to Custody Agreement between Registrant, State Street, RICs, Cayman Entities, and PPM Funds, dated December 30, 2010. 21 (This amendment removes JNL/Eaton Vance Global Macro Absolute Return Advantage Fund Ltd., JNL/Neuberger Berman Commodity Strategy Fund Ltd., and certain registered investment companies, as parties.) | |
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| | (xv) | Amendment, effective November 10, 2020, to Custody Agreement between Registrant, State Street, JNL Investors Series Trust, JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd., and PPM Funds, dated December 30, 2010.22 | |
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(10) | (a) | (i) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| (b) | (i) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| | (v) | | |
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| | (vi) | | |
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| | (viii) | | |
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| | (ix) | | |
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| | (x) | | |
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| | (xi) | | |
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| | (xii) | | |
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| | (xiii) | | |
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(11) | | | Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding legality of shares being registered, attached hereto. | |
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(12) | | | Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding tax matters and consequences to shareholders discussed in the Proxy Statement and Prospectus, to be filed by amendment. | |
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(13) | (a) | (i) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| | (v) | | |
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| | (vi) | | |
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| | (vii) | | |
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| | (viii) | | |
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| | (ix) | | |
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| | (x) | | |
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| | (xi) | | |
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| | (xii) | | |
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| | (xiii) | | |
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| | (xiv) | | |
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| | (xv) | | |
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| | (xvi) | | |
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| | (xix) | | |
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| | (xx) | | |
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| | (xxi) | | |
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| | (xxii) | | |
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| | (xxiii) | | |
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| | (xxiv) | | |
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| (b) | (i) | | |
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| (c) | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| (d) | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| (e) | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| (f) | (i) | | |
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| | (ii) | | |
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| | (iii) | | |
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| | (iv) | | |
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| (g) | (i) | | |
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| | (vi) | | |
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| | (viii) | | |
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| | (ix) | | |
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| | (x) | | |
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| | (xi) | | |
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| | (xii) | | |
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| | (xiii) | | |
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| | (xiv) | | |
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| | (xv) | | |
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(14) | | | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, attached hereto. | |
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(15) | | | None. | |
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(16) | | | Powers of Attorney, dated June 1, 2020, attached hereto. | |
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(17) | | | Form of Proxy and Voting Instruction Cards, attached hereto. | |
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1 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to its registration statement on Form N-1A (033-87244; 811-8894) (“Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on January 3, 2011. | |
2 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 26, 2012. | |
3 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 106 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on August 24, 2012. | |
4 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on December 19, 2012. | |
5 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 26, 2013. | |
6 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on September 13, 2013. | |
7 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 121 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 25, 2014. | |
8 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 125 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on September 12, 2014. | |
9 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 129 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 24, 2015. | |
10 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 134 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on September 25, 2015. | |
11 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 139 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 22, 2016. | |
12 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on September 16, 2016. | |
13 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 146 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on December 16, 2016. | |
14 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 21, 2017. | |
15 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 155 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on September 22, 2017. | |
16 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 27, 2018. | |
17 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 161 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on August 10, 2018. | |
18 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 163 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on December 17, 2018. | |
19 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 166 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 26, 2019. | |
20 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on December 16, 2019. | |
21 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 171 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on April 23, 2020. | |
22 | Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 174 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC on December 11, 2020. | |
Item 17. Undertakings. | |
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(1) The undersigned Registrant agrees that prior to any public reoffering of the securities registered through the use of a prospectus which is a part of this Registration Statement by any person or party who is deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of Rule 145(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the reoffering prospectus will contain the information called for by the applicable registration form for reofferings by persons who may be deemed underwriters, in addition to the information called for by the other items of the applicable form.
(2) The undersigned Registrant agrees that every prospectus that is filed under paragraph (1) above will be filed as a part of an amendment to the Registration Statement and will not be used until the amendment is effective, and that, in determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement for the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering of them.
(3) The Registrant agrees to file an executed copy of the opinion of counsel supporting the tax consequences of the proposed reorganization as an amendment to this Registration Statement within a reasonable time after receipt of such opinion.
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SIGNATURES | | |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form N-14 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Lansing and the State of Michigan on the 18th day of December, 2020. | | |
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JNL SERIES TRUST | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett | | |
Emily J. Bennett | | |
Assistant Secretary | | |
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As required by the 1933 Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated. | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Eric O. Anyah | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Michael Bouchard | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Ellen Carnahan | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
William Crowley, Jr. | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Michelle Engler | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
John W. Gillespie | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
William R. Rybak | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Mark S. Wehrle | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Edward C. Wood | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Patricia A. Woodworth | | | |
Trustee | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Mark D. Nerud | | | |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | | |
Andrew Tedeschi | | | |
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | | | |
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* By Emily J. Bennett, Attorney In Fact | | | |
SIGNATURES | |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,, JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd. has duly caused this Registration Statement of JNL Series Trust on Form N-14, with respect only to information that specifically relates to JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd., to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Lansing and the State of Michigan on the 18th day of December, 2020. | |
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JNL MULTI-MANAGER ALTERNATIVE FUND (BOSTON PARTNERS) LTD. | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | |
Mark D. Nerud | |
Director of JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd. | |
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This Registration Statement of JNL Series Trust, with respect only to information that specifically relates to the JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd., has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities on the dates indicated: | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | |
Daniel W. Koors | | |
Director of JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd. | | |
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/s/ Emily J. Bennett * | December 18, 2020 | |
Mark D. Nerud | | |
Director of JNL Multi-Manager Alternative Fund (Boston Partners) Ltd. | | |
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* By Emily J. Bennett, Attorney In Fact | | |
EXHIBIT LIST | |
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(11) | | Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding legality of shares being registered | |
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(14) | | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | |
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(16) | | Powers of Attorney, dated June 1, 2020 | |
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(17) | | Form of Proxy and Voting Instruction Cards | |
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