The Fund invests in equity securities of large and mid-sized companies that the Fund’s portfolio management team believes have potential for long-term total return and consistent increases in their dividends over time resulting from their earnings growth. In particular, the Fund focuses on large and mid-sized companies that have a ten-year history of dividend issuance and growth, which represents a narrow investable universe. The Fund may invest in companies of any size, but expects to invest in companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase of at least $500 million.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and privately offered trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and vehicles with similar legal structures, other instruments convertible or exercisable into the foregoing, and other investments with similar economic characteristics.

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies, including emerging market companies, American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), and other similar depositary receipts. In addition to ADRs, the Fund generally defines foreign companies as those whose securities are traded primarily on non-U.S. securities exchanges.

The investment team may also consider the risks and return potential presented by environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors in investment decisions. The Fund may sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, or shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, among other reasons. The Fund may deviate from the investment strategy described above for temporary defensive purposes. The Fund may miss certain investment opportunities if defensive strategies are used and thus may not achieve its investment objective.