Royce Investment Partners (“Royce”), the Fund’s investment adviser, invests the Fund’s assets primarily in equity securities of small-cap companies that Royce believes are trading below its estimate of their current worth. Small-cap companies are those that have a market capitalization not greater than that of the largest company in the Russell 2000® Index at the time of its most recent reconstitution. The Fund generally invests in such companies that Royce believes also possess financial strength, a strong business model, and the ability to generate and effectively allocate excess free cash flow.

The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of small-cap companies, under normal circumstances. Although the Fund generally focuses on securities of U.S. companies, it may invest up to 25% of its net assets (measured at the time of investment) in securities of companies headquartered in foreign countries. The Fund may invest in other investment companies that invest primarily in equity securities. The Fund may sell securities to, among other things, secure gains, limit losses, redeploy assets into what Royce deems to be more promising opportunities, and/or manage cash levels in the Fund’s portfolio.