Royce Investment Partners (“Royce”), the Fund’s investment adviser, invests the Fund’s assets in a limited number (generally less than 100) of equity securities of primarily small-cap companies at the time of investment. 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. Royce looks for companies that it considers “premier”—those that it believes are trading below its estimate of their current worth that also have excellent business strengths, strong balance sheets and/or improved prospects for growth, the potential for improvement in cash flow levels and internal rates of return, and franchise durability. 

The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of such premier companies, under normal circumstances. At least 65% of these securities will be issued by small-cap companies at the time of investment. The Fund may continue to hold or, in some cases, build positions in companies with higher market capitalizations. 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.