10/28/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/28/2024 12:49
CULLEN ENHANCED EQUITY INCOME FUND | ||
Retail Class | Class I | Class C |
ENHRX | ENHNX | ENHCX |
Summary Prospectus
October 28, 2024
This summary prospectus is designed to provide investors with key fund information in a clear and concise format. Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's full prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. The Fund's full prospectus and statement of additional information, each dated October 28, 2024 and most recent annual report to shareholders, dated June 30, 2024 are all incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus. All this information may be obtained at no cost either: online at www.cullenfunds.com or by calling Cullen Funds at 1-877-485-8586.
Investment Objective
The Cullen Enhanced Equity Income Fund (the "Enhanced Equity Income Fund" or the "Fund") seeks long-term capital appreciation and current income.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment): |
Retail Class | Class C | Class I | |
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed)a | 2.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
Retail Class | Class C | Class I | |
Management Fee | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expensesb | 0.25% | 0.25% | 0.25% |
Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expensesc | 1.50% | 2.25% | 1.25% |
Less Expense Reduction/Reimbursementd | -0.50% | -0.50% | -0.50% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement |
1.00% | 1.75% | 0.75% |
a | You will be charged a 2% redemption fee if you redeem or exchange shares of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund within seven (7) days of purchase. The redemption fee is payable to the Enhanced Equity Income Fund and is intended to benefit the remaining shareholders by reducing the cost of short-term trading. The Enhanced Equity Income Fund's Transfer Agent charges a $15 wire redemption fee to shareholders who elect to redeem by wire transfer. |
b | Other expenses, which include custodian, transfer agency, shareholder servicing plan fees and other customary fund expenses, are based on actual amounts from the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's statement of operations for its most recently completed fiscal year. |
c | The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses in the table above may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets as reported in the "Financial Highlights" section of the Prospectus, which reflects the operating expenses of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. |
d | Cullen Capital Management LLC (the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to limit the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Acquired Fund Fees & Expenses, interest, taxes, and extraordinary expenses) to not more than 1.00% for Retail Class shares, 1.75% for Class C shares and 0.75% for Class I shares of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund, through October 31, 2025 (the "Termination Date"). The Adviser may, due to a recapture provision of the written fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement (the "Agreement"), recapture any expenses or fees it has reduced or reimbursed within a three-year period from the date of reimbursement, provided that recapture does not cause the Enhanced Equity Income Fund to exceed existing expense limitations. The Agreement to limit the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses may not be terminated by either the Enhanced Equity Income Fund or the Adviser prior to the Termination Date. |
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Expense Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Enhanced Equity Income Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Enhanced Equity Income Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes your investment has a 5% return each year, and that the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's operating expenses remain the same. 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* | |
Retail Class | $102 | $425 | $771 | $1,746 |
Class C | $178 | $655 | $1,159 | $2,543 |
Class I | $77 | $347 | $638 | $1,466 |
* | The Expense Example amounts assume that the expense waiver and reimbursement agreement remains in effect only through October 31, 2025. Thus, the 3 years, 5 years and 10 years examples reflect expense limitation and reimbursement only for the first year. |
Portfolio Turnover
The Enhanced Equity Income Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities ("portfolio turnover"). A higher portfolio turnover rate will result in higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when the Enhanced Equity Income Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's performance. Further, by writing covered call options, the Fund's portfolio securities are susceptible to being called by the holder of the option, thereby creating a likelihood of additional portfolio turnover. During the most recent fiscal period, the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 125% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Enhanced Equity Income Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investment purposes, in dividend paying common stocks of medium-capitalization companies (which are companies with a typical capitalization range of between $5 billion and $12 billion at the time of investment) and large-capitalization companies (which are companies with a typical capitalization range greater than $12 billion at the time of investment). As a point of comparison, a high dividend common stock that the Enhanced Equity Income Fund would invest in would generally have a dividend yield greater than the average dividend yield of the equity securities in the S&P 500® Index.
The Enhanced Equity Income Fund invests roughly similar amounts of its assets in each stock in the portfolio at the time of original purchase, although the portfolio is not systematically rebalanced. This approach avoids the overweighting of any individual security being purchased. In addition to seeking high dividend yield, the Adviser employs a "value" style investing approach, which means that it selects stocks for the portfolio by screening for securities with low price-to-earnings ratios but that possess above-average earnings and dividend growth potential. For securities that meet such screening criteria, the Adviser will conduct fundamental research on the underlying company. The Adviser may sell portfolio stocks when they are no longer attractive based on their growth potential, dividend yield or price.
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As part of its strategy, the Enhanced Equity Income Fund, in order to generate additional portfolio income, will selectively write covered call options, on a target range of between 25-40% of the underlying equity securities owned by the Enhanced Equity Income Fund. A call option is a short-term contract entitling the purchaser, in return for a premium paid, the right to buy the underlying equity security at a specified price upon exercise of the option at any time prior to its expiration. Writing a covered call option allows the Enhanced Equity Income Fund to receive a premium. A call option gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy the underlying equity stock from the writer of the option at a given price during a specific period.
The Enhanced Equity Income Fund may invest up to 30% of its assets in foreign securities. These investments are generally made in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), which trade on U.S. exchanges. ADRs may be purchased through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and a depositary, whereas a depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the depositary security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of such facilities and the depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting rights to the holders of such receipts.
The Enhanced Equity Income Fund generally invests substantially all of its assets in common stocks and ADRs but may invest in other equity securities, which can include convertible debt, exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") that invest primarily in equity securities, warrants, rights, equity interests in real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), equity interests in master limited partnerships ("MLPs"), and preferred stocks.
The Fund will not engage in derivatives except to the extent that the writing of covered call options is deemed to involve derivatives.
Principal Risks
Like all investments, investing in the Enhanced Equity Income Fund involves risks, including the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest.
General Stock Risks. The Enhanced Equity Income Fund's major risks are those of investing in the stock market, which can mean that the Enhanced Equity Income Fund may experience sudden, unpredictable declines in value, as well as periods of poor performance. Periods of poor performance and declines in value of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's underlying equity investments can be caused, and also be further prolonged, by many circumstances that can confront the global economy such as declining consumer and business confidence, malfunctioning credit markets, increased unemployment, reduced levels of capital expenditure, fluctuating commodity prices, bankruptcies, and other circumstances, all of which can individually and collectively have direct effects on the valuation and/or earnings power of the companies in which the Enhanced Equity Income Fund invests. Stock markets worldwide have experienced significant volatility in recent periods as a result of market participants reacting to economic data and market indicators that have contradicted previous assumptions and estimates. At times, these reactions have created scenarios where investors and traders have redeemed their investments/holdings en masse thereby creating additional and often significant downward price pressure than might be experienced in less volatile periods. In the future, market participants' views on the valuation and/or earnings power of a company and the overall state of the economy can cause similar significant short-term and long- term volatility in the value of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's shares. As a result, you could lose money investing in the Enhanced Equity Income Fund.
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Options or Covered Call Writing Risk. The Fund will write (i.e., sell) covered call options on the securities or instruments in which it may invest and to enter into closing purchase transactions with respect to certain of such options. The market price of the call will, in most instances, move in conjunction with the price of the underlying equity security. However, if the security rises in value and the call is exercised, the Enhanced Equity Income Fund may not participate fully in the market appreciation of the security, which may negatively affect your investment return. The Fund's writing of covered call options is also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligation.
Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), governs the use of certain derivatives by registered investment companies. The Fund has implemented policies and procedures to comply with Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 imposes limits on the amount of certain derivatives a fund can enter into, eliminated the asset segregation framework previously used by funds to comply with Section 18 of the 1940 Act, treats derivatives as senior securities and requires funds whose use of derivatives (including for purposes of Rule 18f- 4, covered call options) is more than a limited specified exposure amount to establish and maintain a comprehensive derivatives risk management program and appoint a derivatives risk manager.
The U.S. government may consider adopting and implementing other new, additional regulations governing derivatives markets, which new regulations may impact options or covered call writing, including mandatory clearing of certain derivatives, margin, reporting and registration requirements. The ultimate impact of the regulations remains unclear. Additional U.S. or other regulations may make derivatives more costly, impose reporting and other obligations on the Fund in connection with its investments in derivatives, may limit the availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of derivatives. Future regulatory developments may impact the Fund's ability to invest or remain invested in certain derivatives. The Adviser cannot predict the effects of any new governmental regulation that may be implemented on the ability of the Fund to use derivative products, including options or covered calls, and there can be no assurance that any new governmental regulation will not adversely affect the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objectives.
Medium-Capitalization Companies Risk. The Enhanced Equity Income Fund may invest in the stocks of medium-capitalization companies. Medium- capitalization companies often have narrower markets and limited managerial and financial resources compared to those of larger, more established companies. As a result, their performance can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business reversals, which could increase the volatility of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's portfolio.
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. The Enhanced Equity Income Fund may invest in the stocks of large-capitalization companies. Securities issued by large-capitalization companies tend to be less volatile than securities issued by smaller companies. However, larger companies may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies, especially during strong economic periods, and may be unable to respond as quickly to competitive challenges.
Value Style Investing Risk. Different types of equity investment strategies tend to shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions, and the performance resulting from the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's "value" investment style may sometimes be lower than that of equity funds following other styles of investment.
Foreign Securities Risk. Foreign investments involve additional risks, which include currency exchange-rate fluctuations, political and economic instability, differences in financial reporting standards, and less-strict regulation of securities markets. More specific risks include:
● | future political and economic developments, | |
● | the imposition of foreign withholding taxes on dividend and interest income payable on the securities, | |
● | the possible establishment of exchange controls, | |
● | the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign investments, and | |
● | the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment of amounts due with respect to such securities. |
You may lose money by investing in the Enhanced Equity Income Fund if any of the following occur:
● | foreign stock markets decline in value, | |
● | the Enhanced Equity Income Fund has difficulty selling smaller capitalization or emerging market stocks during a market due to lower liquidity, | |
● | the value of a foreign currency declines relative to the U.S. dollar, or | |
● | political, social or economic instability in a foreign country causes the value of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's investments to decline. |
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All of the risks of investing in foreign securities are heightened by investing in emerging markets. Emerging markets have been more volatile than the markets of developed countries with more mature economies. ADRs are subject to the risks of foreign investments and may not always track the price of the underlying foreign security. Even when denominated in U.S. currency, the depositary receipts are subject to currency risk if the underlying security is denominated in a foreign currency.
Market Disruptions Risk; Sovereign Debt Crises Risk. The global financial markets have in recent years undergone pervasive and fundamental disruptions. This global market turmoil has led to increased market volatility. Consumer and business confidence remains fragile and subject to possible reversal for a variety of reasons, including political uncertainty, and high and growing debt levels by many consumers, business institutions and governments in the United States, certain countries in Europe and elsewhere around the world. The securities of the United States, as well as several countries across Europe and Asia, have in recent years been, or are at risk of being, downgraded, and sovereign debt crises have persisted in certain countries in those regions. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. These events and circumstances could result in further market disruptions that could adversely affect financial markets on a global basis.
Government Intervention Risk. The global financial markets have in the past few years gone through pervasive and fundamental disruptions which have led to extensive and unprecedented governmental intervention. Such intervention has in certain cases been implemented on an "emergency" basis, suddenly and substantially eliminating market participants' ability to continue to implement certain strategies or manage the risk of their outstanding positions. In addition, these interventions have typically been unclear in scope and application, resulting in confusion and uncertainty which in itself has been materially detrimental to the efficient functioning of the markets as well as previously successful investment strategies.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities. High portfolio turnover (more than 100%) may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may result in the realization and/or distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading policies. These effects of higher than normal portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund performance.
Performance Information
The following bar chart shows the total return of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund from year to year (on a calendar year-to-date basis), and the table shows the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's average annual total return over time compared with one or more broad measures of market performance. The S&P 500 Index serves as the Fund's regulatory broad-based securities market index. Both the bar chart and the table assume that all dividends and distributions are reinvested in the Enhanced Equity Income Fund and, by comparing the Fund's performance to one or more broad measures of market performance, give some indication of the risks of an investment in the Fund. The Enhanced Equity Income Fund's past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Enhanced Equity Income Fund will perform in the future.
Updated performance information is available at www.cullenfunds.com or by calling 1-877-485-8586.
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Year-by-Year Total Return as of December 31, 2023
The Enhanced Equity Income Fund's 2024 year-to-date total return through September 30, 2024 was 11.95%.
Best and Worst Quarter Returns (for the period reflected in the bar chart above)
Return | Quarter/Year | |
Highest Return | 15.95% | Q2/2020 |
Lowest Return | -24.37% | Q1/2020 |
Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2023 | ||||
Enhanced Equity Income Fund, Retail Class | 1 Year | 5 Years |
Since Inception1 |
|
Returns before taxes | 0.79% | 7.96% | 6.82% | |
Returns after taxes on distributions2 | -0.69% | 5.92% | 4.56% | |
Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | 0.73% | 5.48% | 4.43% | |
Enhanced Equity Income Fund, Class I | ||||
Returns before taxes | 0.96% | 8.23% | 7.09% | |
Enhanced Equity Income Fund, Class C | ||||
Returns before taxes | -0.05% | 7.16% | 6.03% | |
CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 11.82% | 6.08% | 5.60% | |
S&P 500 Index3 | 26.29% | 15.69% | 13.17% |
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1 | The Enhanced Equity Income Fund commenced operations on December 15, 2015. The returns for the index have been calculated since the inception date of each class. |
2 | After-tax returns are shown for Retail Class shares only. After-tax returns for Class C and Class I shares will differ. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. Furthermore, the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to those who hold their shares through tax- deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). |
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Per new regulatory requirements, the Fund's regulatory broad-based securities market index is the S&P 500, which represents 500 of the largest companies listed on stock exchange in the United States. |
Investment Adviser
Cullen Capital Management LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Enhanced Equity Income Fund.
Portfolio Managers
James P. Cullen, the Adviser's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and controlling member, has been a portfolio manager of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund since the Fund's inception on December 15, 2015. He is also a founder of Schafer Cullen Capital Management, Inc., a registered investment adviser, and has been its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since December 1982.
Jennifer Chang has served as a co-portfolio manager of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund since its inception on December 15, 2015. Ms. Chang currently serves as Portfolio Manager and Executive Director at the Adviser and has worked there since 2006.
Tim Cordle has served as a co-portfolio manager of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund since its inception on December 15, 2015. Mr. Cordle currently serves as Portfolio Manager and Managing Director at the Adviser and has worked there since 2012.
Michael Gallant has served as a co-portfolio manager of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund since July 2020. Mr. Gallant currently serves as Portfolio Manager and Director of Research at the Adviser and has worked there since 2015.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading by written request to the addresses below, by wire transfer, by telephone at 1-877-485-8586 or through any broker/dealer organization that has a sales agreement with the Enhanced Equity Income Fund's distributor. Purchases and redemptions by telephone are only permitted if you previously established these options on your account.
Regular mail: Cullen Funds, PO Box 2170, Denver, Colorado 80201
Overnight mail: Cullen Funds c/o Paralel Technologies, 1700 Broadway, Suite 1850, Denver, Colorado 80290
The Enhanced Equity Income Fund accepts investment in the following minimum amounts:
Share Class: | Initial | Additional |
Retail Class-Regular Accounts | $1,000 | $100 |
Retail Class-IRAs and UGMA/UTMA Accounts, Simple | $250 | $50 |
IRA, SEP-IRA, 403(b)(7), Keogh, Pension Plan and Profit | ||
Sharing Plan Accounts | ||
Class C-Regular Accounts | $1,000 | $100 |
Class C-IRAs and UGMA/UTMA Accounts, Simple IRA, | $250 | $50 |
SEP-IRA, 403(b)(7), Keogh, Pension Plan and Profit | ||
Sharing Plan Accounts | ||
Class I | $1,000,000 | $100 |
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● | A registered investment adviser may aggregate all client accounts investing in Class I shares of the Enhanced Equity Income Fund to meet the investment minimum. | |
● | If you use an Automatic Investment Plan ("AIP") for a regular account for the Retail Class or Class C shares, the initial investment minimum to open an account is $50 and the additional investment minimum is $50. | |
● | If you use an AIP for a custodial or retirement plan account for the Retail Class or Class C shares, the initial investment minimum to open an account as well as the monthly additional investment amount is $25. |
Tax Information
The Enhanced Equity Income Fund's distributions to you are taxable and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case such distributions can be subject to U.S. federal income tax as ordinary income when distributed to, or received by, you from such tax-deferred arrangement.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Enhanced Equity Income Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank or financial adviser), the Enhanced Equity Income Fund and/or its Adviser 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 financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Enhanced Equity Income Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
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