09/10/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/10/2024 10:55
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS - MAY 1, 2024, AS REVISED SEPTEMBER 10, 2024
Guardian Equity Income VIP Fund
This Summary Prospectus is intended for use in connection with variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. and is not intended for use by other investors. Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's Statutory Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Statutory Prospectus and other information about the Fund, including the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI) and most recent annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, online at https://guardianvpt.onlineprospectus.net/GuardianVPT/Prospectuses/. You can also obtain this information at no cost by calling our Customer Service Office Contact Center at 1-888-GUARDIAN (1-888-482-7342) or from your financial intermediary. This Summary Prospectus incorporates by reference the Fund's Prospectus and SAI, each dated May 1, 2024, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks a high level of current income consistent with growth of capital.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table shows the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect charges, fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy through which Fund shares are offered as an investment option. If those charges, fees or expenses were reflected, the fees and expenses shown in the table would be higher. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the fee table or example below. For information about these charges, fees and expenses, please refer to the applicable contract or policy prospectus.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees |
0.50 |
% |
|||
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
None |
||||
Other Expenses |
0.15 |
% |
|||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.65 |
% |
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. This Example does not reflect charges, fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy, and would be higher if it did. 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 |
||||||||||||||
Guardian Equity Income VIP Fund |
$ |
66 |
$ |
208 |
$ |
362 |
$ |
810 |
Portfolio Turnover
The 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 the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. As of the end of its most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 37% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its assets in equity securities. Wellington Management Company LLP (the "Subadviser") uses fundamental analysis to identify securi-
Guardian Equity Income VIP Fund Summary Prospectus 1
ties that it believes offer above average yields, below average valuations and the potential for dividend increases in the future. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities of companies with market capitalizations above $2 billion. Fundamental analysis of a company involves the Subadviser's assessment of a variety of factors, including the company's business environment, management quality, balance sheet, income statement, anticipated earnings, revenues and dividends, and other related measures or indicators of valuation and growth potential. At the time of investment, every equity security in which the Fund invests must pay a dividend or be expected to pay a dividend within the next 12 months. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in the equity securities of foreign issuers and non-dollar securities or through American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") or Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"). Based on market or economic conditions, the Fund may, through its stock selection process, focus in one or more sectors of the market.
Principal Investment Risks
The risks summarized below are the principal risks of investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and it is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.
Market Risk. The financial and securities markets are very volatile and may be affected by political, regulatory, social, economic, and other global market developments and disruptions, including those arising out of geopolitical events, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), natural disasters, terrorism, and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The market value of securities in which the Fund invests is based upon the market's perception of value and is not necessarily an objective measure of the securities' value. Such changes may be rapid and unpredictable. These events may negatively affect issuers, industries and markets worldwide and adversely affect the Fund and its investments. The price, value or liquidity of the Fund's investments may decline and will fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, in response to general market conditions or other factors. Different sectors of the market, issuers, and security types may react differently to such developments.
Issuer Risk. The Fund's investments may be adversely affected by a number of factors that directly relate to the issuer of securities held by the Fund, such as its earnings prospects and overall financial position. In addition, an issuer in which the Fund invests, or to which it has exposure, may perform poorly because of poor management decisions or other events, conditions, or factors, which could also negatively affect the Fund.
Active Management Risk. The Fund is actively managed by the Subadviser. The Fund may actively and frequently trade portfolio securities, which may lead to higher transaction costs that may negatively affect the Fund's performance. There is no guarantee that the Subadviser's investment techniques, risk analysis, and judgment implemented in making investment decisions for the Fund will be accurate or will produce the desired outcome. As a result, the Fund may be adversely affected and may underperform its benchmark index or funds with similar investment objectives.
Equity Securities Risk. The price or value of the Fund's investments in a company's equity securities, such as common or preferred stock, may rise or fall rapidly or unpredictably and are subject to real or perceived changes in the company's financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. Equity securities are normally more volatile than fixed-income investments. Common stocks generally represent the riskiest investment in a company and preferred stocks generally rank junior to a company's debt with respect to dividends, which the company may or may not declare.
Dividend-Paying Stock Risk. As a category, dividend-paying stocks may underperform non-dividend paying stocks (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time. In addition, issuers of dividend-paying stocks may have discretion to defer or stop paying dividends for a stated period of time or may be unable to pay a dividend during certain periods as a result of, among other things, legal or regulatory restrictions. If the dividend-paying stocks held by the Fund reduce or stop paying dividends, the Fund's ability to generate income may be adversely affected. During certain periods, dividend-paying stocks, including those that meet the Fund's investment criteria, may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors.
Large-Capitalization Company Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be unable to attain the same growth rate of small- or mid-capitalization companies. In addition, large-capitalization companies may be unable to respond to competitive challenges or opportunities as quickly as smaller companies.
Value Investment Style Risk. Different investment styles tend to perform differently and shift in and out of favor depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions. The Fund invests in stocks believed by the Subadviser to be undervalued, but that may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. Thus, the Fund may underperform other equity funds that employ a different investment style during such periods.
Mid-Capitalization Company Risk. Securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more speculative, volatile and less liquid than securities of large-capitalization companies. Mid-capitalization companies tend to have limited
2 Summary Prospectus Guardian Equity Income VIP Fund
product and market diversification and financial resources, which may negatively affect their performance. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have less experienced management and be more vulnerable to adverse developments than larger companies.
Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts, or receipts issued by a bank, reflect ownership of underlying securities issued by foreign companies and involve risks similar to the risks associated with investments in foreign securities. There may be limited information available for depositary receipts, and holders of depositary receipts may have limited voting or other rights. Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market.
Foreign Investment and Currency Risk. Foreign investments, or exposure to foreign markets, present greater risks than investing in securities of U.S. issuers. Foreign securities are particularly susceptible to liquidity and valuation risk and may be especially volatile. These investments are subject to additional risks, including: smaller markets; differing reporting, accounting, and auditing standards; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or replacement; potential for default on sovereign debt; and political changes or diplomatic developments, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions or other measures by the United States or other governments and supranational organizations. Economic sanctions may be, and have been, imposed against certain countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals. Economic sanctions and other similar governmental actions or developments could, among other things, adversely impact the value and liquidity of the Fund's foreign investments and the Fund's ability to invest in foreign investments and thus make the Fund's investments in such securities less liquid or illiquid. The Fund's foreign investments that are denominated in or provide exposure to a foreign currency may be negatively affected by a decline in the foreign currency's value relative to the U.S. dollar. The value of foreign currencies may fluctuate quickly and significantly and may make the return on an investment increase or decrease, unrelated to the quality or performance of the investment itself. Foreign investments may also be subject to risk of loss because of more or less foreign government regulation, less public information, and less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards.
Performance
The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns for the 1 year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at www.guardianlife.com or by calling the phone number on the back of the Prospectus. Variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy fees, expenses and charges are not reflected in the returns shown in the bar chart and table below. If they were, returns would be less than those shown.
Annual Returns (by calendar year)
Highest Quarterly Return: 13.00% (4th Q 2022)
Lowest Quarterly Return: -5.12% (3rd Q 2022)
Guardian Equity Income VIP Fund Summary Prospectus 3
Average Annual Total Returns (for the period ended December 31, 2023)
Fund |
Inception‡​ |
1 Year |
Since Inception |
||||||||||
Guardian Equity Income VIP Fund |
5/2/2022 |
7.41 |
% |
5.99 |
% |
||||||||
Russell 1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
11.46 |
% |
10.03 |
% |
‡​ Commencement of operations.
Management
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC serves as the Fund's manager. Wellington Management Company LLP serves as the Fund's subadviser. The following persons are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Portfolio Manager |
Title with the Subadviser |
Managed Fund Since |
|||
Matthew C. Hand, CFA |
Senior Managing Director, Partner, and Equity Portfolio Manager |
Inception (May 1, 2022) |
|||
Adam H. Illfelder, CFA |
Senior Managing Director, Partner, and Equity Portfolio Manager |
Inception (May 1, 2022) |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund offers its shares only as underlying investment options to variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. ("GIAC"). You choose investment options through your contract or policy. You do not purchase Fund shares directly from, or redeem Fund shares directly with, the Fund. Please refer to your contract or policy prospectus for more information regarding the purchase and sale of Fund shares.
Tax Information
No tax information is provided because the Fund's shareholders are separate accounts of GIAC. For information concerning the tax consequences applicable to your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy, please refer to your contract or policy prospectus or consult with your tax advisor.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase your variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, GIAC, the Fund or their affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of the contract or policy, the selection of the Fund and certain related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the contract or policy over another investment or annuity or insurance product, or to recommend the Fund over another investment option available under the contract or policy. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
4 Summary Prospectus Guardian Equity Income VIP Fund