High Yield Bond Fund
Investment Objective
The High Yield Bond Fund’s primary investment objective is to seek high current income. As a secondary investment objective the High Yield Bond Fund seeks capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Strategies
The High Yield Bond Fund follows a Sustainable Investing approach, combining rigorous financial analysis with equally rigorous environmental, social, and governance (ESG) analysis in order to identify investments. Under normal market conditions, the High Yield Bond Fund invests at least 80% of its assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in high-yield, fixed income securities (such as bonds, notes and debentures) that are rated below BBB-2 by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group or below Baa33 by Moody’s Investors Service, similarly rated by another major rating service, or unrated and determined by the High Yield Bond Fund’s investment adviser to be of comparable quality. These fixed income securities are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.”
The High Yield Bond Fund’s investment adviser anticipates that the dollar-weighted average maturity of the fixed income securities in the High Yield Bond Fund’s investment portfolio will be 10 years or less.
In determining which securities to buy for the High Yield Bond Fund, the investment adviser considers, among other things, the financial history and condition of the issuer, its cash flow trends, analysts’ recommendations and the issuer’s outlook and management team. The High Yield Bond Fund may consider selling a particular security if any of the original reasons for purchase materially change, if a more attractive investment is identified, to meet redemption requests, or if a company no longer meets Pax World’s environmental, social or governance standards.
The investment adviser generally employs fundamental analysis in making these determinations. Fundamental analysis involves the review of financial statements and other data to attempt to predict whether the price of an issuer’s security is undervalued or overvalued.
The High Yield Bond Fund may invest up to 40% of its assets in securities of non-U.S. issuers, including investments in emerging markets.
The High Yield Bond Fund may utilize derivatives, including but not limited to repurchase agreements, foreign currency exchange contracts, options and futures contracts, for hedging and for investment purposes.
Although the High Yield Bond Fund intends to limit the turnover of its portfolio, it is possible that, as a result of its investment strategies, the portfolio turnover rate of the High Yield Bond Fund may be significant.
In response to unfavorable market and other conditions, the High Yield Bond Fund may deviate from its principal investment strategies by making temporary investments of some or all of its assets in high quality debt securities, cash and cash equivalents. The High Yield Bond Fund may not achieve its investment objectives if it does so.
Except as otherwise noted in this Prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information, the High Yield Bond Fund’s investment policies are not fundamental and may be changed without a vote of shareholders.
Sustainable Investing
The High Yield Bond Fund seeks to invest in forward-thinking companies with sustainable business models that meet positive environmental, social and governance standards. The High Yield Bond Fund avoids investing in companies that its investment adviser determines are significantly involved in the manufacture of weapons or weapons-related products, manufacture tobacco products, or engage in unethical business practices.
1The High Yield Bond Fund’s investment adviser has contractually agreed to reduce the High Yield Bond Fund’s management fee to 0.50% until at least December 31, 2011. In addition, the investment adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the High Yield Bond Fund to the extent its “Other Expenses” exceed 0.24% of the average daily net assets of the High Yield Bond Fund. This reimbursement arrangement will remain in effect until at least December 31, 2012.
2BBB- rating is Standard & Poor’s rating of bonds of adequate credit quality. Protection of interest and principal is considered adequate, but the entity is more susceptible to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions, or there may be other adversities present which reduce the strength of the entity and its rated securities.
3Baa3 rating is a Moody’s rating of bonds. Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
The High Yield Bond Fund’s annual operating expenses likely will vary from year to year. in general, a fund’s annual operating expenses as a percentage of the fund’s assets increase as the fund’s assets decrease.
