The Muzinich Flexible U.S. High Yield Income Fund (the “Fund”) typically invests at least 80% of its net assets in below investment grade debt of U.S. corporations. The Fund’s portfolio is typically well-diversified with below investment grade bonds issued by U.S. corporations that the Advisor believes have attractive risk/reward characteristics. The Fund typically focuses on bonds rated BB+ to B- by Standard & Poor’s or Ba1 to B3 by Moody’s, or which are deemed equivalent by the Advisor. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign securities, of which 10% may include securities in emerging market countries. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in floating rate loans.
Although the Advisor will consider ratings assigned by ratings agencies in selecting high yield bonds, it relies principally on its own research and investment analysis. The Advisor selects bonds based on a rigorous bottom-up evaluation of each company in the portfolio. The Advisor considers both company-specific quantitative and qualitative factors such as: a company’s managerial strength and commitment to debt repayment, anticipated cash flow, debt maturity schedules, borrowing requirements, use of borrowing proceeds, asset coverage, earnings prospects, impacting legislation, regulation, or litigation, and the strength and depth of the protections afforded the lender through the documentation governing the bond issuance. The Fund may sell a holding when it meets the portfolio manager’s expectations, no longer offers compelling relative value, shows deteriorating fundamentals, or if it falls short of the portfolio manager’s expectations, among other reasons.
