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Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
  • Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Income Fund to be reorganized
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1145022/000089418920003753/hwmergersupplementmay2020.htm
    497 1 hwmergersupplementmay2020.htm 497
    Hotchkis & Wiley Funds
    Supplement dated May 13, 2020 to the Summary Prospectus, Prospectus,
    and Statement of Additional Information,
    each dated August 29, 2019, as supplemented April 30, 2020
    Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Income Fund
    Class I (HWIIX)
    Class A (HWIAX)
    Class C (not currently offered)
    Class Z (not currently offered)
    We are pleased to announce that on May 12, 2020, the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Hotchkis & Wiley Funds (the “Trust”) approved: (1) a plan of reorganization pursuant to which the Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Income Fund (the “Capital Income Fund”) will be reorganized into the Hotchkis & Wiley High Yield Fund (the “High Yield Fund”) (each, a “Fund,” and together, the “Funds”) (the “Reorganization”); and (2) the subsequent liquidation and dissolution of the Capital Income Fund, on or about June 26, 2020. The Reorganization, which is expected to be tax free to the shareholders of the Capital Income Fund and is subject to customary closing conditions, will be effected by transferring of all of the assets and liabilities of the Capital Income Fund to the High Yield Fund in exchange for shares of the High Yield Fund, with the shares being distributed pro rata by the Capital Income Fund to its shareholders. The Capital Income Fund will then be liquidated and dissolved. Shareholders of the Capital Income Fund will not pay any sales load, commission, or other similar fee in connection with the High Yield Fund shares received in the Reorganization. The Reorganization is expected to occur on or about June 26, 2020. In accordance with applicable regulatory guidance, shareholder approval is not required for the Reorganization, and shareholders are not being asked to approve the Reorganization.
    The Capital Income Fund’s portfolio managers will continue to manage the Capital Income Fund in the ordinary course through June 26, 2020. The portfolio managers for the Capital Income Fund are Mark Hudoff, Patrick Meegan, and Noah Mayer. Mr. Hudoff and Mr. Meegan also serve as portfolio managers for the High Yield Fund. In addition to Mr. Hudoff and Mr. Meegan, Ray Kennedy and Richard Mak also serve as portfolio managers for the High Yield Fund.
    The investment objective of the Capital Income Fund is to seek high current income and long-term growth of income, as well as capital appreciation. The investment objective of the High Yield Fund is to seek high current income combined with the opportunity for capital appreciation to maximize total return. The Funds’ principal investment strategies, risks, and policies are similar.
    Existing shareholders may redeem or exchange shares of the Capital Income Fund in the ordinary course until the last business day of the closing of the Reorganization, June 26, 2020. The Capital Income Fund will be closed to purchases as of the close of business on June 19, 2020. The Funds will file an information statement and prospectus as part of a Registration Statement on Form N-14 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in connection with the Reorganization. The information statement and prospectus will be sent to shareholders of the Capital Income Fund.
    Shareholders are urged to read the information statement and prospectus because it will contain important information about the Reorganization, including the Board’s reasons for approving the Reorganization and a comparison of the Funds’ fees and expenses, principal investment strategies, risks, policies, and other matters. Once filed, the information statement and prospectus will be available, free of charge, on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Once mailed to shareholders of the Capital Income Fund, the information statement and prospectus will be available, free of charge, on the Funds’ website at https://www.hwcm.com/mutual-funds/.
    PLEASE RETAIN THIS NOTICE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
  • Ancora Special Opportunity Fund is to be liquidated (updated)
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1260667/000116204420000300/ancora497202005.htm
    497 1 ancora497202005.htm
    Filed Pursuant to Rule 497
    Ancora Income Fund
    Ancora/Thelen Small-Mid Cap Fund
    Ancora MicroCap Fund
    Ancora Special Opportunity Fund
    Ancora Dividend Value Equity Fund
    (together, the “Funds”)
    Supplement dated May 13, 2020
    To the Funds’ Statutory Prospectus dated April 30, 2020
    This Supplement contains new and additional information that supersedes any contrary information contained in the Funds’ Statutory Prospectus. Accordingly, the Funds’ Statutory Prospectus is updated as follows.
    Closing of the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund
    Effective as of the close of trading on May 13, 2020, the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund
    will be closed to investors, and no purchases of such Fund’s shares will be allowed after such date, except as otherwise set forth below.
    The following is added to the beginning of the section titled “Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares” on page 13 of the Statutory Prospectus:
    The Ancora Special Opportunity Fund will be closed to investors as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on May 13, 2020 (the “Close Date”), and no purchases of such Fund’s shares will be allowed after the Close Date, subject to certain limited exceptions. For more information, see the “Purchasing Your Shares” section of the Prospectus.
    The following is added to the end of the section titled “Purchasing Your Shares” on pages 20-22 of the Statutory Prospectus:
    Information Regarding Purchases of Shares of the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund. The Ancora Special Opportunity Fund will be closed to investors as of the close of trading on the Close Date, and no purchases of such Fund’s shares will be allowed after the Close Date, subject to certain limited exceptions. Your investment must be received (not postmarked) by the Fund’s transfer agent, Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, before the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the Close Date. In addition, after the Close Date, you will not be permitted to exchange shares of other Ancora Funds for shares of the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund.
    After the Close Date, purchases of shares of the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund must qualify under one of the following exceptions:
    {8832881:3 }
    1
    Retirement Plans — A defined contribution retirement plan (for example, 401(k) plans, profit sharing plans and money purchase plans), 403(b) plan or 457 plan that offers the Fund as of the Close Date may continue to accept additional investments by existing shareholders of the Fund for additional shares of the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund. New participant accounts within the plan are allowed. In addition, participants in a plan may not open a new account outside of the plan under this exception.
    Gifts — An individual may receive shares of the Fund as a gift from a family member who is an existing shareholder of the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund.
    Charities — A charitable foundation or trust may receive shares of the Fund from an existing shareholder of the Fund.
    Certain Ancora Affiliates — Current trustees or officers of Ancora Funds, employees of Ancora, or a member of the immediate family of any of these persons may invest in the Fund.
    Once an account is closed, additional investments will not be accepted unless you meet one of the specified criteria above. Management reserves the right to: (i) make additional exceptions that, in its judgment, do not adversely affect its ability to manage the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund; (ii) reject any investment or refuse any exception, including those detailed above, that it believes will adversely affect its ability to manage the Fund; and (iii) close or re-open the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund to new or existing shareholders at any time. An investment is subject to management’s determination of your eligibility to buy shares of the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund and you may be required to provide additional documentation or otherwise demonstrate eligibility before an investment is accepted.
    The closing of the Ancora Special Opportunity Fund does not restrict you from redeeming or selling shares of such Fund. The other Ancora Funds remain open to all investors.
    Redemptions In-Kind for All Funds
    The following is added to the end of the section titled “Selling (Redeeming) Your Shares” on pages 22-24 of the Statutory Prospectus:
    In addition to paying redemption proceeds in cash, each of the Funds reserves the right to pay part or all of your redemption proceeds in securities instead of cash (redemption in-kind). Redemption in-kind proceeds will typically be made by delivering the selected securities to the redeeming shareholder within seven days after the receipt of the redemption order in proper form by a Fund.
    If you should have any questions, please call 1-866-626-2672 for assistance. These documents are available upon request and without charge by calling the Trust at 1-866-626-2672.
    PLEASE RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
    {8832881:3 }
    2
  • Investors Head For Fixed Income, Exposure Reaches 7-Year High

    Investors Head For Fixed Income, Exposure Reaches 7-Year High
    Bond and bond fund allocations rose 0.8 percentage points to 19.5%. Last month's increase keeps exposure
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/investor/2020/05/12/investors-head-for-fixed-income-exposure-reaches-7-year-high/#19f66d8b5cf4
    Many folks maybe staring to head for the hills now
    Maybe good time to bail from stocks if near retirement
  • Fortunes are going to be made - Orman
    Careful...Suzie only invest in the stock market what she is comfortable losing:
    Orman told a New York Times journalist where she has her OWN money invested…. safe, slow-growing, couldn’t lose-it-if-you-tried municipal bonds! In Orman’s words:
    “I buy zero-coupon municipal bonds, and all the bonds I buy are triple-A-rated and insured so that even if the city goes under, I get my money. I take a little lower interest rate to make sure my bonds are 100 percent safe and sound.”
    When the reporter asked if she played the stock market at all, Suze dropped this bomb:
    “I have a million dollars in the stock market, because if I lose a million dollars, I don’t personally care.”
    Why doesn’t she care? Because at the time, her assets were estimated at about $25 million, plus another $7 million in real estate. 1 million out of 32 million equals about 3%. So Suze is only willing to subject 3% of her assets to the roller-coaster ride of the stock market which she pushes so freely on her audience, who CAN’T afford to lose it!
    But even Orman’s assertion that losing a million dollars is POSSIBLE ought to send chills down the spines of every Suze Orman follower.
    Suze recommends putting YOUR money at risk and out of your control, but she practices the opposite, ONLY putting what she can easily afford to lose in the stock market.
    Source:
    https://partners4prosperity.com/suze-ormans-advice-on-insurance-investing/
  • Fortunes are going to be made - Orman
    /'Fortunes are going to be made' -- Suze Orman on investing amid the coronavirus pandemic
    BY SHAWN LANGLOIS | MARKETWATCH - 05/09/2020
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/guid/3532E59E-8D6D-11EA-AD06-F36B40BB8290
    'I can guarantee you that if you stay in and you just stick with it, three years from now you will be very, very happy that you did'
    Celebrity financial adviser Suze Orman isn't for everybody. She once told MarketWatch
    http://www.marketwatch.com/ story/suze-ormans-fire-storm-her-advice-for-millennials-retiring-early-is-simple-but-bleak-2019-06-24
    that "there are people that hate my guts. You don't even want to know the things they say."
    But there's no denying that her common sense brand of money management has resonated with her devoted fanbase over the years. Lately, with many in that fanbase struggling to navigate the coronavirus pandemic, she's been hitting the media circuit to address just some of the issues.
    During a CNN segment that aired on Saturday, Orman was asked by a viewer how to approach investing in the stock market in the face of the historic volatility.
    Here's her answer:
    In other words, she's advising those without more-pressing obligations to take a specific sum of money and invest it every month into something like the Vanguard Total Market ETF(VTI) .
    "If you do it month in and month out and you have at least three five or 10 years or longer until you need the money you will be happy," she continued. "If you need money within a year it's not money that belongs in the stock market. Take it out now."
    Back in late February, when the Dow Jones Industrial Averagehad dropped more than 1,000 in a single session on fears of what the coronavirus could do to the U.S. economy, Orman raised a few eyebrows when she said "I rejoice" in the face of such pullbacks.
    She used the opportunity to again push her case for dollar-cost averaging (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/suze- orman-says-investors-should-rejoice-at-the-dows-more-than-1000-point-tumble-heres-why-2020-02-24).
    "The higher the market goes, the shares cost more, the less shares their money buys, the less money they make, in the long run," she told CNBC. "With this dip, if it continues to go down, they should just stay the course and actually be quite happy because the market is still incredibly high."
    One month and a brutal stretch of market losses later, the New York Times best-selling author returned to CNBC (https: //www.cnbc.com/2020/03/26/coronavirus-suze-orman-says-no-better-time-to-start-investing.html) in late March to urge investors to stick with the plan.
    "You will never, ever, know the bottom. You will never, ever, know the top," she said. "Fortunes are going to be made out of this time. So just stay calm. I can guarantee you that if you stay in and you just stick with it, three years from now you will be very, very happy that you did."
    Here's Orman talking financial stability in a recent appearance on the Tamron Hall Show:
    (https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Auos1d8c_8)
    Orman, of course, is not alone in pushing the time-tested dollar-cost averaging approach.,/
    Do you trust ms Orman?
  • Taking cash out of your IRA under the CARES Act is more complicated than it sounds
    There are no restrictions on how you can use CVD funds. If you’re cash-strapped, you can use the money to pay bills and recontribute later (within the three-year window) when your financial situation improves. You can help out your adult kids now and recontribute later. Whatever. So, a CVD can be a useful cash-flow management tool in these troubled times.
    So far, so good.
    The catch: not-so-great interim tax consequences
    https://www.marketwatch.com/story/taking-cash-out-of-your-ira-under-new-cares-act-rules-is-more-complicated-than-it-sounds-2020-05-04
  • Value Investing
    Value Investments work when they grow...
    The best time to be invested in a traditional value stock is when the underlying company has figured out a way to stop shrinking and start growing again. That’s when you’ve got a bargain. The time between when that value stock is unrecognized for its growth prospects and when it becomes so highly recognized that it is now a growth stock – that’s where the money is made in value investing. It’s very hard to detect these opportunities, whether systematically or fundamentally. Most will not be able to. Value traps will be more prevalent than value companies that re-learn how to grow.
    https://thereformedbroker.com/2020/05/12/value-investing-is-immortal/
  • You Have a 95% chance of Loss When You Buy an Index (Dow)
    Hard to believe, except when you have lived it.
    Earlier this year I wrote about why market timing can be so appealing to investors. The key takeaway was that if you bought the Dow on a random day, there was a 95% chance that the index would be lower at some point in the future.
    This implied that you could’ve gotten a better price 95% of the time if you waited (and knew the future). However, it also implied that nearly every time you buy the index, you are basically guaranteed to see your position lose money at some point in time.
    But, the better question is: how much could you lose?
    and,
    This means that half the time you will lose 13.2% or less and half the time you will lose 13.2% or more. In addition, there is a 1 in 4 chance of losing 29.8% or more and a 1 in 4 chance of losing 4.2% or less.
    And, for equities, you should expect to see a 50%+ price decline a couple times a century, a 30% decline once a generation, and a 10% price decline at least every other year.
    You should always ask yourself, "how much am I comfortable losing?"
    how-much-could-you-lose
  • Trader Who Shook Global Markets
    With no ties to the world of high finance, Sarao accumulated $70 million buying and selling futures as if he were playing a computer game. The bulk of his winnings came during periods of extreme volatility. He also manipulated the markets, according to the U.S. government, creating a computer program that placed then canceled huge volumes of orders to deceive other participants about supply and demand—a brand-new offense known as “spoofing.” Authorities were careful to assert that Sarao’s antics had only contributed to the crash, essentially by creating false signals others reacted to, but that nuance was lost in the ensuing press coverage.
    new-book-shares-more-details-on-trader-blamed-for-flash-crash
  • Options for Income and Taxes
    So I had learned 15 years back. Converted $50K to $75K in 2 months and then turned $75K to $40K in about 8 days. Closed my account and ran. It was a mistake.
    Happened to me when trading futures during my doctoral years. Made insane profits & hideous losses until I found what worked for me and my temperment, then I eeked out a slow steady profit for a while before quitting due to life changes. Now when I play (key word) with futures, which is rarely these days, it's in 1-2 lots only which is barely 1% of my trading account value - nothing extravagant.
    What worked for me back then was, say if I lost 20K one day ... I would half my position sizing and not increase it back to normal trading lots until I had earned that money back. My thinking was that would reduce my risk and also force me to "be better" in my analysis and trading, even when it was "so clearly obvious" which way the market was going --- which if I acted on that impulse, I'd probably have been wrong. :) (I also considered this my penalty box.)

    PS - There are too many people out there selling too many "strategies". Ignore. You need to know what your objective is. Speculating buying calls and puts? or earn income? mine is the latter. I might have said this before. 0.25% a week should be the target. 1% a month. 12% a year. Now lets say 0.10% a week, 0.4% a month, 4.8% a year. I'll still take it.
    This. A well known options hedge fund blew up a few years ago because they were selling Very OTM naked puts on various commodities (similar to what VF is doing on the SPY but I'm sure he's more rational/careful) ... which is a strategy that worked in most market conditions, until it didn't, and their positions experienced a multi-sigma move against them overnight, and BAM! Out of business.
    Anyone selling you the idea you can make 5-15% overnight, per week, or per month using options (or anything, really) is likely selling you reckless ideas packaged as snake oil. Only pikers will buy into that b/c they are enamored only by the potential gains, not how the trades are structured or what could happen if they lose. In this case, the only person making a profit is the newsletter/signal provider.
  • How Will the Global Downturn Impact Your Portfolio?
    interesting article but I'm also looking for actions. Based on the info what an investor to do?
    The % of SP500/QQQ revenues that are coming from abroad are 40/50% and why I only hold US LC for years now. If I want more risk/reward I would use QQQ instead of some of the SP500. The top QQQ companies rule the world and the beauty of the big high tech is the ability to acquire the next customer cheaply and depress their competition.
  • This is the most expensive time to buy stocks in 20 years
    Just another recyclable article.
    The following is especially really deep...
    "Even Goldman Sachs, which is bullish on stocks in the long run, is warning clients to brace for a bumpy ride this summer. "
    When the market loses 10+% the articles are doom and gloom and usually talk about the DOW because it's catchy to say the DOW is down over 3000 points than to say the SP500 is down over 300 points.
  • This is the most expensive time to buy stocks in 20 years
    I wasn't even invested 20 years ago. No money. But even with 58% bonds, 36% stocks, I'm down from my high-point by -7.5% tonight, including recent dividends. I'm not adding anything to the retirement portfolio. Minimal monthly additions into non-retirement account bond fund. So, not buying any more stocks, I am naturally more concerned about YIELD.
  • This is the most expensive time to buy stocks in 20 years
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/05/12/investing/stock-market-dow-coronavirus-goldman-sachs/index.html
    This is the most expensive time to buy stocks in 20 years
    New York(CNN Business)The US stock market stands 4% higher today compared to a year ago, despite the death and destruction unleashed by the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Options for Income and Taxes
    So I had learned 15 years back. Converted $50K to $75K in 2 months and then turned $75K to $40K in about 8 days. Closed my account and ran. It was a mistake.
    Since my daughter earned a scholarship to university, thought I would earn some income, so revisited some of my learning. Cash earning absolutely nothing.
    Don't have to do anything drastic. Just sell a put. And sell it on SPY knowing it will not go to zero. Important to note, I shouldn't blab. I feel today might signal a downtrend. I was lucky to start after the sell off was mostly over and selling puts with markets going up is ideal. If you sell a PUT there is an obligation to purchase. So if you are assigned a share of SPY, you need to immediately sell a covered call. Or just simply sell and get out.
    It's really not too hard. Just youtube for a basic options course. Will take 1 hour at most.
    PS - There are too many people out there selling too many "strategies". Ignore. You need to know what your objective is. Speculating buying calls and puts? or earn income? mine is the latter. I might have said this before. 0.25% a week should be the target. 1% a month. 12% a year. Now lets say 0.10% a week, 0.4% a month, 4.8% a year. I'll still take it.
  • Looking to invest? Here's how to diversify your portfolio based on when you'll need money
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/3095166001
    Looking to invest? Here's how to diversify your portfolio based on when you'll need money
    'When it comes to money and divvying up your assets, time is either on your side or it’s not.'
    Article discusses general ways to redistribute your 'baskets' base in your risks to gain reasonablyreturns. Many MFOs are doing this at least monthly or few times per yr.
    Cash gives annual returns <1.0% maybe not be very attractive options for dome reviewers/investors [ones that may have long term horizons for retirements]
    Enjoy
  • BUY - SELL - PONDER - MAY 2020
    I purchased WAMCX, APGAX, and QQQ over the past 2 weeks. WAMCX is a great small cap growth fund with a focus on the tech and health care sectors. Consistently a top 1-5% performer among small caps.. APGAX is large cap growth and held up extremely well in the sell off. Very much of a steady eddy fund typically in the top 10-20% of top performers among large cap growth.
  • BUY - SELL - PONDER - MAY 2020
    I read it the same way as @wxman123. They can make numerous increases in those 31 days or numerous decreases in 31 days, but can't do both. In fact, I see that they had numerous buys in March as the S&P 500 was falling.
    I also can't figure out why they wanted to make the fund more aggressive, unless they just want to perform better in rising markets. It really hasn't done well in good times and maybe they want to change that.
  • BUY - SELL - PONDER - MAY 2020
    Hi @wxman123,
    My above comments come from the First Quarter 2020 Commentary. On page 3 of this Commentary you will find that the baseline asset allocation that the fund adjust its equity allocation begins at 10% equity allocation with the S&P 500 being over 3487. In addition ... At the bottom of the page it reads ... "Please note: the fund employs a 31-day trading rule to help reduce the risk of taxable events. If the fund has increased the allocation to stock funds or bond funds, it will not decrease that allocation for 31 days."
    This complete commentary can be view through CTFAX's web page linked below.
    https://www.columbiathreadneedleus.com/investment-products/mutual-funds/Columbia-Thermostat-Fund/Class-A/details/?cusip=197199755&_n=1
    Scroll down until you find the Fund's Commentary button located under fund literature.