Invesco European Small Company Fund (A Shares) was ranked No. 1 of 49 European Region Funds for 10 years, No. 52 of 69 for five years and No. 8 of 74 for three years ending December 31, 2010.
The Lipper Fund Awards program highlights funds that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance, relative to peers. The awards are given to funds in 23 countries in Asia, Europe and North America. Lipper designates award-winning funds in most individual classifications for the three-, five- and 10-year periods and fund family awards covering three years.
Lipper Fund Awards are based on Lipper’s Consistent Return calculation. Lipper scores for Consistent Return reflect funds’ historical risk-adjusted returns relative to funds in the same Lipper classification and include each fund’s expenses and reinvested distributions, but exclude sales charges. Consistent Return values are calculated with all eligible share classes for each eligible classification. The highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return value within each eligible classification determines the fund classification winner over three, five or 10 years. Lipper, a Thomson Reuters company, is a leading global provider of mutual fund information and analysis to fund companies, financial intermediaries and media organizations.
Derivatives Risk. The performance of derivative instruments is tied to the performance of an underlying currency, security, index or other instrument. In addition to risks relating to their underlying instruments, the use of derivatives may include other, possibly greater, risks. Derivatives involve costs, may be volatile, and may involve a small initial investment relative to the risk assumed. Risks associated with the use of derivatives may include counterparty, leverage, correlation, liquidity, tax, market, interest rate and management risks. Derivatives may also be more difficult to purchase, sell or value than other investments. The Fund may lose more than the cash amount invested on investments in derivatives. Investors should bear in mind that, while the Fund intends to use derivative strategies, it is not obligated to actively engage in these transactions, generally or in any particular kind of derivative, if the investment manager elects not to do so due to availability, cost, market conditions or other factors.
Developing/Emerging Markets Securities Risk. Securities issued by foreign companies and governments located in developing/emerging countries may be affected more negatively by inflation, devaluation of their currencies, higher transaction costs, delays in settlement, adverse political developments, the introduction of capital controls, withholding taxes, nationalization of private assets, expropriation, social unrest, war or lack of timely information than those in developed countries.
Foreign Securities Risk. The Fund's foreign investments may be affected by changes in a foreign country's exchange rates, political and social instability, changes in economic or taxation policies, difficulties when enforcing obligations, decreased liquidity, and increased volatility. Foreign companies may be subject to less regulation resulting in less publicly available information about the companies.
Geographic Concentration Risk. Because the Fund's investments are concentrated in Europe, the Fund's performance is expected to be closely tied to social, political, and economic conditions within Europe and to be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds.
Growth Investing Risk. Growth stocks tend to be more expensive relative to their earnings or assets compared with other types of stock. As a result they tend to be more sensitive to changes in their earnings and can be more volatile.
Investing in the European Union Risk. Many countries in the European Union are susceptible to high economic risks associated with high levels of debt, notably due to investments in sovereign debts of European countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain. One or more member states might exit the European Union, placing its currency and banking system in jeopardy. The European Union faces major issues involving its membership, structure, procedures and policies, including the adoption, abandonment or adjustment of the new constitutional treaty, the European Union's enlargement to the south and east, and resolution of the European Union's problematic fiscal and democratic accountability. Efforts of the member states to further unify their economic and monetary policies may increase the potential for the downward movement of one member state's market to cause a similar effect on other member states' markets. European countries that are part of the European Economic and Monetary Union may be significantly affected by the tight fiscal and monetary controls that the union seeks to impose on its members.
Management Risk. The investment techniques and risk analysis used by the Fund's portfolio managers may not produce the desired results.
Market Risk. The prices of and the income generated by the Fund's securities may decline in response to, among other things, investor sentiment, general economic and market conditions, regional or global instability, and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified and can invest a greater portion of its assets in a single issuer. A change in the value of the issuer could affect the value of the Fund more than if it was a diversified fund.
Small- and Mid-Capitalization Risks. Stocks of small and mid-sized companies tend to be more vulnerable to adverse developments and may have little or no operating history or track record of success, and limited product lines, markets, management and financial resources. The securities of small and mid-sized companies may be more volatile due to less market interest and less publicly available information about the issuer. They also may be illiquid or restricted as to resale, or may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes, all of which may cause difficulty when establishing or closing a position at a desirable price.
Synthetic Securities Risk. Fluctuations in the values of synthetic securities may not correlate perfectly with the instruments they are designed to replicate. Synthetic securities may be subject to interest rate changes, market price fluctuations, counterparty risk and liquidity risk.
Before investing, investors should carefully read the prospectus and/or summary prospectus and carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. For this and more complete information about the fund(s), investors should ask their advisers for a prospectus/summary prospectus.
All data provided by Invesco unless otherwise noted.
Invesco Distributors, Inc. is the US distributor for Invesco Ltd.'s retail products. It is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Invesco Ltd.