https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/935015/000119312518292835/d623182d497.htm497 1 d623182d497.htm ARTISAN PARTNERS FUNDS, INC.
Filed pursuant to Rule 497(e)
File Nos. 033-88316 and 811-08932
ARTISAN PARTNERS FUNDS, INC.
ARTISAN INTERNATIONAL SMALL CAP FUND (the “Fund”)
SUPPLEMENT DATED 4 OCTOBER 2018
TO THE FUND’S PROSPECTUS AND STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (“SAI”)
Important Notice Regarding Changes in the Portfolio Manager, Name, Investment Policies and Non-Fundamental Restrictions of the Fund
Effective 15 October 2018, Rezo Kanovich is the portfolio manager of the Fund and the Fund will open to new investors. In connection with the appointment of Mr. Kanovich as the Fund’s portfolio manager, the board of directors of the Fund approved changes to the Fund’s name, certain investment policies and non-fundamental restrictions. The changes are expected to reposition the Fund as a small- and mid-capitalization fund with greater degrees of freedom than permitted by the Fund’s current investment strategies. As a result of these changes, the Fund is expected to experience significant portfolio turnover as it transitions its holdings to be consistent with the Fund’s new investment policies, resulting in increased transaction costs, including brokerage commissions and other transaction costs, and the realization and/or distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains than might generally be expected under normal circumstances. In addition, the Fund may hold higher than normal cash during the transition period.
Accordingly, effective 15 October 2018, the following changes will take effect:
1. Mr. Kanovich is appointed as the portfolio manager of the Fund and all references and information relating to Messrs. Yockey and Hamker with respect to the Fund are removed.
2.The Fund will open to new investors and all references to the closure of the Fund are removed.
3.The Fund’s limit on how much cash it tries to maintain is increased from no more than 5% of its total assets to no more than 10% of its total assets.
In addition, effective on or about 4 December 2018, the following additional changes will take effect:
1.The Fund is renamed “Artisan International Small-Mid Fund.”
2.The Fund’s non-fundamental policy related to its name adopted in accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, is replaced with the following, which cannot be changed unless shareholders are notified at least 60 days prior:
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests no less than 80% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes at market value at the time of purchase in common stocks and other securities of small- and mid-cap companies.
3. The following policies are adopted, which can be changed without notifying shareholders:
Small- and mid-cap companies for this purpose are those companies with a market capitalization below $30 billion or having a market capitalization similar to the constituents of the MSCI All Country World (ACWI) ex-U.S. SMID Index at the time of the Fund’s investment. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 65% of its total assets at market value at the time of purchase in securities of non-U.S. companies. The Fund may invest in developed markets and emerging and less developed markets.
4.The Fund’s benchmarks are changed from “MSCI EAFE Index” and “MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index” to “MSCI ACWI ex USA SMID Net Index” and “MSCI ACWI ex USA Small Cap Net Index.”
5. The Fund’s limit on investing more than 50% of its total assets in emerging and less developed markets is removed and the Fund may invest in debt instruments to the extent consistent with the Fund’s other investment policies and restrictions.
PLEASE RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
___________________________Manager change info from Artisan Partners------------------------------
https://www.artisanpartners.com/content/dam/documents/press-releases/mf/Kanovich-Announcement-4-Oct-2018-vR.pdfor
https://www.artisanpartners.com/individual-investors/news-insights/news/press-releases/2018/kanovich-announcement.html
Comments
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/935015/000119312518294501/d598864d485apos.htm
I sold my entire position in ARTJX today.
Now in 2018 Kanovich is moving to a fund with an ER approaching 1.6%. His returns have been great, but at what point does one say "enough"?
I'm not saying that Kanovich will earn more here. ARTJX is a small fraction of the size of OSMAX. What matters to investors is how much comes out of their pockets.
Also, I wonder whether the tax hit due to turnover will all be seen this tax year or the next, or both. He takes over Oct 15th, and generally mutual fund cap gains distributions are based on net realized gains for the twelve months ending Oct 31.
See, e.g. question 5 in this Wisdom Tree FAQ:
https://www.wisdomtree.com/-/media/us-media-files/capital-gains-estimates-schedule/cap-gains-faq-2016.pdf
P.S. Nice to see a post from @LewisBraham
I've held the fund since late 2002 prior to its closure. Recent SEC filing indicated large distributions on the horizon. The fund had about 1B AUM at its peak, now down to $400M or so. Seeing both manager resigning from the fund with a new manager investment selection process was an indication it was time to move on prior to any distributions. Last several years distributions were anywhere between $1-$4 per share give or take some.
I've made money on the fund, now looking at putting the proceeds into Mairs & Power Small Cap after distributions are paid.
By the way I sold a bit of each of my Artisan holdings last weekend. I try not to do this every day. Think calmly every weekend. Once a staunch holder of Artisan, I have been an Artisan recycler for the past few years. I take profits and run.
Y/E distributions already occurred of over $8 for ARTJX. Check the C/G post at top.