Overview

A benchmark-agnostic portfolio of fixed income securities built around forward-looking thematic opportunities, not backward-looking indices

About this Fund

  • Aims to maximize total return through current income and long-term capital appreciation
  • Employs “top-down” and “bottom-up” investment process with the goal of identifying securities that fit into sustainable investment themes
  • Identifies sustainable investment themes that align with one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Investment Approach

  • Primarily consists of investment-grade corporate bonds from US and non-US issuers, but may also invest in high-yield bonds
  • ESG structures

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Investment Definitions

Alpha is the risk-adjusted measurement of "excess return" over a benchmark. Beta is a measure of an investment’s volatility in comparison to the market as a whole. Duration is a measure of the sensitivity of an asset or portfolio’s price to interest rate movements. Information ratio is a measurement of portfolio returns beyond the returns of a benchmark, compared to the volatility of those returns. R-squared is the percentage of a portfolio’s price movements that can be explained by movements in a benchmark index. Sharpe ratio is a measure of the fund’s return relative to the investment risk it has taken. A higher Sharpe ratio means the fund’s returns have been better given the level of risk the fund has taken. Standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of a portfolio’s return from its mean. Tracking error is the difference in actual performance between a portfolio and its corresponding benchmark. Up capture measures the percentage of market gains captured when markets are up. Down capture measures the percentage of market losses endured when markets are down. Yield-to-Worst (YTW) is a measure of the lowest possible yield that can be received on a bond that fully operates within the terms of its contract without defaulting. YTW is based on the underlying bonds held by the fund/account at the time it is calculated.

Risks To Consider

  • Credit Risk: A bond’s credit rating reflects the issuer’s ability to make timely payments of interest or principal—the lower the rating, the higher the risk of default. If the issuer’s financial strength deteriorates, the issuer’s rating may be lowered, and the bond’s value may decline.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in market conditions and may amplify risks.

  • ESG Risk: Applying ESG and sustainability criteria to the investment process may exclude securities of certain issuers for nonfinancial reasons and, therefore, the Fund may forgo some market opportunities available to funds that do not use ESG or sustainability criteria.

  • Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers may involve more risk than those of U.S. issuers. These securities may fluctuate more widely in price and may be more difficult to trade than domestic securities due to adverse market, economic, political, regulatory, or other factors.

  • Inflation Risk: Prices for goods and services tend to rise over time, which may erode the purchasing power of investments.

  • Interest Rate Risk: As interest rates rise, bond prices fall and vice versa, long-term securities tend to rise and fall more than short-term securities.

  • Leverage Risk: Trying to enhance investment returns by borrowing money or using other leverage transactions such as reverser purchase agreements—magnifies both gains and losses, resulting in greater volatility.

  • Liquidity Risk: The difficulty of purchasing or selling a security at an advantageous time or price.

  • Market Risk: The market values of the portfolio’s holdings rise and fall from day to day, so investments may lose value. 

  • Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund/Portfolio carefully before investing. For copies of our prospectus or summary prospectus, which contain this and other information, visit our Literature Center or contact your AB representative. Please read the prospectus and/or summary prospectus carefully before investing.

    AllianceBernstein Investments, Inc. (ABI) is the distributor of the AB family of mutual funds. ABI is a member of FINRA and is an affiliate of AllianceBernstein L.P., the manager of the funds. 

    AB mutual funds may be offered only to persons in the United States and by way of a prospectus. This website should not be considered a solicitation or offering of any investment products or services to investors residing outside of the United States.

    Investment Products Offered: Are Not FDIC Insured | May Lose Value | Are Not Bank Guaranteed

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