On Monday, Natixis Global Associates announced that it will close the Vaughn Nelson Small Cap Value Fund (NEFJX) to new investors on July 31, 2009. The fund has been open since December 31, 1996 and now manages $463 million. The fund will remain open to existing shareholders.

While the fund will close to new investors, Natixis will offer similar investment strategies through the Vaughn Nelson Value Opportunity Fund and the Vaughn Nelson U.S. Small Cap Value Fund.

Lee Lahourcade, president and chief executive officer of Vaughn commented that "closing the Fund will allow its managers to continue identifying undervalued stocks within the confines of the small-cap universe without creating inefficiencies within the investment management process."

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Company Press Release

BOSTON--Natixis Global Associates (NGA), the distribution arm of Natixis Global Asset Management (NGAM), today announced that it will close the Vaughan Nelson Small Cap Value Fund (NEFJX) to new investors effective July 31, 2009. The Fund was launched on December 31, 1996, and currently has $463 million in assets under management, although Vaughan Nelson Investment Management advises nearly $2.4 billion in this same discipline in total. The Fund will remain open to existing shareholders.

“The best interests of shareholders are central to our decision to close the Vaughan Nelson Small Cap Value Fund to new investors,” said Lee Lahourcade, president and chief executive officer of Vaughan Nelson Investment Management. “Closing the Fund will allow its managers to continue identifying undervalued stocks within the confines of the small-cap universe without creating inefficiencies within the investment management process.”

The Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of small-cap stocks managed with Vaughan Nelson focusing on absolute return objectives. It is co-managed by Chris Wallis and Scott Weber of Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, both of whom were named to the Fund in 2004. The Fund’s past highly successful performance under the leadership of the Vaughan Nelson team has increased investor interest and boosted its assets substantially.

At the 2009 Lipper Fund Awards, the Vaughan Nelson Small Cap Value Fund was recognized as the top performer among 616 funds in the Lipper Small-Cap Core category for the three-year period ending December 31, 2008. While the Fund will close to new investors, NGA will continue to offer similar investment strategies to suitable investors through the Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund (VNVAX) and the Vaughan Nelson U.S. Small Cap Value Fund, a sub-fund of Natixis International Funds (Lux) I, an open-ended Luxembourg-domiciled UCITS SICAV,1 which is available to non-U.S. residents only.

Co-managed by Wallis, Weber and colleague Dennis Alff, the Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by focusing on securities the portfolio managers feel are positioned to deliver attractive absolute returns. Launched in October 2008, the Value Opportunity Fund pursues a bottom-up investment strategy focused on identifying undervalued stocks in the market-capitalization range of $1 billion to $20 billion. Vaughan Nelson advises $700 million in this same discipline in total.

About Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. The firm has approximately $6.0 billion in assets under management (as of March 31, 2009). An affiliate of Natixis Global Asset Management, L.P.,2 Vaughan Nelson manages equity, fixed-income and balanced portfolios for institutions and high-net-worth clients.

About Natixis Global Associates Natixis Global Associates (NGA) is the distribution arm of Natixis Global Asset Management. NGA works on a consultative basis from its 12 worldwide offices, tailoring the expertise of its managers to meet the investment objectives of local clients. In the U.S., Natixis Global Associates includes Natixis Distributors, L.P. (member FINRA) and Natixis Asset Management Advisors, L.P. (a registered investment advisor). Both are located at 399 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. www.ga.natixis.com

About Natixis Global Asset Management Natixis Global Asset Management is one of the 15 largest asset managers in the world3 based on assets under management. Its affiliated asset management companies provide investment products that seek to enhance and protect the wealth and retirement assets of both institutional and individual investor clients. Its proprietary distribution network helps package and deliver its affiliates’ products around the world. Natixis Global Asset Management brings together the expertise of multiple specialized investment managers based in Europe, the United States and Asia to offer a wide spectrum of equity, fixed-income and alternative investment strategies.

Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Global Asset Management’s assets under management totaled $594 billion (€448 billion) as of March 31, 2009. Natixis Global Asset Management is part of Natixis. Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Natixis is the subsidiary of two major banking groups, Groupe Caisse d’Epargne and Groupe Banque Populaire. Natixis Global Asset Management’s affiliated investment management firms and distribution and service groups include: AEW Capital Management; AlphaSimplex Group; Aurora Investment Management;4 Capital Growth Management; Caspian Capital Management; Gateway Investment Advisers; Hansberger Global Investors; Harris Associates; Loomis, Sayles & Co.; Natixis Global Associates; Reich & Tang Asset Management; Snyder Capital Management; Vaughan Nelson Investment Management; and Westpeak Global Advisors. In addition to the U.S. firms, Natixis Global Asset Management includes four principal affiliates based in Paris: Natixis Asset Management, Natixis Multimanager, AEW Europe and Natixis Épargne Financière.

Lipper Fund Award Vaughan Nelson Small Cap Value Fund was among 616 funds in the Lipper Small-Cap Core Funds classification. Funds considered for a Lipper Fund Award must have at least 36 months of performance history as of the end of the evaluation year. All eligible fund share classes are considered for an award within their respective Lipper classification for the 3-, 5-, and 10-year periods. Funds may or may not receive an award for each evaluation period (3-, 5-,10-year). Funds may be eliminated from award contention if the fund has recently undergone a change in Lipper classification.

Risks Small-cap investments carry special risks, including narrower markets, limited financial and management resources, less liquidity and greater volatility than large-company stocks.

Value stocks can perform differently than the market and can remain undervalued for long periods.

For more complete information about the Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund and Vaughan Nelson Small Cap Value Fund including a prospectus detailing charges and expenses, please contact your financial representative, or call Natixis Distributors, L.P. at 800-225-5478. Investors should consider a fund’s objective, risks and expenses carefully before investing. This and other information can be found in the fund’s prospectus. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest or send money. 

Edited by: Ann Walker


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