What are fund classes?

As with most fund managers, Artemis offers different ‘classes’ of units or shares in its funds. Each class has different investment minimums and charges. Different classes can also have a different distribution policy and frequency, currency of denomination, or approach to current hedging.

In effect, larger investments can benefit from lower charges. The prospectus or Key Investor Information Document (KIID) will show the charges applied to different classes of a fund.

• Charges: Minimum investments apply to investors investing directly with Artemis; if you are investing via an investment platform or a financial adviser, you may be able to invest in the classes with the lowest ongoing charges without having to meet the minimum investment amount.
• Currency classes: Some classes are available in different currencies or hedged versions. Those available in different currencies tend to be aimed at investors outside the UK – for example, classes available in euros tend to be offered to investors in Europe.
• Hedged classes: these attempt to dampen the impact of currency volatility. For example, if a UK fund invested in US shares, hedging would help ensure the performance had more to do with how the shares have performed rather than the relationship between the pound and the dollar.
• Distribution policies: Classes can have different distribution policies, either paying out distributions or accumulating the income received by the fund. Some distributions may be paid once a year, whereas other classes may pay out more frequently, such as every six months, quarterly or monthly. The different distribution policies are intended to suit the needs of different .

For further information, see Income v. accumulation classes.

The classes available to investors in Artemis’ unit trust and OEIC ranges of funds vary by fund but are primarily :

• Class C
  • This type of class has a minimum investment amount of £1,000
  • The ongoing charge is typically higher when compared to the class I class. Refer to the relevant KIID for the latest ongoing charge figure
  • You can only invest in this class if you invest directly with Artemis

• Class I
  • This type of class has a minimum investment amount of £250,000 if you invest directly with Artemis
  • The ongoing charge is lower when compared to the class C class
  • You can invest directly with Artemis in this class subject to meeting the minimum investment criteria
  • You may be able to invest smaller amounts in this class by using the services of an investment platform or financial adviser, subject to their terms and conditions
• Class R
  • This is a legacy class with a higher ongoing charge and is not available to new investors
  • The ongoing charge is higher when compared to the class C and I classes
  • Existing investors who are currently invested in class R units or shares should contact Artemis’ Client Support Centre team on 0800 092 2051 to explore if you may be able to switch your investments to a lower-charging class

For investors in the Artemis Funds (Lux) range of funds, different share classes are available:

• Class A
• These classes have a high minimum investment (typically 25,000 in the unit/share class currency, such as £, euro or $, if investing directly with Artemis)
• This type of class is available for all types of investor

• Class B
• These classes have a higher minimum investment than A classes (typically 250,000 in the unit/share class currency, such as £, euro or $, if investing direct with Artemis)
• This type of class has a lower ongoing charge when compared to the A classes

These classes are only available for subscription via certain distributors, intermediaries and/or other professional investors who have separate fee arrangements with their clients.

Further information

Visit the fund charges and costs page for an explanation of the types of charges involved in investing in funds and details of the charges and costs for each Artemis funds.

This information is intended to provide you with help and guidance about investing generally and about investing with Artemis. It is not a marketing communication and should not be used to make investment decisions. You should always refer to the relevant fund prospectus and KIID/KID before making any final investment decisions.

Artemis does not provide investment advice on the advantages or suitability of its products and no information provided should be viewed in this way. Should you be unsure about the suitability of an investment, you should consult a suitably qualified professional adviser.