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Advanced Series Trust AST Academic Strategies Asset ... - Prudential

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countries outside of the United States. However, the Portfolio may invest a substantial part of its assets in any one country. The<br />

Portfolio intends to invest in companies (or governments) in the following countries or regions: the Far East including Japan, Europe<br />

including the UK and other countries or areas that the Subadviser may select from time to time. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of<br />

its total assets in securities of issuers located and operating primarily in emerging market countries.<br />

While the Portfolio may engage in transactions intended to hedge its exposure to fluctuations in foreign currencies, it does not<br />

normally do so. To the extent the Portfolio invests in securities of issuers in developing countries, the Portfolio may be subject to even<br />

greater levels of risk and share price fluctuation. Transaction costs are often higher in developing countries and there may be delays<br />

in settlement of transactions.<br />

Other Investments:<br />

The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt or preferred equity securities exchangeable for or convertible into<br />

marketable equity securities of foreign companies. In addition, the Portfolio may regularly invest up to 20% of its total assets in highgrade<br />

short-term debt securities, including U.S. Government obligations, investment grade corporate bonds or taxable municipal<br />

securities, whether denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. The Portfolio also may purchase and write (sell) covered call<br />

and put options on securities and stock indices. The Portfolio may also purchase and sell stock and interest rate futures contracts and<br />

options on these futures contracts. The purpose of these transactions is to hedge against changes in the market value of the Portfolio’s<br />

securities caused by changing interest rates and market conditions, and to close out or offset existing positions in options or futures<br />

contracts. The Portfolio may from time to time make short sales “against the box.”<br />

<strong>AST</strong> JPMorgan Strategic Opportunities Portfolio<br />

Investment Objective: to seek to maximize return compared to the benchmark through security selection and tactical asset<br />

allocation.<br />

Principal Investment Policies:<br />

The Portfolio will utilize a variety of diversifying asset classes and investment styles, including a significant allocation to alternative<br />

investment strategies such as market neutral, 130/30, and absolute return.<br />

The Portfolio may invest in a wide range of asset classes, including U.S. and non-U.S. equities, emerging markets equities, real estate<br />

investment trusts (REITs) domiciled in and outside of the United States, U.S. and non-U.S. fixed income, high yield bonds,<br />

convertible bonds, and emerging markets bonds. The allocation to these asset classes will vary depending on J.P. Morgan’s tactical<br />

views. Market neutral strategies seek to produce a positive return regardless of the direction of the equity markets. 130/30 strategies<br />

follow a particular index, for example the S&P 500, but allow J.P. Morgan to sell short securities that are deemed likely to decline in<br />

value. Absolute return strategies seek to generate a return in excess of<br />

prevailing yields on U.S. Treasuries or the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR).<br />

Within its equity allocations, the Portfolio primarily invests in the common stock and convertible securities of U.S. and foreign<br />

companies, including companies that are located or domiciled in, or that derive significant revenues or profits from, emerging market<br />

countries. Equity securities in which the Portfolio can invest may include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities,<br />

depositary receipts, warrants and rights to buy common stocks, and master limited partnerships. The Portfolio may invest in securities<br />

denominated in U.S. dollars, major reserve currencies and currencies of other countries in which it can invest.<br />

The Portfolio will invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and may seek to enhance returns and/or manage currency<br />

risk versus the benchmark where appropriate through managing currency exposure. Capital markets in certain countries may be less<br />

developed and/or not easy to access. With its fixed income allocation, the Portfolio may invest in a wide range of debt securities of<br />

issuers from the U.S. and other markets, both developed and emerging. Investments may be issued or guaranteed by a wide variety of<br />

entities including governments and their agencies, corporations, financial institutions and supranational organizations that the<br />

Portfolio believes have the potential to provide a high total return over time. The Portfolio may invest in inflationlinked debt<br />

securities, including fixed and floating rate debt securities of varying maturities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies and<br />

instrumentalities, such as Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). The may invest in mortgage-related securities issued by<br />

governmental entities and private issuers.<br />

The Portfolio may invest assets in securities that are rated below investment grade (junk bonds) by Moody’s Investor Services, Inc.<br />

(Moody’s), Standard & Poor’s Corporation (S&P), Fitch Ratings (Fitch) or the equivalent by another national rating organization, or<br />

securities that are unrated but are deemed by J.P Morgan to be of comparable quality. Securities rated below investment grade may<br />

include so called “distressed debt” (i.e., securities of issuers experiencing financial or operating difficulties or operating in troubled<br />

industries that present attractive risk-reward characteristics). The Portfolio may invest in floating rate securities, whose interest rates<br />

adjust automatically whenever a specified interest rate changes, and in variable rate securities, whose interest rates are changed<br />

243

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