Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Registration Nos. 811-00945 and 002-16590
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter/Declaration of Trust)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
| | | Virtus Mutual Funds P.O. Box 9874 Providence, RI 02940-8074 | | | Toll Free 800-243-1574 Virtus.com | |
President, Virtus Mutual Funds
of existing shareholders.
A SERIES OF VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST
Greenfield, MA 01301
Secretary
Virtus Equity Trust
| Registration | | | Valid Signature | |
| Corporate Accounts | | | | |
| (1) ABC Corp. | | | ABC Corp. | |
| (2) ABC Corp. | | | John Doe, Treasurer | |
| (3) ABC Corp. c/o John Doe, Treasurer | | | John Doe | |
| (4) ABC Corp. Profit Sharing Plan | | | John Doe, Trustee | |
| Trust Accounts | | | | |
| (1) ABC Trust | | | Jane B. Doe, Trustee | |
| (2) Jane B. Doe, Trustee u/t/d 12/28/78 | | | Jane B. Doe | |
| Custodial or Estate Accounts | | | | |
| (1) John B. Smith, Cust. f/b/o John B. Smith, Jr. UGMA | | | John B. Smith | |
| (2) Estate of John B. Smith | | | John B. Smith, Jr., Executor | |
A SERIES OF VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST
Greenfield, MA 01301
(800) 243-1574
343,600.30, Class I — 445,335.13, and Class R6 38,520.27.
Name | | | Principal Occupation at KAR | |
Michael A. Angerthal | | | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |
George R. Aylward | | | President | |
Douglas Foreman | | | Chief Investment Officer | |
Wendy J. Hills | | | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary | |
Michael Shoemaker | | | Chief Compliance Officer | |
Stephen Rigali | | | Executive Vice President | |
Jeannine Vanian | | | Chief Operating Officer | |
Rampart | | | KAR | |
The Fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and current income. The fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing in securities and/or Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”) representing the S&P 500® Index. Allocations are based on a proprietary rules-based model that seeks to overweight those segments of the market that have experienced stronger recent relative performance. An options strategy is employed for the purpose of seeking to generate additional returns. The strategy utilizes index-based, out-of-the-money put and call credit spreads. The strategy is driven by the relationship between implied volatility, as measured by the CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX®), and the realized volatility of the S&P 500® Index. The strategy seeks to exploit pricing inefficiencies in the S&P 500® Index options market. | | | The Fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and current income. The fund invests in a diversified portfolio of primarily high-quality, dividend-paying U.S. companies. The investment strategy emphasizes companies the subadviser believes to have a durable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk and to be able to grow over market cycles. The fund typically invests in the securities of medium to large capitalization companies, but it is not limited to investing in the securities of companies of any particular size. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in dividend paying equity securities. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 25 to 50 securities at any given time. | |
HIRE AND REPLACE SUBADVISERS OR TO MODIFY
SUBADVISORY AGREEMENTS WITHOUT
SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL, AND TO PERMIT THE
FUND TO DISCLOSE ADVISORY AND SUBADVISORY
FEE INFORMATION IN AN AGGREGATED MANNER
| | Shareholder and Address | | | | Class | | | | Shares | | | | Percentage of Class | | | ||||||
| | BNYM I S TRUST CO CUST FOR THE IRA OF LAWRENCE B ROBINSON RCHO SANTA FE CA 92067-2736 | | | | I | | | | | | 25,980.83 | | | | | | | 5.83 | | | |
| | CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FBO CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 211 MAIN STREET SAN FRANCISCO CA 94105 | | | | A | | | | | | 270,877.45 | | | | | | | 5.40 | | | |
| | LPL FINANCIAL A/C xxxx-xx05 4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE SAN DIEGO CA 92121-3091 | | | | C | | | | | | 64,209.20 | | | | | | | 18.69 | | | |
| I | | | | | | 29,974.43 | | | | | | | 6.73 | | | | |||||
| | MLPF&S FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS ATTN FUND ADMINISTRATION 4800 DEER LAKE DR E 3RD FL JACKSONVILLE FL 32246-6484 | | | | A | | | | | | 276,381.58 | | | | | | | 5.51 | | | |
| C | | | | | | 18,715.27 | | | | | | | 5.45 | | | | |||||
| | NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC FOR EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD JERSEY CITY NJ 07310 | | | | A | | | | | | 330,573.49 | | | | | | | 6.59 | | | |
| I | | | | | | 78,415.28 | | | | | | | 17.61 | | | | |||||
| R6 | | | | | | 33,689.35 | | | | | | | 87.46 | | | | |||||
| | PERSHING LLC 1 PERSHING PLAZA JERSEY CITY NJ 07399-0002 | | | | A | | | | | | 274,552.03 | | | | | | | 5.48 | | | |
| C | | | | | | 28,817.37 | | | | | | | 8.39 | | | | |||||
| I | | | | | | 28,530.96 | | | | | | | 6.41 | | | | |||||
| | PTS ASSET MANAGEMENT WILLIAM F WADSWORTH A PARTNERSHIP 565 WASHINGTON AVE STE 7 NORTH HAVEN CT 06473-1120 | | | | I | | | | | | 55,946.87 | | | | | | | 12.56 | | | |
| | UBS WM USA xxx xxxxx 6100 SPEC CDY A/C EXL BEN CUSTOMERS OF UBSFSI 1000 HARBOR BLVD WEEHAWKEN NJ 07086 | | | | A | | | | | | 267,849.75 | | | | | | | 5.34 | | | |
| C | | | | | | 39,685.94 | | | | | | | 11.55 | | | | |||||
| I | | | | | | 26,319.25 | | | | | | | 5.91 | | | | |||||
| | VIRTUS PARTNERS INC ONE FINANCIAL PLAZA 26TH FL HARTFORD CT 06103 | | | | R6 | | | | | | 4,830.92 | | | | | | | 12.54 | | | |
| | WELLS FARGO CLEARING SVCS LLC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER 2801 MARKET STREET ST LOUIS MO 63103 | | | | A | | | | | | 430,664.59 | | | | | | | 8.59 | | | |
| C | | | | | | 37,942.43 | | | | | | | 11.04 | | | | |||||
| I | | | | | | 62,962.47 | | | | | | | 14.14 | | | |
| | | | | | |||
| | | | Name: | | | Kevin J. Carr | |
| | | | Title: | | | Secretary Virtus Equity Trust | |
Virtus KAR Equity Income Fund
1800 Avenue of the Stars, 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc.
One Financial Plaza
Hartford, Connecticut 06103
Attn: Kevin J. Carr
Telephone: (860) 263-4791
Facsimile: (860) 241-1024
Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC
1800 Avenue of the Stars, 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Telephone: (310) 284-5562
Facsimile: (800) 231-7414
Title:
Title:
Title:
| SCHEDULES: | | | A. | | | Operational Procedures | |
| | | | B. | | | Record Keeping Requirements | |
| | | | C. | | | Fee Schedule | |
| | | | D. | | | Subadviser Functions | |
| | | | E. | | | Form of Sub-Certification | |
| | | | F. | | | Designated Series | |
| | | | | |
| [Name of Subadviser] | | | Date | |
| [Name of Authorized Signer] | | | | |
| [Title of Authorized Signer] | | | | |
VIRTUS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INC. ONE FINANCIAL PLAZA HARTFORD, CT 06103 To vote by Internet 1) Read the Proxy Statement and have the proxy card below at hand. 2) Go to website www.proxyvote.com 3) Follow the instructions provided on the website 4) To attend and vote at the meeting, please register by going to Virtual Shareholder Meeting at: https://viewproxy.com/VirtusRampartEnhancedCoreEquityFund/broadridgevsm To vote by Telephone 1) Read the Proxy Statement and have the proxy card below at hand. 2) Call 1-800-690-6903 3) Follow the instructions. To vote by Mail 1) Read the Proxy Statement. 2) Check the appropriate boxes on the proxy card below. 3) Sign and date the proxy card. 4) Return the proxy card in the envelope provided. TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: The Board of Trustees recommends a vote FOR the following proposals For Against Abstain 1) To approve a Subadvisory Agreement by and among the Trust, Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”) and Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC. 2) To approve a proposal to permit Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc., as the investment adviser to the Fund, to hire, terminate and replace affiliated (both wholly-owned and partially-owned) and unaffiliated subadvisers for the Fund or to modify subadvisory agreements for the Fund without shareholder approval, and to permit the Fund to disclose advisory and subadvisory fee information in an aggregated manner. □ □ □ NOTE: Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) on this card. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee, guardian or as custodian for a minor, please sign your name and give your full title as such. If signing on behalf of a corporation, please sign the full corporate name and your name and indicate your title. If you are a partner signing for a partnership, please sign the partnership name, your name and indicate your title. Joint owners should each sign these instructions. Please sign, date and return. Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature [Joint owners] Date
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Special Meeting: The Notice and Proxy Statement is available at www.proxyvote.corn. PROXY Virtus Rampart Enhanced Core Equity Fund PROXY SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON AUGUST 28, 2020 THIS PROXY IS BEING SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. The undersigned shareholder(s) of the Virtus Rampart Enhanced Core Equity Fund (the "Fund"), a series of Virtus Equity Trust (the "Trust"), revoking previous proxies, hereby appoint(s) Kevin J. Carr, Jennifer S. Fromm and Holly van den Toorn, or any one of them true and lawful attorneys with power of substitution of each, to vote all shares which the undersigned is entitled to vote, at the Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund to be held virtually on August 28, 2020, at https://viewproxy.com/VirtusRampartEnhancedCoreEquityFund/broadridgevsm, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and at any adjournment thereof as indicated on the reverse side. In their discretion, the proxy holders named above are authorized to vote upon such other matters as may properly come before the meeting. Receipt of the Notice of the Special Meeting and the accompanying Proxy Statement is hereby acknowledged. The shares represented hereby will be voted as indicated or FOR the proposals if no choice is indicated.