v3.24.4
Oct. 31, 2024
T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock Fund
Emerging Markets Stock Fund
Investment Objective(s)

The fund seeks long-term growth of capital through investments primarily in the common stocks of companies located (or with primary operations) in emerging markets.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the fund. You may also incur brokerage commissions and other charges when buying or selling shares of the fund, which are not reflected in the table or example below.

Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees - T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock Fund - USD ($)
Investor Class
I Class
Z Class
Maximum account fee $ 20 [1] none none
[1]

Subject to certain exceptions and account minimums, accounts are charged an annual $20 fee.

Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses - T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock Fund
Investor Class
I Class
Z Class
Management fees 0.93% 0.93% 0.93%
Other expenses 0.29% 0.06% [1] 0.04%
Total annual fund operating expenses 1.22% 0.99% 0.97%
Fee waiver/expense reimbursement none (0.01%) [1] (0.97%) [2]
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver/expense reimbursement 1.22% 0.98% [1] none [2]
[1]

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., has contractually agreed (through February 28, 2026) to pay the operating expenses of the fund’s I Class excluding management fees; interest; expenses related to borrowings, taxes, and brokerage; nonrecurring, extraordinary expenses; and acquired fund fees and expenses (I Class Operating Expenses), to the extent the I Class Operating Expenses exceed 0.05% of the class’ average daily net assets. The agreement may only be terminated at any time after February 28, 2026, with approval by the fund’s Board of Directors. Any expenses paid under this agreement (and any applicable prior limitations) are subject to reimbursement to T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., by the class whenever the I Class Operating Expenses are below 0.05%. However, the class will not reimburse T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., more than three years from the date such amounts were initially waived or paid. The class may only reimburse T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., if the reimbursement does not cause the I Class Operating Expenses (after the reimbursement is taken into account) to exceed the current expense limitation on I Class Operating Expenses (or the expense limitation in place at the time the amounts were waived or paid).

[2]

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., has contractually agreed to waive and/or bear all the Z Class’ expenses (excluding interest; expenses related to borrowings, taxes, and brokerage; nonrecurring, extraordinary expenses; and acquired fund fees and expenses) in their entirety. T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., expects this fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement arrangement to remain in place indefinitely, and the agreement may only be amended or terminated with approval by the fund’s Board of Directors.

Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest

$10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods, that your investment has a 5% return each year, and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The example also assumes that any current expense limitation arrangement remains in place for the period noted in the previous table; therefore, the figures have been adjusted to reflect fee waivers or expense reimbursements only in the periods for which the expense limitation arrangement is expected to continue. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example - T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock Fund - USD ($)
Investor Class
I Class
Z Class
1 Year $ 124 $ 100 none
3 Years 387 314 none
5 Years 670 546 none
10 Years $ 1,477 $ 1,212 none
Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when the fund’s shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 64.1% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in stocks of companies in emerging markets. The fund relies on MSCI Inc., a third-party provider of benchmark indexes and data services, or another unaffiliated data provider to determine the country assigned to a security and whether the country is considered an emerging market. The fund considers frontier markets to be a subset of emerging markets and any investments in frontier markets are counted toward the fund’s 80% investment policy. Any derivatives that provide exposure to the investment focus suggested by the fund’s name, or to one or more market risk factors associated with the investment focus suggested by the fund’s name, are counted (as applicable) toward compliance with the fund’s 80% investment policy.

The fund expects to primarily invest in common stocks of companies located (or with primary operations) in emerging markets (which may include frontier markets) in Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The countries in which the fund normally invests include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Asia: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

· Latin America: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

· Europe: Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.

· Africa and the Middle East: Bahrain, Botswana, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe.

While the adviser invests with an awareness of the global economic backdrop and the adviser’s outlook for certain industries, sectors, and individual countries, the adviser’s decision-making process focuses on bottom-up stock selection. Country allocation is driven largely by stock selection, though the adviser may limit investments in markets or industries that appear to have poor overall prospects. The fund may, at times, invest significantly in Asia and specifically, China.

The fund may purchase the stocks of companies of any size.

Security selection reflects a growth style. The adviser relies on a global team of investment analysts dedicated to in-depth fundamental research in an effort to identify companies capable of achieving and sustaining above-average, long-term earnings growth. The adviser seeks to purchase stocks of companies at reasonable prices in relation to present or anticipated earnings, cash flow, or book value.

In selecting investments, the adviser generally favors companies with one or more of the following characteristics:

· leading or improving market position;

· attractive business niche;

· attractive or improving franchise or industry position;

· seasoned management;

· stable or improving earnings and/or cash flow; and

· sound or improving balance sheet.

At times, the fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in the same economic sector.

Principal Risks
Risk Table - T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock Fund
Risk [Text Block]
Risk Lose Money [Member] The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund.
Emerging markets

Emerging markets: Investments in emerging market countries are subject to greater risk and overall volatility than investments in the U.S. and other developed markets. Emerging market countries tend to have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, less developed legal and regulatory regimes, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries. In addition to the risks associated with investing outside the U.S., emerging markets are more susceptible to governmental interference, political and economic uncertainty, local taxes and restrictions on the fund’s investments, less efficient trading markets with lower overall liquidity, and more volatile currency exchange rates.

Market conditions

Market conditions: The value of the fund’s investments may decrease, sometimes rapidly or unexpectedly, due to factors affecting an issuer held by the fund, particular industries, or the overall securities markets. A variety of factors can increase the volatility of the fund’s holdings and markets generally, including economic, political, or regulatory developments, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes, war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and outbreaks of infectious illnesses or other widespread public health issues (such as the coronavirus pandemic) and related governmental and public responses (including sanctions). Certain events may cause instability across global markets, including reduced liquidity and disruptions in trading markets, while some events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors, and industries more significantly than others. Government intervention in markets may impact interest rates, market volatility, and security pricing. These adverse developments may cause broad declines in market value due to short-term market movements or for significantly longer periods during more prolonged market downturns.

 
Investing in China

Investing in China: The Chinese government has historically exercised significant control over China’s economy and its financial markets through, among other things, its monetary policies and allocation of resources, management of currency exchange rates, preferential treatment or restrictions relating to industries deemed sensitive to national interests, and limitations on foreign ownership of Chinese securities. Although economic reforms have liberalized trade policy and reduced government control, changes in these policies or increased government intervention could adversely impact affected industries or companies. China’s currency, which historically has been managed in a tight range relative to the U.S. dollar, may in the future be subject to greater uncertainty as Chinese authorities change the policies that determine the official currency exchange rate. Additionally, the Chinese economy is highly dependent on the exportation of products and services, and could experience a significant slowdown due to a reduction in global demand for Chinese exports, contraction in spending on domestic goods by Chinese consumers, trade or political disputes with China’s major trading partners, imposition of tariffs, sanctions, and other trade barriers, military conflict and strained international relations, cyberattacks, natural disasters, or public health threats. Heightened trade tensions between China and any of its key trading partners, including the U.S., could have a significant adverse impact on the Chinese economy.

Investing in Asia

Investing in Asia: Many Asian economies have at various times been negatively affected by inflation, currency devaluations, an over-reliance on international trade and exports, particularly for certain commodities, political and social instability, and less developed financial systems and securities trading markets. Trade restrictions, unexpected decreases in exports, changes in government policies, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, or natural disasters could have a significant impact on companies doing business in Asia. The Asian region may be significantly affected by political unrest, military conflict, economic sanctions, and less demand for Asian products and services.

International investing

International investing: Non-U.S. securities tend to be more volatile and have lower overall liquidity than investments in U.S. securities and may lose value because of adverse local, political, social, or economic developments overseas, or due to changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. In addition, investments outside the U.S. are

subject to settlement practices and regulatory and financial reporting standards that differ from those of the U.S. The risks of investing outside the U.S. are heightened for any investments in emerging markets, which are susceptible to greater volatility than investments in developed markets.

Sector exposure

Sector exposure: Issuers in the same economic sector may be similarly affected by economic or market events, making the fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.

Currency exposure

Currency exposure: Because the fund is normally heavily exposed to foreign currencies, the fund is subject to the significant risk that it could experience losses based solely on the weakness of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar and changes in the exchange rates between such currencies and the U.S. dollar.

Frontier markets

Frontier markets: Frontier markets generally have smaller economies and less mature capital markets than emerging markets. As a result, the risks associated with investing in emerging market countries are magnified in frontier market countries. Frontier markets are more susceptible to abrupt changes in currency values, have less mature markets and settlement practices, and can have lower trading volumes that could lead to greater price volatility and illiquidity. Investor protections in frontier market countries may be limited and settlement procedures and custody services may prove inadequate in certain markets.

Liquidity

Liquidity: A particular investment or an entire market segment may become less liquid or even illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which could limit the fund’s ability to purchase or sell holdings in a timely manner at a desired price. An inability to sell a portfolio holding can adversely affect the fund’s overall value or prevent the fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Liquidity risk may be magnified during periods of substantial market volatility and unexpected episodes of illiquidity may limit the fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds without selling holdings at an unfavorable time or at a suitable price. Large redemptions may also have a negative impact on the fund’s overall liquidity.

 
Growth investing

Growth investing: The fund’s growth approach to investing could cause it to underperform other stock funds that employ a different investment style. Growth stocks tend to be more volatile than certain other types of stocks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market. A stock with growth characteristics can have sharp price declines due to decreases in current or expected earnings and may lack dividends that can help cushion its share price in a declining market.

Stock investing

Stock investing: Stocks generally fluctuate in value more than bonds and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is a chance that stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. The value of stocks held by the fund may decline due to general weakness or volatility in the stock markets in which the fund invests or because of factors that affect a particular company or industry.

Active management

Active management: The fund’s overall investment program and holdings selected by the fund’s investment adviser may underperform the broad markets, relevant indices, or other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

Cybersecurity breaches

Cybersecurity breaches: The fund could be harmed by intentional cyberattacks and other cybersecurity breaches, including unauthorized access to the fund’s assets, confidential information, or other proprietary information. In addition, a cybersecurity breach could cause one of the fund’s service providers or financial intermediaries to suffer unauthorized data access, data corruption, or loss of operational functionality.

Performance

The following performance information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s performance information represents only past performance (before and after taxes) and is not necessarily an indication of future results.

The following bar chart illustrates how much returns can differ from year to year by showing calendar year returns and the best and worst calendar quarter returns during those years for the fund’s Investor Class. Returns for other share classes vary since they have different expenses.

Calendar Year Returns
Bar Chart

The fund’s return for the nine months ended 9/30/24 was 5.75%.

         
  

Quarter Ended

Total

Return

  

Quarter Ended

Total

Return

 
 

Best Quarter

12/31/20

19.13%

 

Worst Quarter

3/31/20

-23.46%

 
Average Annual Total Returns Periods ended December 31, 2023

The following table shows the average annual total returns for each class of the fund that has been in operation for at least one full calendar year. The fund’s performance information included in the table is compared with a regulatory required index that represents an overall securities market (Regulatory Benchmark). In addition, the table may also include one or more indexes that more closely aligns to the fund’s investment strategy (Strategy Benchmark(s)).

In addition, the table shows hypothetical after-tax returns to demonstrate how taxes paid by a shareholder may influence returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through

tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or an IRA. After-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Class and will differ for other share classes.

Average Annual Total Returns - T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock Fund
Label
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
Investor Class   2.06% 0.83% 2.28%   Mar. 31, 1995
Investor Class | After Taxes on Distributions   1.92% 0.41% 2.08%    
Investor Class | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales   1.53% 0.87% 1.98%    
I Class   2.30% 1.00%   4.15% Aug. 28, 2015
Z Class   3.31%     4.19% Mar. 16, 2020
MSCI Emerging Markets Index Net [1] MSCI Emerging Markets Index Net          
MSCI Emerging Markets Index Net [2]         5.17%  
MSCI Emerging Markets Index Net   9.83% 3.68% 2.66% 8.25% [3]  
Lipper Emerging Markets Funds Average Lipper Emerging Markets Funds Average          
Lipper Emerging Markets Funds Average [4]         4.91%  
Lipper Emerging Markets Funds Average   11.76% 4.43% 2.50% 8.67% [5]  
[1] Due to new SEC Rules on shareholder reporting, the fund adopted a new broad-based securities market index, referred to as the Regulatory Benchmark.
[2] Return since 8/28/15.
[3] Return since 3/16/20.
[4] Return since 8/31/15.
[5] Return since 3/31/20.
Updated performance information is available through troweprice.com.