The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same.

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of global common stocks and other equity securities without reference to benchmark constraints.

While the portfolio managers are not constrained by geographic limitations, the Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least six different countries. In addition, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 40% of its total assets in securities of companies located outside the U.S. when market conditions are favorable, but, when market conditions are not favorable, invests at least 30% of its total assets in companies located outside the U.S. The Fund may invest in issuers located in emerging markets.

The Fund does not apply specific constraints with respect to market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings (“IPOs”). In addition, investment is permitted in securities offerings that are not registered in the U.S.

The portfolio managers employ a bottom-up approach to stock selection, seeking to identify companies they believe have attractive long-term growth prospects, and select investments without regard to the geographic, industry, sector, or individual company weightings on any index. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long-term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, and relationships with industry thought leaders and academic institutions. Stock ideas are normally researched to assess a range of factors, including: long-term growth potential, geographic and industry positioning, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. Under normal circumstances, the intended outcome is a portfolio typically consisting of between 30 and 60 growth companies with the potential to outperform the Fund’s benchmark over the long term. The process can result in significant exposure to a single country or a small number of countries, and the Fund expects to have considerable exposure to Chinese companies including through China A shares, which are common stocks and other equity securities that are listed or traded on a Chinese stock exchange and which are quoted in renminbi, the official currency of China. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund aims to hold securities for long periods (typically at least 5 years), which generally results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the portfolio managers’ long-term investment outlook.

When assessing a company’s long-term growth prospects, the portfolio managers seek to identify and to incorporate a range of

factors that they believe are material to managing the Fund’s investment risks and maximizing capital appreciation. The Manager believes that a company selected for the Fund’s portfolio is unlikely to be financially sustainable in the long run if the portfolio managers believe that its approach to business is fundamentally out of line with changing societal expectations. The portfolio managers employ an investment process designed to identify companies with practices they believe are aligned with sustainable financial growth over the long-term, including environmental, social, and/or governance characteristics, such as stewardship, sustainable business practices, and/or corporate culture. With respect to the consideration of a company’s environmental characteristics, the portfolio managers believe that the possibility of climate-related disruptions and the related transition to a low-carbon economy present opportunities for, and specific risks relevant to, the Fund’s holdings. As a result, the portfolio managers generally seek to invest the Fund’s assets in companies that they believe are “climate-fit” for the future, which are companies that take appropriate steps (in the view of and as determined by the portfolio managers) to (i) reduce their direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., pursue “net zero” carbon emission ambitions or targets), (ii) integrate the related challenges into business strategies (i.e., the company undertakes steps to understand and manage the related technological, market and environmental changes confronting its business), and/or (iii) provide robust disclosure on climate change and other significant environmental issues so that investors can better assess the related investment risks and opportunities to such company. However, the portfolio managers do not employ categorical restrictions or exclusions in assessing a company’s climate-fitness. The portfolio managers expect that companies that they assess as climate-fit under the Fund’s investment process will ultimately correlate with companies that themselves are aligned with a broader global transition toward net zero carbon emissions.

The portfolio managers may sell a holding if they determine there has been a material deterioration in the investment case or as appropriate to make other investments or meet redemptions.

The Fund invests in equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts, and may invest in preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants. The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund does not expect to engage in currency hedging and thus expects to be fully exposed to currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar.

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund’s average annual total returns with those of the Fund’s benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Highest Quarterly Return: 44.21% (Q2, 2020)

Lowest Quarterly Return: ‑28.26% (Q2, 2022)

Updated information on the Fund’s investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

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Investment Style Risk – Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the “Manager”) actively makes investment decisions for the Fund through bottom-up stock selection. Accordingly, the

Fund will have risk characteristics that differ from its benchmark index. The Manager’s judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular stock may prove to be incorrect and cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index. There can be no assurance that the Manager’s investment decisions will produce the desired results.

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Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a period of several years. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over extended periods of time, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term. An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short- or medium-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund’s portfolio. See also “Selected Investment Techniques and Topics—Our Stewardship Approach.”

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Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

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China Risk – Investing in securities of Chinese issuers involves certain risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in securities of U.S. issuers, including, among others, more frequent trading suspensions and government interventions (including by nationalization of assets), currency exchange rate fluctuations or blockages, limits on the use of brokers and on foreign ownership, different financial reporting standards, higher dependence on exports and international trade, potential for increased trade tariffs, sanctions, embargoes and other trade limitations, custody risks, risks associated with investments in variable interest entities, and potential adverse tax consequences. U.S. sanctions or other investment restrictions could preclude the Fund from investing in certain Chinese issuers or cause the Fund to sell investments at a disadvantageous time. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid, as Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities, and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility and other events.

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Currency Risk – The Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. The Fund does not expect to engage in currency hedging and thus expects to be fully exposed to currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar.

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Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

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ESG Risk – To the extent that the Fund’s portfolio managers incorporate environmental, social and/or governance considerations (“ESG Factors”) into the Fund’s investment process as a part of the Fund’s long-term investment approach, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may underperform funds that do not take ESG Factors into account. The consideration of ESG Factors may prioritize long-term rather than short-term returns, and therefore may negatively impact the relative performance of the Fund over the short, medium or even long term depending on how successfully those ESG Factors are incorporated and whether such investments are in or out of favor. In considering ESG Factors, the portfolio managers may be dependent upon information and data obtained through voluntary reporting by issuers or third-party research that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could impact the portfolio managers’ assessment of relative risks and opportunities. See also “Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk” and “Selected Investment Techniques and Topics—Our Stewardship Approach.”

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Government and Regulatory Risk – Governmental and regulatory authorities in the United States and other countries, have taken, and may in the future take, actions intervening in the markets in which the Fund invests and in the economy more generally. Governmental and regulatory authorities may also act to increase the scope or burden of regulations applicable to the Fund or to the companies in

which the Fund invests. The effects of these actions on the markets generally, and the Fund’s investment program in particular, can be uncertain and could restrict the ability of the Fund to fully implement its investment strategies, either generally, or with respect to certain securities, industries, or countries. By contrast, markets in some non-U.S. countries historically have been subject to little regulation or oversight by governmental or regulatory authorities, which could heighten the risk of loss due to fraud or market failures in those countries. Governments, agencies, or other regulatory bodies in any country may adopt or change laws or regulations that could adversely affect the Fund or the market value of an instrument held by the Fund.

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IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

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Liquidity Risk – The Fund’s investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, contractual lock-in periods or regulatory restrictions, and the Fund may hold large positions in particular securities. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. Liquidity risk may be magnified during periods of changing interest rates, significant shareholder redemptions or market turmoil. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. In some cases, due to unanticipated levels of illiquidity the Fund may seek to meet its redemption obligations wholly or in part by distributions of assets in-kind.

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Market Risk – The value of the Fund’s investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund’s shares.

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Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

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Valuation Risk – In certain circumstances, some of the Fund’s portfolio holdings may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations by employing fair value procedures. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including “fair valued” securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. There is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.