Core Bond

Summary

This Fund is a good choice for those long-term, income-oriented investors who are looking to diversify their investments by gaining a broad exposure to the investment-grade U.S. bond market (excluding high yield). The Core Bond Fund seeks to maximize total return consistent with reasonable risk by investing primarily in a broad range of bonds and other fixed income securities. This Fund maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity between three and 15 years.

Fund Objective

Total Return

Fund Strategy

• Invest primarily in domestic investment-grade debt obligations with an average maturity, under normal circumstances, between three and 15 years.
• Buy and sell securities using a relative value approach that employs models that analyze and compare expected returns and assumed risks.
• Emphasize securities and types of securities (such as Treasury, agency, asset-backed, mortgage-related and corporate securities) that we believe have the potential to provide a favorable return.

Investor Profile

If you are a long-term, income-oriented investor who is looking to diversify your investments by gaining broad exposure to the U.S. bond market while eliminating your exposure to non-investment grade debt then this Fund may be right for you. It offers a diversified portfolio of bond securities primarily invested in U.S. investment-grade debt.

Risk/Reward Potential

Overall Morningstar Rating ^TM

Among 378 intermediate core bond funds derived from a weighted average of the fund's 3-, 5- and 10-year risk-adjusted returns as of 2/29/20.

Core Bond received 4 stars for the 3-year rating among 378 intermediate core bond funds, 3 stars for the 5-year rating among 325 funds and 4 stars for the 10-year rating among 247 funds.

The Morningstar Rating^TM for funds, or "star rating," is calculated for managed products (including mutual funds, variable annuity and variable life subaccounts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, and separate accounts) with at least a three-year history. Exchange-traded funds and open-ended mutual funds are considered a single population for comparative purposes. It is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product's monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of products in each product category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars, and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a managed product is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. The weights are: 100% three-year rating for 36-59 months of total returns, 60% five-year rating/40% three-year rating for 60-119 months of total returns, and 50% 10-year rating/30% five-year rating/20% three-year rating for 120 or more months of total returns. While the 10-year overall star rating formula seems to give the most weight to the 10-year period, the most recent three-year period actually has the greatest impact because it is included in all three rating periods. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Important risk information can be found on the Portfolio tab.

Not FDIC insured | May lose value | No bank guarantee

View investment terms definitions

Please carefully read the prospectus and summary prospectus and consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of Northern Funds before investing. Call 800-595-9111 to obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other information about the funds.

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