The fund strives to achieve the highest possible total returns by primarily investing in corporate bonds issued by both U.S. and international companies. These debt instruments typically have maturities not exceeding twenty years from their acquisition date. The portfolio's core focus is generally on corporate debt with mid-to-lower investment-grade credit ratings, specifically those rated A+ to BBB- by S&P or Fitch, or A1 to Baa3 by Moody’s. However, the fund maintains the flexibility to also allocate to bonds with superior investment-grade ratings or, opportunistically, to speculative-grade (high-yield) securities, a decision contingent on the anticipated additional compensation (credit premium) for the perceived risk.