The investment seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Northern Trust Quality Dividend IndexSM. The index is designed to reflect the performance of a selection of companies that, in aggregate, possess greater financial strength and stability characteristics relative to the Northern Trust 1250 Index, a float-adjusted market-capitalization weighted index of U.S. domiciled large- and mid-capitalization companies. Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) in the securities of the index.