portfolio holdings, which could in turn lead to differences between the market price of the Fund's shares and their net asset value.
Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect some or all of its creations and redemptions for cash rather than in-kind. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in an ETF that effects all of its creations and redemptions in-kind. Because the Fund may effect redemptions for cash, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. A sale of portfolio securities may result in capital gains or losses and may also result in higher brokerage costs. To the extent costs are not offset by transaction fees charged by the Fund to APs, the costs of cash transactions will be borne by the Fund.
Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Fund concentrates in an industry or group of industries, it will be subject to the risk that economic, political, or other conditions that have a negative effect on that industry or group of industries will negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if its assets were invested in a wider variety of industries.
Industrial Sector Risk: Companies in the industrial sector face a variety of risks, including commodity price volatility, supply chain disruptions, potential obsolescence of technologies, economic downturns, and increasing competition. The sector is also under pressure to address climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy, which creates transition risk.
Information Technology Sector Risk: Companies in the information technology sector can be significantly affected by short product cycles, obsolescence of existing technology, impairment or loss of intellectual property rights, falling prices and profits, competition from new market entrants, government regulation and other factors.
Depositary Receipts Risk: Depositary receipts are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the U.S. or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends and interest and corporate actions. Depositary receipts are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. The issuers of depositary receipts may discontinue issuing new depositary receipts and withdraw existing depositary receipts at any time, which may result in costs and delays in the distribution of the underlying assets to the Fund and may negatively impact the Fund's performance. Depositary receipts are subject to the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, which include heightened political and economic risks, greater volatility, currency fluctuations, higher transaction costs, delayed settlement, possible foreign controls on investment, possible sanctions by governmental bodies of other countries and less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of foreign markets.
Emerging Market Risk: Foreign securities risks are more significant in emerging market countries. These countries may have relatively unstable governments and less-established market economies than developed countries. Emerging markets may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. These risks make emerging market securities more volatile and less liquid than securities issued in more developed countries. Emerging market countries are generally located in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Securities exchanges in emerging markets may suspend listed securities from trading for substantially longer periods of time than exchanges in developed
markets, including for periods of a year or longer. If the Fund is holding a suspended security, that security would become completely illiquid as the Fund would not be able to dispose of the security until the suspension is lifted. In such instances, it can also be difficult to determine an appropriate valuation for the security because of a lack of trading and uncertainty as to when trading may resume.
ESG Factors Risk: The Subadvisor may incorporate environmental, social and governance considerations as a component of its risk analysis. The consideration of ESG factors by the Subadvisor and/or Advisor, as applicable, could cause the Fund to perform differently than other funds. ESG factors are not the only consideration used by the Subadvisor and/or Advisor, as applicable, in making investment decisions for the Fund and the Fund may invest in a company that scores poorly on ESG factors if it scores well on other criteria. ESG factors may not be considered for every investment decision.
Foreign Securities Risk: An investment in the Fund is subject to special risks in addition to those of U.S. securities. These risks include heightened political and economic risks, greater volatility, currency fluctuations, higher transaction costs, delayed settlement, possible foreign controls on investment, possible sanctions by governmental bodies of other countries and less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of foreign markets. Foreign securities are sometimes less liquid and harder to value than securities of U.S. issuers. The securities markets of many foreign countries are relatively small, with a limited number of companies representing a small number of industries. If foreign securities are denominated and traded in a foreign currency, the value of the Fund's foreign holdings can be affected by currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations. The Fund's investments in foreign securities may also be subject to foreign withholding taxes.
Global economies and financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market.
Issuer Risk: An adverse event affecting a particular issuer in which the Fund is invested, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of that issuer's securities, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably.
Market Capitalization Risk: The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization. Securities of smaller companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. Additionally, small- and mid-cap stocks may fall out of favor relative to large cap stocks, which may cause the Fund to underperform other equity funds that focus on larger capitalized companies. Likewise, large cap stocks may fall out of favor relative to small- and mid-cap stocks, which may cause the Fund to underperform other equity funds that focus on smaller capitalized companies.
New Fund Risk: There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. The Board of Trustees may liquidate the Fund at any time in accordance with the Declaration of Trust and governing law. As a result, the timing of the Fund's liquidation may not be favorable.
Non-Diversification Risk: Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities of a single issuer, and/or invest in a relatively small number of issuers, it is more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio.