As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on October 16, 2026
File No. 811-23859
File No. 333-270997
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
|
☒
|
|
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
|
☐
|
|
Post-Effective Amendment No. 113
|
☒
|
|
and/or
|
|
|
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
|
☒
|
|
Amendment No. 115
|
☒
|
Advisor Managed Portfolios
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(626) 914-7385
(Registrant's Telephone Numbers, Including Area Code)
The Corporation Trust Company
1209 Orange Street
Corporation Trust Center
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Russell B. Simon, President
Advisor Managed Portfolios
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
9467 Milliken Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
|
Christopher D. Menconi, Esquire
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
|
It is proposed that this filing will become effective
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
o
|
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
|
|
o
|
on pursuant to paragraph (b)
|
|
o
|
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
|
|
o
|
on pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
|
|
x
|
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
|
|
o
|
on pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
|
Explanatory Note: This Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to the Registration Statement of Advisors Managed Portfolios (the "Trust") is being filed for the purpose of adding one new series to the Trust, the Bramshill Power Income ETF.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
Dated [ ], 2026
THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
Bramshill Power Income ETF
Ticker: BPOW
Listed on [ ]
PROSPECTUS
[date]
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summary Section
|
1
|
|
Investment Objective, Principal Investment Strategies and Principal Risks
|
9
|
|
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
|
18
|
|
Management of the Fund
|
19
|
|
Buying and Selling Fund Shares
|
20
|
|
Book Entry
|
20
|
|
Determination of Net Asset Value
|
20
|
|
Dividends and Distributions
|
20
|
|
Tax Consequences
|
22
|
|
Distribution Arrangements
|
24
|
|
Exchange Notice
|
26
|
|
Premium/Discount Information
|
26
|
|
Financial Highlights
|
26
|
|
Addresses
|
27
|
|
Privacy Notice
|
PN-1
|
SUMMARY SECTION
Investment Objective
The Bramshill Power Income ETF (the "Fund") seeks to maximize current income and long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
|
|
|
Management Fees
|
[ ]%
|
|
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees
|
None
|
|
Other Expenses1
|
[ ]
|
|
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
|
[ ]
|
1 Based on estimated expenses for the current fiscal year.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The amounts calculated in the Example would be the same even if the assumed investment was not redeemed at the end of each period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance.
Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund implements a tactical fixed income strategy which seeks to maximize total return across a range of global investment opportunities. The strategy will actively manage exposure to asset classes, credit sectors, interest rates and currencies. The Fund's investments consist of a tactical portfolio of income-producing securities.
The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund exchange-traded fund ("ETF") that utilizes a dynamic investment strategy that allows Bramshill Investments, LLC (the "Advisor") to adjust the Fund's holdings across several investments based on the following key parameters. Under normal circumstances, the Fund targets an approximate allocation of one-third of its assets across three core fixed income sectors: corporate credit, securitized credit, and emerging market debt securities. The Fund retains the flexibility to adjust each core sector's allocation up or down in response to evolving market conditions and investment opportunities. In most cases, the maximum adjustment to a core sector allocation would not exceed twenty-five percent of the Fund's net
1
asset value from its initial one third allocation. This means the range for a core sector could shift from approximately 8% - 58% at any given time.
The Fund's corporate credit allocation may include investment-grade and high-yield (below investment-grade) corporate bonds, preferred securities, floating rate loans, and other corporate debt instruments issued by U.S. and non-U.S. issuers. There is no minimum credit quality requirement, and the Fund may invest without limit in high-yield or unrated securities.
The Fund's securitized credit allocation may include asset-backed securities (ABS), residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (such as Ginnie Mae), and U.S. government-sponsored entities (such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). The Fund may invest in such government supported mortgage-backed securities by investing in to-be-announced (TBA) transactions.
The Fund's emerging market debt allocation may include fixed income instruments issued by governments, government-related entities, and corporates and supranationals in emerging markets, including both U.S. dollar-denominated and foreign-denominated debt securities. The Fund may invest in emerging market debt securities of any credit quality, including high-yield and unrated securities. The Fund may also invest in variable rate instruments issued by emerging market conditions.
The Fund may also invest in ETFs and closed-end funds that hold investments in line with the Fund's strategy.
The Fund may employ leverage through borrowing. While the Fund is permitted to borrow in an amount up to one-third of its total assets, it currently intends to borrow up to a maximum of 25% of its total assets. Leverage may also be employed through use of derivatives or other financial instruments. The Fund may use derivatives for hedging purposes to protect against downside risk or volatility in specific sectors or markets, or to increase income or gains for the Fund via targeted exposure to specific sectors or assets. The types of derivative instruments in which the Fund will principally invest are options, futures contracts and swap agreements, as well as interest rate or foreign currency derivatives, including swaps and forward contracts.
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations that meet capital and other credit requirements or other criteria established by the Board. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Losing all or a portion of your investment is a risk of investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. As with any fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Following is a summary of principal risks of investing in the Fund. The relative significance of each risk factor may change over time and you should review each factor carefully. These risks could affect the value of your investment.
Credit Risk
The risk that issuers of fixed income securities in which the Fund invests experience unanticipated financial problems causing their securities to decline in value. Changes in the market's perception of the issuer's financial strength or in a security's credit rating, which reflects a third party's assessment of the credit risk presented by a particular issuer, may affect debt securities' value. In addition, the Fund is subject to the risk that the issuer of a fixed income security will fail to make timely payments of interest or principal, or may stop making such payments altogether.
Interest Rate Risk
When interest rates increase, fixed income securities generally will decline in value and, as a result, an increase in interest rates may result in a decrease in the value of debt securities held by the Fund. Conversely, as interest rates decrease, the prices of fixed income securities tend to increase. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates from
1
historically low levels. Any additional interest rate increases in the future may cause the value of fixed-income securities to decrease.
Floating Rate Securities Risk
The interest rates payable on floating rate securities are not fixed and may fluctuate based upon changes in market rates. The interest rate on a floating rate security is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as the Treasury Note Constant Maturity Rate. The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.
Derivatives Risk
Derivatives fluctuate in their values may not correlate perfectly with the overall securities markets. The use of derivative instruments exposes the Fund to additional risks and transaction costs. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. Using derivatives also can have a leveraging effect and increase Fund volatility. Derivatives may be difficult to sell, unwind or value, and the counterparty may default on its obligations to the Fund. Use of derivatives may have different tax consequences for the Fund than an investment in the underlying security, and those differences may affect the amount, timing and character of income distributed to shareholders.
Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for the use of derivatives by funds and imposes requirements and restrictions on funds using derivatives. The rule may affect the availability, liquidity or performance of derivatives, and may not effectively limit the risk of loss from derivatives.
Futures Contract Risk. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are (a) the imperfect correlation between the change in market value of the instruments held by the Fund and the price of the forward or futures contract; (b) possible lack of a liquid secondary market for a forward or futures contract and the resulting inability to close a forward or futures contract when desired; (c) losses caused by unanticipated market movements, which are potentially unlimited; (d) the Advisor's inability to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates and other economic factors; (e) the possibility that the counterparty will default in the performance of its obligations; and (f) if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio to meet daily variation margin requirements, and the Fund may have to sell securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Options Risk. Purchasing and writing options, both put and call, are specialized activities that entail greater than normal investment risks. The Fund may not benefit to the same extent as directly holding the underlying asset. The Fund may also lose money on an option if changes in its value do not correspond to the changes in value of the underlying security. If the Fund is not able to close out an option position in its portfolio, it may have to exercise the option to realize any gain and may incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of such underlying securities. Some options involve the payment of premiums which may affect Fund performance. If the Fund invests in over-the-counter options, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk.
Valuation Risk
From time to time, the Fund will need to fair-value portfolio securities at prices that differ from third party pricing inputs in order to more accurately reflect the sales price the Fund could receive in a reasonable period of time for any particular portfolio investment or groups of investments. Investors who purchase or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is pricing or holding fair-valued securities may pay a higher or lower price for the shares, or may receive more or less redemption proceeds than they would have received if certain of the Fund's securities had not been fair-valued, or if a different valuation methodology had been used. Such pricing differences can be significant and can occur quickly during times of market volatility, particularly for securities that trade in thin or illiquid markets.
2
Real Estate Market Risk
The Fund's investment in mortgage-related securities, including RMBS and CMBS, will subject the Fund to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including reduction in the value of the real estate serving as loan collateral, losses from casualty or condemnation, and changes in local and general economic, supply and demand factors, interest rates, environmental liability, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, and operating expenses.
Government Securities Risk
The Fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities (such as securities issued by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac). U.S. government securities are subject to market risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Securities, such as those issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae or the U.S. Treasury, that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States are guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity and the market prices for such securities will fluctuate. Notwithstanding that these securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, circumstances could arise that would prevent the payment of interest or principal. This would result in losses to the Fund. Securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. government-related organizations, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support. Therefore, U.S. government-related organizations may not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.
Swaps Risk
The Fund may enter into interest rate, total return, credit default, and synthetic swap agreements, or "swaps." Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged, are subject to the risk that the counterparty may default on the obligation, and may be difficult to value. Swaps may also be considered illiquid.
ETF Risk
Because the Fund may invest in ETFs, it is subject to additional risks that do not apply to conventional mutual funds, including the risks that the market price of an ETF's shares may trade at a discount to its net asset value ("NAV"). An active secondary trading market may not develop or be maintained, or trading may be halted by the exchange in which the ETFs trade, which may impact the Fund's ability to sell its shares of an ETF. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs. An investment in an ETF is an investment in another investment company and therefore, the Fund's shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of any fees and expenses of the ETFs in which the Fund invests.
Prepayment and Extension Risk
When interest rates fall, issuers of high interest debt obligations may pay off the debts earlier than expected (prepayment risk), and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower yields. When interest rates rise, issuers of lower interest debt obligations may pay off the debts later than expected (extension risk), thus keeping the Fund's assets tied up in lower interest debt obligations.
Counterparty Risk
In general, a derivative contract typically involves leverage, i.e., it provides exposure to potential gain or loss from a change in the level of the market price of a security, currency or commodity (or a basket or index) in a notional amount that exceeds the amount of cash or assets required to establish or maintain the derivative contract. Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not fulfill its obligation to the Fund which can result in significant financial loss to the Fund.
Call Risk
During a period of falling interest rates, the issuer may redeem a security by repaying it early, which may reduce the Fund's income if the proceeds are reinvested at lower interest rates.
Closed-End Fund Risk
Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a price per share that is less than the NAV per share. There can be no assurance that the market discount on shares of any closed-end fund purchased by the Fund will ever decrease
3
or that when the Fund seeks to sell shares of a closed-end fund it can receive the NAV of those shares. Closed-end funds have lower levels of daily volume when compared to open-end companies. There are greater risks involved in investing in securities with limited market liquidity. To the extent the Fund invests in closed-end funds, it will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses payable directly by the closed-end fund. Therefore, the Fund would incur higher expenses, which may be duplicative, than if the Fund did not invest in closed-end funds.
Foreign Securities Risk
Investing in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involves additional risks. Foreign markets can be less liquid, less regulated, less transparent and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund's foreign investments may decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable government actions, including nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, reduction of government or central bank support, tariffs and trade disruptions, sanctions, political or financial instability, social unrest or other adverse economic or political developments. Foreign investments may also be subject to different accounting practices and different regulatory, legal, auditing, financial reporting and recordkeeping standards and practices, and may be more difficult to value than investments in U.S. issuers. Certain foreign clearance and settlement procedures may result in an inability to execute transactions or delays in settlement.
Hedging Risk
The short positions in Treasury securities are not intended to mitigate credit risk or other factors influencing the price of investment grade bonds, which may have a greater impact than rising or falling interest rates. There is no guarantee that the short positions will completely eliminate the interest rate risk of the long investment grade bond positions. The hedge cannot fully account for changes in the shape of the Treasury interest rate (yield) curve. There is no guarantee the Fund will have positive returns, even in environments of sharply rising Treasury interest rates in which the Fund's short positions might be expected to mitigate the effects of such rises.
High Yield Securities Risk
Securities that are rated below investment grade (i.e., "junk bonds") are subject to additional risk factors due to the speculative nature of the securities, such as increased possibility of default, liquidation of the security, and changes in value based on public perception of the issuer.
Distressed or Defaulted Securities Risk
Investments in defaulted securities and obligations of distressed issuers, including securities that are, or may be, involved in reorganizations or other financial restructurings, either out of court or in bankruptcy, involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in high-yield debt securities. These securities are considered speculative with respect to the issuers' continuing ability to make principal and interest payments. The Fund may incur costs to protect its investment, and the Fund could lose its entire investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale.
Leverage Risk
The Fund may make investments in options on futures, including U.S. Treasury futures, and other derivative instruments. These derivatives instruments provide the economic effect of financial leverage by creating additional investment exposure, as well as the potential for greater loss. If the Fund uses leverage through entering into short sales or purchasing derivative instruments, the Fund has the risk of losing more than its original investment. The NAV of the Fund employing leverage will be more volatile and sensitive to market movements.
4
Management Risk
Management risk describes the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective based on the Advisor's success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund.
Market Risk
Financial market risks affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests. When the value of the Fund's investments goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value and you could lose money. Factors such as economic growth and market conditions, interest rates, and political events affect the markets. Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors (for example, a global pandemic, government deficits and debt, military conflicts, inflation, tariffs, sanctions, and/or recessions). These and other similar events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments and negatively impact the Fund's performance.
Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments may be negatively affected.
Municipal Securities Risk
Investing in various municipal securities may involve risk related to the ability of the municipalities to continue to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal when due. Any adverse economic conditions or developments affecting the states or municipalities that issue the municipal securities in which the Fund invests could negatively impact the Fund.
Payment-in-kind Securities Risk
Investing in payment-in-kind securities may involve the risk that interest payments deferred are subject to the risk that the borrower may default when deferred payments are due; interest rates on payment-in-kind loans are higher to reflect the time value of money on the deferred interest payments and higher credit risk of borrowers who may need to defer interest payments; payment-in-kind securities may have unreliable valuations because the accruals require judgment about the ultimate collectability of the deferred payment and the value of the associated collateral; and, the required recognition of payment-in-kind interest for U.S. federal income tax purposes may have a negative impact on liquidity because it represents a non-cash component of the Fund's taxable income that must nevertheless be distributed in cash to investors to avoid it being subject to corporate level taxation.
Preferred Stock Risk
Preferred securities are subject to risks associated with both equity and debt instruments. Preferred securities are often sensitive to declining common stock values. Certain preferred securities contain provisions that allow an issuer to skip or defer distributions. Preferred securities can also be affected by changes in interest rates, especially if dividends are paid at a fixed rate, and may also include call features in favor of the issuer. Preferred securities are generally subordinated to bonds and other debt securities in an issuer's capital structure in terms of priority for corporate income and liquidation payments and may trade less frequently and in a more limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than many other securities.
Fixed-to-floating rate preferred stocks are typically callable after 5 or 10 years, but their coupon will become floating rate if the security is not called by the issuer. If payments on non-cumulative preferred stocks are deferred, they do not accumulate and will not be paid back at a later date. Perpetual preferred stocks have no stated maturity date and remain outstanding unless called.
Securities Lending Risk
There are certain risks associated with securities lending, including the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities on a timely basis or even the loss of rights in the collateral deposited by the borrower, if the borrower should fail financially. As a result the Fund may lose money.
5
New Fund Risk.
The Fund is recently organized with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
Short Sale Risk
The risk of entering into short sales, including the potential loss of more money than the actual cost of the investment, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Fund.
ETF Risks
◦Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants ("APs"). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent that (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform such functions, shares may trade at a material discount to NAV the bid-ask spread could widen, and shares could face trading halts and/or delisting.
◦Cash Transaction Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect creations and redemptions in cash or partially in cash. Therefore, it may be required to sell portfolio securities and subsequently recognize gains on such sales that the Fund might not have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind. As such, investments in shares may be less tax-efficient than an investment in an ETF that distributes portfolio securities entirely in-kind.
◦Costs of Buying or Selling Fund Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers, frequent trading of shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. As a result, investors in the Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for shares than the Fund's NAV. In addition, investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the "bid-ask spread").
Although it is expected that the market price of shares will approximate the Fund's NAV, there may be times when the market price of shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant and the bid-ask spread could widen.
◦Trading. Although shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than shares. This could lead to the Fund's shares trading at a price that is higher or lower than the Fund's NAV.
Collateralized Loan Obligations ("CLO") Risk
A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. The risk associated with investing in a CLO correlates to the risk in the underlying product, including high-yield risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and the risk of
6
default. In addition to the risks associated with the underlying security, CLOs also include the risk that the distributions from the collateral may not adequately cover interest or principal payments, the quality of the CLO may decline or default, or the class of CLO may be subordinate to other classes.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
Asset-backed securities are fixed-income securities backed by other assets such as credit card, automobile or consumer loan receivables, retail installment loans, or participations in pools of leases. The values of these securities are sensitive to changes in the credit quality of the underlying collateral, the credit strength of any credit enhancement feature, changes in interest rates, and, at times, the financial condition of the issuer.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
Mortgage-backed securities (i.e. residential mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities) are fixed-income securities representing an interest in a pool of underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed securities are sensitive to changes in interest rates, but may respond to these changes differently from other fixed-income securities due to the possibility of prepayment of the underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed securities may fluctuate in price based on deterioration in the value of the collateral underlying the pool of mortgage loans, which may result in the collateral being worth less than the remaining principal amount owed on the mortgages in the pool.
Performance
The Fund is new and, therefore, does not have performance history for a full calendar year. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund's returns and comparing the Fund's performance to a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information will be available on the Fund's website at www.bramshillfunds.com.
Management
Investment Advisor: Bramshill Investments, LLC is the Fund's investment advisor.
Portfolio Managers:
Art DeGaetano, Derek Pines, Paul Van Lingen, and Arif Joshi will serve as the Senior Portfolio Managers jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund from its inception.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund issues and redeems Fund shares at NAV only in large blocks known as "Creation Units," which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units for cash. The Fund reserves the right to issue or redeem Creation Units for in-kind securities.
Shares of the Fund are listed on the Exchange, and individual shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through brokers or dealers at market price, rather than NAV. Because shares trade at market price rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
Investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the "bid-ask spread"). Recent information about the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads will be available on the Fund's website at www.bramshillfunds.com.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains, unless you invest though a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"). Distributions on investments made through tax-advantaged arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
7
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Advisor or other related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares, marketing activities, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
8
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES,
AND PRINCIPAL RISKS
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to maximize current income and long-term capital appreciation. The Fund's objective is not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund will provide 60 days' advance notice of any change in its investment objective.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund that implements a tactical fixed income strategy seeking to maximize total return across fixed income markets, and, based on market conditions, may also hold cash and cash equivalents. The Fund's investments consist of a tactical portfolio of income-producing securities. The Fund targets an approximate allocation of one-third of its assets to each of three core sectors: corporate credit, securitized credit, and emerging market debt. The Advisor retains the flexibility to increase or decrease any core sector's allocation in response to evolving market conditions and investment opportunities, generally by up to 25% of the Fund's NAV from its initial one-third target - meaning any core sector's allocation may range from approximately 8% to 58% of Fund assets at a given time.
The Fund's corporate credit allocation may include investment-grade and high-yield (below investment-grade) corporate bonds, preferred securities, floating rate loans, and other corporate debt instruments issued by U.S. and non-U.S. issuers. There is no minimum credit quality requirement, and the Fund may invest without limit in high-yield or unrated securities.
The Fund's securitized credit allocation may include asset-backed securities (ABS), residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (such as Ginnie Mae), and U.S. government-sponsored entities (such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). The Fund may invest in such government supported mortgage-backed securities by investing in to-be-announced (TBA) transactions. The fund may also invest in leveraged loans.
The Fund's emerging market debt allocation may include fixed income instruments issued by governments, government-related entities, corporates and supranationals in emerging markets, including both U.S. dollar-denominated and foreign-denominated debt securities. The Fund may invest in emerging market debt securities of any credit quality, including high-yield and unrated securities. The Fund may also invest in variable rate instruments issued by emerging market countries.
The Fund may also invest in contingent convertible securities, which are fixed income instruments that are convertible into equity if a pre-specified trigger event occurs. Contingent convertible securities have been popular in the context of crisis management in the European banking industry to meet certain capital requirements; pay a fixed rate of interest but have characteristics of both debt and equity; and, unlike traditional convertible instruments, are mandatorily convertible to common shares by the issuing bank under certain adverse circumstances (i.e., if issuing bank falls below certain level of capital).
The Fund is an actively-managed ETF, which means that it does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index and its shares are listed and trade on the Exchange at market-determined prices. The Advisor incorporates tactical sector allocations and tactical hedging during various interest rate and market environments. The Advisor uses fundamental credit and may apply relative value analysis, and focuses on securities with transparent pricing, actively-traded capital structures and high level of liquidity. The Advisor will use available ratings information across all tranches in selecting investments for the Fund. The Fund does not seek to correlate directly to a benchmark. The dollar weighted average duration of the Fund's portfolio has an expected range of between zero and ten years based on the Advisor's current assessment of market conditions. The Fund will use duration at times to contribute to returns. For example, the Fund may purchase securities with longer durations by the use of derivatives when the Advisor's outlook is positive on duration. Conversely, the Fund may sell longer dated securities or decrease portfolio duration by the use of derivative instruments when the Advisor's outlook is
9
negative on duration. The Fund may invest in fixed-income securities of any duration or maturity. Duration is a measure of the sensitivity of the price of a fixed income security (or a portfolio of fixed income securities) to changes in interest rates. The prices of fixed income securities with shorter duration generally will be less affected by changes in interest rates than the prices of fixed income securities with greater duration. For example, a five year duration means the fixed income security is expected to decrease in value by 5% if interest rates rise 1% and increase in value by 5% if interest rates fall 1% holding other factors constant.
The Fund may sell short U.S. Treasury securities (of an aggregate dollar value not exceeding 33 1/3% of the aggregate dollar value of the Fund's assets) only as a hedge based on market conditions. The Fund may seek to mitigate the negative impact of rising Treasury interest rates on the performance of investment grade bonds (conversely limiting the positive impact of falling interest rates). The short positions are not intended to mitigate other factors influencing the price of investment grade bonds, such as credit risk, which may have a greater impact than rising or falling interest rates.
The Fund may also make use of futures and options on futures, including U.S. Treasury futures, to adjust its sensitivity to interest rate changes and to gain exposure to U.S. Treasury securities. Over-the-counter derivative instruments such as futures and options on futures may expose the Fund to the credit risk of its counterparty and may be more volatile than those of other instruments. While hedging strategies involving derivatives can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments.
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations that meet capital and other credit requirements or other criteria established by the Board. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower. Loan agreements involve certain risks, such as counterparty risk, in the event of default or insolvency of the borrower.
The Fund may invest in fixed rate, hybrid or floating rate securities. Floating rate instruments reset their interest rate periodically over a base rate, with rates tied to a representative interest rate index (for example, the Treasury Note Constant Maturity Rate).
The Fund's portfolio may be significantly invested in one or more sectors as a result of the security selection decisions made pursuant to its investment strategy.
The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such periods, all of the Fund's assets may be invested in short-term, high-quality fixed income securities, cash or cash equivalents. When the Fund takes temporary defensive positions, it may not achieve its investment objective.
Principal Risks
Losing all or a portion of your investment is a risk of investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The following risks could affect the value of your investment:
Credit Risk
If issuers of fixed income securities in which the Fund invests experience unanticipated financial problems, their securities are likely to decline in value. Changes in the market's perception of the issuer's financial strength or in a security's credit rating, which reflects a third party's assessment of the credit risk presented by a particular issuer, may affect debt securities' value. In addition, the Fund is subject to the risk that the issuer of a fixed income security will fail to make timely payments of interest or principal, or may stop making such payments altogether.
Interest Rate Risk
Interest rate changes may affect the value of a debt instrument indirectly (especially in the case of fixed rate debt securities) and directly (especially in the case of instruments whose rates are adjustable). When interest rates increase, fixed income securities generally will decline in value and, as a result, an increase in interest rates may
10
result in a decrease in the value of debt securities held by the Fund. Conversely, as interest rates decrease, the prices of fixed income securities tend to increase. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates from historically low levels. Any additional interest rate increases in the future may cause the value of fixed-income securities to decrease.
Floating Rate Securities Risk
The interest rates payable on certain fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest are not fixed and may fluctuate based upon changes in market rates. The interest rate on a floating rate security is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate. Additionally, such securities may fluctuate in value in response to interest rate changes if there is a delay between changes in market interest rates and the interest reset date for the obligation, or for other reasons. Floating rate securities are less effective at locking in a particular yield and are subject to credit risk. The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.
Derivatives Risk
Using derivatives can increase the Fund's losses and reduce opportunities for gains when market prices, interest rates, currencies, or the derivatives themselves, behave in a way not anticipated by the Fund. Using derivatives also can have a leveraging effect and increase Fund volatility. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. Derivatives may be difficult to sell, unwind or value, and the counterparty may default on its obligations to the Fund. Derivatives are generally subject to the risks applicable to the assets, rates, indices or other indicators underlying the derivative. The value of a derivative may fluctuate more than the underlying assets, rates, indices or other indicators to which it relates. Use of derivatives may have different tax consequences for the Fund than an investment in the underlying security, and those differences may affect the amount, timing and character of income distributed to shareholders.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for the use of derivatives by funds and imposes requirements and restrictions on funds using derivatives. The rule may affect the availability, liquidity or performance of derivatives, and may not effectively limit the risk of loss from derivatives.
Futures Contract Risk. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are (a) the imperfect correlation between the change in market value of the instruments held by the Fund and the price of the forward or futures contract; (b) possible lack of a liquid secondary market for a forward or futures contract and the resulting inability to close a forward or futures contract when desired; (c) losses caused by unanticipated market movements, which are potentially unlimited; (d) the Advisor's inability to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates and other economic factors; (e) the possibility that the counterparty will default in the performance of its obligations; and (f) if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio to meet daily variation margin requirements, and the Fund may have to sell securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Options Risk. Purchasing and writing options, both put and call, are specialized activities that entail greater than normal investment risks. The Fund may not benefit to the same extent as directly holding the underlying asset. The Fund may also lose money on an option if changes in its value do not correspond to the changes in value of the underlying security. If the Fund is not able to close out an option position in its portfolio, it may have to exercise the option to realize any gain and may incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of such underlying securities. Some options involve the payment of premiums which may affect Fund performance. If the Fund invests in over-the-counter options, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk.
Valuation Risk
From time to time, the Fund will need to fair-value portfolio securities at prices that differ from third party pricing inputs in order to more accurately reflect the sales price the Fund could receive in a reasonable period of time for any particular portfolio investment or groups of investments. Investors who purchase or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is pricing or holding fair-valued securities may pay a higher or lower price for the shares, or may receive more or less redemption proceeds than they would have received if certain of the Fund's securities
11
had not been fair-valued, or if a different valuation methodology had been used. Such pricing differences can be significant and can occur quickly during times of market volatility, particularly for securities that trade in thin or illiquid markets.
Real Estate Market Risk
The Fund's investment in mortgage-related securities, including RMBS and CMBS, will subject the Fund to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including reduction in the value of the real estate serving as loan collateral, losses from casualty or condemnation, and changes in local and general economic, supply and demand factors, interest rates, environmental liability, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, and operating expenses.
Government Securities Risk
The Fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities (such as securities issued by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac). U.S. government securities are subject to market risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Securities, such as those issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae or the U.S. Treasury, that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States are guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity and the market prices for such securities will fluctuate. Notwithstanding that these securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, circumstances could arise that would prevent the payment of interest or principal. This would result in losses to the Fund. Securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. government-related organizations, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support. Therefore, U.S. government-related organizations may not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.
Swaps Risk
The Fund may enter into interest rate, total return, credit default, and synthetic swap agreements, or "swaps." Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged, are subject to the risk that the counterparty may default on the obligation, and may be difficult to value. Swaps may also be considered illiquid.
ETF Investing Risk
Shares of ETFs are typically purchased and sold on a securities exchange. Generally, an ETF represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market segment or index. Because the Fund invests in ETFs, it is subject to additional risks that do not apply to conventional funds, including the risk that the market price of the ETF's shares may trade at a discount to their NAV. Also, an active secondary trading market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained, or trading of an ETF's shares may be halted if the listing exchange deems such action appropriate. This could lead to a lack of market liquidity, thereby forcing the Fund to sell its shares in an ETF for less than the shares' NAV. Further, an ETF's shares may be delisted from the securities exchange on which they trade. An ETF may fail to accurately track the market segment or index that underlies its investment objective, and ETFs are subject to the risks of the underlying securities or sectors the ETF is designed to track. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs. An investment in an ETF is an investment in another investment company and therefore, the Fund's shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of any fees and expenses of the ETFs in which the Fund invests.
Prepayment and Extension Risk
When interest rates fall, issuers of high interest debt obligations may pay off the debts earlier than expected (prepayment risk), and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower yields. When interest rates rise, issuers of lower interest debt obligations may pay off the debts later than expected (extension risk), thus keeping the Fund's assets tied up in lower interest debt obligations.
Counterparty Risk
In general, a derivative contract typically involves leverage, i.e., it provides exposure to potential gain or loss from a change in the level of the market price of a security, currency or commodity (or a basket or index) in a notional amount that exceeds the amount of cash or assets required to establish or maintain the derivative contract. Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not
12
fulfill its obligation to the Fund. Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty's financial condition (i.e., financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), market activities and developments, or other reasons, whether foreseen or not. A counterparty's inability to fulfill its obligation may result in significant financial loss to the Fund.
Call Risk
Call risk is the possibility that an issuer may redeem a fixed income security before maturity at a price below or above its current market price. An increase in the likelihood of a call may reduce the security's price. If a security is called, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in other fixed-income securities with lower interest rates, higher credit risks or other less favorable characteristics. In addition, during a period of falling interest rates, the issuer may redeem a security by repaying it early, which may reduce the Fund's income if the proceeds are reinvested at lower interest rates.
Closed-End Fund Risk
Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a price per share that is less than the NAV per share. There can be no assurance that the market discount on shares of any closed-end fund purchased by the Fund will ever decrease or that when the Fund seeks to sell shares of a closed-end fund it can receive the NAV of those shares. Closed-end funds have lower levels of daily volume when compared to open-end companies. There are greater risks involved in investing in securities with limited market liquidity. Closed-end funds may also issue senior securities (including preferred stock and debt obligations) for the purpose of leveraging the closed-end fund's common shares in an attempt to enhance the current return to such closed-end fund's common shareholders. The Fund's investment in the common shares of closed-end funds that are financially leveraged may create an opportunity for greater total return on its investment, but at the same time may be expected to exhibit more volatility in market price and NAV than an investment in shares of investment companies without a leveraged capital structure.
Foreign Securities Risk
Investing in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involves additional risks. Foreign markets can be less liquid, less regulated, less transparent and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund's foreign investments may decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable government actions, including nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, reduction of government or central bank support, tariffs and trade disruptions, sanctions, political or financial instability, social unrest or other adverse economic or political developments. Foreign investments may also be subject to different accounting practices and different regulatory, legal, auditing, financial reporting and recordkeeping standards and practices, and may be more difficult to value than investments in U.S. issuers. Certain foreign clearance and settlement procedures may result in an inability to execute transactions or delays in settlement.
U.S. dollar denominated foreign securities, including those issued by foreign governments, involve risks in addition to those associated with comparable U.S. securities. Additional risks include exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets; social, political or economic instability; potential for default on sovereign debt; nationalization or expropriation of assets; settlement, custodial or other operational risks; and less stringent auditing and legal standards. In addition, key information about the issuer, the markets or the local government or economy may be unavailable, incomplete or inaccurate. As a result, foreign securities can fluctuate more widely in price, and may also be less liquid, than comparable U.S. securities.
In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that because there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. Transactions may also be subject to less efficient settlement practices, including extended clearance and settlement periods. Although foreign securities offer added diversification potential, world markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. Securities issued by U.S. entities with substantial foreign operations can involve additional risks relating to conditions in foreign countries.
13
Hedging Risk
The short positions in U.S. Treasury securities are not intended to mitigate credit risk or other factors influencing the price of investment grade bonds, which may have a greater impact than rising or falling interest rates. There is no guarantee that the short positions will completely eliminate the interest rate risk of the long investment grade bond positions. The hedge cannot fully account for changes in the shape of the Treasury interest rate (yield) curve. There can be no assurance that the Fund's hedging strategy will reduce risk or that hedging transactions will be either available or cost effective.
When interest rates fall, an unhedged investment in the same investment grade bonds will outperform the Fund. Performance of the Fund could be particularly poor if investment grade credit deteriorates at the same time that Treasury interest rates fall. Furthermore, when interest rates remain unchanged, an investment in the Fund will underperform a long-only investment in the same investment grade bonds due to the ongoing costs associated with short exposure to Treasury securities.
There is no guarantee the Fund will have positive returns, even in environments of sharply rising Treasury interest rates in which the Fund's short positions might be expected to mitigate the effects of such rises.
High Yield Securities Risk
Securities that are rated below investment grade (i.e., "junk bonds") are subject to additional risk factors due to the speculative nature of the securities, such as increased possibility of default, liquidation of the security, and changes in value based on public perception of the issuer. High yield securities are considered predominantly speculative with respect to an issuer's continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than other types of securities. In addition, the market for high yield securities is generally less active than the market for higher quality securities. As a result, an economic downturn or individual corporate developments could adversely affect the market for these securities and reduce the Fund's ability to sell these securities at an advantageous time or price. An economic downturn would also generally lead to a higher non-payment rate and, a high yield security may lose significant market value before a default occurs.
Distressed or Defaulted Securities Risk
Investments in defaulted securities and obligations of distressed issuers, including securities that are, or may be, involved in reorganizations or other financial restructurings, either out of court or in bankruptcy, involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in high-yield debt securities. These securities are considered speculative with respect to the issuers' continuing ability to make principal and interest payments. The Fund may incur costs to protect its investment, and the Fund could lose its entire investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale.
Leverage Risk
The Fund may make investments in futures and options on futures, including U.S. Treasury futures, and other derivative instruments. These derivatives instruments provide the economic effect of financial leverage by creating additional investment exposure, as well as the potential for greater loss. If the Fund uses leverage through entering into short sales or purchasing derivative instruments, the Fund has the risk of losing more than its original investment. The NAV of the Fund employing leverage will be more volatile and sensitive to market movements. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to have higher expenses than those of funds that do not use such techniques.
Management Risk
Management risk describes the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective based on the Advisor's success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. The value of your investment in the Fund is subject to the investment strategies used by the Advisor in selecting investments, including the ability of the Advisor to assess economic conditions and investment opportunities, and may not result in an increase in the value of your investment or in overall performance equal to other investments. Management risk includes the risk that poor security selection may cause the Fund to underperform relative to other funds with similar investment objectives, or that the timing of movements from one type of security to another could have a negative effect on the overall
14
investment performance of the Fund. If the Advisor's investment strategies do not produce the expected results, your investment could be diminished or even lost.
Market Risk
Market risks, including political, regulatory, market, and economic or other developments, and developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market, can affect the value of the Fund's shares. Local, regional, or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the market generally and on specific securities. The Fund is subject to the risk that the prices of, and the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline significantly and/or rapidly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, general economic and market conditions, or other developments, such as regional or global economic instability (including terrorism and related geopolitical risks), interest rate fluctuations, and those events directly involving the issuers that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment. Such events may cause the value of securities owned by the Fund to go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Changes in the economic climate, investor perceptions and stock market volatility also can cause the prices of the Fund's investments to decline regardless of the conditions of the issuers held by the Fund. There is also a risk that policy changes by the U.S. government and/or Federal Reserve (for example, relating to interest rates or trade) could cause increased volatility in financial markets and higher levels of redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. These events may lead to periods of volatility and increased redemptions, which could cause the Fund to experience a loss when selling securities to meet redemption requests by shareholders. The risk of loss increases if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent.
Prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to company, market or economic news. Markets also tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. If there is a general decline in the securities and other markets, your investment in the Fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests.
Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries may impact many aspects of financial regulation and may, in some instances, contribute to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the financial markets. The impact of such changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known at the time of adoption.
Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments may be negatively affected.
Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. These events (e.g., global pandemic, military conflicts, inflation, political or regulatory changes, and/or recessions) can cause significant disruptions to business operations, including business closures; strained healthcare systems; disruptions to supply chains and employee availability; large fluctuations in consumer demand; large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of such events; and widespread uncertainty regarding the long-term effects of such events. Such events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments and negatively impact the Fund's performance.
Municipal Securities Risk
The Fund may have a portion of its assets invested in various municipal securities that depend on the ability of the municipalities to continue to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal when due. Municipal issuers may be adversely affected by rising health care costs, increasing unfunded pension liabilities, and by the phasing out of federal programs providing financial support. Unfavorable conditions and developments relating to projects financed with municipal securities can result in lower revenues to issuers of municipal securities. Issuers often depend on revenues from these projects to make principal and interest payments. Any adverse economic
15
conditions or developments affecting the states or municipalities that issue the municipal securities in which the Fund invests could negatively impact the Fund.
Payment-in-kind Securities Risk
Investing in payment-in-kind securities may involve the risk that interest payments deferred are subject to the risk that the borrower may default when deferred payments are due in cash at maturity of loan; interest rates on payment-in-kind loans are higher to reflect the time value of money on the deferred interest payments and higher credit risk of borrowers who may need to defer interest payments; payment-in-kind securities may have unreliable valuations because the accruals require judgment about the ultimate collectability of the deferred payment and the value of the associated collateral; and, the required recognition of payment-in-kind interest for U.S. federal income tax purposes may have a negative impact on liquidity because it represents a non-cash component of the Fund's taxable income that must nevertheless be distributed in cash to investors to avoid it being subject to corporate level taxation.
Preferred Stock Risk
Preferred securities are subject to risks associated with both equity and debt instruments. Because many preferred securities allow the issuer to convert its preferred stock into common stock, preferred securities are often sensitive to declining common stock values. In addition, certain preferred securities contain provisions that allow an issuer to skip or defer distributions, which may be more likely when the issuer is less able to make dividend payments because of financial difficulties. Preferred securities can also be affected by changes in interest rates, especially if dividends are paid at a fixed rate, and may also include call features in favor of the issuer. In the event of redemptions by the issuer, the Fund may not be able to reinvest the proceeds at comparable or favorable rates of return. Preferred securities are generally subordinated to bonds and other debt securities in an issuer's capital structure in terms of priority for corporate income and liquidation payments and may trade less frequently and in a more limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than many other securities.
Fixed-to-floating rate preferred stocks are typically callable after 5 or 10 years, but their coupon will become floating rate if the security is not called by the issuer. If payments on non-cumulative preferred stocks are deferred, they do not accumulate and will not be paid back at a later date. Perpetual preferred stocks have no stated maturity date and remain outstanding unless called.
New Fund Risk
The Fund is recently organized with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size. The Fund could cease operations, and investors may be required to liquidate or transfer their assets at a loss.
ETF Risks
The Fund is an ETF and, as a result of an ETF's structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
◦APs, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent that (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform such functions, shares may trade at a material discount to NAV, the bid-ask spread could widen, and shares could face trading halts and/or delisting.
16
◦Cash Redemption Risk. The Fund reserves the right to effect creation transactions in cash. In such a case, the Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund would likely pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used. Cash redemptions could also cause the Fund to incur transaction costs it might not have incurred if it made a redemption in-kind. To the extent that the transaction fees paid by APs for redemptions of creation units are insufficient to offset the transaction costs and capital gains costs, such costs would be imposed on the Fund and would decrease the Fund's NAV.
◦Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Fund shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Fund shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy Fund shares (the "bid" price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Fund shares (the "ask" price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the "spread" or "bid/ask spread." The bid/ask spread varies over time for Fund shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if Fund shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Fund shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Fund shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Fund shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Fund shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Fund shares will approximate the Fund's NAV, there may be times when the market price of Fund shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of shares or during periods of market volatility. If an investor buys Fund shares when the shares' market price is at a premium, the investor may pay more than the shares' underlying value. If an investor sells Fund shares when the shares' market price is at a discount, the investor may receive less than the shares' underlying value. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Fund shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant and the bid-ask spread could widen.
◦Trading. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Fund shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Fund shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange "circuit breaker" rules, which temporarily halt trading on the Exchange when a decline in the S&P 500® Index during a single day reaches certain thresholds (e.g., 7%, 13%, and 20%). Additional rules applicable to the Exchange may halt trading in Fund shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Fund shares. There can be no assurance that Fund shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Fund shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Fund shares and could lead to differences between the market price of the Fund's shares and the underlying value of those shares.
17
Securities Lending Risk
There are certain risks associated with securities lending, including the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities on a timely basis or even the loss of rights in the collateral deposited by the borrower, if the borrower should fail financially. As a result, the Fund may lose money. The Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund.
Short Sale Risk
Short sales involve selling a security the Fund does not own in anticipation that the security's price will decline. To complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund is then obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing the security at the market price at the time of replacement. The price at such time may be higher or lower than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. If the underlying security goes up in price during the period during which the short position is outstanding, the Fund will realize a loss on the transaction. Any loss will be increased by the amount of compensation, interest or dividends and transaction costs the Fund must pay to a lender of the security. Short sales, at least theoretically, present unlimited loss on an individual security basis, since the Fund may be required to buy the security sold short at a time when the security has appreciated in value. Because the Fund may invest the proceeds of a short sale, another effect of short selling on the Fund is similar to the effect of leverage, in that it amplifies changes in the Fund's NAV since it increases the exposure of the Fund to the market and may increase losses and the volatility of returns. In addition, short positions typically also involve increased illiquid investment risk and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms.
Collateralized Loan Obligations ("CLO") Risk
A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. The risk associated with investing in a CLO correlates to the risk in the underlying product, including high-yield risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and the risk of default. In addition to the risks associated with the underlying security, CLOs also include the risk that the distributions from the collateral may not adequately cover interest or principal payments, the quality of the CLO may decline or default, or the class of CLO may be subordinate to other classes.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
Asset-backed securities are fixed-income securities backed by other assets such as credit card, automobile or consumer loan receivables, retail installment loans, or participations in pools of leases. The values of these securities are sensitive to changes in the credit quality of the underlying collateral, the credit strength of any credit enhancement feature, changes in interest rates, and, at times, the financial condition of the issuer.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
Mortgage-backed securities are fixed-income securities representing an interest in a pool of underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed securities are sensitive to changes in interest rates, but may respond to these changes differently from other fixed-income securities due to the possibility of prepayment of the underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage-backed securities may fluctuate in price based on deterioration in the value of the collateral underlying the pool of mortgage loans, which may result in the collateral being worth less than the remaining principal amount owed on the mortgages in the pool.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
Information about the Fund's daily portfolio holdings will be available on the Fund's website, www.bramshillfunds.com. A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio holdings is available in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
18
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
Investment Advisor
The Fund's investment advisor, Bramshill Investments, LLC, is located at 801 Laurel Oak Drive, Suite 300A, Naples, Florida 34108. The Advisor is an SEC-registered investment advisory firm formed in 2012. As of May 31, 2026, the Advisor had assets under management of approximately $8 billion.
The Advisor is responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund, subject to the oversight of the Board. The Advisor also furnishes the Fund with office space and certain administrative services and provides most of the personnel needed to fulfill its obligations under its Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Advisory Agreement"). Under the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor has agreed to pay substantially all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee paid to the Advisor pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends, and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, expenses associated with the purchase, sale, or ownership of securities, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses. For its services, the Advisor receives a single unitary management fee from the Fund at an annual rate of [ ]% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
A discussion regarding the basis of the Board's approval of the advisory agreement for the Fund will be available in the Fund's first report filed on Form N-CSR.
Portfolio Managers
Art DeGaetano, Derek Pines, Paul Van Lingen and Arif Joshi will serve as the Senior Portfolio Managers jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund from its inception.
Art DeGaetano is a Principal of Bramshill Investments. Before starting Bramshill in May of 2012, Mr. DeGaetano was a Senior Portfolio Manager at GLG Partners from 2007. Prior to GLG Partners, he traded at RBS Greenwich Capital where he was a Managing Director and Head of Credit Trading for two years. Prior to RBS, he traded for 12 years for Bear Stearns and was a Senior Managing Director and Head Trader on the high yield desk. Mr. DeGaetano has a B.A. from Colgate University. Mr. DeGaetano has been a portfolio manager for the Bramshill Income Performance strategy since January 2009.
Derek Pines is a Portfolio Manager and Analyst at Bramshill Investments. Prior to joining Bramshill Investments in 2012, Mr. Pines spent 10 years as a Proprietary Trader and Portfolio Manager specializing in quantitative strategies across a variety of asset classes, the bulk of that time with Assent (Sungard Financial) and most recently Chimera Securities. He also spent a year with Accenture in their Core Trading Services Group. Mr. Pines holds a Masters Graduate Certificate in Algorithmic Trading from Stevens University. Mr. Pines graduated cum laude with a B.S. in finance from Georgetown University. Mr. Pine has been a portfolio manager for the Bramshill Income Performance strategy since May 2012.
Mr. Van Lingen is a Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Bramshill Investments specializing in Mortgage Backed Securities and all Structured Products. He is a member of the firm's investment committee. Prior to joining Bramshill Investments in 2017, Mr. van Lingen was a Managing Director, Principal, and Portfolio Manager at Rimrock Capital Management, a west coast Hedge Fund. He served as Head of All Structured Products managing approximately four billion dollars in capital. Prior to that Mr. van Lingen was a Managing Director at RBS Greenwich Capital where he managed day to day trading activities overseeing several employees as well as worked with private and government agencies to help restore residential securitization markets. He served as Head of Non-Agency MBS Trading managing approximately four billion dollars in capital. Prior to RBS Greenwich, Mr. van Lingen was a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns where he oversaw one of the largest trading and issuance platforms overseeing many employees. He served as Head of Agency and Non-Agency ARM Trading managing over twenty billion dollars of capital. Prior to Bear Stearns, Mr. van Lingen served in various roles in managing, consulting, modeling and technology for all aspects of the securitization
19
business at Bankers Trust, Bank of New York, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Mr. van Lingen has a B.S. from New York University, Stern School of Business.
Mr. Joshi is a Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Bramshill Investments specializing in Emerging Market Securities. He invests in the entire capital structure of emerging markets, including USD-denominated bonds, local currency bonds, rates, foreign exchange and equities for both countries and corporates. His experience investing in emerging markets spans six continents and over 90 countries. He is a member of the firm's investment and risk management committees. Prior to joining Bramshill Investments in 2026, Mr. Joshi was a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of Emerging Market Debt at Lazard Asset Management, in New York. He co-founded the emerging market business at Lazard in 2010, raising more than $18 billion dollars of assets at its peak. Prior to Lazard, Mr. Joshi was a Senior Vice-President at HSBC Halbis where he served as both a sovereign portfolio manager and corporate analyst. Prior to HSBC, Mr. Joshi was a Vice-President at the Atlantic Advisors, an emerging market specialist asset manager, which was sold to HSBC in 2005. At the Atlantic, Arif served as a sovereign debt analyst. Mr. Joshi has an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a CFA Charterholder.
The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC and must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Fund's transfer agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit. When you buy or sell the Fund's shares on the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price. You may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the daily NAV of the shares.
BOOK ENTRY
Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares. Investors owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. DTC's participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book entry or "street name" through your brokerage account.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The Fund's NAV per share is calculated as of the close of regular trading (generally 4:00 pm Eastern Time) on each day that the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is open for business. The NYSE and the Exchange are generally open Monday through Friday and are closed weekends and the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
In calculating the NAV, portfolio securities are valued using current market values or official closing prices, if available. Each security owned by the Fund that is listed on a securities exchange is valued at its last sale price on
20
that exchange on the date as of which assets are valued. When the security is listed on more than one exchange, the Fund will use the price of the exchange that the Fund generally considers to be the principal exchange on which the security is traded.
Fixed income securities for which market quotations are readily available are generally valued based upon the mean of the last bid and ask prices as provided by an independent pricing service. If market quotations are not readily available, the pricing service may use electronic data processing techniques and/or a computerized matrix system based on yield spreads relating to securities with similar characteristics to determine prices for normal institutional-size trading units of debt securities without regard to sale or bid prices to determine valuations. In determining the value of a bond or other fixed income security, matrix pricing takes into consideration recent transactions, yield, liquidity, risk, credit quality, coupon, maturity and type of issue, and any other factors or market data as the independent pricing service deems relevant for the security being priced and for other securities with similar characteristics.
Short-term investments in fixed income securities with maturities of less than 60 days when acquired, or which subsequently are within 60 days of maturity, are valued at their market value as determined by an independent third-party pricing agent, unless it is determined that such practice does not approximate fair value.
When reliable market quotations are not readily available or the Fund's pricing service does not provide a valuation (or provides a valuation that in the judgment of the Advisor does not represent the security's fair value) or when, in the judgment of the Advisor, events have rendered the market value unreliable, a security or other asset will be valued at its fair value in good faith in accordance with the Advisor's pricing procedures, subject to oversight by the Board. Valuing securities at fair value is intended to ensure that the Fund is accurately priced and involves reliance on judgment. The Advisor will regularly evaluate whether the Fund's fair valuation pricing procedures continue to be appropriate in light of the specific circumstances of the Fund and the quality of prices obtained through the application of such procedures. There can be no assurance that the Fund will obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Fund determines its NAV per share.
Other types of investments that the Fund may hold for which fair value pricing might be required include, but are not limited to: (a) investments which are not frequently traded and/or the market price of which the Advisor believes may be stale; (b) illiquid securities, including "restricted" securities and private placements for which there is no public market; (c) securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring; (d) securities whose trading has been halted or suspended; (e) odd lot positions; and (f) fixed income securities that have gone into default and for which there is not a current market value quotation.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The Fund will make distributions of dividends, if any, at least monthly, and of capital gains, if any, annually, typically in December and at such other times as necessary. The Fund may pay additional distributions and dividends in order to avoid a federal tax.
Dividend Reinvestment Service
Brokers may make available to their customers who own the Fund's shares the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require the Fund's shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.
21
TAX CONSEQUENCES
Tax Information
Below the Fund has summarized certain important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. The summary is based on current tax law, which may be changed by legislative, judicial or administrative action. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.
The Fund intends to elect and intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company ("RIC") within the meaning of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund's failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and consequently a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Unless you are a tax-exempt entity or your investment in Fund shares is made through tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions, you sell Fund shares, and you purchase or redeem Creation Units (APs only).
Taxes on Distributions
The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, monthly and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders annually. Dividends of net investment income and distributions from the Fund's net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income or, in some cases, as qualified dividend income. Distributions from the Fund's net capital gain (the excess of its net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are generally taxable to non-corporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%, regardless of how long the shareholders held their respective shares in the Fund. You will be taxed in the same manner whether you receive your dividends and capital gain distributions in cash or reinvest them in additional Fund shares. Because a significant portion of the Fund's income is derived from interest rather than dividends, it is not anticipated that distributions from the Fund will be eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.
A RIC that receives business interest income may pass through its net business interest income for purposes of the tax rules applicable to the interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Code. A RIC's total "Section 163(j) Interest Dividend" for a tax year is limited to the excess of the RIC's business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. A RIC may, in its discretion, designate all or a portion of ordinary dividends as Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, which would allow the recipient shareholder to treat the designated portion of such dividends as interest income for purposes of determining such shareholder's interest expense deduction limitation under Section 163(j) of the Code. This can potentially increase the amount of a shareholder's interest expense deductible under Section 163(j) of the Code. In general, to be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) Interest Dividend as interest income, you must have held your shares in the Fund for more than 180 days during the 361-day period beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, if so designated by the Fund, will be reported to your financial intermediary or otherwise in accordance with the requirements specified by the Internal Revenue Service.
A tax of 3.8% applies to all or a portion of net investment income of U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds, and to all or a portion of undistributed net investment income of certain estates and trusts. Net investment income generally includes for this purpose dividends and capital gain distributions paid by the Fund and gain on the redemption of Fund shares.
Any dividend or capital gain distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend or capital gain distribution. You should note that a dividend or capital gain distribution paid on shares purchased shortly before that dividend or capital gain distribution was declared will be subject to income taxes even though the dividend or capital gain distribution represents, in substance, a
22
partial return of capital to you. This is known as "buying a dividend" and generally should be avoided by taxable investors.
Although distributions are generally taxable when received, certain distributions declared in October, November, or December to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month but paid the following January are taxable as if received in December of the year in which the dividend is declared.
Taxes on Sale of Fund Shares on the Exchange
Each sale of shares of the Fund may be a taxable event. Assuming you hold your shares as a capital asset, a sale may result in a capital gain or loss to you. Any capital gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term if you held the shares 12 months or less, except that any capital loss on a sale of shares held for six months or less is treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of capital gain distributions paid with respect to such shares. Any capital gain or loss generally will be treated as long-term if you held the shares for longer than 12 months. If you redeem your Fund shares, it is considered a taxable event for you. Depending on the purchase price and the redemption price of the shares you redeem, you may have a gain or a loss on the transaction. You are responsible for any tax liabilities generated by your transaction. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares will be disallowed if you purchase other substantially identical shares within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited depending on your circumstances.
Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units
The Fund may utilize cash transactions for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units. An AP having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally recognizes a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanging AP's aggregate basis in the securities delivered, plus the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Units. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP's basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities received, plus any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS may assert, however, that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under the rules governing "wash sales" (for an AP who does not mark-to-market its holdings) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities or non-U.S. currency for Creation Units should consult their own tax advisor with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Gain or loss recognized by an AP upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for securities, or upon a redemption of Creation Units, may be capital or ordinary gain or loss depending on the circumstances. Any capital gain or loss realized upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for securities will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of a Creation Unit will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares comprising the Creation Unit have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses are treated as short-term capital gains or losses.
If the Fund pays the redemption price for Creation Units in cash in place of the delivery of a basket of securities the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
Non-U.S. Investors
If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a foreign entity, distributions (other than capital gain distributions) paid to you by the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion
23
of a dividend as an "interest-related dividend" or a "short- term capital gain dividend," which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met.
Under legislation generally known as "FATCA" (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.
Backup Withholding
The Fund (or financial intermediaries, such as brokers, through which shareholders own shares of the Fund) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and the sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that such shareholder is not subject to such withholding.
Additional information concerning taxation of the Fund and its shareholders is contained in the SAI. Tax consequences are not the primary consideration of the Fund in making its investment decisions. If you have a tax-advantaged retirement account, you will generally not be subject to federal taxation on any dividends and capital gain distributions until you begin receiving your distributions from your retirement account. You should consult your own tax advisor concerning federal, state and local tax considerations of an investment in the Fund.
DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS
Quasar Distributors, LLC, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC, is located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland Maine 04101, and is the distributor for the shares of the Fund. Quasar is a registered broker-dealer and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Fund shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund.
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the "Plan") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.
No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Fund, and there are no plans to impose these fees. The implementation of any such payments would have to be approved by the Board prior to implementation. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the fees are paid out of the Fund's assets, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more over time than certain other types of sales charges.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
Unlike frequent trading of shares of a traditional open-end mutual fund's (i.e., not exchange-traded) shares, frequent trading of shares of the Fund on the secondary market does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund's trading costs, lead to realization of capitalization gains, or otherwise harm the Fund's shareholders because these trades do not involve the Fund directly. For these reasons, the Board has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market-timing in shares of the Fund.
EXCHANGE NOTICE
Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by NYSE Arca. NYSE Arca makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund. NYSE Arca is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Fund to be issued, or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. NYSE Arca has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event
24
shall NYSE Arca have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.
The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.
The Advisor and the Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any members of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly.
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
Information regarding how often Fund shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund is available on the Fund's website at [ ].
25
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Financial information is not available because the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.
26
Investment Advisor
Bramshill Investments, LLC
801 Laurel Oak Drive, Suite 300A
Naples, Florida 34108
Distributor
Quasar Distributors, LLC
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, Maine 04101
Custodian
U.S. Bank National Association
Custody Operations
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Transfer Agent, Administrator
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
[ ]
Trust Counsel
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004
PRIVACY NOTICE
The Fund collects non-public information about you from the following sources:
•Information we receive about you on applications or other forms;
•Information you give us orally; and/or
•Information about your transactions with us or others
We do not disclose any non-public personal information about our customers or former customers without the customer's authorization, except as permitted by law or in response to inquiries from governmental authorities. We may share information with affiliated and unaffiliated third parties with whom we have contracts for servicing the Fund. We will provide unaffiliated third parties with only the information necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to guard your personal information and require third parties to treat your personal information with the same high degree of confidentiality.
In the event that you hold shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, including, but not limited to, a broker-dealer, bank, or trust company, the privacy policy of your financial intermediary would govern how your non-public personal information would be shared with unaffiliated third parties.
PN-1
FOR MORE INFORMATION
You can find more information about the Fund in the following documents:
Statement of Additional Information
The SAI provides additional details about the investments and techniques of the Fund and certain other additional information. A current SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. This means that the SAI is legally considered a part of this Prospectus even though it is not physically within this Prospectus.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports
Additional information about the Fund's investments will be available in the Fund's first annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders and in Form N-CSR. In the annual report (when available), you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund's annual and semi-annual financial statements (when available).
The SAI, shareholder reports, and other information such as the Fund's financial statements will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at www.bramshillfunds.com. You can obtain a free copy of the SAI and shareholder reports, request other information, or make general inquiries about the Fund by calling the Fund at 877-BRAMS18 or 877-272-6718 or by writing to:
Bramshill Power Income ETF
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
P.O. Box 219252
Kansas City, MO 64121-9252
Reports and other information about the Fund are also available:
•Free of charge from the SEC's EDGAR database on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov; or,
•For a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address:
[email protected].
(The Trust's SEC Investment Company Act file number is 811-23859.)
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
Dated [ ], 2026
THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
Bramshill Power Income ETF
Ticker: BPOW
Listed on [ ]
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
[date]
A series of
Advisor Managed Portfolios
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 219252
Kansas City, MO 64121-9252
877-BRAMS18 or 877-272-6718
This Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI") is not a prospectus and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus dated [ ], as may be supplemented, for the Bramshill Power Income ETF (the "Fund"), a series of Advisor Managed Portfolios (the "Trust"). Bramshill Investments, LLC (the "Advisor") is the Fund's investment adviser. Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus and/or the Fund's annual report (when available) may be obtained by contacting the Fund at the address or telephone number above or by visiting the Fund's website at www.bramshillfunds.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
THE TRUST
|
1
|
|
INVESTMENT POLICIES
|
1
|
|
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
|
21
|
|
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
|
24
|
|
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICY
|
24
|
|
MANAGEMENT
|
25
|
|
CODES OF ETHICS
|
30
|
|
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
|
30
|
|
CONTROL PERSONS, PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS, AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP
|
31
|
|
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT ADVISER
|
31
|
|
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
|
31
|
|
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
|
33
|
|
SECURITIES LENDING ACTIVITIES
|
34
|
|
EXECUTION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
|
34
|
|
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
|
36
|
|
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
|
37
|
|
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
|
37
|
|
PURCHASE AND ISSUANCE OF FUND SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
|
38
|
|
REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
|
42
|
|
GENERAL INFORMATION
|
44
|
|
DETERMINATION OF SHARE PRICE
|
45
|
|
DISTRIBUTIONS
|
45
|
|
TAX INFORMATION
|
45
|
|
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
|
52
|
|
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
52
|
|
APPENDIX A - DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
|
A-1
|
THE TRUST
The Trust is a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on February 16, 2023 and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act").
The Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration of Trust") permits the Trust's Board of Trustees (the "Board" or the "Trustees") to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest, no par value per share, which may be issued in any number of series. The Trust consists of various series that represent separate investment portfolios. The Board may issue other series, the assets and liabilities of which will be separate and distinct from any other series.
Except for the Bramshill Income Performance Fund and the BHILL Fund, the Fund, as a series of the Trust, does not hold itself out as related to any other series of the Trust for purposes of investment and investor services, nor does it share the same investment adviser with any other series. This SAI relates only to the Fund.
Registration with the SEC does not involve supervision of the management or policies of the Fund. The Prospectus, SAI, shareholder reports and other information about the Fund are available free of charge on the EDGAR database on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Copies of such information may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the prescribed fee by electronic request at the following e-mail address:
[email protected].
INVESTMENT POLICIES
The discussion below supplements information contained in the Fund's Prospectus as to the permitted investments, investment policies, and risks of the Fund.
Diversification
The Fund is diversified under applicable federal securities laws. This means that as to 75% of its total assets (1) no more than 5% may be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) it may not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer. However, the diversification of a mutual fund's holdings is measured at the time the fund purchases a security and if the Fund purchases a security and holds it for a period of time, the security may become a larger percentage of the Fund's total assets due to movements in the financial markets. If the market affects several securities held by the Fund, the Fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers. Accordingly, the Fund is subject to the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities despite qualifying as a diversified fund.
Percentage Limitations
Whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of the Fund's assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund's acquisition or sale of such security or other asset. Accordingly, except with respect to borrowing and illiquid investments, any subsequent change in values, net assets or other circumstances will not be considered in determining whether an investment complies with the Fund's investment policies and limitations. In addition, if a bankruptcy or other extraordinary event occurs concerning a particular investment by the Fund, the Fund may receive stock, real estate or other investments that the Fund would not or could not buy. If this happens the Fund would sell such investments as soon as practicable while trying to maximize the return to its shareholders.
The Fund may invest in the following types of investments, each of which is subject to certain risks, as discussed below:
Equity Securities
All investments in equity securities are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Historically, the equity markets have moved in cycles and the value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio
1
may fluctuate substantially from day to day. Owning an equity security can also subject the Fund to the risk that the issuer may discontinue paying dividends.
Common Stocks. A common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company and its value is based on the success of the company's business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of its assets, and general market conditions. In addition to the general risks set forth above, investments in common stocks are subject to the risk that in the event a company in which the Fund invests is liquidated, the holders of preferred stock and creditors of that company will be paid in full before any payments are made to the Fund as a holder of common stock. It is possible that all assets of that company will be exhausted before any payments are made to the Fund.
Convertible Securities. The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Traditional convertible securities include corporate bonds, notes and preferred stocks that may be converted into or exchanged for common stock, and other securities that also provide an opportunity for equity participation. These securities are convertible either at a stated price or a stated rate (that is, for a specific number of shares of common stock or other security). As with other fixed income securities, the price of a convertible security generally varies inversely with interest rates. While providing a fixed income stream, a convertible security also affords the investor an opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the common stock into which it is convertible. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the price of a convertible security tends to rise as a reflection of higher yield or capital appreciation. In such situations, the Fund may have to pay more for a convertible security than the value of the underlying common stock.
Rights and Warrants. The Fund may invest in rights and warrants. A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock, and it is issued at a predetermined price in proportion to the number of shares already owned. Rights normally have a short life, usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the current market. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specific price for a specific period of time. They do not represent ownership of the securities, but only the right to buy them. Hence, warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The value of warrants is derived solely from capital appreciation of the underlying equity securities. Warrants differ from call options in that the underlying corporation issues warrants, whereas call options may be written by anyone.
An investment in rights and warrants may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, although their value is influenced by the value of the underlying security, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in shares of other registered investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), money market mutual funds, closed end funds and other mutual funds in pursuit of its investment objective, in accordance with the limitations established under the 1940 Act, as amended (the "1940 Act"). This may include investments in money market mutual funds in connection with the Fund's management of daily cash positions. Investments in the securities of other investment companies may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. By investing in another investment company, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly will bear the Fund's proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by shareholders of the other investment company, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund's own operations.
2
Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act generally prohibits a fund from purchasing (1) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of another fund; (2) securities of another fund having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the acquiring fund; and (3) securities of the other fund and all other funds having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the acquiring fund. There are some exceptions, however, to these limitations pursuant to certain provisions in the 1940 Act and various rules promulgated by the SEC.
Closed End Funds. Typically, shares of a closed end fund are bought and sold on an exchange. The risks of investing in a closed end investment company typically reflect the risk of the types of securities in which the closed end fund invests. Closed end funds often leverage returns by issuing debt securities, auction rate preferred securities or reverse-repurchase agreements. The Fund may invest in debt securities issued by closed end funds, subject to any quality or other standards applicable to the Fund's investment in debt securities. If the Fund invests in shares issued by leveraged closed end funds, it will face certain risks associated with leveraged investments. Investments in closed end funds are subject to additional risks. For example, the price of the closed end fund's shares quoted on an exchange may not reflect the net asset value of the securities held by the closed end fund. The premium or discount that the share prices represent versus net asset value may change over time based on a variety of factors, including supply of and demand for the closed end fund's shares, that are outside the closed end fund's control or unrelated to the value of the underlying portfolio securities. If the Fund invests in the closed end fund to gain exposure to the closed end fund's investments, the lack of correlation between the performance of the closed end fund's investments and the closed end fund's share price may compromise or eliminate any such exposure.
Exchange Traded Funds
The Fund may also invest in ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are bought and sold on a national securities exchange and seek to replicate the performance, before fees and expenses, of an underlying index of securities. An ETF is similar to a traditional mutual fund, but trades at different prices during the day on a security exchange like a stock. Similar to investments in other investment companies discussed above, the Fund's investments in ETFs will involve duplication of advisory fees and other expenses since the Fund will be investing in another investment company. In addition, the Fund's investment in ETFs is also subject to its limitations on investments in investment companies discussed above. To the extent the Fund invests in ETFs which focus on a particular market segment or industry, the Fund will also be subject to the risks associated with investing in those sectors or industries. The shares of the ETFs in which the Fund will invest will be listed on a national securities exchange and the Fund will purchase or sell these shares on the secondary market at its current market price, which may be more or less than its net asset value ("NAV"). Investors in the Fund should be aware that ETFs that seek to replicate a particular benchmark index are subject to "tracking risk," which is the risk that an ETF will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the index it tracks.
As purchasers of ETF shares on the secondary market, the Fund will be subject to the market risk associated with owning any security whose value is based on market price. ETF shares historically have tended to trade at or near their NAV, but there is no guarantee that they will continue to do so. Unlike traditional mutual funds, shares of an ETF may be purchased and redeemed directly from the ETFs only in large blocks (typically 50,000 shares or more) and only through participating organizations that have entered into contractual agreements with the ETF. The Fund does not expect to enter into such agreements and therefore will not be able to purchase and redeem their ETF shares directly from the ETF.
Cyber Security Risk
Investment companies, such as the Fund, and their service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund or its service providers (e.g. custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers) may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of transactions, impact the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause
3
reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund's investment in such portfolio companies to lose value.
Foreign Investments
The Fund may make investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers ("foreign securities"). Such securities include:
Depositary Receipts ("DRs"), which are American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs"), Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") or other forms of DRs. DRs are receipts typically issued in connection with a U.S. or foreign bank or trust company which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a non-U.S. company.
ADRs are depositary receipts for foreign securities denominated in U.S. dollars and traded on U.S. securities markets. These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities for which they may be exchanged. These are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign-based issuer held in trust by a bank or similar financial institutions. Designed for use in U.S. securities markets, ADRs are alternatives to the purchase of the underlying securities in their national market and currencies. ADRs may be purchased through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and a depositary, whereas a depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the depositary security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of such facilities, and the depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting rights to the holders of such receipts of the deposited securities.
Investments in foreign securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:
Political and Economic Factors. Individual economies of certain countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the United States' economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, diversification and balance of payments position. The internal politics of certain foreign countries may not be as stable as those of the United States. Governments in certain foreign countries also continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could include restrictions on foreign investment, nationalization, expropriation of goods or imposition of taxes, and could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of interest. The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by the trade policies and economic conditions of their trading partners. Enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.
Legal and Regulatory Matters. Certain foreign countries may have less supervision of securities markets, brokers and issuers of securities, and less financial information available to issuers, than is available in the United States.
Currency Fluctuations. A change in the value of any foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of an ADR's underlying portfolio securities denominated in that currency. Such changes will affect the Fund to the extent that the Fund is invested in ADRs comprised of foreign securities.
Foreign Taxes. Dividends and interest received by the Fund may be subject to income, withholding or other taxes imposed by foreign countries and U.S. possessions that would reduce the yield on the Fund's stock or securities. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate these taxes. Foreign countries generally do not impose taxes on capital gains with respect to investments by foreign investors.
In considering whether to invest in the securities of a non-U.S. company, the Advisor considers such factors as the characteristics of the particular company, differences between economic trends and the performance of securities markets within the U.S. and those within other countries, and also factors relating to the general economic, governmental and social conditions of the country or countries where the company is located. The extent to which
4
the Fund will be invested in non-U.S. companies, foreign countries and depositary receipts will fluctuate from time to time within any limitations described in the Prospectus, depending on the Advisor's assessment of prevailing market, economic and other conditions.
Short Sales
The Fund may seek to realize additional gains through short sale transactions in treasuries and securities listed on one or more national securities exchanges, or in unlisted securities. Short selling involves the sale of borrowed securities. At the time a short sale is effected, the Fund incurs an obligation to replace the security borrowed at whatever its price may be at the time the Fund purchases it for delivery to the lender. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to pay the lender amounts equal to any dividend or interest which accrue during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The proceeds of the short sale will be retained by the broker, to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed.
Until the Fund closes its short position or replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will: (a) maintain cash or liquid securities at such a level that the amount deposited in the account plus the amount deposited with the broker as collateral will equal the current value of the security sold short; or (b) otherwise cover the Fund's short position.
Fixed Income Securities
Corporate Debt Securities. The Fund may invest in corporate debt securities. Corporate debt securities include corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar instruments, including certain convertible securities. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached. Corporate income-producing securities also may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate such as interest rates or other financial indications. The Fund can invest in corporate securities of any rating. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.
High Yield Securities
The Fund may invest in high yield, high risk, lower-rated debt securities, including convertible securities. Investments in such securities are subject to greater credit risks than higher rated securities. Debt securities rated below investment grade have greater risks of default than investment grade debt securities, including medium grade debt securities, and may in fact, be in default. Issuers of "junk bonds" must offer higher yields to compensate for the greater risk of default on the payment of principal and interest.
The market for high yield securities is subject to substantial volatility. For example, an economic downturn may have a more significant effect on high yield securities and their markets, as well as on the ability of securities issuers to repay principal and interest, than on higher-rated securities and their issuers. Issuers of high yield securities may be of low creditworthiness and the high yield securities may be subordinated to the claims of senior lenders. During periods of economic downturn or rising interest rates the issuers of high yield securities may have greater potential for insolvency and a higher incidence of high yield bond defaults may be experienced.
The prices of high yield securities have been found to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments but are more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments because of their lower credit quality. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress which would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing. If the issuer of a high yield convertible security owned by the Fund defaults, the Fund may incur additional expenses in seeking recovery. Periods of economic uncertainty and changes can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and the Fund's NAV. Yields on high yield securities will fluctuate over time. Furthermore, in the case of high yield securities structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind securities, their
5
market prices are affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes and thereby tend to be more volatile than market prices of securities which pay interest periodically and in cash.
The secondary market for high yield securities may at times become less liquid or respond to adverse publicity or investor perceptions making it more difficult for the Fund to value accurately high yield securities or dispose of them. To the extent the Fund owns or may acquire illiquid or restricted high yield securities, these securities may involve special registration responsibilities, liabilities and costs, and liquidity difficulties and judgment will play a greater role in valuation because there is less reliable and objective data available.
Special tax considerations are associated with investing in high yield bonds structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind securities. The Fund will report the interest on these securities as income even though it receives no cash interest until the security's maturity or payment date. Further, the Fund must distribute substantially all of its income to its shareholders to qualify for pass through treatment under the tax law. Accordingly, the Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate cash or may have to borrow to satisfy distribution requirements.
Credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not the market value risk of high yield securities. Since credit rating agencies may fail to timely change the credit ratings to reflect subsequent events the Advisor monitors the issuers of high yield convertible securities in the portfolio to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments, and to attempt to assure the securities' liquidity so the Fund can meet redemption requests. To the extent that the Fund invests in high yield securities, the achievement of its investment objective may be more dependent, on the Advisor's own credit analysis than is the case for higher quality bonds. The Fund may retain a portfolio security whose rating has been changed.
Municipal Securities
The Fund may invest in municipal securities. Municipal securities are debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States, including the District of Columbia, and any political subdivisions or financing authority of any of these, the income from which is, in the opinion of qualified legal counsel, exempt from regular federal income tax. However, it is not anticipated that the Fund will be eligible to distribute exempt-interest dividends to shareholders. Municipal securities are generally issued to finance public works such as airports, bridges, highways, housing, hospitals, mass transportation projects, schools, street and water and sewer works. They are also issued to repay outstanding obligations, to raise funds for general operating expenses and to make loans to other public institutions and facilities. Municipal securities include industrial development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities to provide financing aid to acquire sites or construct and equip facilities for privately or publicly owned corporations. The availability of this financing encourages these corporations to locate within the sponsoring communities and thereby increases local employment.
The two principal classifications of municipal securities are "general obligation" and "revenue" bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its full faith and credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Interest on and principal of revenue bonds, however, are payable only from the revenue generated by the facility financed by the bond or other specified sources of revenue. Revenue bonds do not represent a pledge of credit or create any debt of or charge against the general revenues of a municipality or public authority. Industrial development bonds are typically classified as revenue bonds.
The Fund's investments may include, but are not limited to, the following types of municipal securities: industrial development bonds; municipal notes and bonds; serial notes and bonds sold with a series of maturity dates; tax anticipation notes and bonds sold to finance working capital needs of municipalities in anticipation of receiving taxes at a later date; bond anticipation notes sold in anticipation of the issuance of longer-term bonds in the future; pre-refunded municipal bonds refundable at a later date (payment of principal and interest on pre-refunded bonds are assured through the first call date by the deposit in escrow of U.S. government securities); and general obligation bonds secured by a municipality's pledge of taxation. There are no restrictions on the maturity of municipal securities in which the Fund may invest. The Advisor will select municipal securities based upon their
6
belief that those securities will produce current income consistent with prudent investment and the Fund's investment objectives.
The Fund may also purchase municipal securities with variable interest rates. Variable interest rates are ordinarily stated as a percentage of the prime rate of a bank or some similar standard, such as the 91-day U.S. Treasury bill rate. Variable interest rates are adjusted on a periodic basis (i.e., every 30 days). Many variable rate municipal securities are subject to payment of principal on demand, usually in not more than seven days. If a variable rate municipal security does not have this demand feature, or the demand feature extends beyond seven days and the Advisor believes the security cannot be sold within seven days, the Advisor may consider the security to be illiquid. Variable interest rates generally reduce changes in the market value of municipal securities from their original purchase prices. Accordingly, as interest rates decrease or increase, the potential for capital appreciation or depreciation is less for variable rate municipal securities than for fixed-income obligations. Many municipal securities with variable interest rates are subject to repayment of principal (usually within seven days) on demand. The terms of these variable rate demand instruments require payment of principal and accrued interest from the issuer of the municipal obligations, the issuer of the participation interests, or a guarantor of either issuer.
The financial institutions from which the Fund may purchase participation interests frequently provide, or secure from other financial institutions, irrevocable letters of credit or guarantees and give the Fund the right to demand payment on specified notice (normally within 30 days) from the issuer of the letter of credit or guarantee. These financial institutions may charge certain fees in connection with their repurchase commitments, including a fee equal to the excess of the interest paid on the municipal securities over the negotiated yield at which the participation interests were purchased. By purchasing participation interests, the Fund is buying a security meeting its quality requirements and is also receiving the tax-free benefits of the underlying securities.
Yields on municipal securities depend on a variety of factors, including: the general conditions of the money market and the taxable and municipal securities markets; the size of the particular offering; the maturity of the obligations; and the credit quality of the issue. Any adverse economic conditions or developments affecting the states or municipalities could impact the Fund's portfolio.
U.S. Government Securities
The Fund may invest in a variety of U.S. Treasury obligations, including bills, notes and bonds. These obligations differ only in terms of their interest rates, maturities and time of issuance. The Fund may also invest in other securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities.
Obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Others, such as those of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; and others, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency's obligations; still others, such as those of the Student Loan Marketing Association ("Sallie Mae") are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality that issues them. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities, now or in the future, if it is not obligated to do so by law.
Money Market Instruments
The Fund may invest in cash and money market securities. The Fund may do so to "cover" investment techniques, when taking a temporary defensive position or to have assets available to pay expenses, satisfy redemption requests or take advantage of investment opportunities. The money market securities in which the Fund invests may include U.S. Treasury Bills, commercial paper, and commercial paper master notes.
The Fund may invest in commercial paper or commercial paper master notes rated, at the time of purchase, A-1 or A-2 by Standard & Poor's Corporation or Prime-1 or Prime 2 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. Commercial paper master notes are demand instruments without a fixed maturity bearing interest at rates that are fixed to known lending rates and automatically adjusted when such lending rates change.
7
The Fund may also invest in securities issued by other investment companies that invest in high quality, short-term debt securities (namely, money market instruments). In addition to the advisory fees and other expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations, as a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company's advisory fees and other expenses, and such fees and other expenses will be borne indirectly by the Fund's shareholders.
Distressed Securities. Distressed investment strategies involve investing in the securities and loans of companies that are in weak financial condition, are experiencing poor operating results, need substantial capital investment, perhaps have a negative net worth, are experiencing special competitive or products obsolescence problems, or are involved in bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings. These investments may be made in securities with a wide spectrum of risk and market sensitivity; for example, in fully secured bank debt of a company that is in a late-stage bankruptcy proceeding that the Advisor believes involves low risk due to the value of the underlying assets or, conversely, in the equity of a highly leveraged company that may or may not declare bankruptcy. The securities of highly leveraged companies or companies that have fallen into distress are often mispriced. In an attempt to capture such mispricing, the Fund may take partially offsetting positions in the securities of the distressed issuer. For example, the Fund may take partially offsetting positions in the securities of the distressed issuer. This would involve the Fund purchasing a company's senior debt securities, while selling short its subordinated debt and/or equity if the Advisor determines that the junior securities are significantly overvalued relative to the senior securities. The Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and will, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid assets in an account with its custodian in the prescribed amount as determined daily.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds
The Fund may invest in inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed-income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the inflation accruals as part of a semiannual coupon.
Inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Treasury have varying maturities and pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund also may invest in other inflation-related bonds that may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.
While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.
The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and
8
energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.
Duration and Portfolio Maturity. As a measure of a fixed-income security's cash flow, duration is an alternative to the concept of "term to maturity" in assessing the price volatility associated with changes in interest rates. Generally, the longer the duration, the more volatility an investor should expect. For example, the market price of a bond with a duration of three years would be expected to decline 3% if interest rates rose 1%. Conversely, the market price of the same bond would be expected to increase 3% if interest rates fell 1%. The market price of a bond with a duration of six years would be expected to increase or decline twice as much as the market price of a bond with a three-year duration. Duration is a way of measuring a security's maturity in terms of the average time required to receive the present value of all interest and principal payments as opposed to its term to maturity. The maturity of a security measures only the time until final payment is due; it does not take account of the pattern of a security's cash flows over time, which would include how cash flow is affected by prepayments and by changes in interest rates. Incorporating a security's yield, coupon interest payments, final maturity and option features into one measure, duration is computed by determining the weighted average maturity of a bond's cash flows, where the present values of the cash flows serve as weights. In computing the duration of the Fund, the Advisor will estimate the duration of obligations that are subject to features such as prepayment or redemption by the issuer, put options retained by the investor or other imbedded options, taking into account the influence of interest rates on prepayments and coupon flows. The Advisor will adjust the duration and maturity of the Fund's portfolio based on the Advisor's interest rate outlook.
Preferred Securities
The Fund may invest in two basic types of preferred securities, traditional and hybrid-preferred securities. Traditional preferred securities consist of preferred stock issued by an entity taxable as a corporation. Preferred stocks, which may offer fixed or floating rate dividends, are perpetual instruments and considered equity securities. Preferred securities are subordinated to senior debt instruments in a company's capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income and claim to corporate assets, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than debt instruments. Alternatively, hybrid-preferred securities may be issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes with preferred securities characteristics, or by an affiliated trust or partnership of the corporation, generally in the form of preferred interests in subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. The hybrid-preferred securities market consists of both fixed and adjustable coupon rate securities that are either perpetual in nature or have stated maturity dates. Hybrid-preferred securities are considered debt securities. Due to their similar attributes, the Advisor also considers senior debt perpetual issues, certain securities with convertible features as well as exchange-listed senior debt issues that trade with attributes of exchange-listed perpetual and hybrid-preferred securities to be part of the broader preferred securities market.
Traditional Preferred Securities
Traditional preferred securities pay fixed or floating dividends to investors and have "preference" over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of a company's assets. This means that a company must pay dividends on preferred stock before paying any dividends on its common stock. In order to be payable, distributions on such preferred securities must be declared by the issuer's board of directors. Income payments on preferred securities may be cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accumulate even if not declared by the board of directors or otherwise made payable. In such a case, all accumulated dividends must be paid before any dividend on the common stock can be paid. However, many traditional preferred stocks are non-cumulative, in which case dividends do not accumulate and need not ever be paid. The Fund may invest in non-cumulative preferred securities, whereby the issuer does not have an obligation to make up any missed payments to its stockholders. There is no assurance that dividends or distributions on the traditional preferred securities in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. Preferred securities may also contain provisions under which payments must be stopped (namely, stoppage is compulsory, not discretionary). The conditions
9
under which this occurs may relate to, for instance, capitalization levels. Hence, if a company incurs significant losses that deplete retained earnings automatic payment stoppage could occur. In some cases the terms of the preferred securities provide that the issuer would be obligated to attempt to issue common shares to raise funds for the purpose of making the preferred payments. However, there is no guarantee that the issuer would be successful in placing common shares.
Preferred stockholders usually have no right to vote for corporate directors or on other matters. Shares of traditional preferred securities have a liquidation preference that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market value of preferred securities may be affected by, among other factors, favorable and unfavorable changes impacting the issuer or industries in which they operate, movements in interest rates and inflation, and the broader economic and credit environments, and by actual and anticipated changes in tax laws, such as changes in corporate and individual income tax rates. Because the claim on an issuer's earnings represented by traditional preferred securities may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on such securities, the issuer may redeem the securities. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the Fund's holdings of higher rate-paying fixed rate preferred securities may be reduced, and the Fund may be unable to acquire securities of comparable credit quality paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds.
Pursuant to the dividends received deduction (the "DRD"), corporations may generally deduct 50% of the income they receive from dividends on traditional preferred securities issued by domestic corporations that are paid out of earnings and profits of the issuer. However, not all traditional preferred securities pay dividends that are eligible for the DRD. Under current law, individuals will generally be taxed at long-term capital gain rates on qualified dividend income ("QDI"). However, not all distributions on traditional preferred securities will qualify to be treated as QDI. In particular, distributions on preferred securities issued by U.S. real estate investment trusts ("REITs") generally are not eligible for the DRD and generally are not treated as QDI.
Real Estate Investment Trusts. The Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). In general, a REIT is a corporation, or a business trust that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets certain definitional requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level federal income tax. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things, invest substantially all of its assets in real estate interests (including mortgages and other REITs) or cash and government securities, derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property, and annually distribute a substantial portion of its otherwise taxable income to shareholders.
REITs are characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs, which may include operating or finance companies, own real estate directly and the value of, and income earned by, the REITs depend upon the income of the underlying properties and the rental income they earn. Equity REITs also can realize capital gains (or losses) by selling properties that have appreciated (or depreciated) in value. Mortgage REITs can make construction, development or long-term mortgage loans and are sensitive to the credit quality of the borrower. Mortgage REITs derive their income from interest payments on such loans. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate. The value of securities issued by U.S. REITs are affected by tax and regulatory requirements and perceptions of management skill. They also are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax status generally available to U.S. REITs under the Code or to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act")
When the Fund invests in REITs, it is subject to risks principally associated with investing in real estate: (1) possible declines in the value of real estate, (2) adverse general and local economic conditions, (3) possible lack of availability of mortgage funds, (4) changes in interest rates, and (5) environmental problems. In addition, real estate investment trusts are subject to other risks related specifically to their structure and focus: (a) dependency upon management skills; (b) limited diversification; (c) the risks of locating and managing financing for projects; (d) heavy cash flow dependency; (e) possible default by borrowers; (f) the costs and potential losses of self-liquidation of one or more holdings; (g) the possibility of failing to maintain exemptions from securities
10
registration; (h) duplicative fees; and, in many cases, relatively small market capitalization which may result in less market liquidity and greater price volatility.
Securities of Other Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including open-end mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds (including, business development companies ("BDCs")), unit investment trusts, private investment companies and offshore investment companies. An investment in an investment company involves risks similar to those of investing directly in the investment company's portfolio securities, including the risk that the value of the portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of their issuers, the value of stocks and other securities generally, and other market factors.
In addition, investing in the securities of other investment companies involves certain other risks, costs and expenses for the Fund. If the Fund invests in another investment company, the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of the advisory fees and other operating expenses of such investment company, which are in addition to the advisory fees and other operational expenses incurred by the Fund. In addition, the Fund could incur a sales charge in connection with purchasing an investment company security or a redemption fee upon the redemption of such security. An investment in the shares of a closed-end investment company, including a BDC, may also involve the payment of a substantial premium over, while sales of such shares may be made at a substantial discount from, the NAV of the fund's assets. BDCs are publicly-traded mezzanine/private equity funds that typically invest in and lend to small and medium-sized private companies that may not have access to public equity markets for capital raising. BDCs invest in such diverse industries as health care, chemical and manufacturing, technology and service companies. BDCs are unique in that at least 70% of their investments must be made in private and certain public U.S. businesses, and BDCs are required to make available significant managerial assistance to their portfolio companies. BDCs carry risks similar to those of a private equity or venture capital fund. BDCs are not redeemable at the option of the shareholder and they may trade in the market at a discount to their net asset value. BDCs may employ the use of leverage in their portfolios through borrowings or the issuance of preferred stock. While leverage often serves to increase the yield of a BDC, this leverage also subjects a BDC to increased risks, including the likelihood of increased volatility and the possibility that a BDC's common share income will fall if the dividend rate of the preferred shares or the interest rate on any borrowings rises. Closed-end investment companies and BDCs are not taxed on income distributed to their shareholders, provided they comply with the applicable requirements of the Code, and often offer a yield advantage over other types of securities. Shares of closed-end investment companies are traded on exchanges and may trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of closed-end investment companies.
The Fund may also invest in the securities of private investment companies, including "hedge funds" and "private equity funds," subject to the Fund's non-fundamental policy prohibiting it from purchasing or otherwise acquiring such securities if, as a result, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in securities that are illiquid. As with investments in other investment companies, if the Fund invests in a private investment company, the Fund will be charged its proportionate share of the advisory fees including incentive compensation and other operating expenses of such company. These fees, which can be substantial, would be in addition to the advisory fees and other operating expenses incurred by the Fund. In addition, private investment companies are not registered with the SEC and may not be registered with any other regulatory authority. Accordingly, they are not subject to certain regulatory requirements and oversight to which registered issuers are subject. There may be very little public information available about their investments and performance. Moreover, because sales of shares of private investment companies are generally restricted to certain qualified purchasers, such shares may be illiquid and it could be difficult for the Fund to sell its shares at an advantageous price and time. Finally, because shares of private investment companies are not publicly traded, a fair value for the Fund's investment in these companies typically will have to be determined under policies approved by the Board.
Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act normally prohibits a fund from purchasing (1) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of another fund; (2) securities of another fund having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the acquiring fund; and (3) securities of the other fund and all other funds having an aggregate
11
value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the acquiring fund. Subject to certain conditions, there are exceptions to these limitations provided by the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder as well as by exemptive relief granted by the SEC.
The Fund will invest in the securities of other investment companies, including private investment companies, when, in the Advisor's judgment, the potential benefits of the investment justify the expense and risk of investing in such investment companies.
Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs)
MLPs are limited partnerships in which the ownership units are publicly traded. MLP units are registered with the SEC and are freely traded on a securities exchange or in the OTC market. MLPs often own several properties or businesses (or own interests) that are related to real estate development and oil and gas industries, but they also may finance motion pictures, research and development and other projects. Generally, a MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership.
The risks of investing in a MLP are generally those involved in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation. For example, state law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing corporations. Accordingly, there may be fewer protections afforded investors in a MLP than investors in a corporation. Additional risks involved with investing in a MLP are risks associated with the specific industry or industries in which the partnership invests, such as the risks of investing in real estate, or oil and gas industries.
MLPs are generally treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. When the Fund invests in the equity securities of an MLP or any other entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a partner in the entity for tax purposes. Accordingly, in calculating the Fund's taxable income, it will be required to take into account its allocable share of the income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits recognized by each such entity, regardless of whether the entity distributes cash to the Fund. Distributions from such an entity to the Fund are not generally taxable unless the cash amount (or, in certain cases, the fair market value of marketable securities) distributed to the Fund exceeds the Fund's adjusted tax basis in its interest in the entity. In general, the Fund's allocable share of such an entity's net income will increase the Fund's adjusted tax basis in its interest in the entity, and distributions to the Fund from such an entity and the Fund's allocable share of the entity's net losses will decrease the Fund's adjusted basis in its interest in the entity, but not below zero. The Fund may receive cash distributions from such an entity in excess of the net amount of taxable income the Fund is allocated from its investment in the entity. In other circumstances, the net amount of taxable income the Fund is allocated from its investment in such an entity may exceed cash distributions received from the entity. Thus, the Fund's investments in such an entity may lead the Fund to make distributions in excess of its earnings and profits, or the Fund may be required to sell investments, including when not otherwise advantageous to do so, to satisfy the distribution requirements applicable to RICs under the Code.
Depreciation or other cost recovery deductions passed through to the Fund from any investments in MLPs in a given year will generally reduce the Fund's taxable income, but those deductions may be recaptured in the Fund's income in one or more subsequent years. When recognized and distributed, recapture income will generally be taxable to the Fund's shareholders at the time of the distribution at ordinary income tax rates, even though those shareholders might not have held Shares in the Fund at the time the deductions were taken, and even though those shareholders may not have corresponding economic gain on their Shares at the time of the recapture. To distribute recapture income or to fund redemption requests, the Fund may need to liquidate investments, which may lead to additional taxable income.
Hybrid-preferred Securities
Hybrid-preferred securities are typically junior and fully subordinated liabilities of an issuer or the beneficiary of a guarantee that is junior and fully subordinated to the other liabilities of the guarantor. In addition, hybrid-preferred securities typically permit an issuer to defer the payment of income for eighteen months or more without
12
triggering an event of default. Generally, the maximum deferral period is five years. Because of their subordinated position in the capital structure of an issuer, the ability to defer payments for extended periods of time without default consequences to the issuer, and certain other features (such as restrictions on common dividend payments by the issuer or ultimate guarantor when full cumulative payments on the hybrid preferred securities have not been made), these hybrid-preferred securities are often treated as close substitutes for traditional preferred securities, both by issuers and investors. Hybrid-preferred securities have many of the key characteristics of equity due to their subordinated position in an issuer's capital structure and because their quality and value are heavily dependent on the profitability of the issuer rather than on any legal claims to specific assets or cash flows.
Hybrid-preferred securities are typically issued with a final maturity date. In certain instances, a final maturity date may be extended and/or the final payment of principal may be deferred at the issuer's option for a specified time without default. No redemption can typically take place unless all cumulative payment obligations have been met, although issuers may be able to engage in open-market repurchases without regard to whether all payments have been paid.
Many hybrid-preferred securities are issued by trusts or other special purpose entities established by operating companies and are not a direct obligation of an operating company. At the time the trust or special purpose entity sells such preferred securities to investors, it purchases debt of the operating company (with terms comparable to those of the trust or special purpose entity securities), which enables the operating company to deduct for tax purposes the interest paid on the debt held by the trust or special purpose entity. The trust or special purpose entity is generally required to be treated as transparent for U.S. federal income tax purposes such that the holders of the hybrid-preferred securities are treated as owning beneficial interests in the underlying debt of the operating company. Accordingly, payments on hybrid-preferred securities are generally treated as interest rather than dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, as such, are not eligible for the DRD or the reduced rates of tax that apply to QDI. The trust or special purpose entity in turn would be a holder of the operating company's debt and would have priority with respect to the operating company's earnings and profits over the operating company's common stockholders, but would typically be subordinated to other classes of the operating company's debt. Typically a preferred security has a credit rating that is lower than that of its corresponding operating company's senior debt securities.
Within the category of hybrid-preferred securities are senior debt instruments that trade in the broader preferred securities market. These debt instruments, which are sources of long-term capital for the issuers, have structural features similar to other preferred securities such as maturities ranging from 30 years to perpetuity, call features, quarterly payments, exchange listings and the inclusion of accrued interest in the trading price.
In some cases traditional and hybrid securities may include loss absorption provisions that make the securities more equity like. This is particularly true in the financials sector, the largest preferred issuer segment. Events in global financial markets in recent periods have caused regulators to review the function and structure of preferred securities more closely. While loss absorption language is relatively rare in the preferred market today, it may become much more prevalent.
In one version of a preferred security with loss absorption characteristics, the liquidation value of the security may be adjusted downward to below the original par value under certain circumstances. This may occur, for instance, in the event that business losses have eroded capital to a substantial extent. The write down of the par value would occur automatically and would not entitle the holders to seek bankruptcy of the company. Such securities may provide for circumstances under which the liquidation value may be adjusted back up to par, such as an improvement in capitalization and/or earnings.
Another preferred structure with loss absorption characteristics is the contingent capital security (sometimes referred to as "CoCo's"). These securities provide for mandatory conversion into common shares of the issuer under certain circumstances. The mandatory conversion might relate, for instance, to maintenance of a capital minimum, whereby falling below the minimum would trigger automatic conversion. Since the common stock of the issuer may not pay a dividend, investors in these instruments could experience a reduced income rate, potentially to zero; and conversion would deepen the subordination of the investor, hence worsening standing in a
13
bankruptcy. In addition, some such instruments have a set stock conversion rate that would cause an automatic write-down of capital if the price of the stock is below the conversion price on the conversion date.
Preferred securities may be subject to changes in regulations and there can be no assurance that the current regulatory treatment of preferred securities will continue.
Contingent Convertible Securities Risk. A contingent convertible security ("CoCo") is a fixed-income instrument that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other security of the same or a different issuer or cash within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. The value of CoCos tends to decline as interest rates rise and, because of the conversion feature, tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities. CoCos may involve the risk that holders of subordinate securities such as these may have to absorb losses in greater proportion than holders of more senior securities and may have greater risk than would holders of the underlying collateral which is to the benefit of the issuer and which may negatively impact the value of the security to the detriment of the Fund. In addition, CoCos are often rated below investment grade and have no assurance that the Fund as the holder would continue to receive any income upon conversion as the issuing bank may not be performing well and may not be paying any dividends.
Convertible Preferred Securities. Some preferred securities, generally known as convertible preferred securities, provide for an investor option to convert their holdings into common shares of the issuer. These securities may have lower rates of income than other preferred securities, and the conversion option may cause them to trade more like equities than typical fixed income instruments.
Floating Rate Securities. The Fund may invest in floating rate preferred securities, which provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. The terms of such securities provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as a change in the prime rate. Because of the interest rate reset feature, floating rate securities provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, although the interest rates of floating rate securities will participate in any declines in interest rates as well.
Illiquid Investments and Restricted Securities
The Fund may not acquire an illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. If illiquid investments exceed 15% of the Fund's net assets, certain remedial actions will be taken as required by Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and the Fund's policies and procedures.
Restricted securities are securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on their resale, such as private placements. Such restrictions might prevent the sale of restricted securities at a time when the sale would otherwise be desirable. Under SEC regulations, certain restricted securities acquired through private placements can be traded freely among qualified purchasers. While restricted securities are generally classified as illiquid, the SEC has stated that an investment company's board of directors, or its investment advisor acting under authority delegated by the board, may determine that a security eligible for trading under this rule is "liquid." The Fund intends to rely on this rule, to the extent appropriate, to deem specific securities acquired through private placement as "liquid." The Board has delegated to the Advisor, pursuant to guidelines established by the Board, the responsibility for determining whether a particular security eligible for trading under this rule is "liquid." Investing in these restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the Fund's illiquidity if qualified purchasers become, for a time, uninterested in buying these securities.
Restricted securities may be sold only (1) pursuant to SEC Rule 144A or another exemption, (2) in privately negotiated transactions or (3) in public offerings with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act"). Rule 144A securities, although not registered in the U.S., may be sold to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. As noted above, the Advisor, acting pursuant to guidelines established by the Board, may determine that some Rule 144A securities are liquid. Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be
14
permitted to sell a restricted security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to sell.
Illiquid investments may be difficult to value, and the Fund may have difficulty disposing of such investments promptly. The Fund does not consider non-U.S. securities to be restricted if they can be freely sold in the principal markets in which they are traded, even if they are not registered for sale in the U.S.
Options, Futures and Other Strategies
The Fund may invest in options on equities, debt and stock indices (collectively, "options"). The Fund may also invest in futures contracts and options on futures contracts (collectively, "futures"). The Fund may make these investments as a substitute for a comparable market position in the underlying security, to attempt to hedge or limit the exposure of the Fund's position, to create a synthetic money market position for certain tax-related purposes and to effect closing transactions. The Fund will not invest in futures for speculative purposes.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act governs the Fund's use of derivative instruments and certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits the Fund to enter into Derivatives Transactions (as defined below) and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of "senior securities" under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Fund, from issuing or selling any "senior security," other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% "asset coverage").
Under Rule 18f-4, "Derivatives Transactions" include the following: (1) any swap, security-based swap (including a contract for differences), futures contract, forward contract, option (excluding purchased options), any combination of the foregoing, or any similar instrument, under which the Fund is or may be required to make any payment or delivery of cash or other assets during the life of the instrument or at maturity or early termination, whether as margin or settlement payment or otherwise; (2) any short sale borrowing; (3) reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions (e.g., recourse and non-recourse tender option bonds, and borrowed bonds), if the Fund elects to treat these transactions as Derivatives Transactions under Rule 18f-4; and (4) when-issued or forward-settling securities (e.g., firm and standby commitments, including to-be-announced ("TBA") commitments, and dollar rolls) and non-standard settlement cycle securities, unless the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date.
Unless the Fund is relying on the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below), the Fund must comply with Rule 18f-4 with respect to its Derivatives Transactions. Rule 18f-4, among other things, requires the Fund adopt and implement a comprehensive written derivatives risk management program ("DRMP") and comply with a relative or absolute limit on Fund leverage risk calculated based on value-at-risk ("VaR"). The DRMP is administered by a "derivatives risk manager," who is appointed by the Fund's Board, including a majority of Independent Trustees, and periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to the Board.
Rule 18f-4 provides an exception from the DRMP, VaR limit and certain other requirements if the Fund's "derivatives exposure" (as defined in Rule 18f-4) is limited to 10% of its net assets (as calculated in accordance with Rule 18f-4) and the Fund adopts and implements written policies and procedures reasonably designed to manage its derivatives risks (the "Limited Derivatives User Exception").
The requirements of Rule 18f-4 may limit the Fund's ability to engage in derivatives transactions as part of its investment strategies. The rule also may not be effective to limit the Fund's risk of loss. In particular, measurements of value at risk rely on historical data and may not accurately measure the degree of risk reflected in the Fund's derivatives or other investments.
There may be additional regulation of the use of derivatives by registered investment companies, such as the Fund, which could significantly affect their use. Additional regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, limit their availability or utility, or otherwise adversely affect their performance or disrupt markets. The use of options and futures (collectively, "derivative instruments") is subject to applicable regulations of the SEC, the several exchanges upon which they are traded and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC"). In
15
addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments will be limited by tax considerations. See "Distributions and Tax Information."
In addition to the instruments, strategies and risks described below and in the Prospectus, the Advisor may discover additional opportunities in connection with derivative instruments and other similar or related techniques. These new opportunities may become available as the Advisor develops new techniques, as regulatory authorities broaden the range of permitted transactions and as new derivative instruments or other techniques are developed. The Advisor may utilize these opportunities to the extent that they are consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and permitted by the Fund's investment limitations and applicable regulatory authorities.
The use of derivative instruments involves special considerations and risks which include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) Successful use of most derivative instruments depends upon the Advisor's ability to predict movements of the overall securities markets, which requires different skills than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets, due to the differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to distortion. Due to the possibility of distortion, a correct forecast of stock market trends by the Advisor may still not result in a successful transaction. The Advisor may be incorrect in its expectations as to the extent of market movements or the time span within which the movements take place, which, thus, may result in the strategy being unsuccessful.
(2) Options and futures prices can diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments. Options and futures prices are affected by such factors as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument and the time remaining until expiration of the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect or no correlation also may result from differing levels of demand in the options and futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how options and futures and securities are traded, and from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts.
(3) As described below, the Fund might be required to make margin payments when it takes positions in derivative instruments involving obligations to third parties (e.g., derivative instruments other than purchased options). If the Fund were unable to close out its positions in such derivative instruments, it might be required to continue to make such payments until the position expired or matured. These requirements might impair the Fund's ability to sell a portfolio security or make an investment when it would otherwise be favorable to do so or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time. The Fund's ability to close out a position in a derivative instrument prior to expiration or maturity depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market or, in the absence of such a market, the ability and willingness of the other party to the transaction (the "counter-party") to enter into a transaction closing out the position. Therefore, there is no assurance that any position can be closed out at a time and price that is favorable to the Fund.
The Fund will not enter into any transactions using derivative instruments (except for purchased options) unless it owns either (1) an offsetting ("covered") position in securities or other options or futures contracts or (2) cash and liquid assets with a value, marked-to-market daily, sufficient to cover its potential obligations to the extent not covered as provided in (1) above. The Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and will, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid assets in an account with its custodian in the prescribed amount as determined daily.
Assets used as cover or held in an account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding derivative instrument is open, unless they are replaced with other appropriate assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of the Fund's assets to cover or held in accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund's ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
(4) Losses may arise due to unanticipated market price movements, lack of a liquid secondary market for any particular instrument at a particular time or due to losses from premiums paid by the Fund on options transactions.
Options on Securities and Securities Indices
16
The Fund may purchase call options in anticipation of an increase in the market value of securities of the type in which it may invest or a positive change in the currency in which such securities are denominated. The purchase of a call option would entitle the Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities or a specified amount of a foreign currency at a specified price during the option period. The Fund normally will purchase put options in anticipation of a decrease in the market value of securities of the type in which it may invest or a negative change in the currency in which such securities are denominated. The purchase of a put option would entitle the Fund, in return for the premium paid, to sell specified securities or a specified amount of a foreign currency at a specified price during the option period.
The Fund may purchase and sell options traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges based on the market value of the options. Although the Fund will generally purchase only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time. For some options, no secondary market on an exchange may exist. In such event, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options, with the result that the Fund would have to exercise its options in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of the underlying securities.
Secondary markets on an exchange may not exist or may not be liquid for a variety of reasons including: (i) insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions on opening transactions or closing transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances which interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) inadequate facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation to handle current trading volume at all times; or (vi) discontinuance in the future by one or more exchanges for economic or other reasons, of trading of options (or of a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
There is no assurance that higher than anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events might not, at times, render certain of the facilities of the Options Clearing Corporation inadequate, and result in the institution by an exchange of special procedures that may interfere with the timely execution of the Fund's option orders.
Futures and Options on Futures
Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific security or currency at a specified future time at a specified price. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (contracts traded on the same exchange, on the same underlying security or index, and with the same delivery month). If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain; if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. The Fund may use futures contracts and related options for bona fide hedging purposes, such as to offset changes in the value of securities held or expected to be acquired or be disposed of or to minimize fluctuations in foreign currencies. The Fund will minimize the risk that it will be unable to close out a futures contract by only entering into futures contracts that are traded on national futures exchanges. The Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and will, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid assets in an account with its custodian in the prescribed amount as determined daily.
An index futures contract is a bilateral agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to a specified dollar amount times the difference between the index value at the close of trading of the contract and the price at which the futures contract is originally struck. No physical delivery of the securities comprising the index is made; generally contracts are closed out prior to their expiration date.
17
In order to avoid leveraging and related risks, when the Fund invests in futures contracts, the Fund will cover positions by depositing an amount of cash or liquid securities equal to the market value of the futures positions held, less margin deposits, in a segregated account and that amount will be marked-to-market on a daily basis.
There are risks associated with these activities, including the following: (1) the success of a hedging strategy may depend on an ability to predict movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (2) there may be an imperfect or lack of correlation between the changes in market value of the securities held and the prices of futures and options on futures; (3) there may not be a liquid secondary market for a futures contract or option; (4) trading restrictions or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (5) government regulations may restrict trading in futures contracts and options on futures.
The Fund may buy and sell futures contracts and related options to manage exposure to changing interest rates and securities prices. Some strategies reduce the Fund's exposure to price fluctuations, while others tend to increase market exposure. Futures and options on futures can be volatile instruments and involve certain risks that could negatively impact the Fund's return. No price is paid upon entering into futures contracts. Instead, the Fund would be required to deposit an amount of cash or U.S. Treasury securities known as "initial margin." Subsequent payments, called "variation margin," to and from the broker, would be made on a daily basis as the value of the future position varies (a process known as "marked to market"). The margin is in the nature of performance bond or good-faith deposit on a futures contract. Futures and options on futures are taxable instruments.
Swaps
Swap agreements tend to shift the Fund's investment exposure from one type of investment to another. For example, the Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, which involve the exchange of interest payments by the Fund with another party, such as an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed interest rate payments with respect to a notional amount of principal. If an interest rate swap intended to be used as a hedge negates a favorable interest rate movement, the investment performance of the Fund would be less than what it would have been if the Fund had not entered into the interest rate swap.
Credit default swap contracts involve heightened risks and may result in losses to the Fund. Credit default swaps may be illiquid and difficult to value. If the Fund buys a credit default swap, it will be subject to the risk that the credit default swap may expire worthless, as the credit default swap would only generate income in the event of a default on the underlying debt security or other specified event. As a buyer, the Fund would also be subject to credit risk relating to the seller's payment of its obligations in the event of a default (or similar event). If the Fund sells a credit default swap, it will be exposed to the credit risk of the issuer of the obligation to which the credit default swap relates. As a seller, the Fund would also be subject to leverage risk, because it would be liable for the full notional amount of the swap in the event of a default (or similar event).
The absence of a central exchange or market for swap transactions may lead, in some instances, to difficulties in trading and valuation, especially in the event of market disruptions. Recent legislation requires certain swaps to be executed through a centralized exchange or regulated facility and be cleared through a regulated clearinghouse. Although this clearing mechanism is generally expected to reduce counterparty credit risk, it may disrupt or limit the swap market and may not result in swaps being easier to trade or value. As swaps become more standardized, the Fund may not be able to enter into swaps that meet its investment needs. The Fund also may not be able to find a clearinghouse willing to accept a swap for clearing. In a cleared swap, a central clearing organization will be the counterparty to the transaction. The Fund will assume the risk that the clearinghouse may be unable to perform its obligations.
The Fund will be required to maintain its positions with a clearing organization through one or more clearing brokers. The clearing organization will require the Fund to post margin and the broker may require the Fund to post additional margin to secure the Fund's obligations. The amount of margin required may change from time to time. In addition, cleared transactions may be more expensive to maintain than over-the-counter transactions and may require the Fund to deposit larger amounts of margin. The Fund may not be able to recover margin amounts if the broker has financial difficulties. Also, the broker may require the Fund to terminate a derivatives position under certain circumstances. This may cause the Fund to lose money.
18
Risks associated with the use of derivatives are magnified to the extent that an increased portion of the Fund's assets are committed to derivatives in general or are invested in just one or a few types of derivatives.
Credit Default Swap Agreement ("CDS") and Credit Default Index Swap Agreement Risk ("CDX")
The Fund may enter into credit default swap agreements, credit default index swap agreements and similar agreements as a "buyer" or as a "seller" of credit protection. The credit default swap agreement or similar instruments may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not then held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default swap agreement is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" a periodic stream of payments over the term of the agreement, provided generally that no credit event on a reference obligation has occurred. In addition, at inception of the agreement, the protection "buyer" may receive or be obligated to pay an additional up-front amount depending on the current market value of the contract. With respect to credit default swap agreements whereby the Fund is a "buyer" of credit protection and that are contractually required to cash settle, the Fund sets aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund's daily marked-to-market net obligations under the contracts. For credit default swap agreements whereby the Fund is a "buyer" of credit protection and that are contractually required to physically settle, or for credit default swap agreements whereby the Fund is deemed to be a "seller" of credit protection, the Fund sets aside the full notional value of such contracts. If a credit event occurs, an auction process is used to determine the "recovery value" of the contract. The seller then must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap contract minus the "recovery value" as determined by the auction process. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund's net cash flows over the life of the contract will be the initial up-front amount paid or received minus the sum of the periodic payments made over the life of the contract. However, if a credit event occurs, the Fund may elect to receive a cash amount equal to the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap contract minus the "recovery value" as determined by the auction process. As a seller of protection, the Fund generally receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. In addition, at the inception of the agreement, the Fund may receive or be obligated to pay an additional up-front amount depending on the current market value of the contract. If a credit event occurs, the Fund will be generally obligated to pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap contract minus the "recovery value" as determined by the auction process. Credit default swaps could result in losses if the Advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the underlying instrument on which the credit default swap is based. Additionally, if the Fund is a seller of a credit default swap and a credit event occurs, the Fund could suffer significant losses.
Exclusion from Definition of Commodity Pool Operator
Pursuant to amendments by the CFTC to Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA"), the Advisor has filed a notice of exemption from registration as a "commodity pool operator" with respect to the Fund. The Fund and the Advisor are therefore not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the CEA. In order to claim the Rule 4.5 exemption, the Fund is significantly limited in its ability to invest in commodity futures, options and swaps (including securities futures, broad-based stock index futures and financial futures contracts).
Lending of Portfolio Securities
The Fund may lend portfolio securities constituting up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (as permitted by the 1940 Act) to unaffiliated broker-dealers, banks or other recognized institutional borrowers of securities, provided that the borrower at all times maintains cash, U.S. government securities or equivalent collateral or provides an irrevocable letter of credit in favor of the Fund equal in value to at least 100% of the value of the securities loaned. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Fund an amount equivalent to any dividends or interest paid on such securities, and the Fund may receive an agreed-upon amount of interest income from the borrower who delivered equivalent collateral or provided a letter of credit. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the borrower. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan of portfolio securities and may pay a negotiated portion of the interest earned on the cash or equivalent collateral to the borrower or placing broker. The Fund does not have the right to vote securities on loan, but could terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment.
19
The primary risk in securities lending is a default by the borrower during a sharp rise in price of the borrowed security resulting in a deficiency in the collateral posted by the borrower. The Fund will seek to minimize this risk by requiring that the value of the securities loaned be computed each day and additional collateral be furnished each day if required.
Short-Term, Temporary, and Cash Investments
The Fund may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:
Bank Certificates of Deposit, Bankers' Acceptances and Time Deposits. The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Certificates of deposit and bankers' acceptances acquired by the Fund will be dollar denominated obligations of domestic or foreign banks or financial institutions which at the time of purchase have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured by the U.S. Government. If the Fund holds instruments of foreign banks or financial institutions, it may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred by a fund that invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. See "Foreign Investments" above. Such risks include future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes by the particular country in which the issuer is located on interest income payable on the securities, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, the possible establishment of exchange controls or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on these securities.
Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operations of the banking industry.
As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, domestic banks are, among other things, required to maintain specified levels of reserves, limited in the amount which they can loan to a single borrower, and subject to other regulations designed to promote financial soundness. However, such laws and regulations do not necessarily apply to foreign bank obligations that the Fund may acquire.
In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers' acceptances, to the extent permitted under its investment objectives and policies stated above and in its Prospectus, the Fund may make interest bearing time or other interest bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.
Savings Association Obligations. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (interest bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. Government.
Commercial Paper, Short Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in commercial paper and short term notes. Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Issues of commercial paper and short term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.
Commercial paper and short term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase "A-2" or higher by Standard & Poor's ("S&P"), "Prime-1" by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), or similarly rated by
20
another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, will be determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality. These rating symbols are described in Appendix A.
Borrowing
Though the Fund does not currently intend to borrow money, the Fund is authorized to borrow money from banks from time to time for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or for clearance of transactions, and not for the purpose of leveraging its investments, in amounts not to exceed at any time 33-1/3% of the value of its total assets at the time of such borrowings, as allowed under the 1940 Act. The use of borrowing by the Fund involves special risk considerations that may not be associated with other funds having similar objectives and policies. Since substantially all of the Fund's assets fluctuate in value, while the interest obligation resulting from a borrowing will be fixed by the terms of the Fund's agreement with its lender, the NAV per share of the Fund will tend to increase more when its portfolio securities increase in value and to decrease more when its portfolio assets decrease in value than would otherwise be the case if the Fund did not borrow. In addition, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the return earned on borrowed funds. Under adverse market conditions, the Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales.
Cyber Security Risk
Investment companies, such as the Fund, and its service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund or the Advisor, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund's ability to calculate its net asset value, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund's investment in such portfolio companies to lose value.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
Fundamental Investment Policies
The Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a "majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities" as defined in the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the "vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
The Fund's fundamental policies are as follows:
(1) The Fund is a "diversified company" as defined by the 1940 Act.
(2) The Fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction.
(3) The Fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction.
21
(4) The Fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction.
(5) The Fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction.
(6) The Fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction.
(7) The Fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction.
(8) The Fund may not invest more than 25% of the market value of its total assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry or group of industries. (Does not apply to investments in the securities of other investment companies or securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.)
Additional Information about Fundamental Investment Policies
The following provides additional information about the Fund's fundamental investment policies. This information does not form part of the Fund's fundamental investment policies.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to diversification set forth in (1) above, under the 1940 Act, a diversified fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund's total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund's total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund's total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires a fund to maintain at all times an "asset coverage" of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund's total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Borrowing money to increase a fund's investment portfolio is known as "leveraging." Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund's shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of a fund's portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, a fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund's net investment income in any given period. The policy in (2) above will be interpreted to permit the Fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. The Fund may elect to treat reverse repurchase agreements as (i) borrowings subject to the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act or (ii) derivatives transactions for purposes of Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act including, as applicable, the value-at-risk ("VaR") based limit on leverage risk. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to
22
be an underwriter under the 1933 Act, as amended (the "1933 Act"). Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer's registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (4) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the Advisor believes the income justifies the attendant risks. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (5) above, "senior securities" are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund's shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund's total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund's total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund's outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund's portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund's net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased. Certain types of transactions involve a commitment by a fund to deliver money or securities in the future, including transactions in when-issued, forward settling, and non-standard settlement cycle securities. Such transactions would be deemed not to involve a senior security (i.e., would not be considered a derivatives transaction), provided that (i) the fund intends to physically settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date. If such a transaction were considered to be a derivatives transaction, it would be subject to the requirements of Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). If a fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the
23
particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (8) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes "concentration" in an industry. The SEC has stated that investment of 25% or more of a fund's total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry or group of industries may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry or group of industries and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry or group of industries . The policy in (8) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry or group of industries. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries or groups of industries. When identifying industries or a group of industries for purposes of its concentration policy, the Fund may rely upon available industry classifications. The Fund will consider both the borrower and the institution selling a loan participation as an issuer for purposes of the Fund's concentration policy. When determining compliance with its concentration policy, the Fund will consider investments of underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests to the extent the Fund has sufficient information about the holdings of such underlying investment companies.
The Fund's fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Although the Fund generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Advisor, investment considerations warrant such action. Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in the Fund's portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and generally reflects a greater number of taxable transactions. High portfolio turnover may result in larger amounts of short-term capital gains which, when distributed to shareholders, are generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates.
Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICY
The Fund maintains portfolio holdings disclosure policies that govern the timing and circumstances of disclosure to shareholders and third parties of information regarding the portfolio investments held by the Fund. The Fund's entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business and may be available through financial reporting and news services, including publicly available internet web sites. In addition, the composition of the deposit securities, as described below, is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of
24
the Exchange via the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC"). The Fund's portfolio holdings disclosure policies have been approved by the Board.
Pursuant to the Trust's portfolio holdings disclosure policies, information about the Fund's portfolio holdings generally is not distributed to any person unless, by explicit agreement or by virtue of their respective duties to the Fund, such persons are required to maintain the confidentiality of the information disclosed and have a duty not to trade on non-public information. Examples of disclosure by the Trust include instances in which:
▪The disclosure is required pursuant to a regulatory request, court order or is legally required in the context of other legal proceedings;
▪The disclosure is made to a mutual fund rating and/or ranking organization, or person performing similar functions;
▪The disclosure is made to internal parties involved in the investment process, administration, operation or custody of the Fund, including, but not limited to the Fund's administrator, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services and the Trust's Board of Trustees, attorneys, auditors or independent registered public accounting firm;
▪The disclosure is made: (a) in connection with a quarterly, semi-annual or annual report that is available to the public; or (b) relates to information that is otherwise available to the public; or
▪The disclosure is made with the prior written approval of either the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee.
Certain of the persons listed above receive information about the Fund's portfolio holdings on an ongoing and, unless otherwise noted, on an as needed basis as part of the normal investment activities of the Fund. The Fund believes that these third parties have legitimate objectives in requesting such portfolio holdings information and operate in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. These persons include internal parties involved in the investment process, administration, operation or custody of the Fund, specifically: U.S. Bank Global Fund Services; the Trust's Board; and the Trust's attorneys and independent registered public accounting firm, all of which typically receive such information after it is generated. In no event shall the Advisor, its affiliates or employees, the Fund, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Fund's portfolio holdings.
Any disclosures to additional parties not described above is made with the prior written approval of either the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee, pursuant to the Trust's Policy and Procedures Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings.
The Chief Compliance Officer or designated officer of the Trust will approve the furnishing of non-public portfolio holdings to a third party only if they consider the furnishing of such information to be in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders and if no material conflict of interest exists regarding such disclosure between shareholders interest and those of the Advisor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC, located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101 (the "Distributor") or any affiliated person of the Fund. No consideration may be received by the Fund, the Advisor, any affiliate of the Advisor or their employees in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information. The Board receives and reviews annually a list of the persons who receive non-public portfolio holdings information and the purpose for which it is furnished.
TRUSTEES AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The overall management of the Trust's business and affairs is invested with its Board. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Trust and persons or companies furnishing services to it, including the agreements with the Advisor, administrator, custodian and transfer agent, each as discussed below. The day-to-day operations of the Trust are delegated to its officers, subject to the Fund's investment objective, strategies and policies and to the general supervision of the Board. Information about the Trustees and officers of the Trust is set forth in the table below.
25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name, Address
and Age
|
Position(s)
Held with
Trust
|
Term of
Office(1) and
Length of
Time
Served
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past 5
Years
|
Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex(2)
Overseen
by Trustee
|
Other
Directorships(3)
Held During
Past 5 Years
by Trustee
|
|
Independent Trustees(4)
|
Russell Emery
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Year of birth: 1962
|
Trustee
|
Indefinite. Since 2023
|
Chief Compliance Officer, The SEI Mutual Funds (2006 to 2022); Chief Compliance Officer, Advisors' Inner Circle Fund I, II, and III (2006 to 2022)
|
[3]
|
Trustee, Man Alternative Income Fund (1 portfolio) (2025 to present)
|
Brian S. Ferrie
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Year of birth: 1958
|
Trustee
|
Indefinite. Since 2023
|
Chief Compliance Officer, Treasurer, The Jensen Quality Growth Fund (2004 to 2020); Treasurer, Jensen Investment Management (2003 to 2020)
|
[3]
|
Trustee, Trust for Advised Portfolios (1 portfolio) (2020 to present)
|
Wan-Chong Kung
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Year of birth: 1960
|
Trustee
|
Indefinite. Since 2023
|
Senior Fund Manager, Nuveen Asset Management (FAF Advisors/First American Funds) (2011 to 2019)
|
[3]
|
Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (2022 to present); Trustee, Securian Funds Trust (12 portfolios) (2022 to present); Trustee, Trust for Advised Portfolios (1 portfolio) (2020 to present)
|
26
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name, Address and Age
|
Position(s)
Held with
Trust
|
Term of
Office(1)
and Length of
Time Served
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
|
|
Officers
|
|
|
|
|
Russell B. Simon
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Year of birth: 1980
|
President and Principal Executive Officer
|
Indefinite. Since 2023
|
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2011 to present)
|
|
Christopher E. Kashmerick
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Year of birth: 1974
|
Vice President
|
Indefinite. Since 2025
|
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2011 to present)
|
|
J.J. Richie
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Year of birth: 1973
|
Chief Compliance Officer and AML Officer
|
Indefinite. Since 2026
|
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since December 2025); Chief Compliance Officer, Ivy Investment Management Company (2015 to 2022)
|
|
Eric T. McCormick
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Year of birth: 1971
|
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer
|
Indefinite. Since 2023
|
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2005 to present)
|
|
Ryan M. Charles
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Year of birth: 1978
|
Secretary
|
Indefinite. Since 2023
|
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (May 2021 to present); General Counsel, Davis Selected Advisors, L.P. (2014 to May 2021)
|
(1)Each Trustee serves an indefinite term; however, under the terms of the Board's retirement policy, a Trustee shall retire at the end of the calendar year in which he or she reaches the age of 75. A retiring Trustee may request annually, for no more than three consecutive years, that the Board extend such Trustee's term for an additional year.
(2)The Trust is comprised of numerous series managed by unaffiliated investment advisers. The term "Fund Complex" applies to the Fund, the Bramshill Income Performance Fund, and the BHILL Fund. The Fund does not hold itself out as related to any other series within the Trust for purposes of investment and investor services, nor does it share the same investment adviser with any other series of the Trust.
(3)"Other Directorships Held" includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (that is, "public companies"), or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act.
(4)The Trustees of the Trust who are not "interested persons" of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act ("Independent Trustees").
Additional Information Concerning Our Board of Trustees
Board Leadership Structure. The Board has general oversight responsibility with respect to the operation of the Trust and the Fund. The Board has engaged the Advisor to manage the Fund and is responsible for overseeing the Advisor and other service providers to the Trust and the Fund in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and other applicable laws. The Board has established an Audit Committee to assist the Board in performing its oversight responsibilities.
The Trust does not have a lead independent trustee. The Trust has determined that its leadership structure is appropriate in light of, among other factors, the asset size and nature of the Trust, the arrangements for the conduct of the Trust's operations, the number of Trustees, and the responsibilities of the Board.
Board Oversight of Risk Management. Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through the Audit Committee and officers of the Trust and service providers, the Board performs a risk oversight function for the Fund. To effectively perform its risk oversight function, the Board, among other things, performs the following activities: receives and reviews reports related to the performance and operations of the Fund; reviews and approves, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Fund; approves the Fund's principal investment policies; adopts policies and procedures designed to deter market timing; meets with representatives of various service providers, including the Advisor, to review and discuss the activities of the Fund and to provide
27
direction with respect thereto; and appoints a chief compliance officer of the Fund who oversees the implementation and testing of the Fund's compliance program and reports to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Fund and its service providers.
Not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified nor can controls be developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. It may not be practical or cost effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, the processes and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness, and some risks are simply beyond the reasonable control of the Advisor or other service providers. Moreover, it is necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund's goals. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Fund's ability to manage risk is subject to substantial limitations.
As part of its oversight function, the Board receives and reviews various risk management reports and assessments and discusses these matters with appropriate management and other personnel. Because risk management is a broad concept comprised of many elements (such as, for example, investment risk, issuer and counterparty risk, compliance risk, operational risks, business continuity risks, etc.) the oversight of different types of risks is handled in different ways. For example, the Board meets regularly with the Chief Compliance Officer to discuss compliance and operational risks and the Audit Committee meets with the Treasurer and the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm to discuss, among other things, the internal control structure of the Trust's financial reporting function. The Board also receives reports from the Advisor and portfolio managers as to investment risks as well as other risks.
Trust Committees. The Trust has two standing committees: the Audit Committee, which also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee ("QLCC"), and the Governance and Nominating Committee (the "Nominating Committee").
The Audit Committee, comprised entirely of the Independent Trustees, is chaired by Mr. Ferrie. The primary functions of the Audit Committee are to select the independent registered public accounting firm to be retained to perform the annual audit of the Fund, to review the results of the audit, to review the Fund's internal controls, to approve in advance all permissible non-audit services performed by the independent auditors and to review certain other matters relating to the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm and financial records. In its role as the QLCC, the committee's function is to receive reports from an attorney retained by the Trust of evidence of a material violation by the Trust or by any officer, director, employee or agent of the Trust.
As of the date of this SAI the Audit Committee has not met with respect to the Fund.
The Nominating Committee, comprised entirely of the Independent Trustees, is chaired by Ms. Kung, and is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for Trustees and meets only as necessary. The Nominating Committee will consider nominees nominated by shareholders. Recommendations by shareholders for consideration by the Nominating Committee should be sent to the President of the Trust in writing together with the appropriate biographical information concerning each such proposed Nominee, and such recommendation must comply with the notice provisions set forth in the Trust By-Laws. In general, to comply with such procedures, such nominations, together with all required biographical information, must be delivered to and received by the President of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than 120 days and no more than 150 days prior to the shareholder meeting at which any such nominee would be voted on.
As of the date of this SAI, the Nominating Committee has not met with respect to the Fund.
The Board has designated the Advisor to perform fair value determinations (the "Valuation Designee"). The Valuation Designee is subject to Board oversight and certain reporting and other requirements designed to facilitate the Board's ability to effectively oversee the Valuation Designee's fair value determinations.
Information about Each Trustee's Qualification, Experience, Attributes or Skills
In addition to the information provided in the table above, below is certain additional information concerning each particular Trustee and certain of their trustee attributes. The information provided below, and in the table above, is not all-inclusive. Many trustee attributes involve intangible elements, such as intelligence, integrity, work ethic, the ability to work together, the ability to communicate effectively, the ability to exercise judgment, the ability to
28
ask incisive questions, and commitment to shareholder interests. In conducting its annual self-assessment, the Board has determined that the Trustees have the appropriate attributes and experience to continue to serve effectively as Trustees of the Trust.
Russell Emery's experience in compliance, accounting, investment management and corporate finance gives him an extensive understanding of regulatory requirements, accounting requirements, investment operations and governance requirements of operating mutual funds and series trusts. He brings a unique perspective to the Board from having over 16 years of experience serving as the Chief Compliance Officer to several investment companies operating as series trusts.
Brian S. Ferrie's experience in accounting, finance, and compliance in the mutual fund industry gives him a strong understanding of the regulatory requirements of operating a mutual fund. He also understands the complex nature of the accounting and financial requirements, both from a regulatory and operational perspective, of managing a mutual fund. Mr. Ferrie's background and experience provide a unique perspective to the Board.
Wan-Chong Kung's experience managing fixed income mutual funds, with specific experience in commodities provides a diverse point-of-view for the Board. Ms. Kung also has unique experience in education as she advised student-managed bond and equity funds.
Each of the Trustees takes a conservative and thoughtful approach to addressing issues facing the Fund. The combination of skills and attributes discussed above led to the conclusion that each of Messrs. Emery and Ferrie and Ms. Kung should serve as a Trustee.
Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares and Other Interests
As of the date of this SAI, no Trustee owned shares of the Fund.
As of the date of this SAI, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, own securities beneficially or of record in the Advisor, the distributor (defined below), or an affiliate of the Advisor, or distributor. Accordingly, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, has direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $120,000, in the Advisor, the distributor or any of their affiliates. In addition, during the two most recently completed calendar years, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate families have conducted any transactions (or series of transactions) in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and to which the Advisor, the distributor or any affiliate thereof was a party.
Compensation
Set forth below is the estimated compensation to be received by the Independent Trustees for their services to the Fund for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027. For their services to the Trust the Independent Trustees receive an annual retainer of $92,000, a $2,000 per regular meeting fee, and a $1,000 special meeting fee. The Audit Committee chair receives a $4,000 annual fee and the Nominating and Governance Committee chair receives a $2,000 annual fee. The Independent Trustees also receive reimbursement from the Trust for expenses incurred in connection with attendance at meetings. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan for the Independent Trustees. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement (as defined below), the Advisor has agreed to pay most expenses of the Fund as described below; therefore, the Advisor is responsible for compensating the Independent Trustees. No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation to the Independent Trustees.
29
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate
Compensation
from the
Fund
|
Pension or
Retirement
Benefits
Accrued as
Part of Fund
Expenses
|
Annual
Benefits
Upon
Retirement
|
Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustees (1)
|
|
Independent Trustees
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian S. Ferrie
|
$5,294
|
None
|
None
|
$10,588
|
|
Russell Emery
|
$5,059
|
None
|
None
|
$10,118
|
|
Wan-Chong Kung
|
$5,176
|
None
|
None
|
$10,352
|
(1)There are currently multiple portfolios comprising the Trust. The term "Fund Complex" applies only to the Fund, BHILL Fund and Bramshill Income Performance Fund.
CODES OF ETHICS
The Trust and the Advisor have each adopted separate Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These Codes permit, subject to certain conditions, access persons of the Trust and the Advisor to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Distributor relies on the principal underwriter exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), of the 1940 Act, specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Advisor, and no officer, director or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director or general partner of the Trust or the Advisor.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the "Policies") on behalf of the Trust which delegate the responsibility for voting proxies to the Advisor, subject to the Board's continuing oversight. The Policies require that the Advisor vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Policies also require the Advisor to present to the Board, at least annually, the Advisor's Policies and a record of each proxy voted by the Advisor on behalf of the Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Advisor as involving a conflict of interest.
The Trust is required to file a Form N-PX, with the Fund's complete proxy voting record for the 12 months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year. When available, the Fund's proxy voting record will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 877-BRAMS18 or 877-272-6718 and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
Advisor Proxy Voting Policy
In the event that the Advisor is presented with an opportunity to vote a proxy, the Advisor's general policy is to vote in accordance with the best interest of the Fund. The Advisor believes company management generally is best suited to make the decisions that are essential to the ongoing operation of the company. Therefore, the Advisor will generally vote proxies in line with company management. However, under circumstances when the Advisor believes that company management's proposal will not maximize value for the Fund, the Advisor will vote against company management. In such cases, the reason for the decision, along with a record of the vote, will be retained by the Advisor's Chief Compliance Officer (the "CCO").
Occasions may arise in which the Advisor is required to vote a proxy while having a conflict of interest with the Fund. To protect the Fund against a breach of the firm's duties to them, on any occasion when a proxy vote presents a conflict of interest, the CCO will present any purported conflict of interest to the investment committee for consultation on the matter and conduct a conflict analysis accordingly. The CCO shall document the matter and preserve such documentation in accordance with the Advisor's Record Retention Policy.
All supervised persons are responsible for bringing all proxies to the attention of the CCO. The CCO is responsible for aggregating proxy voting data and, as relevant for the regulated investment company clients, facilitating the filing of Form N-PX.
30
CONTROL PERSONS, PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS, AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. If the control person is a company, the jurisdiction under the laws of which it is organized is listed. Shareholders with a controlling interest could affect the outcome of voting or the direction of management of the Fund.
As of the date of this SAI, there were no Fund shares outstanding.
As of the date of this SAI, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group did not own any shares of the Fund.
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT ADVISER
Bramshill Investments, LLC, located at 801 Laurel Oak Drive, Suite 300A, Naples, Florida 34108, acts as investment advisor to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") with the Trust. Arthur DeGaetano and Stephen Selver each own more than 25% of the Advisor and each is, therefore, a control person of the Advisor.
The Advisor has overall responsibility for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board. The Advisor also furnishes the Fund with office space and certain administrative services and provides most of the personnel needed to fulfill its obligations under the Advisory Agreement. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor has agreed to pay substantially all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee paid to the Advisor pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends, and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, expenses associated with the purchase, sale, or ownership of securities, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses. As part of an arrangement with the Advisor, [ ] ("[ ]"), the Fund's sponsor, has agreed to assume the Advisor's obligation to pay substantially all expenses of the Fund described in this paragraph, and in return, the Advisor has agreed to return to [ ] [ ] proceeds, if any, of the Fund's unitary fee after all expenses, including the amount retained by the Adviser, are paid.
For its services, the Advisor receives a single unitary management fee that is equal to [ ]% per annum of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
After its initial two year term, the Advisory Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods so long as such continuation is specifically approved at least annually by the vote of (1) the Board (or a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund), and (2) a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of any party to the Advisory Agreement, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by either party to the Advisory Agreement upon a 60-day written notice and is automatically terminated in the event of its "assignment," as defined in the 1940 Act.
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not commenced operations and the Fund has not paid management fees to the Advisor.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Art DeGaetano, Derek Pines, Paul Van Lingen and Arif Joshi are the Senior Portfolio Managers jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio. The following table shows the number of other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the total assets in the accounts managed within various categories as of the date indicated.
31
Art DeGaetano as of March 31, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Type of Accounts
|
Number of Accounts
|
Total Assets
(in Millions)
|
Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee based on Performance
|
Total Assets
(in Millions)
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
5
|
$3,283
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Pooled Investments
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Accounts
|
2,607
|
$4,645
|
0
|
$0
|
Derek Pines as of March 31, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Type of Accounts
|
Number of Accounts
|
Total Assets
(in Millions)
|
Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee based on Performance
|
Total Assets
(in Millions)
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
2
|
$1,208
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Pooled Investments
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Accounts
|
2,599
|
$4,610
|
0
|
$0
|
Paul Van Lingen as of March 31, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Type of Accounts
|
Number of Accounts
|
Total Assets
(in Millions)
|
Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee based on Performance
|
Total Assets
(in Millions)
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
2
|
$1,997
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Pooled Investments
|
1
|
$1,050
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Accounts
|
2
|
$30
|
0
|
$0
|
Arif Joshi as of March 31, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Type of Accounts
|
Number of Accounts
|
Total Assets
(in Millions)
|
Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee based on Performance
|
Total Assets
(in Millions)
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
1
|
$1,678
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Pooled Investments
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Accounts
|
1
|
$30
|
0
|
$0
|
Material Conflicts of Interest.
The Adviser and its affiliates may manage the accounts of clients other than the Fund. Accordingly, the investment methods and strategies that the Adviser utilizes in managing the Fund may be utilized by the Adviser and its affiliates in managing investments for other customer accounts. The Adviser and its affiliates may also establish, sponsor, or be affiliated with other investment pools that may engage in the same or similar businesses as the Fund using the same or similar investment strategies.
32
Although the Adviser and its affiliates may manage investments on behalf of a number of other customer accounts, investment decisions and allocations are not necessarily made in parallel among the Fund's accounts and the other customer accounts. Other accounts that may be managed by the Adviser and its affiliates may make investments and utilize investment strategies that may not be made or utilized by the Fund. Accordingly, the other accounts that may be managed by the Adviser and its affiliates may produce results that are materially different from those experienced by the Fund.
To address and manage these potential conflicts of interest, the Adviser has adopted compliance policies and procedures to allocate investment opportunities and to ensure that each of its clients is treated on a fair and equitable basis. Such policies and procedures include, but are not limited to, investment and trade aggregation and allocation policies and oversight by the Adviser's compliance team. In addition, the Adviser will mitigate the associated conflicts by allocating buys and sells on a pro rata basis to the extent feasible or using another equitable method under the circumstances.
Compensation
Compensation at Bramshill is determined on a salary and discretionary bonus structure. Portfolio managers are not compensated based on the performance of the Fund. The discretionary bonuses of the portfolio managers are determined by the management committee of the Advisor based on the performance of the employee, the performance of the Advisor and the market environment.
Securities Owned in the Fund by the Portfolio Managers
The Fund is required to show the dollar ranges of each portfolio manager's "beneficial ownership" of shares of the Fund as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year or a more recent date for a new portfolio manager. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. "Beneficial ownership" is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act. As of the date of this SAI, the Fund had not yet commenced operations and no shares of the Fund were owned by the portfolio managers.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
Fund Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant
Pursuant to a fund servicing agreement with the Trust, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund Services"), located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the transfer agent, administrator and fund accountant to the Fund. Global Fund Services provides certain services to the Fund including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Fund's independent contractors and agents; preparation for signature by an officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance by the Trust and the Fund with applicable laws and regulations, excluding those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including NAV per share and yield; responding to shareholder inquiries; arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Fund; and providing, at its own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out its duties. In this capacity, Global Fund Services does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Fund, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares.
Pursuant to the fund servicing agreement, Global Fund Services receives from the Advisor a fee for its services to the Fund as part of a bundled-fee agreement for services performed as administrator and fund accountant and separately as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent (the "Transfer Agent"). Additionally, Global Fund Services provides chief compliance officer services to the Trust under a separate agreement. The cost for the chief compliance officer services with respect to the Fund is paid by the Advisor and approved by the Board annually.
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not commenced operations and the Advisor has not paid fees pursuant to the fund servicing agreement with respect to the Fund.
33
Custodian
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bank National Association, located at 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 (the "Custodian"), the Custodian serves as the custodian of the Fund's assets, holds the Fund's portfolio securities in safekeeping, and keeps all necessary records and documents relating to its duties. The Custodian is compensated with an asset-based fee plus transaction fees and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses.
The Custodian and Administrator do not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of securities by the Fund. The Administrator, Transfer Agent, and Custodian are affiliated entities under the common control of U.S. Bancorp. The Custodian and its affiliates may participate in revenue sharing arrangements with the service providers of mutual funds in which the Fund may invest.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
[ ], serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust. Its services include auditing the Trust's financial statements. [ ], provides tax services as requested.
Legal Counsel
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.
SECURITIES LENDING ACTIVITIES
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has entered into a securities lending agreement with U.S. Bank National Association (the "Securities Lending Agent") to provide certain services related to the Fund's securities lending program. Pursuant to the securities lending agreement, the Securities Lending Agent, on behalf of the Fund, is authorized to enter into securities loan agreements, negotiate loan fees and rebate payments, collect loan fees, deliver securities, manage and hold collateral, invest cash collateral, receive substitute payments, make interest and dividend payments (in cases where a borrower has provided non-cash collateral), and upon termination of a loan, liquidate collateral investments and return collateral to the borrower.
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not paid any fees related to the Fund's securities lending activities.
EXECUTION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions. Purchases and sales of securities in the over-the-counter ("OTC") market will generally be executed directly with a "market-maker" unless, in the opinion of the Advisor, a better price and execution can otherwise be obtained by using a broker for the transaction.
Purchases of portfolio securities for the Fund also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters. Where possible, purchase and sale transactions will be effected through dealers (including banks) which specialize in the types of securities which the Fund will be holding, unless better executions are available elsewhere. Dealers and underwriters usually act as principal for their own accounts. Purchases from underwriters will include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter that has provided research or other services as discussed below.
In placing portfolio transactions, the Advisor will seek best execution. The full range and quality of services available will be considered in making these determinations, such as the size of the order, the difficulty of execution, the operational facilities of the firm involved, the firm's risk in positioning a block of securities and other factors. In those instances where it is reasonably determined that more than one broker-dealer can offer the services needed to obtain the most favorable price and execution available, consideration may be given to those broker-dealers which furnish or supply research and statistical information to the Advisor that it may lawfully and appropriately use in its investment advisory capacities, as well as provide other services in addition to execution
34
services. The Advisor considers such information, which is in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its Agreement with the Fund, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable value. Portfolio transactions may be placed with broker-dealers who sell shares of the Fund subject to rules adopted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA") and the SEC.
While it is the Advisor's general policy to first seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, in accordance with Section 28(e) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, when it is determined that more than one broker can deliver best execution, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services to the Fund or to the Advisor, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and may be useful to the Advisor in advising other clients. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith by the Advisor to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer.
Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of other client accounts or mutual funds managed or advised by the Advisor. Nevertheless, it is possible that at times identical securities will be acceptable for both the Fund and one or more of such client accounts or mutual funds. In such event, the position of the Fund and such client account(s) or mutual funds in the same issuer may vary and the length of time that each may choose to hold its investment in the same issuer may likewise vary. However, to the extent any of these client accounts or mutual funds seek to acquire the same security as the Fund at the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a portion of such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher price or obtain a lower yield for such security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as high a price for, or as large an execution of, an order to sell any particular security at the same time. If one or more of such client accounts or mutual funds simultaneously purchases or sells the same security that the Fund is purchasing or selling, each day's transactions in such security will be allocated between the Fund and all such client accounts or mutual funds in a manner deemed equitable by the Advisor, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount of cash available for investment, the investment objective of the account, and the ease with which a client's appropriate amount can be bought, as well as the liquidity and volatility of the account and the urgency involved in making an investment decision for the client. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Fund is concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the ability of the Fund to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions for the Fund.
Subject to the foregoing policies, brokers or dealers selected to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions may include the Fund's Authorized Participants (as discussed in "Procedures for Issuance of Creation Units" below) or their affiliates. An Authorized Participant or its affiliates may be selected to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions in conjunction with an all-cash creation unit order or an order including "cash-in-lieu" (as described below under "Purchase and Issuance of Fund Shares in Creation Units" and "Redemption of Fund Shares in Creation Units"), so long as such selection is in keeping with the foregoing policies. As described below under "Purchase and Issuance of Fund Shares in Creation Units-Creation Transaction Fee" and "Redemption of Fund Shares in Creation Units-Redemption Transaction Fee", the Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Advisor has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of the Fund's portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order, even if the decision to not charge a variable fee could be viewed as benefiting the Authorized Participant or its affiliate selected to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions in connection with such orders.
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not yet commenced operations and the Fund had not paid brokerage commissions.
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund had not yet commenced operations and the Fund had not paid brokerage commissions to any registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Fund or the Advisor.
35
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not yet commenced operations and the Fund has not paid commissions on brokerage transactions directed to brokers pursuant to an agreement or understanding whereby the broker provides research or other brokerage services to the Advisor.
If applicable, the Fund is required to identify any securities of its "regular brokers and dealers" (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act), which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. "Regular brokers or dealers" of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust's portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust's shares.
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not yet commenced operations and the Fund did not hold any equity securities of its regular broker-dealers or their parent companies.
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
The Fund offers and issues shares at their net asset value only in aggregations of a specified number of Fund shares (each, a "Creation Unit"). The Fund generally offers and issues Fund shares in exchange for a basket of securities included in its portfolio ("Deposit Securities") together with the deposit of a specified cash payment ("Cash Component"). The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a "cash in lieu" amount ("Deposit Cash") to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. The shares are listed on [EXCHANGE] (the "Exchange") and trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Fund shares' NAV. The Fund shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment.
Fund shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust an amount in cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Trust may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the summary section of the Fund's Prospectus under "Buying and Selling Fund Shares." The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such section of the Prospectus.
The Fund shares are approved for listing and trading on the Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. The Fund shares trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their net asset value. There can be no assurance that the Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Fund shares. The Exchange will consider the suspension of trading in, and will initiate delisting proceedings of, the Fund shares if any of the requirements set forth in the Exchange rules, including compliance with Rule 6c-11(c) under the 1940 Act, are not continuously maintained or such other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Fund shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share price of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.
As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers' commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The base and trading currencies of the Fund are the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which the Fund's net asset value per Fund share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange.
36
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a "distribution," as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter. Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not "underwriters" but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") acts as securities depositary for Fund shares. Fund shares are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Except in limited circumstances set forth below, certificates will not be issued for shares.
DTC is a limited-purpose trust company that was created to hold securities of its participants (the "DTC Participants") and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the "Indirect Participants").
Beneficial ownership of Fund shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants, and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Fund shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to in this SAI as "Beneficial Owners") is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Fund shares. The Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the record owner of all Fund shares for all purposes. Beneficial Owners of Fund shares are not entitled to have Fund shares registered in their names, and will not receive or be entitled to physical delivery of Fund share certificates. Each Beneficial Owner must rely on the procedures of DTC and any DTC Participant and/or Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner holds its interests, to exercise any rights of a holder of Fund shares.
37
Conveyance of all notices, statements, and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. DTC will make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee a listing of shares held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall obtain from each such DTC Participant the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement, or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Fund share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants' accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a "street name," and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in Fund shares, or for maintaining, supervising, or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to the Fund at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Fund and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Fund shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of Fund shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange.
PURCHASE AND ISSUANCE OF FUND SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement ("Participant Agreement"). The NAV of the Fund's shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A Business Day is any day on which the Exchange is open for business.
Fund Deposit
The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind Deposit Securities per each Creation Unit, constituting a substantial replication, or a portfolio sampling representation, of the securities included in the Fund's portfolio and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a Deposit Cash to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, the Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.
Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the "Fund Deposit," which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund. The "Cash Component" is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the
38
Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).
The Fund, through the NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for the Fund Deposit for the Fund changes as portfolio adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Advisor with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities of the Fund's portfolio.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a "cash in lieu" amount) to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Deposit Cash, if applicable, and the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, "custom orders"). The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Advisor on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit or resulting from certain corporate actions.
Procedures for Issuance of Creation Units
To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to purchase a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be (i) a "Participating Party", i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the "Clearing Process"), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see "Book Entry Only System"). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an "Authorized Participant") must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the Creation Transaction Fee (defined below) and any other applicable fees and taxes. The Advisor may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Advisor bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Trust in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover.
All orders to purchase shares directly from the Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the "Order Placement Date."
39
An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor's broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.
On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund's investments are primarily traded is closed, the Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. With respect to the Fund, the Distributor will notify the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Transfer Agent, and acceptance by the Distributor, by the cut-off time on such Business Day. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a sub-custody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the sub-custodian of the Fund to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such Deposit Securities (or Deposit Cash for all or a part of such securities, as permitted or required), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local sub-custodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than the Settlement Date. The "Settlement Date" for the Fund is generally the Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system or through DTC in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund.
The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m. Eastern time, with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in proper form as required, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in "proper form" if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
Issuance of a Creation Unit
Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the
40
Distributor and the Advisor shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the second Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the net asset value of the shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the "Additional Cash Deposit"), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a Transaction Fee as set forth below under "Creation Transaction Fee" will be charged in all cases. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units
The Trust reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (f) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent and/or the Advisor make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units.
Examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, a sub-custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Distributor shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.
All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust's determination shall be final and binding.
Given the importance of the ongoing issuance of Creation Units to maintaining a market price that is at or close to the underlying NAV of the Fund, the Trust does not intend to suspend acceptance of orders for Creation Units.
41
Creation Transaction Fee
A purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Fund's custodian, is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a creation transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed creation transaction fee for the Fund will be $300. In addition, a variable fee will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units of up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. The variable charge may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases incurred by the Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Trust.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units
There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because the Fund's shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a "distribution" of Fund shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in the shareholder being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render the shareholder a statutory underwriter and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases Creation Units from the Fund, breaks them down into the constituent Fund shares, and sells those Fund shares directly to customers, or if a shareholder chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Fund shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary-market demand for Fund shares. Whether a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person's activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.
Dealers who are not "underwriters" but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to engaging in ordinary secondary-market transactions), and thus dealing with the Fund's shares as part of an "unsold allotment" within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act.
REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
Fund shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Fund shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such Fund shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Fund shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
With respect to the Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and share quantities of the Fund's portfolio securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day ("Fund Securities"). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities - as announced by the Custodian on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Fund shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the "Cash Redemption Amount"), less a fixed redemption transaction fee as set forth below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the net asset value of the Fund shares, a
42
compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust's discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.
Redemption Transaction Fee
A redemption transaction fee, payable to the Fund's custodian, is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a fixed redemption transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction, as set forth in the Fund's Prospectus, as may be revised from time to time. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for the Fund will be $300. In addition, a variable fee will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units of up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. The variable charge may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) incurred by the Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units
Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement. A redemption request is considered to be in "proper form" if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust's Transfer Agent the Creation Unit(s) being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement and (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the Transfer Agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified in the Participant Agreement. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor's Fund shares through DTC's facilities by the times and pursuant to the other terms and conditions set forth in the Participant Agreement, the redemption request shall be rejected.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor's broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the Fund shares to the Trust's Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
Additional Redemption Procedures
In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two business days of the trade date.
The Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such Fund shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its shares based on the NAV of shares of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is
43
received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust's brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities).
The Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in net asset value.
Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of the Fund shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a "qualified institutional buyer" ("QIB"), as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status in order to receive Fund Securities.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund or determination of the NAV of the shares of the Fund is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders but will hold special meetings of shareholders of a series or class when, in the judgment of the Trustees, it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for a shareholder vote. Shareholders have, under certain circumstances, the right to communicate with other shareholders in connection with requesting a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of removing one or more Trustees. Shareholders also have, in certain circumstances, the right to remove one or more Trustees without a meeting. No material amendment may be made to the Declaration of Trust without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each portfolio affected by the amendment. The Declaration of Trust provides that, at any meeting of shareholders of the Trust or of any series or class, a Shareholder Servicing Agent may vote any shares as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record and which are not represented in person or by proxy at the meeting, proportionately in accordance with the votes cast by holders of all shares of that portfolio otherwise represented at the meeting in person or by proxy as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record. Any shares so voted by a Shareholder Servicing Agent will be deemed represented at the meeting for purposes of quorum requirements. Any series or class may be terminated (i) upon the merger or consolidation with, or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of its assets to, another entity, if approved by the vote of the holders of two thirds of its outstanding shares, except that if the Board recommends such merger, consolidation or sale or disposition of assets, the approval by vote of the holders of a majority of the series' or class' outstanding shares will be sufficient, or (ii) by the vote of the holders of a majority of its outstanding shares, or (iii) by the Board by written notice to the series' or class' shareholders. Unless each series and class is so terminated, the Trust will continue indefinitely.
The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Trust, its shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents covering possible tort and other liabilities. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust itself was unable to meet its obligations.
44
The Declaration of Trust does not require the issuance of stock certificates. If stock certificates are issued, they must be returned by the registered owners prior to the transfer or redemption of shares represented by such certificates.
Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that as to any investment company which has two or more series outstanding and as to any matter required to be submitted to shareholder vote, such matter is not deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the Rule) of the voting securities of each series affected by the matter. Such separate voting requirements do not apply to the election of Trustees or the ratification of the selection of accountants. The Rule contains special provisions for cases in which an advisory contract is approved by one or more, but not all, series. A change in investment policy may go into effect as to one or more series whose holders so approve the change even though the required vote is not obtained as to the holders of other affected series.
DETERMINATION OF SHARE PRICE
NAV per Fund share is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Fund shares outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including the management fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining net asset value. The NAV of the Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined at the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that such exchange is open, provided that fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association ("SIFMA") announces an early closing time.
In calculating the Fund's NAV per Fund share, the Fund's investments are valued using readily available market quotations, which generally means a reliable valuation obtained from an exchange or other market, or fair value as determined by an independent pricing service and evaluated by the Advisor. In the case of shares of other funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund's published NAV per share. The Advisor may use various pricing services when necessary, or discontinue the use of any pricing service, as approved by the Board, from time to time. Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at the current market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more sources.
The Fund's securities, including ADRs, which are traded on securities exchanges are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which such securities are traded, as of the close of business on the day the securities are being valued or, lacking any reported sales, at the mean between the last available bid and asked price. Securities that are traded on more than one exchange are valued on the exchange determined by the Advisor to be the primary market.
All other assets of the Fund are valued in such manner as the Advisor in good faith deems appropriate to reflect their fair value in accordance with the Advisor's pricing procedures, subject to oversight by the Board.
DISTRIBUTIONS
[Dividends from net investment income are generally paid monthly, and distributions from capital gains are made annually]. The Fund may make additional payment of dividends or distributions of capital gains if it deems it necessary for federal income tax purposes.
Each distribution by the Fund is accompanied by a brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution. In January of each year, the Fund will issue to each shareholder a statement of the amount and federal income tax status of all distributions.
TAX INFORMATION
The following is only a summary of certain additional U.S. federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders that is intended to supplement the discussion contained in the Fund's prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Fund's prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.
45
The following general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences is based on the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
Dividend Reinvestment Service
The Trust will not make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available for use by Beneficial Owners for reinvestment of their cash proceeds, but certain individual broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Fund through DTC Participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Investors should contact their brokers to ascertain the availability and description of these services. Beneficial Owners should be aware that each broker may require investors to adhere to specific procedures and timetables in order to participate in the dividend reinvestment service and investors should ascertain from their brokers such necessary details. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares issued by the Trust of the Fund at NAV per share. Distributions reinvested in additional shares of the Fund will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company. The Fund intends to elect and intends to qualify each year, to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. To qualify as a RIC, the Fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and net income derived from interests in "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditionally permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund's taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund's assets is represented by cash, securities of other RICs, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the Fund's assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of RICs) of any one issuer, in the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or in the securities of one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships."
As a RIC, the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it timely distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the Fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its "investment company taxable income" (i.e., generally, its taxable income other than its net capital gain, computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction, plus or minus certain other adjustments), and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The Fund will be subject to income tax at the regular corporate tax rate on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders. The Fund's policy is to distribute to its shareholders all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction) and any net realized long-term capital gains for each fiscal year in a manner that complies with the distribution requirements of the Code, so that the Fund will not be subject to any federal income or excise taxes. However, the Fund can give no assurances that distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all taxes.
If, for any taxable year, the Fund were to fail to qualify as a RIC under the Code or were to fail to meet the distribution requirement, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation at the regular corporate tax rate (currently 21%), and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing
46
its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the Fund's distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as calculated for U.S. federal income tax purposes), including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for federal income tax purposes. However, such dividends would be eligible, subject to any generally applicable limitations, (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of non-corporate shareholders and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if the Fund were to fail to qualify as a RIC in any year, it would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a RIC. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may cure a failure to qualify as RIC, but in order to do so the Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to recognize, and would generally be subject to a corporate level tax with respect to, any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.
The Fund may elect to treat part or all of any "qualified late year loss" as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund's taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such "qualified late year loss" as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A "qualified late year loss" generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (commonly referred to as "post-October losses") and certain other late-year losses.
If the Fund has a "net capital loss" (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) for a taxable year, the excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. Those net capital losses can be carried forward indefinitely to offset capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss.
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not commenced operations, and therefore the Fund had no capital loss carryforwards.
Federal Excise Tax. To avoid a non-deductible excise tax, the Fund must also distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) 98.2% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12 month period ending on October 31 during such year, and (iii) any retained amount from the prior calendar year on which the Fund or shareholders paid no income tax. The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions to avoid liability for federal excise tax but can make no assurances that such tax will be completely eliminated. For example, the Fund may receive delayed or corrected tax reporting statements from its investments that cause the Fund to accrue additional income and gains after the Fund has already made its excise tax distributions for the year. In such a situation, the Fund may incur an excise tax liability resulting from such delayed receipt of such tax information statements.
Distributions to Shareholders. The Fund's net investment income generally consists of interest and dividend income, less expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal year are computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Taxable dividends and distributions are subject to tax whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares.
Distributions of net investment income and net short-term capital gains are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income or, for non-corporate shareholders, as qualified dividend income. Distributions from the Fund's net capital gain (i.e., the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains regardless of the length of time shares have been held. In general, to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income, the Fund may report a portion of the dividends it pays as qualified dividend income, which for non-corporate shareholders is subject to U.S. federal income tax rates of up to 20%. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain
47
countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend was paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income to the extent that (i) the shareholder has not held the shares on which the dividend was paid for more than 60 days during the 121-day period that begins on the date that is 60 days before the date on which the shares become "ex-dividend" with respect to such dividend, (ii) the shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to substantially similar or related property, or (iii) the shareholder elects to treat such dividend as investment income under section 163(d)(4)(B) of the Code. In order for a dividend on certain preferred stock to be treated as qualified dividend income, the shareholder must have a holding period of at least 91 days during the 181-day period beginning on the date that is 90 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend. The holding period requirements described in this paragraph apply to shareholders' investments in the Fund and to the Fund's investments in underlying dividend-paying stocks. Distributions received by the Fund from another RIC will be treated as qualified dividend income only to the extent so reported by such other RIC. If 95% or more of the Fund's gross income (calculated without taking into account net capital gain derived from sales or other dispositions of stock or securities) consists of qualified dividend income, the Fund may report all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income. Certain of the Fund's investment strategies may limit the ability to make distributions eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.
Dividends paid by the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders of the Fund. The investment strategies of the Fund may limit its ability to make distributions eligible for the dividends received deduction.
There is no requirement that the Fund takes into consideration any tax implications when implementing its investment strategies. If the Fund's distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions may be treated as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution generally will not be taxable but will reduce each shareholder's tax basis, resulting in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the shares on which the distribution was received are sold. After a shareholder's tax basis in the shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated as gain from the sale of the shareholder's shares.
Each shareholder who receives taxable distributions in the form of additional shares will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as if receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholder would have received if such shareholder had instead elected to receive cash distributions. The shareholder's aggregate tax basis in shares of the Fund will be increased by such amount.
A dividend or distribution received shortly after the purchase of shares reduces the net asset value of the shares by the amount of the dividend or distribution and, although in effect a return of capital, will be taxable to the shareholder. If the net asset value of shares were reduced below the shareholder's cost by dividends or distributions representing gains realized on sales of securities, such dividends or distributions would be a return of investment though taxable to the shareholder in the same manner as other dividends or distributions. This is known as "buying a dividend" and generally should be avoided by taxable investors.
A dividend or other distribution by the Fund is generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record on a date in such a month and paid the following January are taxable as if received on December 31. Under this rule, therefore, a shareholder may be taxed in one year on dividends or distributions actually received in January of the following year.
Shareholders should note that the Fund may make taxable distributions of income and capital gains even when share values have declined.
The Fund (or your broker) will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income and capital gain distributions, if any, and will advise you of their tax status for federal income tax purposes shortly after the close of each calendar year. If you have not held your shares for a full year, the Fund
48
may designate and distribute to you, as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gain, a percentage of income that is not equal to the actual amount of such income earned during the period of your investment in the Fund.
Sales, Exchanges or Redemptions of Creation Units. Any gain or loss recognized on a sale, exchange, or redemption of shares of the Fund by a shareholder who holds shares as a capital asset will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months and otherwise will be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.
Any loss realized upon redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gains during such six-month period. Any loss realized upon a redemption may be disallowed under certain wash sale rules to the extent shares of the Fund are purchased (through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the redemption.
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger's aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The ability of Authorized Participants to receive a full or partial cash redemption of Creation Units of the Fund may limit the tax efficiency of the Fund. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger's basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot currently be deducted under the rules governing "wash sales" (for a person who does not mark-to-market its portfolio) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for securities, or upon a redemption of Creation Units, may be capital or ordinary gain or loss depending on the circumstances. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will generally be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Any loss upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less may be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gain with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require the provision of information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss may be deductible.
A tax generally applies to all or a portion of the net investment income of a shareholder who is an individual and not a nonresident alien for federal income tax purposes and who has adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) that exceeds a threshold amount ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a "surviving spouse" for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases). This
49
3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts. For these purposes, dividends, interest and certain capital gains (among other categories of income) are generally taken into account in computing a shareholder's net investment income.
Cost Basis. The cost basis of shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
Tax Treatment of Complex Securities. The Fund may invest in complex securities and these investments may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect the Fund's ability to qualify as a RIC, affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund and/or defer the Fund's ability to recognize losses, and, in limited cases, subject the Fund to U.S. federal income tax on income from certain of its foreign securities. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to you by the Fund.
The Fund is required for federal income tax purposes to mark-to-market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures and options contracts that are subject to Section 1256 of the Code ("Section 1256 Contracts") as of the end of the year as well as those actually realized during the year. Gain or loss from Section 1256 Contracts will be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders. The Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on Section 1256 Contracts to the extent of any unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by the Fund.
If the Fund owns shares in certain foreign investment entities, referred to as "passive foreign investment companies" or "PFICs," the Fund will generally be subject to one of the following special tax regimes: (i) the Fund may be liable for U.S. federal income tax, and an additional interest charge, on a portion of any "excess distribution" from such foreign entity or any gain from the disposition of such shares, even if the entire distribution or gain is paid out by the Fund as a dividend to its shareholders; (ii) if the Fund were able and elected to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" or "QEF," the Fund would be required each year to include in income, and distribute to shareholders in accordance with the distribution requirements set forth above, the Fund's pro rata share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the PFIC, whether or not such earnings or gains are distributed to the Fund; or (iii) the Fund may be entitled to mark-to-market annually shares of the PFIC, whether or not any distributions are made to the Fund, and in such event would be required to distribute to shareholders any such mark-to-market gains in accordance with the distribution requirements set forth above. The Fund intends to make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules. Amounts included in income each year by the Fund arising from a QEF election, will be "qualifying income" under the Code even if not distributed to the Fund, if the Fund derives such income from its business of investing in stock, securities, or currencies.
Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the Fund's shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder, or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, in any single year (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. A shareholder who fails to make the required disclosure to the IRS may be subject to adverse tax consequences, including substantial penalties. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Backup Withholding. Pursuant to the backup withholding provisions of the Code, distributions of any taxable income and capital gains and proceeds from the redemption of Fund shares may be subject to withholding at the
50
rate of 24% in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the Fund with their taxpayer identification numbers or with required certifications regarding their status under the federal income tax law, or if the IRS notifies the Fund that such backup withholding is required. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Corporate and other exempt shareholders should provide the Fund with their taxpayer identification numbers or certify their exempt status in order to avoid possible erroneous application of backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's ultimate federal income tax liability if proper documentation is provided. The Fund reserves the right to refuse to open an account for any person failing to provide a certified taxpayer identification number.
Non-U.S. Investors. Any non-U.S. investors in the Fund may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are encouraged to consult their tax advisors prior to investing in the Fund. Foreign shareholders (i.e., nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from taxable ordinary income. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an "interest-related dividend" or a "short-term capital gain dividend," which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax. Gains realized by foreign shareholders from the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. Foreign shareholders who fail to provide an applicable IRS form may be subject to backup withholding on certain payments from the Fund. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that are subject to the 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) withholding tax described in this paragraph. Different tax consequences may result if the foreign shareholder is engaged in a trade or business within the United States. In addition, the tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of a tax treaty may be different than those described above.
Under legislation generally known as "FATCA" (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends they pay to shareholders that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements. In general, no such withholding will be required with respect to a U.S. person or non-U.S. person that timely provides the certifications required by the Fund or its agent on a valid IRS Form W-9 or applicable series of IRS Form W-8, respectively. Shareholders potentially subject to withholding include foreign financial institutions ("FFIs"), such as non-U.S. investment funds, and non-financial foreign entities ("NFFEs"). To avoid withholding under FATCA, an FFI generally must enter into an information sharing agreement with the IRS in which it agrees to report certain identifying information (including name, address, and taxpayer identification number) with respect to its U.S. account holders (which, in the case of an entity shareholder, may include its direct and indirect U.S. owners), and an NFFE generally must identify and provide other required information to the Fund or other withholding agent regarding its U.S. owners, if any. Such non-U.S. shareholders also may fall into certain exempt, excepted or deemed compliant categories as established by regulations and other guidance. A non-U.S. shareholder resident or doing business in a country that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. to implement FATCA will be exempt from FATCA withholding provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement. The Fund will not pay any additional amounts in respect to any amounts withheld.
A non-U.S. entity that invests in the Fund will need to provide the Fund with documentation properly certifying the entity's status under FATCA in order to avoid FATCA withholding. Non-U.S. investors in the Fund should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, individual retirement accounts, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k)s, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI"). Tax-exempt entities are not permitted to offset losses from one trade or business against the income or gain of another
51
trade or business. Certain net losses incurred prior to January 1, 2018 are permitted to offset gain and income created by an unrelated trade or business, if otherwise available. Under current law, the Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of an investment in the Fund where, for example: (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits ("REMICs"), (ii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool ("TMP") or that has a subsidiary that is a TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC, or (iii) shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisor. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding these issues.
The Fund's shares held in a tax-qualified retirement account will generally not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distributions from the Fund until a shareholder begins receiving payments from their retirement account. Because each shareholder's tax situation is different, shareholders should consult their tax advisors with specific reference to their own tax situations, including their state, local, and foreign tax liabilities.
This discussion and the related discussion in the Prospectus have been prepared by the Fund's management. The information above is only a summary of some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders. No attempt has been made to discuss individual tax consequences, and this discussion should not be construed as applicable to all shareholders' tax situations. Investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the suitability of the Fund and the applicability of any state, local or foreign taxation.
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
The Trust has entered into a distribution agreement with Quasar Distributors, LLC, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC, located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101 ("Quasar" or "Distributor"), pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund's distributor, provides certain administration services and promotes and arranges for the sale of Fund shares. The offering of the Fund's shares is continuous. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA.
The distribution agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the distribution agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party. The distribution agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund on 60 days' written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund's shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, or by the Distributor on 60 days' written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act).
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Financial statements and annual reports will be available after the Fund has completed a fiscal year of operations.
52
Appendix A
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
Short-Term Credit Ratings
A Standard & Poor's short-term issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Standard & Poor's for short-term issues:
"A-1" - A short-term obligation rated "A-1" is rated in the highest category and indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
"A-2" - A short-term obligation rated "A-2" is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.
"A-3" - A short-term obligation rated "A-3" exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
"B" - A short-term obligation rated "B" is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
"C" - A short-term obligation rated "C" is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
"D" - A short-term obligation rated "D" is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the "D" rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The "D" rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation's rating is lowered to "D" if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks - Standard & Poor's issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. An issuer's foreign currency rating will differ from its local currency rating when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, vs. obligations denominated in a foreign currency.
Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments.
A-1
Moody's employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
"P-1" - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
"P-2" - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
"P-3" - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
"NP" - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity or security stream and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short-term" based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:
"F1" - Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added "+" to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
"F2" - Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
"F3" - Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
"B" - Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
"C" - Securities possess high short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
"RD" - Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.
"D" - Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.
The DBRS® Ratings Limited ("DBRS") short-term debt rating scale provides an opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer and the relative ranking of claims. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the sub-categories "(high)", "(middle)", and "(low)".
The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:
"R-1 (high)" - Short-term debt rated "R-1 (high)" is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high. Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
A-2
"R-1 (middle)" - Short-term debt rated "R-1 (middle)" is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high. Differs from "R-1 (high)" by a relatively modest degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
"R-1 (low)" - Short-term debt rated "R-1 (low)" is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as favorable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
"R-2 (high)" - Short-term debt rated "R-2 (high)" is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
"R-2 (middle)" - Short-term debt rated "R-2 (middle)" is considered to be of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.
"R-2 (low)" - Short-term debt rated "R-2 (low)" is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events. A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer's ability to meet such obligations.
"R-3" - Short-term debt rated "R-3" is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality. There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due. May be vulnerable to future events and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of developments.
"R-4" - Short-term debt rated "R-4" is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.
"R-5" - Short-term debt rated "R-5" is considered to be of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.
"D" - Short-term debt rated "D" is assigned when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods, a downgrade to "D" may occur. DBRS may also use "SD" (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a "distressed exchange".
Long-Term Credit Ratings
The following summarizes the ratings used by Standard & Poor's for long-term issues:
"AAA" - An obligation rated "AAA" has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
"AA" - An obligation rated "AA" differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
"A" - An obligation rated "A" is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
A-3
"BBB" - An obligation rated "BBB" exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
"BB," "B," "CCC," "CC" and "C" - Obligations rated "BB," "B," "CCC," "CC" and "C" are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. "BB" indicates the least degree of speculation and "C" the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
"BB" - An obligation rated "BB" is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
"B" - An obligation rated "B" is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated "BB", but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
"CCC" - An obligation rated "CCC" is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
"CC" - An obligation rated "CC" is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The "CC" rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but Standard & Poor's expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.
"C" - An obligation rated "C" is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared to obligations that are rated higher.
"D" - An obligation rated "D" is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the "D" rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The "D" rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation's rating is lowered to "D" if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.
Plus (+) or minus (-) - The ratings from "AA" to "CCC" may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
"NR" - This indicates that no rating has been requested, or that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor's does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks - Standard & Poor's issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. An issuer's foreign currency rating will differ from its local currency rating when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, vs. obligations denominated in a foreign currency.
Moody's long-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of one year or more. Such ratings reflect both the likelihood of default on
A-4
contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody's for long-term debt:
"Aaa" - Obligations rated "Aaa" are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
"Aa" - Obligations rated "Aa" are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
"A" - Obligations rated "A" are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
"Baa" - Obligations rated "Baa" are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
"Ba" - Obligations rated "Ba" are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
"B" - Obligations rated "B" are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
"Caa" - Obligations rated "Caa" are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
"Ca" - Obligations rated "Ca" are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
"C" - Obligations rated "C" are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Note: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from "Aa" through "Caa." The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:
"AAA" - Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. "AAA" ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
"AA" - Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. "AA" ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
"A" - Securities considered to be of high credit quality. "A" ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
"BBB" - Securities considered to be of good credit quality. "BBB" ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
"BB" - Securities considered to be speculative. "BB" ratings indicate that there is an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.
A-5
"B" - Securities considered to be highly speculative. "B" ratings indicate that material credit risk is present.
"CCC" - A "CCC" rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.
"CC" - A "CC" rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.
"C" - A "C" rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.
Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned "RD" or "D" ratings, but are instead rated in the "B" to "C" rating categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Fitch believes that this approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.
Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the "AAA" obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below "CCC".
The DBRS long-term rating scale provides an opinion on the risk of default. That is, the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy its financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which an obligation has been issued. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer, and the relative ranking of claims. All rating categories other than AAA and D also contain subcategories "(high)" and "(low)". The absence of either a "(high)" or "(low)" designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS for long-term debt:
"AAA" - Long-term debt rated "AAA" is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
"AA" - Long-term debt rated "AA" is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high. Credit quality differs from "AAA" only to a small degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
"A" - Long-term debt rated "A" is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than "AA." May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
"BBB" - Long-term debt rated "BBB" is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
"BB" - Long-term debt rated "BB" is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.
"B" - Long-term debt rated "B" is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.
"CCC", "CC" and "C" - Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of very highly speculative credit quality. In danger of defaulting on financial obligations. There is little difference between these three categories, although "CC" and "C" ratings are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default, or subordinated to obligations rated in the "CCC" to "B" range. Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the "C" category.
A-6
"D" - A security rated "D" is assigned when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods, a downgrade to "D" may occur. DBRS may also use "SD" (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a "distressed exchange".
Municipal Note Ratings
A Standard & Poor's U.S. municipal note rating reflects Standard & Poor's opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, Standard & Poor's analysis will review the following considerations:
h Amortization schedule - the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and
h Source of payment - the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.
Municipal Short-Term Note rating symbols are as follows:
"SP-1" - A municipal note rated "SP-1" exhibits a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
"SP-2" - A municipal note rated "SP-2" exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
"SP-3" - A municipal note rated "SP-3" exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
Moody's uses the Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale to rate U.S. municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note maturity. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation, and the issuer's long-term rating is only one consideration in assigning the MIG rating. MIG ratings are divided into three levels - "MIG-1" through "MIG-3" while speculative grade short-term obligations are designated "SG". The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody's for short-term municipal obligations:
"MIG-1" - This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
"MIG-2" - This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
"MIG-3" - This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
"SG" - This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
"NR" - Is assigned to an unrated obligation.
A-7
In the case of variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), a two-component rating is assigned: a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody's evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody's evaluation of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand ("demand feature"). The second element uses a rating from a variation of the MIG rating scale called the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or "VMIG" scale. The rating transitions on the VMIG scale differ from those on the Prime scale to reflect the risk that external liquidity support generally will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade.
VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue's specific structural or credit features.
"VMIG-1" - This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
"VMIG-2" - This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
"VMIG-3" - This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
"SG" - This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
"NR" - Is assigned to an unrated obligation.
About Credit Ratings
A Standard & Poor's issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects Standard & Poor's view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Moody's credit ratings must be construed solely as statements of opinion and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, sell or hold any securities.
Fitch's credit ratings provide an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Fitch credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving the money owed to them in accordance with the terms on which they invested. Fitch's credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign (including supranational and sub-national), financial, bank, insurance, municipal and other public finance entities and the securities or other obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets.
A-8
DBRS credit ratings are opinions based on the quantitative and qualitative analysis of information sourced and received by DBRS, which information is not audited or verified by DBRS. Ratings are not buy, hold or sell recommendations and they do not address the market price of a security. Ratings may be upgraded, downgraded, placed under review, confirmed and discontinued.
A-9
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a)
|
(i)
|
Certificate of Trust dated February 16, 2023 was previously filed with the Advisor Managed Portfolios' (the "Trust") Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 30, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
|
(ii)
|
|
|
(b)
|
Bylaws adopted February 16, 2023 were previously filed with the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 30, 2023 and are incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
(c)
|
|
|
(d)
|
Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 6, 2023 between the Trust and Bramshill Investments, LLC was previously filed with the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 18, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
|
(i)
|
Second Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement - to be filed by amendment.
|
|
(e)
|
ETF Distribution Agreement dated December 13, 2023, between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC, was previously filed with the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A on February 28, 2024, and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
|
(i)
|
Ninth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement with Quasar Distributors, LLC, effective [ ], 2026 - to be filed by amendment.
|
|
|
(ii)
|
|
|
(f)
|
Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts - not applicable.
|
|
(g)
|
Custody Agreement dated September 14, 2023 between the Trust and U.S. Bank National Association was previously filed with the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 12, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
|
(i)
|
Second Amendment to the Custody Agreement - to be filed by amendment.
|
|
(h)
|
Other Material Contracts
|
|
|
(i)
|
Fund Servicing Agreement dated September 14, 2023 between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services LLC was previously filed with the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 13, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
|
|
(a)
|
Second Amendment to the Fund Servicing Agreement - to be filed by amendment.
|
|
|
(ii)
|
Operating Expenses Limitation Agreement dated April 1, 2025 between the Trust and Bramshill Investments, LLC was previously filed with the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 1, 2025 and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
|
|
(a)
|
Second Amendment to the Operating Expense Limitation Agreement - to be filed by amendment.
|
|
|
(iii)
|
Power of Attorney for Brian S. Ferrie, Russell Emery, and Wan-Chong Kung dated January 25, 2024 was previously filed with the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A on February 2, 2024 and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
(i)
|
Legal Opinion regarding issuance of shares - to be filed by amendment.
|
|
(j)
|
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm - to be filed by amendment.
|
|
(k)
|
Omitted Financial Statements - not applicable.
|
|
(l)
|
Initial Capital Agreements - not applicable.
|
|
(m)
|
Rule 12b-1 Plan - not applicable.
|
|
(n)
|
Rule 18f-3 Plan - not applicable.
|
|
(o)
|
Reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(p)
|
(i)
|
Code of Ethics for the Trust adopted May 31, 2023 was previously filed with the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A on July 6, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
|
|
(ii)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Item 29.
|
Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant
|
No person is directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.
Pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the Registrant furnishes the following undertaking: "Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue."
With respect to the Registrant, the general effect of these provisions is to indemnify any person (Trustee, director, officer, employee or agent, among others) who was or is a party to any proceeding by reason of their actions performed in their official or duly authorized capacity on behalf of the Registrant. With respect to the distributor, the general effect of the relevant provisions is to indemnify those entities for claims arising out of any untrue statement or material fact contained in the Fund's Registration Statement, reports to shareholders or advertising and sales literature.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Item 31.
|
Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
|
Bramshill Investments, LLC, located at 801 Laurel Oak Drive, Suite 300A, Naples, Florida 34108, is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as investment adviser for the Trust's Bramshill Power Income ETF, BHILL Fund, and Bramshill Income Performance Fund.
Please see the Adviser's Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (Form ADV) on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") (File No. 801-74578), dated March 17, 2026. The Adviser's Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC's website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Item 32.
|
Principal Underwriters
|
(a) Quasar Distributors, LLC (the "Distributor") serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:
1.Abacus FCF ETF Trust
2.Advisor Managed Portfolios
3.Antares Private Credit Fund
4.Capital Advisors Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
5.Chase Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
6.Davidson Multi-Cap Equity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
7.Edgar Lomax Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
8.Huber Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
9.Huber Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
10.Huber Select Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
11.Huber Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
12.Logan Capital Broad Innovative Growth ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
13.Medalist Partners MBS Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
14.Medalist Partners Short Duration Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
15.O'Shaughnessy Market Leaders Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
16.PIA BBB Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
17.PIA High Yield (MACS) Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
18.PIA High Yield Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
19.PIA MBS Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
20.PIA Short-Term Securities Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
21.Poplar Forest Cornerstone Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
22.Poplar Forest Partners Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
23.Pzena Emerging Markets Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
24.Pzena International Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
25.Pzena International Value ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
26.Pzena International Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
27.Pzena Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
28.Pzena Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
29.Pzena U.S. Large Cap Value ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
30.Vox Populi ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
31.Scharf ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
32.Scharf Global Opportunity ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
33.Scharf Multi-Asset Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
34.Shenkman Capital Floating Rate High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
35.Shenkman Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
36.The Aegis Funds
37.Allied Asset Advisors Funds
38.Angel Oak Funds Trust
39.Angel Oak Strategic Credit Fund
40.Brookfield Infrastructure Income Fund Inc.
41.Brookfield Investment Funds
42.Buffalo Funds
43.RJ Eagle GCM Dividend Select Income ETF, Series of Carillon Series Trust
44.RJ Eagle Municipal Income ETF, Series of Carillon Series Trust
45.RJ Eagle Vertical Income ETF, Series of Carillon Series Trust
46.DoubleLine Funds Trust
47.AAM Brentview Dividend Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
48.AAM Crescent CLO ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
49.AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
50.AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
51.AAM Sawgrass U.S. Large Cap Quality Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
52.AAM Sawgrass U.S. Small Cap Quality Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
53.AAM SLC Low Duration Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
54.AAM Todd International Intrinsic Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
55.AAM Transformers ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
56.Acquirers Small and Micro Deep Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
57.Aptus April Buffer, Series of ETF Series Solutions
58.Aptus April Deep Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
59.Aptus Collared Investment Opportunity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
60.Aptus Deferred Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
61.Aptus Defined Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
62.Aptus Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
63.Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
64.Aptus International Enhanced Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
65.Aptus January Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
66.Aptus January Deep Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
67.Aptus July Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
68.Aptus July Deep Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
69.Aptus Laddered Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
70.Aptus Laddered Deep Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
71.Aptus Large Cap Enhanced Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
72.Aptus Large Cap Upside ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
73.Aptus October Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
74.Aptus October Deep Buffer ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
75.Bahl & Gaynor Dividend ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
76.Bahl & Gaynor Income Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
77.Bahl & Gaynor Small Cap Dividend ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
78.Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
79.BTD Capital Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
80.Carbon Strategy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
81.ClearShares OCIO ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
82.ClearShares Piton Intermediate Fixed Income Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
83.ClearShares Ultra-Short Maturity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
84.Colterpoint Net Lease Real Estate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
85.ETFB Green SRI REITs ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
86.Hoya Capital High Dividend Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
87.Hoya Capital Housing ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
88.LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
89.LHA Market State Tactical Q ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
90.LHA Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
91.McElhenny Sheffield Managed Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
92.Opus Small Cap Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
93.The Acquirers Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
94.The Brinsmere Fund - Conservative ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
95.The Brinsmere Fund - Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
96.U.S. Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
97.U.S. Global JETS ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
98.U.S. Global Sea to Sky Cargo ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
99.U.S. Global Technology and Aerospace & Defense ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
100.US Vegan Climate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
101.First American Funds Trust
102.First Eagle ETF Trust
103.FundX Investment Trust
104.The Glenmede Fund, Inc.
105.The GoodHaven Funds Trust
106.Harding, Loevner Funds, Inc.
107.Hennessy Funds Trust
108.Horizon Funds
109.Hotchkis & Wiley Funds
110.Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust
111.Jacob Funds Inc.
112.The Jensen Quality Growth Fund Inc.
113.Kirr, Marbach Partners Funds, Inc.
114.LibreMax Asset-Backed Income Fund
115.Core Alternative ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
116.Optimized Equity Income ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
117.Wahed Dow Jones Islamic World ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
118.Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
119.LKCM Funds
120.LoCorr Investment Trust
121.MainGate Trust
122.ATAC Rotation Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
123.Cove Street Capital Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
124.Kensington Active Advantage Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
125.Kensington Defender Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
126.Kensington Dynamic Allocation Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
127.Kensington Hedged Premium Income ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
128.Kensington Managed Income Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
129.LK Balanced Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
130.Leuthold Core ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
131.Leuthold Core Investment Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
132.Leuthold Global Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
133.Leuthold Grizzly Short Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
134.Leuthold Select Industries ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
135.Muhlenkamp Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
136.Nuance Concentrated Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
137.Nuance Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
138.Port Street Quality Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
139.Reinhart Genesis PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
140.Reinhart International PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
141.Reinhart Mid Cap PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
142.Tremblant Global ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
143.Greenspring Income Opportunities Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
144.Hood River Emerging Markets Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
145.Hood River International Opportunity Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
146.Hood River New Opportunities Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
147.Hood River Small-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
148.SanJac Alpha Core Plus Bond ETF, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
149.SanJac Alpha Low Duration ETF, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
150.SWP Growth & Income ETF, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
151.Vert Global Sustainable Real Estate ETF, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
152.Mason Capital Fund Trust
153.Matrix Advisors Funds Trust
154.Monetta Trust
155.Nicholas Equity Income Fund, Inc.
156.Nicholas Fund, Inc.
157.Nicholas II, Inc.
158.Nicholas Limited Edition, Inc.
159.Oaktree Asset-Backed Income Fund Inc.
160.Oaktree Diversified Income Fund Inc.
161.Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds
162.Procure ETF Trust II
163.Professionally Managed Portfolios
164.Provident Mutual Funds, Inc.
165.Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
166.Abbey Capital Multi-Asset Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
167.Adara Smaller Companies Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
168.Aquarius International Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
169.Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
170.Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
171.Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
172.Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
173.Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
174.Campbell Systematic Macro Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
175.Emerald Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
176.F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
177.F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
178.F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
179.F/m Accumulator Ultrashort U.S. Treasury Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
180.F/m Callable Tax-Free Municipal ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
181.F/m Compoundr High Yield Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
182.F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
183.F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
184.F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
185.F/m High Yield 100 ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
186.F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
187.F/m Opportunistic Income ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
188.F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
189.F/m US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
190.F/m US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
191.F/m US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
192.F/m US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
193.F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
194.F/m US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
195.F/m US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
196.F/m US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
197.F/m US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
198.F/m US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
199.Motley Fool 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
200.Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
201.Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
202.Motley Fool Innovative Growth Factor ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
203.Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
204.Motley Fool Momentum Factor ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
205.Motley Fool Next Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
206.Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
207.Motley Fool Value Factor ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
208.MUFG Japan Small Cap Active ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
209.Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
210.SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
211.SGI Enhanced Core ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
212.SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
213.SGI Enhanced Market Leaders ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
214.SGI Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
215.SGI Peak Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
216.SGI Prudent Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
217.SGI Small Cap Core Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
218.SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
219.SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
220.WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
221.WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
222.The RBB Fund Trust
223.RBC Funds Trust
224.RBC BlueBay Enhanced Income Fund
225.Rockefeller Municipal Opportunities Fund
226.SEG Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
227.Series Portfolios Trust
228.Thompson IM Funds, Inc.
229.Tortoise Capital Series Trust
230.Bright Rock Mid Cap Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
231.Bright Rock Large Cap Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
232.CrossingBridge Low Duration High Income Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
233.CrossingBridge Nordic High Income Bond Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
234.CrossingBridge Responsible Credit Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
235.CrossingBridge Ultra-Short Duration Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
236.RiverPark Strategic Income Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
237.Dearborn Partners Rising Dividend Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
238.Jensen Global Quality Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
239.Jensen Quality MidCap Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
240.Rockefeller Climate Solutions Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
241.Rockefeller US Small Cap Core Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
242.Wall Street EWM Funds Trust
(b) The following are the Officers and Manager of the Distributor, the Registrant's underwriter. The Distributor's main business address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Address
|
Position with Underwriter
|
Position with Registrant
|
|
Teresa Cowan
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101
|
President/Manager
|
None
|
|
Chris Lanza
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101
|
Vice President
|
None
|
|
Kate Macchia
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101
|
Vice President
|
None
|
|
Susan L. LaFond
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101
|
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer and Treasurer
|
None
|
|
Gabriel E. Edelman
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101
|
Secretary
|
None
|
|
Weston Sommers
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101
|
Financial and Operations Principal and Chief Financial Officer
|
None
|
(c) Not applicable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Item 33.
|
Location of Accounts and Records
|
The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), are maintained at the following locations:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Records Relating to:
|
Are located at:
|
|
Registrant's Fund Administrator,
Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent
|
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street, 3rd Floor
Milwaukee, WI 53202
|
|
Registrant's Custodian
|
U.S. Bank National Association
Custody Operations
1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212
|
|
Registrant's Investment Adviser
|
Bramshill Investments, LLC
801 Laurel Oak Drive, Suite 300A
Naples, Florida 34108
|
|
Registrant's Distributor
|
Quasar Distributors, LLC
190 Middle Street, Suite 301,
Portland, ME 04101
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Item 34.
|
Management Services
|
All management-related service contracts entered into by Registrant are discussed in Parts A and B of this Registration Statement.
Not applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to be signed below on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Rancho Cucamonga and State of California, on the 16th day of October 2026.
Advisor Managed Portfolios
By: /s/ Russell B. Simon
Russell B. Simon
President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
|
|
|
|
|
Russell Emery*
|
Trustee
|
October 16, 2026
|
|
Russell Emery
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian S. Ferrie*
|
Trustee
|
October 16, 2026
|
|
Brian S. Ferrie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wan-Chong Kung*
|
Trustee
|
October 16, 2026
|
|
Wan-Chong Kung
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Russell B. Simon
|
President and Principal Executive Officer
|
October 16, 2026
|
|
Russell B. Simon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Eric T. McCormick
Eric T. McCormick
|
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer)
|
October 16, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
*By: /s/ Russell B. Simon
|
|
October 16, 2026
|
|
Russell B. Simon
|
|
|
|
Attorney-in-Fact pursuant to Power of Attorney
|
|
|