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The financial statements, accompanying notes and report of independent registered public accounting firm of the PIA BBB Bond Fund, PIA MBS Bond Fund and PIA High Yield (MACS) Fund that are included in the annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2023, have been incorporated by reference into this SAI. The annual report can be obtained in the same way as the Prospectus. This SAI has been incorporated by reference into the Funds’ Prospectus.

The Trust is an open‑end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 3, 1996. 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, par value $0.01 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 from time to time issue other series, the assets and liabilities of which will be separate and distinct from any other series. This SAI relates only to the PIA BBB Bond Fund (the “BBB Bond Fund”), the PIA MBS Bond Fund (the “MBS Bond Fund”) and the PIA High Yield (MACS) Fund (the “High Yield (MACS) Fund”).

The Funds are diversified. Under applicable federal securities laws, the diversification of a mutual fund’s holdings is measured at the time the Fund purchases a security. This means that, as to 75% of a Fund’s total assets (1) no more than 5% may be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) the Fund may not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer. However, if a 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 a Fund, the Fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers. In that case, the Fund would be subject to the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities despite the Fund qualifying as a diversified fund under applicable federal securities laws.

Whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of a Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standards 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, 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.

Events in the financial markets and economy may cause volatility and uncertainty and affect performance. Such adverse effect on performance could include a decline in the value and liquidity of securities held by a Fund, unusually high and unanticipated levels of redemptions, an increase in portfolio turnover, a decrease in net asset value (“NAV”), and an increase in Fund expenses. It may also be unusually difficult to identify both investment risks and opportunities, in which case investment objectives may not be met. Market events may affect a single issuer, industry, sector, or the market as a whole. Traditionally liquid investments may experience periods of diminished liquidity. During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value and a Fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests. It is impossible to predict whether or for how long such market events will continue, particularly if they are unprecedented, unforeseen or widespread events or conditions, pandemics, epidemics and other similar circumstances in one or more countries or regions. Therefore, it is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply and for extended periods, and you could lose money.

Governmental and regulatory actions, including tax law changes, may also impair portfolio management and have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments. Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and may in some instances contribute to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the financial markets. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time. In addition, economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not a Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments may be negatively affected.

The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower, and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized rating service. The Fund may invest in debtor-in-possession financings (commonly known as “DIP financings”). DIP financings are arranged when an entity seeks the protections of the bankruptcy court under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. These financings allow the entity to continue its business operations while reorganizing under Chapter 11. Such financings constitute senior liens on unencumbered security (i.e., security not subject to other creditors’ claims). There is a risk that the entity will not emerge from Chapter 11 and be forced to liquidate its assets under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In the event of liquidation, the Fund’s only recourse will be against the property securing the DIP financing. A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution’s employment as agent bank might be

terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank’s general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise. Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund’s share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated. The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of issuers of its securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks, and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness, or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund is diversified and limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer and the Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in issuers within the same industry (see “Investment Restrictions”). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the “issuer” of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as “issuers.” Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund’s ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries. Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund’s NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations, and could result in significant variations in the Fund’s daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund’s limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust’s investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution’s interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies upon the Adviser’s research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

The Funds may invest in or acquire warrants to purchase equity securities. Warrants are instruments that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy a security at a specific price for a specific period of time. Changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Warrants do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make warrants more speculative than other types of investments. Bonds with warrants attached to purchase equity securities have many characteristics of convertible bonds and their prices may, to some degree, reflect the performance of the underlying stock. Bonds also may be issued with warrants attached to purchase additional fixed income securities at the same coupon rate. A decline in interest rates would permit a Fund to buy additional bonds at the favorable rate or to sell the warrants at a profit. If interest rates rise, the warrants would generally expire with no value. The Funds will not invest more than 5% of their net assets in warrants to purchase securities. Warrants acquired in units or attached to securities will be deemed without value for purposes of this restriction.

Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act, a Fund may not acquire any “illiquid investment” if, immediately after the acquisition, a Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An “illiquid investment” is any investment that a 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. The Funds have implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to Rule 22e-4. The 15% limits are applied as of the date a Fund purchases an illiquid investment. It is possible that a Fund’s holding of illiquid investment could exceed the 15% limit, for example as a result of market developments or redemptions.

Investments in illiquid investments involve more risks than investments in similar securities that are readily marketable. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments. Investment of a Fund’s assets in illiquid investments may restrict the ability of the Fund to dispose of its investments in a timely fashion and for a fair price as well as its ability to take advantage of market opportunities. The risks associated with illiquidity will be particularly acute where a Fund’s operations require cash, such as when the Fund has net redemptions, and could result in a Fund borrowing to meet short-term cash requirements or incurring losses on the sale of illiquid investments. Restricted securities sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers are neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets and may be illiquid. In many cases, the privately placed securities may not be freely transferable under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or due to contractual restrictions on resale. To the extent privately placed securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from the sales could be less than those originally paid by a Fund or less than the fair value of the securities. A restricted security may be determined to be liquid under a Fund’s liquidity risk management program established pursuant to Rule 22e-4 depending on market, trading, or investment-specific considerations related to the restricted security. In addition, issuers whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that may be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. If any privately placed

Private placement investments may involve investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risks than investments in more established companies. These issuers may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management group. In making investments in private placement securities, a Fund may obtain access to material non-public information about an issuer of private placement securities, which may restrict a Fund’s ability to conduct transactions in those securities.

From time to time the Funds may increase their ownership of securities by borrowing on a secured or unsecured basis at fixed and floating rates of interest and investing the borrowed funds (“leveraging”). Currently, the BBB Bond Fund and MBS Bond Fund do not intend to borrow amounts in excess of 10% of the value of their total assets for leveraging purposes. It is not anticipated that the High Yield (MACS) Fund will use its borrowing power to an extent greater than 25% of the value of its total assets. Borrowings will be made only from banks and only to the extent that the value of the assets of a Fund, less its liabilities other than borrowings, is equal to at least 300% of all borrowings, after giving effect to the proposed borrowing. If the value of the assets of a Fund so computed should fail to meet the 300% asset coverage requirement, the Fund is required within three days to reduce its bank debt to the extent necessary to meet such 300% coverage. Since substantially all of the assets of the Funds fluctuate in value, but borrowing obligations may be fixed, the NAV per share of the Funds will correspondingly tend to increase and decrease in value more than otherwise would be the case.

The Funds may, (although do not currently) to increase their income, lend their securities on a short- or long-term basis to brokers, dealers and financial institutions if (i) the loan is collateralized in accordance with applicable regulatory guidelines (the “Guidelines”) and (ii) after any loan, the value of the securities loaned does not exceed 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. Under the present Guidelines (which are subject to change) the loan collateral must be, on each business day, at least equal to the value of the loaned securities and must consist of cash, bank letters of credit or U.S. government securities. To be acceptable as collateral, a letter of credit must obligate a bank to pay amounts demanded by the Funds if the demand meets the terms of the letter of credit. Such terms and the issuing bank would have to be satisfactory to the Funds. Any loan might be secured by any one or more of the three types of collateral. The Funds currently expect to invest the collateral received in government money market funds, agency securities, or the highest quality commercial paper.

The Funds receive amounts equal to the interest or other distributions on loaned securities and also receive one or more of the negotiated loan fees, interest on securities used as collateral or interest on the securities purchased with such collateral, either of which type of interest may be shared with the borrower. The Funds may also pay reasonable finder’s, custodian and administrative fees but only to persons not affiliated with the Trust. The Funds will not have the right to vote securities on loan, but the terms of the loan will permit the Funds to terminate the loan and thus reacquire the loaned securities on three days’ notice.

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 Funds 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. In addition, the Funds are exposed to the risk of delay in recovery of the loaned securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower become insolvent. As well, all investments made with the collateral received are subject to the risks

The Funds may engage in hedging. Hedging may be used in an attempt to (i) protect against declines or possible declines in the market values of securities held in each Fund’s portfolio (“short hedging”) or (ii) establish a position in the securities markets as a substitute for the purchase of individual securities (“long hedging”). The Funds may engage in short hedging in an attempt to protect the Funds’ value against anticipated downward trends in the securities markets or engage in long hedging as a substitute for the purchase of securities, which may then be purchased in an orderly fashion. It is expected that when the Funds are engaging in long hedging, it would, in the normal course, purchase securities and terminate the hedging position, but under unusual market conditions such a hedging position may be terminated without the corresponding purchase of securities. The various hedging instruments which the Funds may use are discussed below.

A derivative is a financial instrument which has a value that is based on, or “derived from,” the values of other assets, reference rates, or indexes. Derivatives may relate to a wide variety of underlying references, such as commodities, stocks, bonds, interest rates, currency exchange rates and related indexes. Derivatives include futures contracts and options on futures contracts (see discussion below on “Debt Futures” and “Options on Debt Futures”), forward-commitment transactions (see discussion below on “When Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities”), options on securities (see discussion below on “Options on Securities”), caps, floors, collars, swap agreements (see discussion below on “Swaps”), and other financial instruments. Some derivatives, such as futures contracts and certain options, are traded on U.S. commodity and securities exchanges, while other derivatives, such as swap agreements, are privately negotiated and entered into in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market. The risks associated with the use of derivatives are different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. Derivatives are used by some investors for speculative purposes. Derivatives also may be used for a variety of purposes that do not constitute speculation, such as hedging, risk management, seeking to reduce transaction costs, and seeking to simulate an investment in equity or debt securities or other investments.

The use of a derivative involves the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the other party to the contract (usually referred to as a “counterparty”) or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract. Additionally, the use of credit derivatives can result in losses if the Adviser does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit derivative is based.

Because many derivatives have a leverage or borrowing component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. Accordingly, certain derivative transactions may be considered to constitute borrowing transactions for purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”). Such a derivative transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance of a “senior security” by the Funds, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the Funds, if the Funds cover the transaction or segregate sufficient liquid assets in accordance with the requirements, and subject to the risks, described above under the heading “Leverage.”

Like most other investments, derivative instruments are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Funds’ interest. The Funds bear the risk that the Adviser will incorrectly forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other financial or economic factors in establishing derivative positions for the Funds. If the Adviser attempts to use a derivative as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Funds will be exposed to the risk that the derivative will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Funds. While hedging strategies involving derivative instruments 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. Many derivatives, in particular OTC derivatives, are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Funds.

An option is a legal contract that gives the buyer (who then becomes the holder) the right to buy, in the case of a call, or sell, in the case of a put, a specified amount of the underlying security at the option price at any time before the option expires. The buyer of a call obtains, in exchange for a premium that is paid to the seller, or “writer,” of the call, the right to purchase the underlying security. The buyer of a put obtains the right to sell the underlying security to the writer of the put, likewise in exchange for a premium. Options have standardized terms, including the exercise price and expiration time; listed options are traded on national securities exchanges that provide a secondary market in which holders or writers can close out their positions by offsetting sales and purchases. The premium paid to a writer is not a down payment; it is a nonrefundable payment from a buyer to a seller for the rights conveyed by the option. A premium has two components: the intrinsic value and the time value. The intrinsic value represents the difference between the current price of the securities and the exercise price at which the securities will be sold pursuant to the terms of the option. The time value is the sum of money investors are willing to pay for the option in the hope that, at some time before expiration, it will increase in value because of a change in the price of the underlying security.

One risk of any put or call that is held is that the put or call is a wasting asset. If it is not sold or exercised prior to its expiration, it becomes worthless. The time value component of the premium decreases as the option approaches expiration, and the holder may lose all or a large part of the premium paid. In addition, there can be no guarantee that a liquid secondary market will exist on a given exchange, in order for an option position to be closed out. Furthermore, if trading is halted in an underlying security, the trading of options is usually halted as well. In the event that an option cannot be traded, the only alternative to the holder is to exercise the option.

Call Options on Securities. When a Fund writes a call, it receives a premium and agrees to sell the related investments to the purchaser of the call during the call period (usually not more than nine months) at a fixed exercise price (which may differ from the market price of the related investments) regardless of market price changes during the call period. If the call is exercised, a Fund forgoes any gain from an increase in the market price over the exercise price.

To terminate its obligation on a call which it has written, a Fund may purchase a call in a “closing purchase transaction.” A profit or loss will be realized depending on the amount of option transaction costs and whether the premium previously received is more or less than the price of the call purchased. A profit may also be realized if the call lapses unexercised, because a Fund retains the premium received. All call options written by a Fund must be “covered.” For a call to be “covered” (i) a Fund must own the underlying security or have an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without payment of additional cash consideration; (ii) a Fund must maintain cash or liquid securities adequate to purchase the security; or (iii) any combination of (i) or (ii).

When a Fund buys a call, it pays a premium and has the right to buy the related investments from the seller of the call during the call period at a fixed exercise price. A Fund benefits only if the market price of the related investment is above the call price plus the premium paid during the call period and the call is either exercised or sold at a profit. If the call is not exercised or sold (whether or not at a profit), it will become worthless at its expiration date and a Fund will lose its premium payment and the right to purchase the related investment.

When a Fund writes a put option it receives a premium and has the same obligations to a purchaser of such a put as are indicated above as its rights when it purchases such a put. A profit or loss will be realized depending on the amount of option transaction costs and whether the premium previously received is more or less than the put purchased in a closing purchase transaction. A profit may also be realized if the put lapses unexercised, because a Fund retains the premium received. All put options written by a Fund must be “covered.” For a put to be “covered,” a Fund must maintain cash or liquid securities equal to the option price.

Options on Securities Indices. Each Fund may purchase and write (sell) covered call and put options on securities indices listed on U.S. securities exchanges or traded in the OTC market. A securities index option written by a Fund would obligate it, upon exercise of the options, to pay a case settlement, rather than to deliver or purchase actual securities, to the option holder. Although a Fund will not ordinarily own all of the securities comprising the indices on which it writes call and put options, such options will usually be written on those indices which correspond most closely to the composition of the Fund’s portfolio. Each Fund may purchase or sell call and put options in order to terminate its obligations under options it has written.

contract market - a futures exchange - that maintains facilities for continuous trading. The buyer and seller of the futures contract are both required to make a deposit of cash or U.S. Treasury Bills with their brokers equal to a varying specified percentage of the contract amount; the deposit is known as initial margin. Since ownership of the underlying product is not being transferred, the margin deposit is not a down payment; it is a security deposit to protect against nonperformance of the contract. No credit is being extended, and no interest expense accrues on the non-margined value of the contract. The contract is marked to market every day, and the profits and losses resulting from the daily change are reflected in the accounts of the buyer and seller of the contract. A profit in excess of the initial deposit can be withdrawn, but a loss may require an additional payment, known as variation margin, if the loss causes the equity in the account to fall below an established maintenance level. The Funds will maintain cash or liquid securities sufficient to cover their obligations under each futures contract that they have entered into.

One risk in employing Debt Futures to attempt to protect against declines in the value of the securities held by the Funds is the possibility that the prices of Debt Futures will correlate imperfectly with the behavior of the market value of the Funds’ securities. The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets, due to differences in those markets, are subject to distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through off-setting transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortion. The liquidity of the Debt Futures being considered for purchase or sale by the Funds will be a factor in their selection by the Adviser.

Options on Debt Futures are similar to options on securities, except that the related investment is not a security, but a Debt Future. Thus, the buyer of a call option obtains the right to purchase a Debt Future at a specified price during the life of the option, and the buyer of a put option obtains the right to sell a Debt Future at a specified price during the life of the option. The options are traded on an expiration cycle based on the expiration cycle of the underlying Debt Future. Each Fund may buy options on debt futures and may also write (sell) covered call and put options on debt futures.

Participation in the options or futures markets involves investment risks and transactions costs to which the Funds would not be subject absent the use of these strategies. In particular, the loss from investing in futures contracts is potentially unlimited. If the Adviser’s prediction of movements in the securities and interest rate markets is inaccurate, the Funds could be in a worse position than if such strategies were not used. Risks inherent in the use of options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts include: (1) dependence on the Adviser’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of interest rates, securities prices and currency markets; (2) imperfect correlation between the price of options and futures contracts and options thereon and movements in the prices of the securities being hedged; (3) the fact that skills needed to use these strategies are different from those needed to select portfolio securities; and (4) the possible absence of a liquid secondary market for any particular instrument at any time.

Transactions in options by the Funds will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges governing the maximum number of options which may be written or held by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or held on the same or different exchanges or are written or held in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Funds may write or hold may be affected by options written or held by other investment advisory clients of the Adviser and its affiliates. Position limits also apply to Debt Futures. An exchange may order the liquidations of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain sanctions. The Funds may be required to establish segregated accounts when they enter into certain options or futures, in which they will maintain cash and/or liquid securities that are equal in value to the obligations in the applicable option or future.

Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act requires a fund that trades derivatives and other transactions which create future payment or delivery obligations (except reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions) be subject to a value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limit and certain derivatives risk management program and reporting requirements. Generally, these requirements apply unless a fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in the final rule. Under the final rule, when a fund trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, it needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the fund’s asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. Reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions aggregated with other indebtedness do not need to be included in the calculation of whether a fund is a limited derivatives user, but for funds subject to the VaR testing, reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions must be included for purposes of such testing whether treated as derivatives transactions or not. These requirements may limit the ability of a fund to use derivatives and reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements may increase the cost of a fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

The Funds may invest in cash and money market securities. Money market securities include Treasury Bills, short-term investment-grade fixed income securities, bankers’ acceptances, commercial paper, commercial paper master notes and repurchase agreements. The Funds may do so to have assets available to pay expenses, satisfy redemption requests or take advantage of investment opportunities. The Funds may invest in shares of other investment companies. The Funds may invest in money market mutual funds in connection with their management of daily cash positions and for temporary defensive purposes. The Funds currently intend to limit their investments in securities issued by other investment companies (except for money market funds) so that not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by a Fund, or its affiliated persons, as a whole. In addition to the advisory and operational fees a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation, the Funds would also bear their pro rata portions of each other investment company’s advisory and operational expenses.

The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement transaction occurs when, at the time a Fund purchases a security, the Fund agrees to resell it to the vendor (normally a commercial bank or a broker-dealer) on an agreed upon date in the future. Such securities are referred to as the “Resold Securities.” The Adviser will consider the creditworthiness of any vendor of repurchase agreements. The resale price will be in excess of the purchase price in that it reflects an agreed upon market interest rate effective for the period of time during which the Fund’s money is invested in the Resold Securities. The majority of these transactions run from day to day, and the delivery pursuant to the resale typically will occur within one to five days of the purchase. A Fund’s risk is limited to the ability of the vendor to pay the agreed-upon sum upon the delivery date; in the event of bankruptcy or other default by the vendor, there may be possible delays and expenses in liquidating the instrument purchased, decline in its value and loss of interest. These risks are minimized when a Fund holds a perfected security interest in the Resold Securities and can therefore resell the instrument promptly. Repurchase agreements can be considered as loans “collateralized” by the Resold Securities, such agreements being defined as “loans” in the 1940 Act. The return on such “collateral” may be more or less than that from the repurchase agreement. The Resold Securities will be marked to market every business day so that the value of the “collateral” is at least equal to the value of the loan, including the accrued interest earned thereon. All Resold Securities will be held by the Funds’ custodian or another bank either directly or through a securities depository.

The Funds may invest in shares of other investment companies or mutual funds, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). For example, a Fund may invest in money market mutual funds in connection with its management of daily cash positions and for temporary defensive purposes. The Funds currently intend to limit their investments in securities issued by other investment companies (except for money market funds) so that not more than 3% of the outstanding voting shares of any one investment company will be owned by a Fund, or its affiliated persons, as a whole. A Fund may invest unlimited amounts in money market funds for management of its daily cash position, subject to certain conditions. In addition to the advisory and operational fees a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation, the Fund would also bear its pro rata portions of each other investment company’s advisory and operational expenses.

The Funds may rely on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and Rule 12d1-3 of the 1940 Act, which provide an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows a Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions: (a) a Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than 3% percent of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on the Fund’s shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2341 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) applicable to a fund of funds (e.g, 8.5%). In accordance with Rule 12d1-1 under the 1940 Act, the provisions of Section 12(d)(1) shall not apply to shares of money market funds purchased by a Fund, whether or not for temporary defensive purposes, provided that the Fund does not pay a sales charge, distribution fee or service fee as defined in Rule 2341 of the Conduct Rules of FINRA on acquired money market fund shares (or the Adviser must waive its advisory fees in amount necessary to offset any sales charge, distribution fee or service fee).

Exchange-Traded Funds. ETFs are open-end investment companies whose shares are listed on a national securities exchange. An ETF is similar to a traditional index 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, a Fund’s investments in ETFs will involve duplication of management fees and other expenses since the Fund will be investing in another investment company. In addition, a Fund’s investment in ETFs is also subject to its limitations on investments in investment companies discussed above. To the extent a 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 a 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 NAV per share.

As a purchaser of ETF shares on the secondary market, a 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 per share, but there is no guarantee that they will continue to do so. 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. Unlike traditional mutual funds, shares of an ETF may also be purchased and redeemed directly from the ETFs only in large blocks and only through participating organizations that have entered into contractual agreements with the ETF. The Funds do not expect to enter into such agreements and therefore will not be able to purchase and redeem their ETF shares directly from the ETF.

U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities which issue or guarantee securities include, but are not limited to, the Federal Housing Administration, Federal National Mortgage Association, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, Government National Mortgage Association, General Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, Maritime Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, District of Columbia Armory Board, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Student Loan Marketing Association and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Except for U.S. Treasury securities, obligations of U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities may or may not be supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Some are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; others by discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agencies’ obligations; while still others, such as the Student Loan Marketing Association, are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. In the case of securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. If the Funds elect to invest in U.S. government securities, then they will invest in securities of such instrumentality only when the Adviser is satisfied that the credit risk with respect to any instrumentality is acceptable.

Among the U.S. government securities that the Funds may purchase are “mortgage-backed securities” of the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”). These mortgage-backed securities include “pass-through” securities and “participation certificates;” both are similar, representing pools of mortgages that are assembled, with interests sold in the pool; the assembly is made by an “issuer” which assembles the mortgages in the pool and passes through payments of principal and interest for a fee payable to it. Payments of principal and interest by individual mortgagors are “passed through” to the holders of the interest in the pool. Thus, the monthly or other regular payments on pass-through securities and participation certificates include payments of principal (including prepayments on mortgages in the pool) rather than only interest payments. Another type of mortgage-backed security is the “collateralized mortgage obligation” or “CMO,” which is similar to a conventional bond (in that it makes fixed interest payments and has an established maturity date) and is secured by groups of individual mortgages. Timely payment of principal and interest on Ginnie Mae pass-throughs is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but their yield is not guaranteed. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are both instrumentalities of the U.S. government, but their obligations are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. It is possible that the availability and the marketability (i.e., liquidity) of these securities discussed in this paragraph could be adversely affected by actions of the U.S. government to tighten the availability of its credit or to affect adversely the tax effects of owning them.

Mortgage loans are subject to a variety of state and federal regulations designed to protect mortgagors, which may impair the ability of the mortgage lender to enforce its rights under the mortgage documents. These regulations include legal restraints on foreclosures, homeowner rights of redemption after foreclosure, federal and state bankruptcy and debtor relief laws, restrictions on enforcement of mortgage loan “due on sale” clauses and state usury laws. Even though the Funds may invest in Mortgage-Backed Securities which are U.S. government securities, these regulations may adversely affect the Funds’ investments by delaying the Funds’ receipt of payments derived from principal or interest on mortgage loans affected by such regulations.

Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the “Reform Act”), which was included as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac prior to FHFA’s appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of Fannie Mae’s or Freddie Mac’s affairs.

The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver. FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability could be satisfied only to the extent of Fannie Mae’s or Freddie Mac’s assets available therefor. In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such mortgage-backed securities are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such mortgage-backed security holders. Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party.

In addition, certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such mortgage-backed securities have the right to replace Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed securities holders consent. The Reform Act prevents mortgage-backed security holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac is a

In October 2012, FHFA released a white paper, Building a New Infrastructure for the Secondary Mortgage Market, proposing a framework for a common securitization platform and an improved contractual and disclosure framework and requested public input. The white paper sought to identify the core components of mortgage securitization that will be needed in the housing finance system in the future. Along with the white paper, FHFA joined Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in outreach to a full range of stakeholders, including a variety of industry participants – small and large companies, trade groups, advocacy organizations, vendors, originators, servicers, investors, and mortgage issuers, among others. FHFA has worked with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to use the feedback gathered on the securitization platform prototype, to align key contractual features and practices, and address additional protections investors require.

The investment characteristics of adjustable and fixed rate mortgage-backed securities differ from those of traditional fixed income securities. The major differences include the payment of interest and principal on mortgage-backed securities on a more frequent (usually monthly) schedule, and the possibility that principal may be prepaid at any time due to prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans or other assets. These differences can result in significantly greater price and yield volatility than is the case with traditional fixed income securities. As a result, if the Funds purchase mortgage-backed securities at a premium, a faster than expected prepayment rate will reduce both the market value and the yield to maturity from those which were anticipated. A prepayment rate that is slower than expected will have the opposite effect of increasing yield to maturity and market value. Conversely, if the Funds purchase mortgage-backed securities at a discount, faster than expected prepayments will increase, while slower than expected prepayments will reduce, yield to maturity and market value.

Prepayments on a pool of mortgage loans are influenced by a variety of factors, including economic conditions, changes in mortgagors’ housing needs, job transfer, unemployment, mortgagors’ net equity in the mortgage properties and servicing decisions. The timing and level of prepayments cannot be predicted. Generally, however, prepayments on adjustable rate mortgage loans and fixed rate mortgage loans will increase during a period of falling mortgage interest rates and decrease during a period of rising mortgage interest rates. Accordingly, the amounts of prepayments available for reinvestment by the Funds are likely to be greater during a period of declining mortgage interest rates. If general interest rates also decline, such prepayments are likely to be reinvested at lower interest rates than the Funds were earning on the mortgage-backed securities that were prepaid.

Certain mortgage loans underlying the mortgage-backed securities in which the Funds may invest will be adjustable rate mortgage loans (“ARMs”). ARMs eligible for inclusion in a mortgage pool will generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a specified period of time. Thereafter, the interest rates (the “Mortgage Interest Rates”) may be subject to periodic adjustment based on changes in the applicable index rate (the “Index Rate”). The adjusted rate would be equal to the Index Rate plus a gross margin, which is a fixed percentage spread over the Index Rate established for each ARM at the time of its origination.

There are two main categories of indexes which provide the basis for rate adjustments on ARMs: those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Commonly utilized indexes include the one-year, three-year and five-year constant maturity Treasury rates, the three-month rate, the 180-day Treasury Bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the 11th District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds, the National Median Cost of Funds, the one-month, three-month, six-month or one year London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), the prime rate of a specific bank, or commercial paper rates. The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) replaced LIBOR in June 2023, when SOFR became the standard in the United States. Some indexes, such as the one-year constant maturity Treasury rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others, such as the 11th District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds index, tend to lag behind changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile. The degree of volatility in the market value of the Funds’ portfolios and therefore in the NAV per share of the Fund will be a function of the length of the interest rate reset periods and the degree of volatility in the applicable indexes.

Adjustable interest rates can cause payment increases that some mortgagors may find difficult to make. However, certain ARMs may provide that the Mortgage Interest Rate may not be adjusted to a rate above an applicable lifetime maximum rate or below an applicable lifetime minimum rate for such ARMs. Certain ARMs may also be subject to limitations on the maximum amount by which the Mortgage Interest Rate may adjust for any single adjustment period. Other ARMs (“Negatively Amortizing ARMs”) may provide instead or as well for limitations on changes in the monthly payment on such ARMs. Limitations on monthly payments can result in monthly payments which are greater or less than the amount necessary to amortize a Negatively Amortizing ARM by its maturity at the Mortgage Interest Rate in effect in any particular month. In the event that a monthly payment is not sufficient to pay the interest accruing on a Negatively Amortizing ARM, any such excess interest is added to the principal balance of the loan, causing negative amortization, and is repaid through future monthly payments. It may take borrowers under Negatively Amortizing ARMs longer periods of time to achieve equity and may increase the likelihood of default by such borrowers. In the event that a monthly payment exceeds the sum of the interest accrued at the applicable Mortgage Interest Rate and the principal payment which would have been necessary to amortize the outstanding principal balance over the remaining term of the loan, the excess (or “accelerated amortization”) further reduces the principal balance of the ARM. Negatively Amortizing ARMs do not provide for the extension of their original maturity to accommodate changes in their Mortgage Interest Rate. As a result, unless there is a periodic recalculation of the payment amount (which there generally is), the final payment may be substantially larger than the other payments. These limitations on periodic increases in interest rates and on changes in monthly payments protect borrowers from unlimited interest rate and payment increases.

CMOs are issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a “tranche,” is issued at a specific adjustable or fixed interest rate and must be fully retired no later than its final distribution date. Principal prepayments on the mortgage loans or other assets (“Mortgage Assets”) underlying the CMOs may cause some or all of the class of CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their final distribution dates. Generally, interest is paid or accrued on all classes of CMOs on a monthly basis.

The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several classes of CMOs in various ways. In certain structures (known as “sequential pay” CMOs), payments of principal, including any principal prepayments, on the Mortgage Assets generally are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made on any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

The Funds may invest in stripped mortgage-backed U.S. government securities (“SMBS”). SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions from a pool of Mortgage Assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving all of the interest from the Mortgage Assets, while the other class will receive all of the principal. However, in some instances, one class will receive some of the interest and most of the principal while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. If the underlying Mortgage Assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Funds may fail to fully recover their initial investment in these securities. Certain SMBS may not be readily marketable and will be considered illiquid for purposes of the Funds’ limitation on investments in illiquid securities. Whether SMBS are liquid or illiquid will be determined in accordance with guidelines established by the Board. The market value of the class consisting entirely of principal payments generally is unusually volatile in response to changes in interest rates. The yield on a class of SMBS that receives all or most of the interest from Mortgage Assets are generally higher than prevailing market yields on other mortgage-backed securities because their cash flow patterns are more volatile and there is a greater risk that the initial investment will not be fully recouped.

mortgage-related security generally will decline; however, when interest rates are declining, the value of mortgage-related securities with prepayment features may not increase as much as other fixed income securities. The rate of prepayments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may shorten or extend the effective maturity of the security beyond what was anticipated at the time of purchase. If unanticipated rates of prepayment on underlying mortgages increase the effective maturity of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of the security can be expected to increase. The value of these securities may fluctuate in response to the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuers. Additionally, although mortgages and mortgage-related securities are generally supported by some form of government or private guarantee and/or insurance, there is no assurance that private guarantors or insurers will meet their obligations.

One type of SMBS has one class receiving all of the interest from the mortgage assets (the interest-only, or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only, or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in any combination of mortgage-related or other asset-backed IO, PO, or inverse floater securities.

The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), which includes collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is backed by a diversified pool of high-risk, below investment grade fixed-income securities. 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 Fund may invest in other asset-backed securities that have been offered to investors.

Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. Structured or indexed securities may be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund’s portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund’s interest rate risk.

The Fund may also purchase Payment-in-Kind (“PIK”) securities. PIK securities are financial instruments that pay investors in the form of additional securities rather than cash coupons. Like zero-coupon bonds, they give a company breathing room before having to make cash outlays, offering in return rich yields. PIKs can be bonds, notes, or preferred stocks with interest or dividends paid in securities rather than cash. The securities used to pay the interest or dividends are usually identical to the underlying securities, but occasionally they have different terms.

Municipal bonds are generally issued by states and local governments and their agencies, authorities and other instrumentalities. Municipal bonds are subject to interest rate, credit and market risk. The ability of an issuer to make payments could be affected by litigation, legislation or other political events or the bankruptcy of the issuer. Lower-rated municipal bonds are subject to greater credit and market risk than higher quality municipal bonds. The types of municipal bonds in which a Fund may invest include municipal lease obligations. The Fund may also invest in industrial development bonds, which are municipal bonds issued by a government agency on behalf of a private sector company and, in most cases, are not backed by the credit of the issuing municipality and may therefore involve more risk. The Fund may also invest in securities issued by entities whose underlying assets are municipal bonds.

The Fund may invest, without limitation, in residual interest bonds (“RIBs”), which brokers create by depositing municipal bonds in trusts. The trusts in turn issue variable rate securities and RIBs. The interest rate for the variable rate security is determined by an index or an auction process held approximately every 7 to 35 days, while the RIB holder receives the balance of the income from the underlying municipal bond less an auction fee. The market prices of RIBs may be highly sensitive to changes in market rates and may decrease significantly when market rates increase.

In a transaction in which the Fund purchases a RIB from a trust, and the underlying municipal bond was held by the Fund prior to being deposited into the trust, the Fund treats the transaction as a secured borrowing for financial reporting purposes. As a result, the Fund will incur a non-cash interest expense with respect to interest paid by the trust on the variable rate securities, and will recognize additional interest income in an amount directly corresponding to the non-cash interest expense. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV per share and performance are not affected by the non-cash interest expense. This accounting treatment does not apply to RIBs acquired by the Fund where the Fund did not previously own the underlying municipal bond.

The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in “event-linked bonds” or “event-linked swaps” or implement “event-linked strategies.” Event-linked exposure results in gains or losses that typically are contingent, or formulaically related to, defined trigger events. Examples of trigger events include hurricanes, earthquakes, weather-related phenomena, or statistics relating to such events. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as “catastrophe bonds.” If a trigger event occurs, the Fund may lose a portion or its entire principal invested in the bond or notional amount on a swap. Event-linked exposure often provides for an extension of maturity to process and audit loss claims where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. Event-linked exposure may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations, and adverse tax consequences. Event-linked exposures may also be subject to liquidity risk.

The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. A preferred stock blends the characteristics of a bond and common stock. It can offer the fixed dividends of a bond and the equity ownership of a common stock. Unlike common stock, its participation in the issuer’s growth may be limited. Preferred stock has priority claim over common stock: (a) in the receipt of dividends, and (b) should the issuer be dissolved, in any residual assets after payment to creditors. Although the dividend is set at a fixed annual rate, in some circumstances it can be changed or omitted by the issuer.

within a certain period of time, for a specified number of shares, 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.

The BBB Bond Fund may not invest more than 50% of its total assets in securities of foreign issuers denominated in U.S. dollars, including issuers in emerging markets. All foreign-issued securities owned by the BBB Bond Fund are U.S. dollar denominated and held by the Fund’s domestic custodian. The High Yield (MACS) Fund may also invest in foreign securities, including up to 5% of its net assets in securities denominated in foreign currencies. There are risks in investing in foreign securities. Foreign economies may differ from the U.S. economy; individual foreign companies may differ from domestic companies in the same industry; foreign currencies may be stronger or weaker than the U.S. dollar.

An investment may be affected by changes in currency rates and in exchange control regulations, and a Fund may incur transaction costs in exchanging currencies. For example, at times when the assets of a Fund are invested in securities denominated in foreign currencies, investors can expect that the value of such investments will tend to increase when the value of the U.S. dollar is decreasing against such currencies. Conversely, a tendency toward a decline in the value of such investments can be expected when the value of the U.S. dollar is increasing against such currencies.

Foreign companies or entities are frequently not subject to accounting and financial reporting standards applicable to domestic companies, and there may be less information available about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers are generally less liquid and more volatile than those of comparable domestic issuers. There is frequently less government regulation of broker-dealers and issuers than in the United States. The costs associated with securities transactions are generally higher than in the United States. In addition, investments in foreign countries are subject to the possibility of expropriation, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments that could adversely affect the value of those investments.

Most foreign securities owned by a Fund are held by foreign sub-custodians that satisfy certain eligibility requirements. However, foreign sub-custodian arrangements are significantly more expensive than domestic custody. In addition, foreign settlement of securities transactions is subject to local law and custom that is not, generally, as well established or as reliable as U.S. regulation and custom applicable to settlements of securities transactions and, accordingly, there is generally perceived to be a greater risk of loss in connection with securities transactions in many foreign countries.

A Fund may invest in securities of companies in countries with emerging economies or securities markets (“Emerging Markets”). Investment in Emerging Markets involves risks in addition to those generally associated with investments in foreign securities. Political and economic structures in many Emerging Markets may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristics of more developed countries. As a result, the risks described above relating to investments in foreign securities, including the risks of nationalization or

expropriation of assets may be heightened. In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the values of the investments of a Fund and the availability to the Fund of additional investments in such Emerging Markets. The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in certain Emerging Markets and the limited volume of trading in securities in those markets may make the Fund’s investments in such countries less liquid and more volatile than investments in countries with more developed securities markets (such as the U.S., Japan and most Western European countries).

A forward foreign currency contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are principally traded in the inter-bank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades.

When a Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency, it may desire to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the security (transaction hedging). By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale of a fixed amount of U.S. dollars equal to the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying security transaction, the Fund can protect itself against a possible loss, resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date the security is purchased or sold and the date on which the payment is made or received.

When the Adviser believes that a particular foreign currency may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, it may enter into a forward contract to sell a fixed amount of the foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the portfolio securities of a Fund denominated in such foreign currency (position hedging). The precise matching of the forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible since the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. The projection of short-term currency market movement is extremely difficult and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. A Fund will not enter into such forward contracts or maintain a net exposure to such contracts where the consummation of the contracts would obligate the Fund to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of the Fund’s securities or other assets denominated in that currency. Under normal circumstances, the Adviser considers the long-term prospects for a particular currency and incorporates the prospect into its overall long-term diversification strategies. The Adviser believes that it is important to have the flexibility to enter into such forward contracts when it determines that the best interests of a Fund will be served.

in an offsetting transaction, it may subsequently enter into a forward contract to sell the foreign currency. Should forward prices decline during the period when the Fund entered into the forward contract for the sale of a foreign currency and the date it entered into an offsetting contract for the purchase of the foreign currency, the Fund will realize a gain to the extent the price of the currency it has agreed to sell exceeds the price of the currency it has agreed to purchase. Should forward prices increase, the Fund will suffer a loss to the extent that the price of the currency it has agreed to purchase exceeds the price of the currency it has agreed to sell.

Shareholders should note that: (1) foreign currency hedge transactions do not protect against or eliminate fluctuations in the prices of particular portfolio securities (i.e., if the price of such securities declines due to an issuer’s deteriorating credit situation); and (2) it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of securities at the expiration of a forward contract. Accordingly, a Fund may have to purchase additional foreign currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such purchase) if the market value of the Fund’s securities is less than the amount of the foreign currency upon expiration of the contract. Conversely, a Fund may have to sell some of its foreign currency received upon the sale of a portfolio security if the market value of the Fund’s securities exceeds the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver. Each Fund’s dealings in forward foreign currency exchange contracts will be limited to the transactions described above.

Although each Fund values its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it does not intend to convert its holdings of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. A Fund will do so from time to time and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they realize a profit based on the difference (the “spread”) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.

A Fund may own a bond denominated in U.S. dollars and purchase a currency futures contract to increase its exposure to different foreign currencies. It may also sell a currency futures contract on the U.S. dollar to increase its exposure to various foreign currencies. The uses and risks of currency options and futures are similar to options and futures relating to securities or indexes, as discussed above. Currency futures contracts are similar to forward foreign currency contracts, except that they are traded on exchanges (and have margin requirements) and are standardized as to contract size and delivery date. Most currency futures contracts call for payment or delivery in U.S. dollars. The underlying instrument of a currency option may be a foreign currency, which generally is purchased or delivered in exchange for U.S. dollars, or may be a futures contract. The purchaser of a currency call obtains the right to purchase the underlying currency and the purchaser of a currency put obtains the right to sell the underlying currency.

Currency futures and options values can be expected to correlate with exchange rates, but may not reflect other factors that affect the value of a Fund’s investments. A currency hedge, for example, should protect a Yen-dominated security from a decline in the Yen, but will not protect a Fund against a price decline resulting from deterioration in the issuer’s creditworthiness. Because the value of a Fund’s foreign-denominated investments change in response to many factors other than exchange rates, it may not be possible to match the amount of currency options and futures to the value for a Fund’s investments exactly over time.

Brexit. The United Kingdom formally left the European Union (“EU”) on January 31, 2020 (a measure commonly referred to as “Brexit”). Following the withdrawal, in December 2020, the United Kingdom and the EU entered into a new trading relationship. The agreement allows for continued trading free of tariffs, but institutes other new requirements for trading between the United Kingdom and the EU. Even with a new trading relationship having been established, Brexit could continue to affect European or world wide political, regulatory, economic, or market conditions. There is the possibility that there will

continue to be considerable uncertainty about the potential impact of these developments on United Kingdom, European and global economies and markets. There is also the possibility of withdrawal movements within other EU countries and the possibility of additional political, economic and market uncertainty and instability. Brexit and any similar developments may have negative effects on economies and markets, such as increased volatility and illiquidity and potentially lower economic growth in the United Kingdom, EU and globally, which may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments. Whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could result in losses to the Fund, as there may be negative effects on the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments and/or the Fund’s ability to enter into certain transactions.

The Funds may purchase trust preferred securities, also known as “trust preferreds” or “hybrid preferreds,” which are preferred stocks issued by a special purpose trust subsidiary backed by subordinated debt of the corporate parent. An issuer creates trust preferred securities by creating a trust and issuing debt to the trust. The trust in turn issues trust preferred securities. Trust preferred securities are hybrid securities with characteristics of both subordinated debt and preferred stock. Such characteristics include long maturities (typically 30 years or more), early redemption by the issuer, periodic fixed or variable interest payments, and maturities at face value. In addition, trust preferred securities may allow deferral of interest payments for up to five years. However, during the deferral period the interest accrues and is taxable for the holder. Holders of trust preferred securities have limited voting rights to control the activities of the trust and no voting rights with respect to the parent company.

To ensure the availability of suitable securities for their portfolios, the Funds may purchase when-issued or delayed delivery securities. When-issued transactions arise when securities are purchased by the Funds with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the Funds at the time of entering into the transaction. When-issued securities represent securities that have been authorized but not yet issued. The Funds may also purchase securities on a forward commitment or delayed delivery basis. In a forward commitment transaction, the Funds contract to purchase securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time. The Funds are required to hold and maintain until the settlement date, cash or other liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price. Alternatively, the Funds may enter into offsetting contracts for the forward sale of other securities that they own. The purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis involves a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date. Although the Funds would generally purchase securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis with the intention of actually acquiring securities for their portfolios, they may dispose of a when-issued security or forward commitment prior to settlement if the Adviser deems it appropriate to do so.

Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits the Funds to invest in securities on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard settlement cycle, notwithstanding the limitation on the issuance of senior securities in Section 18 of the 1940 Act, provided that a Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision”). A when-issued, forward-settling, or non-standard settlement cycle security that does not satisfy the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision is treated as a derivatives transaction under Rule 18f-4. See “Regulation of Derivatives” above.

difference between the current sales price and the lower forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the “drop”) as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. A “covered roll” is a specific type of dollar roll for which there is an offsetting cash position or a cash equivalent security position which matures on or before the forward settlement date of the dollar roll transaction. The Funds will only enter into covered rolls. Covered rolls are not treated as a borrowing or other senior security.

The Fund can hold limited partnership interests that it acquires from a preexisting bond participation in a reorganization. A limited partnership is a business model in which at least one general partner and at least one limited partner share a business’ ownership. In a limited partnership, the general partner does not usually invest any capital, but has management authority and unlimited liability. That is, the general partner runs the business and, in the event of a bankruptcy, is responsible for all debts not paid or discharged. The limited partners have no management authority and confine their participation to their capital investment. Limited partners invest a certain amount of money and have nothing else to do with the business. The liability of limited partners is limited to the amount of the investment. In the worst case scenario for a limited partner, he or she loses what he or she invested. Profits are divided between general and limited partners according to an arrangement formed at the creation of the partnership.

Credit Default Swaps. Each Fund may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may have as a reference obligation one or more securities that are not currently held by a Fund. The buyer in a credit default swap agreement is obligated to pay the seller a periodic fee, typically expressed in basis points on the principal amount of the underlying obligation (the “notional” amount), over the term of the agreement in return for a contingent payment upon the occurrence of a credit event with respect to the underlying reference obligation. A credit event is typically a default, restructuring or bankruptcy.

Each Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. As a seller, the Fund receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the agreement, which typically is between one month and five years, provided that no credit event occurs. If a credit event occurs, the Fund typically must pay the contingent payment to the buyer, which is typically the par value (full notional value) of the reference obligation. The contingent payment may be a cash settlement or by physical delivery of the reference obligation in return for payment of the face amount of the obligation. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may lose its investment and recover nothing. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer typically receives full notional value for a reference obligation that may have little or no value.

Credit default swaps may involve greater risks than if a Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly. Credit default swaps are subject to general market risk, liquidity risk and credit risk. If the Fund is a buyer in a credit default swap agreement and no credit event occurs, then it will lose its investment. In addition, the value of the reference obligation received by the Fund as a seller if a credit event occurs, coupled with the periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Fund.

Each Fund may also invest in credit default swap index products and in options on credit default swap index products. The individual credits underlying these credit default swap indices may be rated above BBB- and/or Baa3 or below BBB- and/or Baa3. These instruments are designed to track representative segments of the credit default swap market and provide investors with exposure to specific “baskets” of issuers of bonds or loans. Such investments are subject to liquidity risks as well as other risks associated with investments in credit default swaps discussed above. The Funds reserve the right to invest in similar instruments that may become available in the future.

Investments in high yield securities (i.e., less than investment grade), while providing greater income and opportunity for gain than investments in higher-rated securities, entail relatively greater risk of loss of income or principal. Lower-grade obligations are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” Market prices of high-yield, lower-grade obligations may fluctuate more than market prices of higher-rated securities. Lower grade, fixed income securities tend to reflect short-term corporate and market developments to a greater extent than higher-rated obligations which, assuming no change in their fundamental quality, react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates.

The high yield market at times is subject to substantial volatility. An economic downturn or increase in interest rates may have a more significant effect on high yield securities and their markets, as well as on the ability of a security’s issuer to repay principal and interest. 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. 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 security owned by a 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 the market prices of high yield securities and a Fund’s NAV per share. 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 market prices are affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes and therefore tend to be more volatile than the 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 a Fund to accurately value high yield securities or dispose of them. To the extent a 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. A 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, a 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 Adviser monitors the issuers of 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 security’s liquidity so the Funds can meet redemption requests. To the extent that a Fund has investments in high yield securities, the achievement of its investment objective may be more dependent on the Adviser’s credit analysis than would be the case for higher quality bonds. The Funds may retain a portfolio security whose rating has been changed.

The MBS Bond Fund may purchase MBS in the TBA Market. Most Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae MBS are eligible to be sold in the TBA market. The TBA market allows mortgage lenders to sell the loans they intend to fund before the loans are closed. A TBA trade represents a contract for purchase or sale of MBS to be delivered at a future agreed-upon date. In the TBA market, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae MBS are traded on a forward or delayed delivery basis with settlement up to 180 days later. The Fund records the transaction when it agrees to buy the securities and continually reflects their value in determining the price of its shares.

The parties to TBA contracts will agree on the type of MBS, the type of mortgage, coupon or interest rate, the total dollar amount of the MBS, price and settlement date. The purchaser will contract to acquire a specified dollar amount of MBS, which may be satisfied when the seller delivers one or more MBS pools at settlement. Forty-eight hours before settlement, the seller specifies or allocates the identity and number of mortgage pools by the specific pool numbers and CUSIPs to be delivered to satisfy the TBA trade. When a seller in the TBA market sells an MBS before the underlying mortgage is closed, the purchaser bears the risk that commitments for the mortgage loans will not close. The TBA market reduces this risk by pooling MBS together according to similar characteristics that are based on guidelines established by the TBA Market. The seller is able to deliver any mortgage pool that satisfies the TBA trade and meets the TBA market’s delivery requirements. The purchaser assumes the risk that the characteristics of the mortgage-backed security delivered to the purchaser may be less favorable.

TBA-eligible MBS may be traded through generic, stipulated or specified trades. Generic TBA trades are trades that meet the delivery requirement of the TBA market. The Fund trades on a generic basis through the TBA market process. Stipulated TBA trades are trades that meet the TBA delivery requirements which have characteristics that have been requested by the investor. The most common stipulated terms are number of pools that can be delivered, the principal dollar amount variance, maturity year, weighted average loan age of the mortgage loans in the pool, and geographic location of the underlying properties. In generic and stipulated TBA trades, there is no specific security identified at the time the parties enter into the trade. Investors that wish to purchase a particular mortgage pool will engage in a specified trade. The purchaser identifies the actual pool they wish to purchase by pool and CUSIP number.

Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits the Fund to invest in securities on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard settlement cycle, notwithstanding the limitation on the issuance of senior securities in Section 18 of the 1940 Act, provided that the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision”). A when-issued, forward-settling, or non-standard settlement cycle security that does not satisfy the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision is treated as a derivatives transaction under Rule 18f-4. See “Regulation of Derivatives” above.

TBA market participants trade TBA pools using “dollar rolls” as their financing vehicles. Dollar rolls are a form of collateralized short-term financing where the collateral consists of mortgage securities and performs a function analogous to a reverse repurchase agreement. Unlike a reverse repurchase agreement, which requires redelivery of exactly the same securities, a dollar roll is a simultaneous purchase and sale of substantially similar TBA securities for different settlement dates. The dealer (purchaser), who is said to “roll in” the securities received, is not required to deliver the identical securities, only securities that meet the TBA market’s good delivery guidelines (which establishes standard notification and settlement dates for TBA securities). The investor may assume some risk because the characteristics of the MBS delivered to the investor may be less favorable than the MBS the investor delivered to the dealer. Because the dealer is not obligated to return the identical MBS collateral that the investor has delivered, both parties usually transact the dollar roll with generic Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae MBS pools that have the same or less value than the average TBA-eligible security.

A dollar roll transaction transfers prepayment risk to the dealer. Dollar rolls offer the dealer a convenient way to obtain promised mortgage securities, avoiding much of the cost of failing to make timely delivery. The dealer is willing to pay up to the cost of failure to deliver for the short-term opportunity to borrow or purchase securities required to meet a delivery commitment. For this reason most dollar rolls are transacted close to the monthly settlement date for MBS.

market interest rate effective for the period of time during which the Fund’s money is invested in the Resold Securities. The majority of these transactions run from day to day, and the delivery pursuant to the resale typically will occur within one to five days of the purchase. A Fund’s risk is limited to the ability of the vendor to pay the agreed-upon sum upon the delivery date; in the event of bankruptcy or other default by the vendor, there may be possible delays and expenses in liquidating the instrument purchased, decline in its value and loss of interest. These risks are minimized when a Fund holds a perfected security interest in the Resold Securities and can therefore resell the instrument promptly. Repurchase agreements can be considered as loans “collateralized” by the Resold Securities, such agreements being defined as “loans” in the 1940 Act. The return on such “collateral” may be more or less than that from the repurchase agreement. The Resold Securities will be marked to market every business day so that the value of the “collateral” is at least equal to the value of the loan, including the accrued interest earned thereon. All Resold Securities will be held by the Funds’ custodian or another bank either directly or through a securities depository.

The Funds and their service providers are susceptible to cyber security risks that include, among other things, theft, unauthorized monitoring, release, misuse, loss, destruction or corruption of confidential and highly restricted data; denial of service attacks; unauthorized access to relevant systems, compromises to networks or devices that the Funds and their service providers use to service the Funds’ operations; or operational disruption or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Funds and their service providers. Cyber attacks against or security breakdowns of the Funds or their service providers may adversely impact the Funds and their shareholders, potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses; the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Funds to process transactions; inability to calculate a Fund’s NAV; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs; and/or additional compliance costs. The Funds may incur additional costs for cyber security risk management and remediation purposes. In addition, cyber security risks may also impact issuers of securities in which the Funds invest, which may cause a Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Funds or their service providers will not suffer losses relating to cyber attacks or other information security breaches in the future.

The portfolio turnover of the Funds may vary significantly from year to year. The Funds’ annual portfolio turnover rate may exceed 100%. High portfolio turnover (100% or more) would result in the Funds incurring more transaction costs such as mark-ups or mark-downs. Payment of these transaction costs could reduce the Funds’ total return. High portfolio turnover could also result in the payment by the Funds’ shareholders of increased taxes on realized gains. The Funds’ portfolio turnover rates for the fiscal years shown below were as follows:

Each Fund with respect to 75% of its total assets may not purchase any security, other than U.S. government securities, if as a result (a) more than 5% of such Fund’s total assets (taken at current value) would then be invested in securities of a single issuer; or (b) it would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer; provided, however, that 25% of the total assets of the Fund may be invested without regard to this restriction.

The Trust has adopted the following restrictions applicable to the Funds as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a “majority,” as defined in the 1940 Act, of the shares of the Fund as to which the policy change is being sought. Under the 1940 Act, approval of the holders of a “majority” of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities means the affirmative vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of its shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of its outstanding shares.

The overall management of the business and affairs of the Trust is vested 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 Adviser, Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent (each as defined herein). The day-to-day operations of the Trust are delegated to its officers, subject to the Funds’ investment objectives, strategies, and policies and to general supervision by the Board.

Name, Address
and Age

Position Held with the Trust

Term of Office and Length of Time Served*

Principal Occupation
During Past Five Years

Number of Portfolios

in Fund Complex

Overseen by Trustee(2)

Other Directorships Held During Past Five Years(3)

David G. Mertens
(1960)
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Chair of the Board

Trustee

Indefinite term; since October 2023.

Indefinite term; since March 2017.

Partner and Head of Business Development, QSV Equity Investors, LLC, (formerly known as Ballast Equity Management, LLC) (a privately-held investment advisory firm) (February 2019 to present); Managing Director and Vice President, Jensen Investment Management, Inc. (a privately-held investment advisory firm) (2002 to 2017).

Trustee, Advisors Series Trust (for series not affiliated with the Funds).

Joe D. Redwine
(1947)
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Trustee

Indefinite term; since September 2008.

Retired; formerly Manager, President, CEO, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, and its predecessors, (May 1991 to July 2017).

Trustee, Advisors Series Trust (for series not affiliated with the Funds).

Michele Rackey
(1959)
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Trustee

Indefinite term; since January 2023.

Chief Executive Officer, Government Employees Benefit Association (GEBA) (benefits and wealth management organization) (2004 to 2020); Board Member, Association Business Services Inc. (ABSI) (for-profit subsidiary of the American Society of Association Executives) (2019 to 2020).

Trustee, Advisors Series Trust (for series not affiliated with the Funds).


Officers
Name, Address and Age	Position Held with the Trust	Term of Office and Length of Time Served	Principal Occupation During Past Five Years
Jeffrey T. Rauman (1969) 615 E. Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202	President, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer	Indefinite term; since December 2018.	Senior Vice President, Compliance and Administration, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (February 1996 to present).
Kevin J. Hayden (1971) 615 E. Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202	Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer	Indefinite term; since January 2023.	Vice President, Compliance and Administration, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (June 2005 to present).
Cheryl L. King (1961) 615 E. Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202	Assistant Treasurer	Indefinite term; since January 2023.	Vice President, Compliance and Administration, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (October 1998 to present).
Richard R. Conner (1982) 615 E. Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202	Assistant Treasurer	Indefinite term; since December 2018.	Assistant Vice President, Compliance and Administration, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (July 2010 to present).
Joseph R. Kolinsky (1970) 2020 E. Financial Way, Suite 100 Glendora, CA 91741	Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and AML Officer	Indefinite term; since July 2023.	Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (May 2023 to present); Chief Compliance Officer, Chandler Asset Management, Inc. (2020 to 2022); Director, Corporate Compliance, Pacific Life Insurance Company (2018 to 2019).
Lillian A. Kabakali (1980) 2020 E. Financial Way, Suite 100 Glendora, CA 91741	Vice President and Secretary	Indefinite term; since March 2024.	Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (April 2023 to present); Vice President, Compliance, Guggenheim Partners Investment Management Holdings, LLC (April 2019 to April 2023); Senior Associate, Compliance, Guggenheim Partners Investment Management Holdings, LLC (January 2018 to April 2019).
Elaine E. Richards (1968) 2020 E. Financial Way, Suite 100 Glendora, CA 91741	Assistant Secretary	Indefinite term; since March 2024.	Senior Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (July 2007 to present).

* The Trustees have designated a mandatory retirement age of 75, such that each Trustee, serving as such on the date he or she reaches the age of 75, shall submit his or her resignation not later than the last day of the calendar year in which his or her 75th birthday occurs (“Retiring Trustee”). Upon request, the Board may, by vote of a majority of the Trustees eligible to vote on such matter, determine whether or not to extend such Retiring Trustee’s term and on the length of a one-time extension of up to three additional years. At a meeting held December 7-8, 2022, by vote of the majority of the Trustees (not including Mr. Redwine), Mr. Redwine’s term as Trustee was extended for three additional years to expire on December 31, 2025.

(2)As of November 30, 2023, the Trust was comprised of 34 active portfolios managed by unaffiliated investment advisers. The term “Fund Complex” applies only to the Funds, the PIA High Yield Fund, the PIA Short-Term Securities Fund and the PIA Short Duration Bond Fund (collectively, the “PIA Funds”) and not any other series of the Trust. The Funds do not hold themselves out as related to any other series within the Trust for investment purposes, nor do they share the same investment adviser with any other series.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Independent Trustees each receive an annual retainer of $108,500 per year allocated among each of the various portfolios comprising the Trust, an additional $6,000 per regularly scheduled Board meeting, and an additional $500 per special meeting, paid by the Trust or applicable advisors/portfolios, as well as reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board meetings. Prior to January 1, 2024, the annual retainer was $102,500. The Trust Chair, Chair of the Audit Committee, and Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee each receive a separate annual fee of $10,000, $5,000, and $3,000, respectively, provided that the separate fee for the Chair of the Audit Committee will be waived if the same individual serves as both Trust Chair and Audit Committee Chair. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan. No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation to the Trustees. Set forth below is the compensation received by the Independent Trustees from the Fund for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2023.


	Aggregate Compensation from the BBB Bond Fund	Aggregate Compensation from the MBS Bond Fund	Aggregate Compensation from the High Yield (MACS) Fund	Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Funds Expenses	Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement	Total Compensation from Funds Complex Paid to Trustees(1)

Independent Trustee
David G. Mertens	$3,916	$3,916	$3,916	None	None	$19,580
Raymond B. Woolson(2)	$3,765	$3,765	$3,765	None	None	$18,825
Joe D. Redwine	$3,974	$3,974	$3,974	None	None	$19,870
Michele Rackey	$3,653	$3,653	$3,653	None	None	$18,265

The Board provides oversight of the management and operations of the Trust. Like all mutual funds, the day-to-day responsibility for the management and operations of the Trust is the responsibility of various service providers to the Trust, such as the Trust’s investment advisers, distributor, administrator, custodian, and transfer agent, each of whom are discussed in greater detail in this SAI. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Trust and its service providers, including the agreements with the investment advisers, distributor, administrator, custodian and transfer agent. The Board has appointed various senior individuals of certain of these service providers as officers of the Trust, with responsibility to monitor and report to the Board on the Trust’s day-to-day operations. In conducting this oversight, the Board receives regular reports from these officers and service providers regarding the Trust’s operations. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) who administers the Trust’s compliance program and regularly reports to the Board as to compliance matters. Some of these reports are provided as part of formal “Board Meetings” which are typically held quarterly, in person, and involve the Board’s review of recent Trust operations. From time to time one or more members of the Board may also meet with Trust officers in less formal settings, between formal “Board Meetings,” to discuss various topics. In all cases, however, the role of the Board and of any individual Trustee is one of oversight and not of management of the day-to-day affairs of the Trust and its oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Trust’s investments, operations or activities.

The President, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer of the Trust is not a Trustee, but rather is a senior employee of the Administrator who routinely interacts with the unaffiliated investment advisers of the Trust and comprehensively manages the operational aspects of the Funds in the Trust. The Trust has appointed David Mertens, an Independent Trustee, as Chair of the Board, and he acts as a liaison with the Trust’s service providers, officers, legal counsel, and other Trustees between meetings, helps to set Board meeting agendas, and serves as Chair during executive sessions of the Independent Trustees.

The Board reviews its structure annually. The Trust has determined that it is appropriate to separate the Principal Executive Officer and Board Chair positions because the day-to day responsibilities of the Principal Executive Officer are not consistent with the oversight role of the Trustees and because of the potential conflict of interest that may arise from the Administrator’s duties with the Trust. Given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust as described above, the Trust has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate.

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 Governance and Nominating Committee meets regularly with the CCO to discuss compliance and operational risks and the Audit Committee meets with the Treasurer and the Trust’s independent public accounting firm to discuss, among other things, the internal control structure of the Trust’s financial reporting function. The full Board receives reports from the Adviser and portfolio managers as to investment risks as well as other risks that may be also discussed in Audit Committee.

The Board believes that each of the Trustees has the qualifications, experience, attributes and skills (“Trustee Attributes”) appropriate to their continued service as Trustees of the Trust in light of the Trust’s business and structure. Each of the Trustees has substantial business and professional backgrounds that indicate they have the ability to critically review, evaluate and access information provided to them. Certain of these business and professional experiences are set forth in detail in the table above. In addition, the majority of the Trustees have served on boards for organizations other than the Trust, as well as having served on the Board of the Trust for a number of years. They therefore have substantial board experience and, in their service to the Trust, have gained substantial insight as to the operation of the Trust. The Board annually conducts a ‘self-assessment’ wherein the effectiveness of the Board and individual Trustees is reviewed.

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 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.

Development of QSV Equity Investors, LLC, (formerly known as Ballast Equity Management, LLC), a privately-held investment advisory firm. Mr. Mertens also gained substantial mutual fund experience through his tenure as Managing Director and Vice President of Jensen Investment Management, Inc. (“Jensen”) from 2002 to 2017. Prior to Jensen, Mr. Mertens held various roles in sales and marketing management with Berger Financial Group, LLC from 1995 to 2002, ending as Senior Vice President of Institutional Marketing for Berger Financial Group and President of its limited purpose broker-dealer, Berger Distributors.

Joe D. Redwine. Mr. Redwine has substantial mutual fund experience and is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his experience as President and CEO of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, (now known as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services), a full-service provider to mutual funds and alternative investment products. In addition, he has extensive experience consulting with investment advisers regarding the legal structure of mutual funds, distribution channel analysis and actual distribution of those funds. Mr. Redwine serves as an Audit Committee Financial Expert for the Trust.

Michele Rackey. Ms. Rackey has substantial experience in mutual funds and investment management through her experience as CEO of Government Employees Benefits Association (GEBA) and also with The ARK Funds. Ms. Rackey is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters and serves as an Audit Committee Financial Expert for the Trust. Ms. Rackey was CEO of GEBA for 17 years and Chief Operating Officer of the ARK Funds for 9 years. Ms. Rackey has a BS in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management in Chicago. Ms. Rackey previously held FINRA series 6, 7 and 63 licenses as well as a Maryland Life and Health License.

The Trust has established the following three standing committees and the membership of each committee to assist in its oversight functions, including its oversight of the risks the Trust faces: the Audit Committee, the QLCC, and the Nominating and Governance Committee. There is no assurance, however, that the Board’s committee structure will prevent or mitigate risks in actual practice. The Trust’s committee structure is specifically not intended or designed to prevent or mitigate each Fund’s investment risks. Each Fund is designed for investors that are prepared to accept investment risk, including the possibility that as yet unforeseen risks may emerge in the future.

The Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Independent Trustees. Mr. Redwine is the Chairman of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee typically meets once per year with respect to the various series of the Trust. The function of the Audit Committee, with respect to each series of the Trust, is to review the scope and results of the audit and any matters bearing on the audit or a Fund’s financial statements and to ensure the integrity of the Fund’s pricing and financial reporting. The Audit Committee met three times with respect to the Funds during the Funds’ fiscal year ended November 30, 2023.

The Audit Committee also serves as the QLCC for the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Rules 205.2(k) and 205.3(c) of the Code of Federal Regulations, regarding alternative reporting procedures for attorneys retained or employed by an issuer who appear and practice before the SEC on behalf of the issuer (the “issuer attorneys”). An issuer attorney who becomes aware of evidence of a material violation by the Trust, or by any officer, director, employee, or agent of the Trust, may report evidence of such material violation to the QLCC as an alternative to the reporting requirements of Rule 205.3(b) (which requires reporting to the chief legal officer and potentially “up the ladder” to other entities). The QLCC did not meet with respect to the Funds during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2023.

The Governance and Nominating Committee is comprised of all, and only of, the Independent Trustees. The Governance and Nominating Committee is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for Trustees as is considered necessary from time to time and meets only as necessary. The Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders for vacancies on the Board. Recommendations for consideration by the Governance and 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 Governance and Nominating Committee meets regularly with respect to the various series of the Trust. The Governance and Nominating Committee is also responsible for, among other things, assisting the Board in its oversight of the Trust’s compliance program under Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act, reviewing and making recommendations regarding Independent Trustee compensation and the Trustees’ annual “self-assessment.” Ms. Rackey is the Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee. The Governance and Nominating Committee met two times with respect to the Trust during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2023.

As of December 31, 2023, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, own securities beneficially or of record in the Adviser, the distributor, as defined below, or an affiliate of the Adviser or distributor. Accordingly, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, have direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $120,000, in the Adviser, 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 Adviser, the distributor or any affiliate thereof was a party.

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. Shareholders with a controlling interest could affect the outcome of voting or the direction of management of a Fund. For control persons only, if a control person is a company, the table also indicates the control person’s parent, if any, and the jurisdiction under the laws of which the control person is organized.

PIA BBB Bond Fund

Name and Address

Parent Company

Jurisdiction

% Ownership

Type of Ownership

Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC

Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer

2801 Market Street

Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

44.01%

Record

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC

1 New York Plaza, Floor 12

New York, NY 10004-1965

N/A

21.10%

Record

National Financial Services LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010

N/A

7.76%

Record

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Special Custody Account for

the Benefit of Customers

211 Main Street

San Francisco, CA 94105-1901

N/A

5.92%

Record

Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza, Floor 14
Jersey City NJ 07399-2052

N/A

5.42%

Record

PIA MBS Bond Fund

Name and Address

Parent Company

Jurisdiction

% Ownership

Type of Ownership

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC

1 New York Plaza, Floor 12

New York, NY 10004-1965

Morgan Stanley

39.70%

Record

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Special Custody Account for

the Benefit of Customers

211 Main Street

San Francisco, CA 94105-1901

N/A

12.48%

Record

Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC

Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer

2801 Market Street

Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523

N/A

11.90%

Record

National Financial Services LLC
499 Washington Boulevard, Floor 4
Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010

N/A

10.42%

Record

Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., located at 2321 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 1260, El Segundo, California, 90245, is the investment adviser to the Funds pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”). Joseph Lloyd McAdams, Jr. and Heather U. Baines collectively control the Adviser due to their ownership of a majority of the outstanding stock of the Adviser. Mr. McAdams is also a portfolio manager of the High Yield (MACS) Fund. Subject to such policies as the Board may determine, the Adviser is ultimately responsible for investment decisions for the Funds. Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides the Funds with such investment advice and supervision as it deems necessary for the proper supervision of the Funds’ investments.

The Advisory Agreement, if not terminated will continue automatically for successive annual periods, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by a majority vote of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval and (ii) by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Funds. The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Funds on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Funds’ shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Board, or by the Adviser on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser under such

The Funds are responsible for their own operating expenses, including: fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance, registration and transfer of its shares; brokerage and commission expenses; all expenses of transfer, receipt, safekeeping, servicing and accounting for the cash, securities and other property of the Trust for the benefit of each Fund including all fees and expenses of its custodian and accounting services agent; fund administration fees and related expenses; chief compliance officer fees; interest charges on any borrowings; costs and expenses of pricing and calculating its daily NAV per share and of maintaining its books of account required under the 1940 Act, including pricing services; taxes, if any; a pro rata portion of expenditures in connection with meetings of the Funds’ shareholders and the Board that are properly payable by the Funds; compensation and fees and expenses of members of the Board who are not members of, affiliated with or interested persons of the Adviser or Administrator; insurance premiums on property or personnel of the Funds which inure to their benefit, including liability and fidelity bond insurance; the cost of preparing and printing reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and the statement of additional information of the Funds or other communications for distribution to existing shareholders; legal counsel, auditing and accounting fees; trade association membership dues (including membership dues in the Investment Company Institute allocable to the Funds); fees and expenses (including legal fees) of registering and maintaining registration of its shares for sale under federal and applicable state and foreign securities laws; all expenses of maintaining shareholder accounts, including all charges for transfer, shareholder recordkeeping, dividend disbursing, redemption, and other agents for the benefit of the Funds, if any; and all other charges and costs of their operation plus any extraordinary and non-recurring expenses. General expenses of the Trust are allocated among all of the series of the Trust, including the Funds, in a manner proportionate to the net assets of each Fund, on a transactional basis, or on such other basis as the Board deems equitable.

The Adviser has temporarily agreed to pay each Fund’s expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses (“AFFE”)), through at least March 29, 2025, to the extent necessary to ensure that the Funds’ expenses do not exceed 0.19%, 0.28%, and 0.25%, respectively, for the BBB Bond Fund, MBS Bond Fund and High Yield (MACS) Fund. The Adviser may not recoup expense payments under the temporary expense limitations in future periods. Expense payment obligations are calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate expressed as a percentage of each Fund’s average daily net assets.

Mr. Rory Hargaden and Ms. Hsin Tong serve as the portfolio managers for the BBB Bond Fund. Mr. Austin Rutledge and Ms. Tong serve as the portfolio managers for the MBS Bond Fund. Mr. Lloyd McAdams and Mr. Michael Yean serve as the portfolio managers for the High Yield (MACS) Fund. The portfolio managers are responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund’s portfolio. The following table shows the number of other accounts (not including the Funds) managed by the portfolio managers and the total assets in the accounts managed within various categories as of November 30, 2023.

Material Conflict of Interest. No material strategy conflicts currently exist. When the same securities are being bought or sold on the same day by a portfolio manager, the portfolio manager allocates the transaction on a pro rata basis as long as it is in the best interests of the clients. Where conflicts of interest arise between the Funds and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, the portfolio manager will proceed in a manner that ensures that the Funds will not be treated materially less favorably. There may be instances where similar portfolio transactions may be executed for the same security for numerous accounts managed by each portfolio management team. In such instances, securities will be allocated in accordance with the Adviser’s trade allocation policy.

Pursuant to an Administration Agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business at U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, acts as administrator for the Funds. Fund Services provides certain administrative services to the Funds, including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Funds’ 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 Funds 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; and arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Funds, and providing, at its own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out its duties. In this capacity, Fund Services does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Funds, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares. Additionally, Fund Services provides CCO services to the Trust under a separate agreement. The cost for the CCO services is charged to the Funds and approved by the Board annually.

The Administration Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Funds or by the Administrator on 60 days’ written notice (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Administration Agreement also provides that neither Fund Services nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act or omission in the administration of the Funds, except for willful misconduct, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its or their duties under the Administration Agreement.

The Distribution Agreement 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 Funds’ 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 Funds on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Funds’ shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of

In addition to the fees that the Funds may pay to the Transfer Agent, the Board has authorized the Funds to pay service fees, at the annual rate of up to 0.15% of applicable average net assets or $20 per account, to intermediaries such as banks, broker-dealers, financial advisers or other financial institutions, for sub-administration, sub-transfer agency, recordkeeping (collectively, “sub-accounting services”) and other shareholder services associated with shareholders whose shares are held of record in omnibus, networked, or other group accounts or accounts traded through registered securities clearing agents. Any sub-accounting fees paid by the Fund are included in the total amount of “Other Expenses” listed in the Fund’s Fees and Expenses table in the Prospectus.

U.S. Bank National Association, located at 1555 North RiverCenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, acts as custodian (“Custodian”) of the securities and other assets of the Funds. The Custodian holds the Funds’ 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 Transfer Agent do not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of securities by the Funds. The Custodian, Transfer Agent and Administrator are all affiliated entities under the common control of U.S. Bancorp. The Custodian and its affiliates may participate in revenue sharing arrangements with service providers of mutual funds in which the Funds may invest.

Purchases of portfolio securities for the Funds also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters. Where possible, purchase and sale transactions will be effected through dealers (including banks) that specialize in the types of securities which the Funds 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

In placing portfolio transactions, the Adviser 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 and the firm’s risk in positioning a block of securities. 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, as it is defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and statistical information to the Adviser that they may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment advisory capacities, as well as provide other services in addition to execution services. The Adviser considers such information, which is in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its Advisory Agreement with the Funds, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable value. Portfolio transactions may be placed with broker-dealers who sell shares of the Funds subject to policies developed by the Board and to rules adopted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and the SEC. The Adviser is also a registered broker-dealer and may place portfolio transactions for the Funds with its own registered representatives.

While it is the Adviser’s general policy to seek best execution in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Funds, when it is determined that one or more broker-dealers can deliver best execution, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services to the Funds or to the Adviser, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Funds and may be useful to the Adviser in advising other clients. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Funds may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight was 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 Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer. The standard of reasonableness is to be measured in light of the Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Funds. Additionally, the Adviser may direct transactions to a broker-dealer with which it has an affiliation.

Investment decisions for the Funds are made independently from those of other client accounts that may be managed or advised by the Adviser. Nevertheless, it is possible that at times identical securities will be acceptable for both the Funds and one or more of such client accounts. In such event, the position of the Funds and such client accounts 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 seeks to acquire the same security as the Funds at the same time, the Funds 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 Funds 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 simultaneously purchases or sells the same security that the Funds are purchasing or selling, each day’s transactions in such security will be allocated between the Funds and all such client accounts in a manner deemed equitable by the Adviser, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount being purchased or sold. 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 Funds are concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the ability of the Funds to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions for the Funds.

The Adviser and the Funds maintain 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 a Fund. These portfolio holdings disclosure policies have been approved by the Board. Disclosure of a Fund’s complete holdings is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter in the annual report and semi-annual report to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Part F of Form N-PORT. These reports are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

The CCO 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 Funds and their shareholders and if no material conflict of interest exists regarding such disclosure between shareholders interest and those of the Adviser, Distributor or any affiliated person of the Funds. No consideration may be received by the Funds, the Adviser, any affiliate of the Adviser 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.

The Board exercises continuing oversight of the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings by (1) overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the Policies, Codes of Ethics and other relevant policies of the Funds and their service providers by the Trust’s CCO, (2) considering reports and recommendations by the Trust’s CCO concerning any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act), and (3) considering approval of any amendment to these Disclosure Policies. The Board reserves the right to amend the Disclosure Policies at any time without prior notice in their sole discretion.

In addition, material non-public holdings information may be provided without lag as part of the normal investment activities of the Funds to each of the following entities which, by explicit agreement or by virtue of their respective duties to the Funds, are required to maintain the confidentiality of the information disclosed: Fund Administrator, Fund Accountant, Custodian, Transfer Agent, auditors, counsel to the Funds or the trustees, broker-dealers (in connection with the purchase or sale of securities or requests for price quotations or bids on one or more securities), and regulatory authorities. Portfolio holdings information not publicly available with the SEC or through the Funds’ website may only be provided to additional third parties, in accordance with the Policies, when the Funds have a legitimate business purpose and the third-party recipient is subject to a confidentiality agreement.

The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Proxy Policies”) on behalf of the Trust which delegate the responsibility for voting proxies to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. The Proxy Policies require that the Adviser vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders. The Proxy Policies also require the Adviser to present to the Board, at least annually, the Adviser’s Proxy Policies and a record of each proxy voted by the Adviser on behalf of a Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest. A copy of the Adviser’s Proxy Voting Policy can be found in the Appendix.

Support Payments. Payments may be made by the Adviser to certain financial intermediaries in connection with the eligibility of the Funds to be offered in certain programs and/or in connection with meetings between the Funds’ representatives and financial intermediaries and their sales representatives. Such meetings may be held for various purposes, including providing education and training about the Funds and other general financial topics to assist financial intermediaries’ sales representatives in making informed recommendations to, and decisions on behalf of, their clients.

Entertainment, Conferences and Events. The Adviser also may pay cash or non-cash compensation to sales representatives of financial intermediaries in the form of (i) occasional gifts; (ii) occasional meals, tickets or other entertainments; and/or (iii) sponsorship support for the Financial Intermediary’s client seminars and cooperative advertising. In addition, the Adviser pays for exhibit space or sponsorships at regional or national events of financial intermediaries.

The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of additional payments or other compensation as described above by financial intermediaries may provide such intermediaries and/or their salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Funds, and other mutual funds whose affiliates make similar compensation available, over sale of shares of mutual funds (or non-mutual fund investments) not making such payments. You may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to the Fund shares.

The NAV per share of the Funds will be determined as of the close of regular trading (generally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open for business. The NYSE is open for trading Monday through Friday except New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Additionally, if any of the aforementioned holidays falls on a Saturday, the NYSE will not be open for trading on the preceding Friday and when any such holiday falls on a Sunday, the NYSE will not be open for trading on the succeeding Monday, unless unusual business conditions exist, such as the ending of a monthly or the yearly accounting period. Each Fund reserves the right to close if the primary trading markets of a Fund’s portfolio instruments are closed and the Fund’s management believes that there is not an adequate market to meet purchase, redemption or exchange requests. On any business day when the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the securities markets close trading early, the Funds may close trading early.

In determining the NAV per share of a Fund’s shares, common stocks that are listed on national securities exchanges are valued at the last sale price as of the close of trading, or, in the absence of recorded sales, at the average of readily available closing bid and asked prices on such exchanges. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (“Nasdaq”) Global Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the Nasdaq Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has been no sale on such day, at the mean between the bid and asked prices. Unlisted securities held by a Fund that are not included in the Nasdaq Stock Market are valued at

Debt securities are valued on the basis of valuations provided by independent third-party pricing services, approved by the Adviser, or at fair value as determined in good faith by procedures approved by the Adviser. Any such pricing service, in determining value, will use information with respect to transactions in the securities being valued, quotations from dealers, market transactions in comparable securities, analyses and evaluations of various relationships between securities and yield to maturity information.

An option that is written by the Funds or purchased by the Funds is generally valued using composite pricing. Composite pricing uses the National Best Bid and Offer quotes (“NBBO”). NBBO consists of the highest bid price and lowest ask price across any of the options exchanges on which an option is quoted. Specifically, composite pricing looks at the last trades on the exchanges where the options are traded. If there are no trades for the option on a given business day, as of closing, composite option pricing calculates the mean of the highest bid price and lowest ask price across the exchanges where the option is traded.

When a Fund writes a call or a put, an amount equal to the premium received is included in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset, and an equivalent amount is included in the liability section. This amount is “marked-to-market” to reflect the current market value of the call or put. If a call a Fund wrote is exercised, the proceeds it receives on the sale of the related investment by it are increased by the amount of the premium it received. If a put a Fund wrote is exercised, the amount it pays to purchase the related investment is decreased by the amount of the premium received. If a call a Fund purchased is exercised by it, the amount it pays to purchase the related investment is increased by the amount of the premium it paid. If a put a Fund purchased is exercised by it, the amount it receives on its sale of the related investment is reduced by the amount of the premium it paid. If a call or put written by a Fund expires, it has a gain in the amount of the premium; if a Fund enters into a closing transaction, it will have a gain or loss depending on whether the premium was more or less than the cost of the closing transaction.

U.S. government securities are normally valued using a model that incorporates market observable data such as reported sales of similar securities, broker quotes, yields, bids, offers, and reference data. Certain securities are valued principally using dealer quotations. U.S. government agency securities are comprised of two main categories consisting of agency issued debt and mortgage pass-throughs. Agency issued debt securities are generally valued in a manner similar to U.S. government securities. Mortgage pass-throughs include to-be-announced (TBAs”) securities and mortgage pass-through certificates. TBA securities and mortgage pass-throughs are generally valued using dealer quotations. Short-term debt securities, including those securities having a maturity of 60 days or less, are valued at the evaluated mean between the bid and asked prices.

The Funds price foreign securities in terms of U.S. dollars at the official exchange rate. Alternatively, they may price these securities at the average of the current bid and asked price of such currencies against the dollar last quoted by a major bank that is a regular participant in the foreign exchange market, or on the basis of a pricing service that takes into account the quotes provided by a number of such major banks. If the Funds do not have either of these alternatives available to them or the alternatives do not provide a suitable method for converting a foreign currency into U.S. dollars, the Adviser in good faith will establish a conversion rate for such currency.

Foreign securities trading may not take place on all days when the NYSE is open, or may take place on Saturdays and other days when the NYSE is not open and a Fund’s NAV per share is not calculated. When determining NAV per share, the Fund values foreign securities primarily listed and/or traded in foreign markets at their market value as of the close of the last primary market where the securities traded. Securities trading in European countries and Pacific Rim countries are normally completed well before 4:00 P.M., Eastern Time. It is currently the policy of a Fund that events affecting the valuation of Fund securities occurring between the time its NAV per share is determined and the close of the NYSE, if material, may be reflected in such NAV per share.

Automatic Investment Plan. A shareholder who wishes to make additional investments in the Fund on a regular basis may do so by authorizing the Transfer Agent to deduct a fixed amount each month from the shareholder’s checking or savings account at his or her bank. This amount will automatically be invested in the Fund on the same day that the preauthorized debit is issued. The shareholder will receive a confirmation from the Fund, and the bank account statement will show the amount charged. In order to participate in the Automatic Investment Plan, please complete this section of the Account Application or contact the Transfer Agent for the form necessary to begin this service. The form necessary to begin this service is available from the Transfer Agent.

The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “AML Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). In order to ensure compliance with this law, the AML Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the AML Program.

Procedures to implement the AML Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, checking shareholder names against designated government lists, including Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), and a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications. The Funds will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

Each Fund has elected to be treated and intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The discussion that follows is not intended to be a complete discussion of present or proposed federal income tax laws and the effect of such laws on an investor. Investors are urged to consult with their tax advisers for a complete review of the tax consequences of an investment in the Funds.

If a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code in any fiscal year, it will be treated as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes. As such, that Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Distributions to shareholders, whether from that Fund’s net investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of that Fund.

The Funds' policy is to distribute to its shareholders all of its net investment income 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 a Fund will not be subject to any federal income or excise taxes. The Funds can give no assurances that distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all taxes. To avoid the non-deductible excise tax, a Fund must distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year (i) at least 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) at least 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 amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which no federal income tax was paid by a Fund. If, as expected, a Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company, dividends from a Fund’s net investment income, including short-term capital gains, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, while distributions of net capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gains regardless of the shareholder’s holding period for the shares. Such dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Since all or substantially all of the income of each Fund is derived from interest payments to it, none of the dividends of the Fund are

In order to qualify as a regulated investment company, a Fund must, among other things, derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to loans of stock and securities, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities, foreign currency gains related to investments in stock or securities, or other income (generally including gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in stock, securities or currency, and net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. A Fund also must satisfy the following two asset diversification tests. At the end of each quarter of each taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets must be represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities, with such other securities being limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies), the securities of any two or more issuers (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) that the Fund controls (by owning 20% or more of their outstanding voting stock) and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. A Fund also must distribute each taxable year sufficient dividends to its shareholders to claim a dividends paid deduction equal to at least the sum of 90% of the Fund’s dividends, interest, and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of the Fund’s net tax-exempt interest, if any.

Any dividend or capital gain distribution paid shortly after a purchase of shares of a Fund will have the effect of reducing the NAV per share of such shares by the amount of the dividend or distribution. Furthermore, if the NAV per share of a Fund immediately after a dividend or distribution is less than the cost of such shares to the shareholder, the dividend or distribution will be taxable to the shareholder even though economically it results in a return of capital to him.

Redemptions of shares generally will result in a capital gain or loss for income tax purposes. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the shareholder’s holding period for the shares. However, if a loss is realized on shares held for six months or less, and the investor received a capital gain distribution during that period, then such loss is treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain distribution received.

For taxable years beginning after 2017 and before 2025, non-corporate taxpayers generally may deduct 20% of “qualified business income” derived either directly or through partnerships or S corporations. For this purpose, “qualified business income” generally includes dividends paid by a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) and certain income from publicly traded partnerships. Regulations recently adopted by the United States Treasury allow non-corporate shareholders of a Fund to benefit from the 20% deduction

with respect to net REIT dividends received by the Fund if the Fund meets certain reporting requirements. There is currently no mechanism for a Fund, to the extent that a Fund invests in MLPs, to pass through to non-corporate shareholders the character of income derived from MLP investments so as to allow such shareholders to claim this deduction. It is uncertain whether future legislation or other guidance will enable a Fund to pass through to non-corporate shareholders the ability to claim this deduction.

The Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act pursuant to which the Funds may effect a purchase and sale transaction with an affiliated person of the Funds (or an affiliated person of such an affiliated person) in which the Funds issue their shares in exchange for cash payments. For purposes of determining the number of shares to be issued, the securities involved in the exchange will be valued in accordance with Rule 17a-7. Certain of the transactions may be tax-free with the result that the Funds acquire unrealized appreciation. Most Rule 17a-7 transactions will not be tax-free.

If a call option written by a Fund expires, the amount of the premium received by the Fund for the option will be short-term capital gain. If a Fund enters into a closing transaction with respect to the option, any gain or loss realized by a Fund as a result of the transaction will be short-term capital gain or loss. If the holder of a call option exercises the holder’s right under the option, any gain or loss realized by the Fund upon the sale of the underlying security or futures contract pursuant to such exercise will be short-term or long-term capital gain or loss to the Fund depending on the Fund’s holding period for the underlying security or futures contract, and the amount of the premium received will be added to the proceeds of sale for purposes of determining the amount of the capital gain or loss.

Gains and losses resulting from the expiration, exercise or closing of futures contracts will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 60% thereof and short-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 40% thereof (hereinafter “blended gain or loss”) for determining the character of distributions. In addition, futures contracts held by a Fund on the last day of a fiscal year will be treated as sold for market value (“marked to market”) on that date, and gain or loss recognized as a result of such deemed sale will be blended gain or loss. The realized gain or loss on the ultimate disposition of the futures contract will be increased or decreased to take into consideration the prior marked to market gains and losses.

Each Fund may acquire put options. Under the Code, put options on securities are taxed similar to short sales. If a Fund owns the underlying security or acquires the underlying security before closing the option position, the option position may be subject to certain modified short sale rules. If a Fund exercises or allows a put option to expire, the Fund will be considered to have closed a short sale. A Fund will generally have a short-term gain or loss on the closing of an option position. The determination of the length of the holding period is dependent on the holding period of the security used to exercise that put option. If a Fund sells the put option without exercising it, its holding period will be the holding period of the option.

The BBB Bond Fund and the High Yield (MACS) Fund may be subject to foreign taxes on income and gains derived from their investments outside the U.S. Such taxes would reduce the return on a Fund’s investments. Tax treaties between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may elect, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat any foreign country income or withholding taxes paid by the Fund that can be treated as income taxes under U.S. income tax principles as paid by its shareholders subject to certain exceptions for qualified fund of funds structures. For any year that a Fund makes such an election, each of its shareholders will be required to include in his income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his allocable share of such taxes paid by the Fund and will be entitled, subject to certain limitations, to credit his portion of these foreign taxes against his U.S. federal income tax due, if any, or to deduct it (as an itemized deduction) from his U.S. taxable income, if any. Generally, credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder’s U.S. tax attributable to his foreign source taxable income.

If the pass through election described above is made, the source of a Fund’s income flows through to its shareholders. Certain gains from the sale of securities and currency fluctuations will not be treated as foreign source taxable income. In addition, this foreign tax credit limitation must be applied separately to certain categories of foreign source income, one of which is foreign source “passive income.” For this purpose, foreign “passive income” includes dividends, interest, capital gains and certain foreign currency gains. As a consequence, certain shareholders may not be able to claim a foreign tax credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign tax paid by a Fund.

Foreign shareholders, including shareholders who are nonresident alien individuals, may be subject to U.S. withholding tax on certain distributions at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as may be prescribed by any applicable treaty. In addition, if the requirements of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) are not met, the United States may impose a 30% U.S. withholding tax on certain foreign financial institutions and other foreign entities with respect to ordinary income distributions on shares of the Funds. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this legislation as well as the other U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of an investment in shares.

Federal law requires the Funds to withhold from a non-corporate shareholder’s reportable payments (which include dividends, capital gains distributions and redemption proceeds) an amount as backup withholding determined at a rate as set forth in Section 3406 of the Code, for shareholders who have not properly certified that the social security or other taxpayer identification number they provide is correct and that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or if such shareholder or the Internal Revenue Service notifies the Funds that backup withholding is required. Backup withholding is not an

The foregoing discussion relates only to federal income tax law applicable to U.S. persons (i.e., U.S. citizens and residents and U.S. domestic corporations, estates, the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source, and trusts that (1) are subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) have a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person). Distributions by a Fund also may be subject to state and local taxes, and the treatment of distributions under state and local income tax laws may differ from the federal income tax treatment. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors with respect to particular questions of federal, state and local taxation. Shareholders who are not U.S. persons should consult their tax advisors regarding U.S. and foreign tax consequences of ownership of shares of a Fund, including the likelihood that distributions to them would be subject to withholding of U.S. tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate under a tax treaty if one applies).

The Declaration of Trust permits the Board to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest and to divide or combine the shares into a greater or lesser number of shares without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in the Funds. Each share represents an interest in the Fund proportionately equal to the interest of each other share. Upon a Fund’s liquidation, all shareholders would share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to shareholders.

The shares of each series or class participate equally in the earnings, dividends and assets of the particular series or class. Expenses of the Trust which are not attributable to a specific series or class are allocated among all the series in a manner believed by management of the Trust to be fair and equitable. Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each share held. Shares of each series or class generally vote together, except when required under federal securities laws to vote separately on matters that only affect a particular class, such as the approval of distribution plans for a particular class.

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 Board, 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. Shares have no preemptive or conversion rights. Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non‑assessable, except as set forth below. 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.

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.

The Trust has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act so that the Funds are obligated to redeem their shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its net asset value during any 90-day period for any shareholder of the Funds. Each Fund has reserved the right to pay the redemption price of its shares in excess of $250,000 or l% of its net asset value either totally or partially, by a distribution in-kind of portfolio securities or loans (instead of cash). The securities or loans so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that assigned to them in calculating the NAV per share for the shares being sold. If a shareholder receives a distribution in-kind, the shareholder could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities or loans to cash. A redemption, whether in cash or in-kind, is a taxable event for you.

Each Fund does not intend to hold any significant percentage of its portfolio in illiquid securities, although a Fund, like virtually all mutual funds, may from time to time hold a small percentage of securities that are illiquid. In the unlikely event a Fund were to elect to make an in-kind redemption, the Fund expects that it would follow the Trust protocol of making such distribution by way of a pro rata distribution of securities that are traded on a public securities market or are otherwise considered liquid pursuant to the Fund’s liquidity policies and procedures. Except as otherwise may be approved by the Trustees, the securities that would not be included in an in-kind distribution include (1) unregistered securities which, if distributed, would be required to be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), as amended; (2) securities issued by entities in countries which (a) restrict or prohibit the

The Trust and Adviser 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 Adviser to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. The Distributor, relies on the principal underwriter’s exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), of the 1940 Act, specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser, and no officer, director or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director or general partner of the Trust or the Adviser.

•If any conflict or potential conflict of interest arises in the execution of PIA’s proxy voting responsibilities, including the Mutual Fund votes, Operations will refer the matter to the Compliance Committee who will review and resolve any such conflict in the best interests of all affected clients. The Compliance Committee will either instruct Operations to vote the affected proxies in accordance with the Compliance Committee’s specific instructions or provided that the client is not an ERISA client, either request the client to vote their own proxies or abstain from any voting. In all cases the Compliance Committee will disclose the conflict to all affected clients and notify them of the specific action taken.


FUND HISTORY AND CLASSIFICATION			1

MANAGEMENT			31

CONTROL PERSONS, PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS, AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP			37

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE			43

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION			45

PROXY VOTING POLICY			47

MARKETING AND SUPPORT PAYMENTS			47

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE			48

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES			50

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM			51

TAXES			51

GENERAL INFORMATION			55

CODES OF ETHICS			57

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS			57

APPENDIX A			58


Rory Hargaden
			With Management Fee Based on Performance
Type of Accounts	Number of Accounts (excluding the Fund)	Total Assets	Number of Accounts	Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies	1	$139	0	$0
Other Pooled Investments	0	$0	0	$0
Other Accounts	0	$0	0	$0


Lloyd McAdams
			With Management Fee Based on Performance
Type of Accounts	Number of Accounts (excluding the Funds)	Total Assets	Number of Accounts	Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies	2	$198	0	$0
Other Pooled Investments	0	$0	0	$0
Other Accounts	0	$0	0	$0


Austin Rutledge
			With Management Fee Based on Performance
Type of Accounts	Number of Accounts (excluding the Fund)	Total Assets	Number of Accounts	Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies	0	$0	0	$0
Other Pooled Investments	0	$0	0	$0
Other Accounts	0	$0	0	$0


Hsin Tong
			With Management Fee Based on Performance
Type of Accounts	Number of Accounts (excluding the Fund)	Total Assets	Number of Accounts	Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies	1	$139	0	$0
Other Pooled Investments	0	$0	0	$0
Other Accounts	44	$691	0	$0


For the Fiscal Year Ended November 30,
	2023	2022
BBB Bond Fund	8%	10%
MBS Bond Fund(1)	13%	146%
High Yield (MACS) Fund	33%	24%


	2023	2022	2021
BBB Bond Fund	$0	$0	$0
MBS Bond Fund	$105,905	$114,009	$70,922
High Yield (MACS) Fund	$0	$0	$0


Michael Y. Yean
			With Management Fee Based on Performance
Type of Accounts	Number of Accounts (excluding the Fund)	Total Assets	Number of Accounts	Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies	1	$59	0	$0
Other Pooled Investments	0	$0	0	$0
Other Accounts	4	$29	0	$0


Portfolio Manager	Dollar Range of Securities Owned (None, $1-$10,000, $10,001-$50,000, $50,001-$100,000, $100,001 - $500,000, $500,001 - $1,000,000, Over $1,000,000)
	BBB Bond Fund	MBS Bond Fund	High Yield (MACS) Fund
Lloyd McAdams	$100,001 - $500,000	$50,001-$100,000	None
Michael Yean	None	None	None
Austin Rutledge	None	None	None
Hsin Tong	None	None	None
Rory Hargaden	None	None	None


	Fiscal Years Ended November 30,
	2023	2022	2021
BBB Bond Fund	$99,681	$102,460	$91,431
MBS Bond Fund	$97,176	$97,724	$57,454
High Yield (MACS) Fund	$97,394	$98,390	$65,889


	Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid During Fiscal Periods Ended November 30,
	2023	2022	2021
BBB Fund	$0	$0	$0
MBS Fund	$0	$0	$0
HY (MACS) Fund	$0	$0	$0


Broker			Amount
Barclays Bank PLC			$2,387,296
Citigroup, Inc.			$2,114,755
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.			$998,297
Morgan Stanley			$301,974
Santander Holdings USA, Inc.			$671,684


	BBB Bond Fund	MBS Bond Fund	High Yield (MACS) Fund
Short-term capital losses	$1,749,432	$1,496,359	$0
Long-term capital losses	$10,099,027	$869,452	$4,640,750