THE RBB FUND TRUST

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

December 31, 2024

Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund 

Institutional Class (Ticker: PSHNX)

Penn Capital Opportunistic High Income Fund

Institutional Class (Ticker: PHYNX)

Penn Capital Mid Cap Core Fund

Institutional Class (Ticker: PSMPX)

Penn Capital Special Situations Small Cap Equity Fund

Institutional Class (Ticker: PSCNX)

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) provides additional information to the Prospectus dated December 31, 2024 (the “Prospectus”), as may be amended from time to time, offering shares of the investment companies named above (collectively, the “Funds”), each a series of The RBB Fund Trust, a registered, open-end management investment company (the “Trust”). This SAI is not a prospectus and should only be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. You may obtain the Prospectus without charge by contacting U.S. Bank Global Fund Services at the address or telephone number listed below or by visiting the Funds’ website at www.penncapitalfunds.com.

The audited financial statements and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders, for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024 (the “Annual Report”), are incorporated by reference into, and are legally part of, this SAI. No other part of the annual report on Form N-CSR is incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the Annual Report may be obtained, without charge, upon request by contacting U.S. Bank Global Fund Services at the address or telephone number listed below: 

The RBB Fund Trust

c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services

P.O. Box 701

Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701

Phone: 1-844-302-PENN (7366)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The RBB Fund Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 29, 2014. The Amedned and Restated Declaration of Trust permits the Trust to offer separate series of shares of beneficial interest (each of which is a separate mutual fund) and separate classes of such series. Upon liquidation, shareholders of a series of the Trust are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of such series available for distribution to shareholders. Expenses attributable to any series of the Trust are borne by that series.

The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of interests (or shares) with no par value. Shares of each series have equal voting rights, and are voted in the aggregate and not by the series except in matters where a separate vote is required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), or when the matter affects only the interest of a particular series. The Trust’s series may hold special meetings of shareholders to elect or remove Trustees (as defined below), change fundamental policies, approve a management contract, or for other purposes. The Trust’s series will mail proxy materials in advance of a shareholder meeting, including a proxy and information about the proposals to be voted on. When matters are submitted to shareholders for a vote, each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each full share owned and fractional votes for fractional shares owned. Fund shares do not have cumulative voting rights or any preemptive or conversion rights. The Trust does not normally hold annual meetings of shareholders.

This SAI pertains to the shares representing interests in the Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, the Penn Capital Opportunistic High Income Fund, the Penn Capital Mid Cap Core Fund, and the Penn Capital Special Situations Small Cap Equity Fund (each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”). Each Fund offers one class of shares: Institutional Class.

Each Fund has its own investment objectives and policies. Each Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental, and may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or “Trustees”) without shareholder approval. Unless otherwise noted, all of the other investment policies and strategies described in the Prospectus or hereafter are non-fundamental. Penn Capital Management Company, LLC, serves as the investment advisor to the Funds (the “Advisor”). The following Funds have changed their name within the past five years:

All of the Funds are classified and operate as diversified funds under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, a diversified fund is a fund that meets the following requirements: at least 75% of the value of its total assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), government securities, securities of other investment companies, and other securities that are, for the purposes of this calculation, limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the total assets of such management company and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer. A Fund may not change its diversification classification to become non-diversified without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. As used in this SAI, “a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities” means the lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of beneficial interest of the Fund represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Fund.

Each Fund has adopted and is subject to the following fundamental investment restrictions. These investment restrictions may be changed only with the approval of the holders of a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities.

The percentage limitations referred to in these restrictions generally apply only at the time of investment. A later increase or decrease in a percentage that results from a change in value in the portfolio securities held by a Fund will not be considered a violation of such limitation, with the exception of the Fund’s limitations on borrowing as described below, and a Fund will not necessarily have to sell a portfolio security or adjust its holdings in order to comply.

Each Fund may not:

With respect to #1 above, for more information about the restrictions of the 1940 Act on the Funds with respect to borrowing and senior securities, see the section “Borrowings” below. With respect to #7 above: (1) in accordance with SEC guidance, concentration means investing more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets. With respect to #6 and #7 above, (1) a Fund will not consider investment companies to be an industry, (2) a Fund will look through to the security holdings of any investment company in which it invests, and (3) more information about the Funds’ industry concentration restrictions as they relate to mortgage-backed securities is found in the section “Mortgage-Backed Securities” below. 

The Funds may invest in a variety of securities and employ a number of investment techniques, which involve risks. This SAI contains additional information regarding both the principal and non-principal investment strategies of the Funds. Unless otherwise noted in the Prospectus or this SAI or subject to a limitation under the 1940 Act and its related regulations, the investments listed below are not subject to a specific percentage limitation so long as they are made in a manner consistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies.

The following table sets forth the types of additional investment strategies that each Fund may employ. The descriptions following the table provide more detailed information about each type of investment strategy and associated risks.

Exclusion of Advisor from Commodity Pool Operator Definition

With respect to each Fund, the Advisor has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, the Advisor is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of “commodity trading advisor” (“CTA”) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC.

The terms of the CPO exclusion require each Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in “commodity interests,” which include commodity futures, commodity options and swaps. Because the Advisor and the Funds intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, a Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment objective, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Funds are not intended as vehicles for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Advisor’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Funds, their investment strategies, the Prospectus or this SAI.

Generally, the exclusion from CPO regulation on which the Advisor relies requires each Fund to meet one of the following tests for its commodity interest positions, other than positions entered into for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined in the rules of the CFTC): either (1) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the Fund’s positions in commodity interests may not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions); or (2) the aggregate net notional value of the Fund’s commodity interest positions, determined at the time the most recent such position was established, may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of these trading limitations, the Funds may not be marketed as commodity pools or otherwise as vehicles for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. If, in the future, a Fund can no longer satisfy these requirements, the Advisor would withdraw its notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of a CPO with respect to that Fund, and the Advisor would be subject to registration and regulation as a CPO with respect to the Fund, in accordance with CFTC rules that apply to CPOs of registered investment companies. Generally, these rules allow for substituted compliance with CFTC disclosure and shareholder reporting requirements, based on the Advisor’s compliance with comparable SEC requirements. However, as a result of CFTC regulation with respect to the Fund, the Fund may incur additional compliance and other expenses. 

Policy Regarding Fund Names

Each Fund (except the Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund) has adopted a policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets in the type of securities suggested by the Fund’s name. The term “net assets” means the Fund’s net assets, including any borrowings for investment purposes, consistent with SEC requirements. Investments and certain derivative instruments that provide exposure to the type of securities suggested by the Fund’s name may be used to satisfy the Fund’s 80% investment policy. Investments in another investment company, including an ETF, will be considered to “provide exposure to” the type of securities suggested by the Fund’s name for purposes of this policy if the investment company has a policy of investing at least 80% of its assets in the type of securities suggested by the Fund’s name, or investments that provide exposure to the type of securities suggested by the Fund’s name.

Asset-Backed Securities

The Funds may purchase debt obligations known as “asset-backed securities.” Asset-backed securities are securities that represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream of payments generated by particular assets, most often a pool or pools of similar assets (e.g., receivables on home equity and credit loans and receivables regarding automobile, credit card, mobile home and recreational vehicle loans, wholesale dealer floor plans and leases).

Such receivables are securitized in either a pass-through or a pay-through structure. Pass-through securities provide investors with an income stream consisting of both principal and interest payments based on the receivables in the underlying pool. Pay-through asset-backed securities are debt obligations issued usually by a special purpose entity, which are collateralized by the various receivables and in which the payments on the underlying receivables provide that the Funds pay the debt service on the debt obligations issued. The Funds may invest in these and other types of asset-backed securities that may be developed in the future.

The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit support provided to the securities. The rate of principal payment on asset-backed securities generally depends on the rate of principal payments received on the underlying assets which in turn may be affected by a variety of economic and other factors. As a result, the yield on any asset-backed security is difficult to predict with precision and actual yield to maturity may be more or less than the anticipated yield to maturity. Asset-backed securities may be classified as “pass-through certificates” or “collateralized obligations.”

Asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payment, such securities may contain elements of credit support. Such credit support falls into two categories: (i) liquidity protection; and (ii) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments due on the underlying pool is timely. Protection against losses resulting from ultimate default enhances the likelihood of payments of the obligations on at least some of the assets in the pool. Such protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties, through various means of structuring the transaction or through a combination of such approaches.

Due to the shorter maturity of the collateral backing such securities, there is less of a risk of substantial prepayment than with mortgage-backed securities. Asset-backed securities do, however, involve certain risks not associated with mortgage-backed securities, including the risk that security interests cannot be adequately, or in many cases, ever, established. In addition, with respect to credit card receivables, a number of state and federal consumer credit laws give debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the outstanding balance. In the case of automobile receivables, there is a risk that the holders may not have either a proper or first security interest in all of the obligations backing such receivables due to the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws. Therefore, recoveries on repossessed collateral may not always be available to support payments on the securities.

Examples of credit support arising out of the structure of the transaction include “senior-subordinated securities” (multiple class securities with one or more classes subordinate to other classes as to the payment of principal thereof and interest thereon, with the result that defaults on the underlying assets are borne first by the holders of the subordinated class), creation of “reserve funds” (where cash or investments, sometimes funded from a portion of the payments on the underlying assets, are held in reserve against future losses) and “over collateralization” (where the scheduled payments on, or the principal amount of, the underlying assets exceeds that required to make payments of the securities and pay any servicing or other fees). The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical credit information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquencies or losses in excess of those anticipated could adversely affect the return on an investment in such issue. 

The liquidity of asset-backed securities (particularly below investment grade asset-backed securities) may change over time. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions, or periods of rising unemployment, delinquencies and losses generally increase, sometimes dramatically, with respect to securitizations involving loans, sales contracts, receivables and other obligations underlying asset-backed securities.

The Funds may also gain exposure to asset-backed securities through entering into credit default swaps or other derivative instruments related to asset-backed securities. For example, a Fund may enter into credit default swaps and can either gain synthetic risk exposure to a portfolio of such securities by “selling protection” or take a short position by “buying protection.” The protection buyer pays a monthly premium to the protection seller, and the seller agrees to cover any principal losses and interest shortfalls of the referenced underlying asset-backed securities. Credit default swaps and other derivative instruments related to asset-backed securities are subject to the risks associated with asset-backed securities generally, as well as the risks of derivative transactions. See the section “Swaps--Interest Rate Swaps, Mortgage Swaps, Credit Swaps, Currency Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest Rate Caps, Floors and Collars, Inflation Indexed Swaps” below.

Bank Loans, Loan Participations and Assignments

The Funds may invest in bank loans, which include both secured and unsecured loans made by banks and other financial institutions to corporate customers. Senior loans typically hold the most senior position in a borrower’s capital structure, may be secured by the borrower’s assets and have interest rates that reset frequently. The proceeds of senior loans primarily are used to finance leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, mergers, acquisitions, stock repurchases, dividends, and, to a lesser extent, to finance internal growth and for other corporate purposes. These loans may not be rated investment grade by the rating agencies. Although secured loans are secured by collateral of the borrower, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated. Economic downturns generally lead to higher non-payment and default rates and a senior loan could lose a substantial portion of its value prior to a default. Some senior loans are subject to the risk that a court could subordinate such senior loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to the holders of senior loans, including, in certain circumstances, invalidating such senior loans or causing interest previously paid to be refunded to the borrower.

A Fund’s investments in loans are subject to credit risk. Indebtedness of borrowers whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantial risks, and may be highly speculative. The interest rates on many bank loans reset frequently, and thus bank loans are subject to interest rate risk. Most bank loans are not traded on any national securities exchange. Bank loans generally have less liquidity than investment grade bonds and there may be less public information available about them.

Large loans to corporations or governments may be shared or syndicated among several lenders, usually (but often not limited to) banks. A Fund may participate in the primary syndicate for a loan and may purchase loans from other lenders (sometimes referred to as loan assignments), in either case becoming a direct lender. A Fund also may acquire a participation interest in another lender’s portion of the loan. Participation interests involve special types of risk, including liquidity risk and the risks of being a lender. When investing in a loan participation, a Fund typically will have the right to receive payments only from the lender to the extent the lender receives payments from the borrower, and not from the borrower itself. Likewise, a Fund typically will be able to enforce its rights only through the lender, and not directly against the borrower. As a result, a Fund will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation.

Investments in loans through direct assignment of a financial institution’s interests with respect to a loan may involve additional risks to the Funds. For example, if the loan is foreclosed, a 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 possible that a Fund could be held liable as a co-lender. Loans and other debt instruments that are not in the form of securities may offer less legal protection to the Fund in certain circumstances.

A loan is often administered by a bank or other financial institution that acts as agent for all holders. The agent administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. Unless a Fund has direct recourse against the borrower, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund may have to rely on the agent to pursue appropriate credit remedies against a borrower.

In addition to investing in senior secured loans, a Fund may invest in other loans, such as second lien loans and other secured loans, as well as unsecured loans. Second lien loans and other secured loans are subject to the same risks associated with investment in senior loans and lower-rated debt securities. However, such loans may rank lower in right of payment than senior secured loans, and are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and any property securing the loan may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the higher ranking secured obligations of the borrower. Second lien loans and other secured loans are expected to have greater price volatility than more senior loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in lower-ranking loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure. Each of these risks may be increased in the case of unsecured loans, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral. 

Loan interests may not be considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as the Funds, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws.

Covenants

The borrower or issuer under a bank loan generally must comply with various restrictive covenants contained in any bank loan agreement between the borrower and the lending syndicate. A restrictive covenant is a promise by the borrower to take certain actions that protect, or not to take certain actions that may impair, the rights of lenders. These covenants, in addition to requiring the scheduled payment of interest and principal, may include restrictions on dividend payments and other distributions to shareholders, provisions requiring the borrower to maintain specific financial ratios or relationships regarding, and/or limits on, total debt. In addition, a covenant may require the borrower to prepay the bank loan with any excess cash flow. Excess cash flow generally includes net cash flow (after scheduled debt service payments and permitted capital expenditures) as well as the proceeds from asset dispositions or sales of securities. A breach of a covenant (after giving effect to any cure period) in a bank loan agreement which is not waived by the lender and the lending syndicate normally is an event of acceleration. This means that the agent Bank has the right to demand immediate repayment in full of the outstanding bank loan.

Covenant lite loans

Some covenant lite loans may be in the market from time to time which tend to have fewer or no financial maintenance covenants and restrictions. A covenant lite loan typically contains fewer clauses which allow an investor to proactively enforce financial covenants or prevent undesired actions by the borrower/issuer. Covenant lite loans also generally provide fewer investor protections if certain criteria are breached. A Fund may experience losses or delays in enforcing its rights on its holdings of covenant lite loans.

Borrowings

A Fund may borrow funds to meet redemptions, for other emergency purposes or to increase its portfolio holdings of securities, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Such borrowings may be on a secured or unsecured basis, and at fixed or variable rates of interest. A Fund may borrow for such purposes an amount up to 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed, but less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) from banks. The 1940 Act requires a Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage of not less than 300% with respect to all borrowings. If such asset coverage should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or other reasons, a Fund may be required to dispose of some of its portfolio holdings within three days in order to reduce the Fund’s debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to dispose of assets at that time.

In addition to borrowings that are subject to 300% asset coverage and are considered by the SEC to be permitted “senior securities,” a Fund is also permitted under the 1940 Act to borrow for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets at the time when the loan is made. A loan will be presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed.

Leveraging, by means of borrowing, may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of portfolio securities on a Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), and money borrowed will be subject to interest and other costs (which may include commitment fees and/or the cost of maintaining minimum average balances), which may or may not exceed the income received from the investments purchased with borrowed funds.

For purposes of the 1940 Act, "senior securities" may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does provide allowances for certain borrowings (discussed above), firm commitment and standby commitment agreements. In addition, Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits a Fund to enter into derivatives transactions, notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities under the 1940 Act, provided that the Fund complies with the conditions of Rule 18f-4.

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”) and Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”)

The Funds may invest in CMOs and REMICs. A CMO is a debt security on which interest and prepaid principal are paid, in most cases, semi-annually. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Company, or the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA” or “Fannie Mae^®”) and their income streams. Privately-issued CMOs tend to be more sensitive to interest rates than government-issued CMOs. 

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, each bearing a different stated maturity. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the prepayment experience of the collateral. CMOs provide for a modified form of call protection through a de facto breakdown of the underlying pool of mortgages according to how quickly the loans are repaid. Monthly payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, is first returned to investors holding the shortest maturity class. The investors holding the longer maturity classes receive principal only after the first class has been retired. An investor is partially guarded against a sooner than desired return of principal because of the sequential payments.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation issues multiple series (e.g., A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds (“Bonds”). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates (“Collateral”). The Collateral is pledged to a third-party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in a specified order (e.g., first A, then B, then C, then Z). The A, B and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the A, B and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Z Bond begins to be paid currently. With some CMOs, the issuer serves as a conduit to allow loan originators (primarily builders or savings and loan associations) to borrow against their loan portfolios. REMICs are private entities formed for the purpose of holding a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. REMICs are similar to CMOs in that they issue multiple classes of securities.

CMOs and REMICs issued by private entities are not government securities and are not directly guaranteed by any government agency. They are secured by the underlying collateral of the private issuer. Yields on privately issued CMOs, as described above, have been historically higher than yields on CMOs issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies. However, the risk of loss due to default on such instruments is higher because they are not guaranteed by the U.S. government. Such instruments also tend to be more sensitive to interest rates than U.S. government-issued CMOs. For federal income tax purposes, a Fund will be required to accrue income on regular interest in CMOs and REMICs using the “catch-up” method, with an aggregate prepayment assumption.

Common and Preferred Stock

Equity securities, such as common stocks, represent shares of ownership of a corporation. Preferred stocks are equity securities that often pay dividends at a specific rate and have a preference over common stocks in dividend payments and the liquidation of assets. Some preferred stocks may be convertible into common stock. Convertible securities are securities (such as debt securities or preferred stock) that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock of the same or different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.

Cyber security Risk

Each Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause a Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting a Fund, the Advisor, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Funds. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAVs, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject a Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. Each Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which each Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause a Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value. While each Fund and its service providers have established information technology and data security programs and have in place business continuity plans and other systems designed to prevent losses and mitigate cyber security risk, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified or that cyber-attacks may be highly sophisticated. Furthermore, the Funds have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Funds and the Advisor.

Debt/Fixed Income Securities

The Funds may invest in debt securities, including those convertible into common stocks.

The Funds consider investment grade securities to be those rated BBB- or higher by Standard and Poor’s^® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P^®”), or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service^©, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or an equivalent rating by Fitch, Inc.^© (“Fitch”), or determined to be of comparable quality by the Advisor if the security is unrated. Bonds in the lowest investment grade category (BBB- by S&P^® or Baa3 by Moody’s) have speculative characteristics, and changes in the economy or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the bonds to make principal and interest payments than would occur with bonds rated in higher categories. 

The Funds may invest in high-yield debt securities or “junk bonds,” which are securities rated BB+ or below by S&P^® or Ba1 or below by Moody’s (“lower-rated securities”). Lower-rated securities are considered to be of poor standing and predominantly speculative and are subject to a substantial degree of credit risk. Lower-rated securities may be issued as a consequence of corporate restructurings, such as leveraged buy-outs, mergers, acquisitions, debt recapitalizations or similar events. Also, lower-rated securities are often issued by smaller, less creditworthy companies or by highly leveraged (indebted) firms, which are generally less able than more financially stable firms to make scheduled payments of interest and principal. The risks posed by securities issued under such circumstances are substantial.

The higher yields from lower-rated securities may compensate for the higher default rates on such securities. However, there can be no assurance that higher yields will offset default rates on lower-rated securities in the future. Issuers of these securities are often highly leveraged, so their ability to service their debt obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. In addition, such issuers may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them and may be unable to repay their debt at maturity by refinancing. The risk of loss due to default by the issuer is significantly greater for the holders of lower-rated securities because such securities may be unsecured and may be subordinated to other creditors of the issuer. Further, an economic recession may result in default levels with respect to such securities in excess of historic averages.

The value of lower-rated securities will be influenced not only by changing interest rates, but also by the market’s perception of credit quality and the outlook for economic growth. When economic conditions appear to be deteriorating, lower-rated securities may decline in market value due to investors’ heightened concern over credit quality, regardless of prevailing interest rates.

Especially during times of deteriorating economic conditions, trading in the secondary market for lower-rated securities may become thin and market liquidity may be significantly reduced. Even under normal conditions, the market for lower-rated securities may be less liquid than the market for investment grade debt securities. There are fewer securities dealers in the high yield market and purchasers of lower-rated securities are concentrated among a smaller group of securities dealers and institutional investors. In periods of reduced market liquidity, lower-rated securities’ prices may become more volatile and a Fund’s ability to dispose of particular issues when necessary to meet that Fund’s liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer may be adversely affected.

The ratings of S&P^®, Moody’s and other nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”) represent the opinions of those rating agencies as to the quality of debt securities. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality, and debt securities with the same maturity, interest rate and rating may have different yields, while debt securities of the same maturity and interest rate with different ratings may have the same yield.

The payment of principal and interest on most debt securities will depend upon the ability of the issuers to meet their obligations. An issuer’s obligations in connection with its debt securities are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Code, and laws, if any, which may be enacted by federal or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations. The power or ability of an issuer to meet its obligations for the payment of interest on, and principal of, its debt securities may be materially adversely affected by litigation or other conditions.

Subsequent to its purchase by a Fund, a rated security may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum rating required for purchase by the Fund. The Advisor will consider such an event in determining whether the Fund involved should continue to hold the security. For a more detailed description of the ratings of debt securities, see Appendix A to this SAI.

Emerging Market Countries

The Funds may invest in emerging market countries or developing countries as defined by the World Bank, International Financial Corporation or any country included in an “emerging markets” index.

Investments in companies domiciled or with significant operations in developing market or emerging market countries may be subject to potentially higher risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include, among others (i) less social, political and economic stability; (ii) smaller securities markets with low or nonexistent trading volume, which result in greater illiquidity and greater price volatility; (iii) certain national policies which may restrict a Fund’s investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; (iv) foreign taxation, including less transparent and established taxation policies; (v) less developed regulatory or legal structures governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property; (vi) the absence, until recently in many developing market countries, of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy; (vii) more widespread corruption and fraud; (viii) the financial institutions with which a Fund may trade may not possess the same degree of financial sophistication, creditworthiness or resources as those in developed markets; and (ix) the possibility that recent favorable economic developments in some developing market countries may be slowed or reversed by unanticipated economic, political or social events in such countries. 

Due to political, military or regional conflicts or due to terrorism or war, it is possible that the United States, other nations or other governmental entities (including supranational entities) could impose sanctions on certain issuers that limit or restrict foreign investment, the movement of assets or other economic activity in a country that is involved in such conflicts. Such sanctions or other intergovernmental actions could result in the devaluation of a country’s currency, a downgrade in the credit ratings of issuers in such country, or a decline in the value and liquidity of securities of issuers in that country. In addition, an imposition of sanctions upon certain issuers in a country could result in an immediate freeze of that issuer’s securities, impairing the ability of a Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver those securities. Counter measures could be taken by the country’s government, which could involve the seizure of a Fund’s assets. In addition, such actions could adversely affect a country’s economy, possibly forcing the economy into a recession.

In addition, many developing market countries have experienced substantial, and during some periods, extremely high rates of inflation, for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries. Moreover, the economies of some developing market countries may differ unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, currency depreciation, debt burden, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. The economies of some developing market countries may be based on only a few industries, and may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions.

Settlement systems in developing market countries may be less organized than in developed countries. Supervisory authorities may also be unable to apply standards which are comparable with those in more developed countries. There may be risks that settlement may be delayed and that cash or securities belonging to a Fund may be in jeopardy because of failures of or defects in the settlement systems. Market practice may require that payment be made prior to receipt of the security which is being purchased or that delivery of a security must be made before payment is received. In such cases, default by a broker or bank (the “counterparty”) through whom the relevant transaction is effected might result in a loss being suffered by a Fund. Each Fund seeks, where possible, to use counterparties whose financial status reduces this risk. However, there can be no certainty that a Fund will be successful in eliminating or reducing this risk, particularly as counterparties operating in developing market countries frequently lack the substance, capitalization and/or financial resources of those in developed countries. Uncertainties in the operation of settlement systems in individual markets may increase the risk of competing claims to securities held by or to be transferred to a Fund. Legal compensation schemes may be non-existent, limited or inadequate to meet a Fund’s claims in any of these events.

Securities trading in developing markets presents additional credit and financial risks. A Fund may have limited access to, or there may be a limited number of, potential counterparties that trade in the securities of developing market issuers. Governmental regulations may restrict potential counterparties to certain financial institutions located or operating in the particular developing market. Potential counterparties may not possess, adopt or implement creditworthiness standards, financial reporting standards or legal and contractual protections similar to those in developed markets. Currency and other hedging techniques may not be available or may be limited.

The local taxation of income and capital gains accruing to non-residents varies among developing market countries and may be comparatively high. Developing market countries typically have less well-defined tax laws and procedures and such laws may permit retroactive taxation so that a Fund could in the future become subject to local tax liabilities that had not been anticipated in conducting its investment activities or valuing its assets.

Many developing market countries suffer from uncertainty and corruption in their legal frameworks. Legislation may be difficult to interpret and laws may be too new to provide any precedential value. Laws regarding foreign investment and private property may be weak or non-existent. Investments in developing market countries may involve risks of nationalization, expropriation and confiscatory taxation. For example, the Communist governments of a number of Eastern European countries expropriated large amounts of private property in the past, in many cases without adequate compensation, and there can be no assurance that similar expropriation will not occur in the future. In the event of expropriation, a Fund could lose all or a substantial portion of any investments it has made in the affected countries. Accounting, auditing and reporting standards in certain countries in which a Fund may invest may not provide the same degree of investor protection or information to investors as would generally apply in major securities markets. In addition, it is possible that purported securities in which a Fund invested may subsequently be found to be fraudulent and as a consequence a Fund could suffer losses. 

Finally, currencies of developing market countries are subject to significantly greater risks than currencies of developed countries. Some developing market currencies may not be internationally traded or may be subject to strict controls by local governments, resulting in undervalued or overvalued currencies and associated difficulties with the valuation of assets, including a Fund’s securities, denominated in that currency. Some developing market countries have experienced balance of payment deficits and shortages in foreign exchange reserves. Governments have responded by restricting currency conversions. Future restrictive exchange controls could prevent or restrict a company’s ability to make dividend or interest payments in the original currency of the obligation (usually U.S. dollars). In addition, even though the currencies of some developing market countries, such as certain Eastern European countries, may be convertible into U.S. dollars, the conversion rates may be artificial to the actual market values and may be adverse to a Fund’s shareholders.

Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”)

The Funds may invest in shares of ETFs. An ETF is an investment company and typically is registered under the 1940 Act. Some ETFs are unregistered investment companies that invest directly in securities, commodities or other assets (such as precious metals). Most ETFs hold a portfolio of investments designed to track the performance of a particular index; however, certain ETFs utilize active management of their investment portfolios. An ETF sells and redeems its shares at NAV in large blocks (typically 50,000 of its shares or more) called “creation units.” Shares representing fractional interests in these creation units are listed for trading on one or more national securities exchanges and can be purchased and sold in the secondary market in lots of any size at any time during the trading day. Trading of ETFs may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts, or if the ETFs are delisted from an exchange. In addition, because ETFs are listed on national stock exchanges and are traded like stocks listed on an exchange, (1) a Fund may acquire ETF shares at a discount or premium to their NAV and (2) ETFs are subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to a Fund. Investments in an ETF involve certain risks generally associated with investments in a broadly based portfolio of securities, including risks that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of each unit of the ETF or other instrument. In addition, an ETF may not fully replicate the performance of its benchmark index because of the temporary unavailability of certain investments in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting or number of investments held. ETFs that invest in other assets, such as commodities, are subject to the risks associated with directly investing in those assets. Furthermore, certain ETFs may be thinly traded and experience large spreads between the "ask" price quoted by a seller and the "bid" price quoted by a buyer.

Because ETFs and pools that issue similar instruments bear various fees and expenses, a Fund’s investment in these instruments will involve certain indirect costs, as well as transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions. The Advisor may consider the expenses associated with an investment in determining whether to invest in an ETF. See the section “Investment Companies” below for information about investments in investment companies generally.

Exchange-Traded Notes (“ETNs”)

The Funds may invest in ETNs. ETNs are debt securities that are traded on an exchange (e.g., the New York Stock Exchange) whose returns are linked to the performance of a particular market benchmark or strategy. If a Fund holds an ETN to maturity, the issuer of the ETN will pay the Fund a cash amount that is linked to the performance of the corresponding index during the period beginning on the inception date and ending at maturity, less investor fees. ETNs generally do not make periodic coupon payments or provide principal protection. An ETN that is tied to a specific benchmark or strategy may not produce returns that replicate exactly the performance of its corresponding benchmark or strategy.

ETNs are subject to credit risk, including the credit risk of the issuer. The value of an ETN may drop due to a downgrade in the issuer’s credit rating, even when the underlying benchmark or strategy remains unchanged. An ETN may trade at a premium or discount to its benchmark or strategy. The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating, and economic, legal, political, or geographic events that affect the referenced underlying assets. When a Fund invests in ETNs, it will bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. A decision by the Fund to sell ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market. Some ETNs that use leverage may be relatively illiquid at times and, as a result, may be difficult to purchase or sell at a fair price. Leveraged ETNs are subject to the same risk as other instruments that use leverage.

Foreign Currency Transactions

Although the Funds value their assets daily in U.S. dollars, they are not required to exchange their holdings of foreign currencies to U.S. dollars on a daily basis. A Fund’s foreign currencies generally will be held as “foreign currency call accounts” at foreign branches of foreign or domestic banks. These accounts bear interest at negotiated rates and are payable upon relatively short demand periods. If a bank at which a Fund maintains such an account becomes insolvent, the Fund could suffer a loss of some or all of the amounts deposited. A Fund may exchange foreign currency to U.S. dollars from time to time. Although foreign exchange dealers generally do not charge a stated commission or fee for conversion, the prices posted generally include a “spread,” which is the difference between the prices at which the dealers are buying and selling foreign currencies. 

The Funds may enter into forward currency contracts. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific non-U.S. currency in exchange for another currency, which may be U.S. dollars, at an agreed exchange rate (price) at a future date. Forward currency contracts are typically individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers in the interbank market.

Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act provides for the regulation of a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and related instruments. Rule 18f-4 prescribes specific value-at-risk leverage limits for certain derivatives users and requires certain derivatives users to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program (including the appointment of a derivatives risk manager and the implementation of certain testing requirements), and prescribes reporting requirements in respect of derivatives. Subject to certain conditions, if a fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in Rule 18f-4, it is not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, including certain tender option bonds, Rule 18f-4 permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under Rule 18f-4. The Funds have adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with Rule 18f-4. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

The use of derivatives is subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of a counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract.

Certain transactions involving forward currency contracts may serve as long hedges (for example, if a Fund seeks to buy a security denominated in a foreign currency, it may purchase a forward currency contract to lock in the U.S. dollar price of the security) or as short hedges (if a Fund anticipates selling a security denominated in a foreign currency, it may sell a forward currency contract to lock in the U.S. dollar equivalent of the anticipated sales proceeds).

A Fund may seek to hedge against changes in the value of a particular currency by using forward contracts on another foreign currency or a basket of currencies, the value of which the Advisor believes will have a positive correlation to the values of the currency being hedged. In addition, each Fund may use forward currency contracts to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. For example, if a Fund owns securities denominated in a foreign currency and the Advisor believes that currency will decline relative to another currency, it might enter into a forward contract to sell an appropriate amount of the first foreign currency, with payment to be made in the second currency. Transactions that use two foreign currencies are sometimes referred to as “cross hedges.” Use of different foreign currency magnifies the risk that movements in the price of the instrument will not correlate or will correlate unfavorably with the foreign currency being hedged.

The cost to a Fund of engaging in forward currency contracts or currency futures contracts varies with factors such as the interest rate environments in the relevant countries, the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Because forward currency contracts are usually entered into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved. When a Fund enters into a forward currency contract, it relies on the counterparty to make or take delivery of the underlying currency at the maturity of the contract. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.

As is the case with futures contracts, holders and writers of forward currency contracts can enter into offsetting closing transactions, similar to closing transactions on futures, by selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument held or written. Secondary markets generally do not yet exist for forward currency contracts, with the result that closing transactions generally can be made for forward currency contacts only by negotiating directly with the counterparty. Thus, there can be no assurance that a Fund will in fact be able to close out a forward currency contract at a favorable price. In addition, in the event of insolvency of the counterparty, a Fund might be unable to close out a forward currency contract. 

The successful use of forward currency contracts will usually depend on Advisor’s ability to accurately forecast currency exchange rate movements. Should exchange rates move in an unexpected manner, a Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the transaction, or it may realize losses. In addition, these techniques could result in a loss if the counterparty to the transaction does not perform as promised, including because of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. Investors should bear in mind that a Fund is not obligated to actively engage in hedging or other currency transactions. For example, a Fund may not have attempted to hedge its exposure to a particular foreign currency at a time when doing so might have avoided a loss.

Forward currency contracts may limit potential gain from a positive change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for a Fund than if it had not engaged in such contracts. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between a Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities denominated in a particular currency and the currencies bought or sold in the forward contracts entered into by the Fund. This imperfect correlation may cause the Fund to sustain losses that will prevent the Fund from achieving a complete hedge or expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss.

Foreign Securities

Each Fund’s investments in the securities of foreign issuers may include both securities of foreign corporations and securities of foreign governments and their political subdivisions.

The Funds may invest in foreign securities directly, or through depositary receipts, such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). Depositary receipts are typically issued by a U.S. or foreign bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation.

There are substantial risks associated with investing in the securities of governments and companies located in, or having substantial operations in, foreign countries, which are in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments. The value of foreign securities (like U.S. securities) is affected by general economic conditions and individual issuer and industry earnings prospects. Investments in depositary receipts also involve some or all of the risks described below.

There is the possibility of cessation of trading on foreign exchanges, expropriation, nationalization of assets, confiscatory or punitive taxation, withholding and other foreign taxes on income or other amounts, foreign exchange controls (which may include suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a given country), restrictions on removal of assets, political or social instability, military action or unrest, or diplomatic developments, including sanctions imposed by other countries or governmental entities, that could affect investments in securities of issuers in foreign nations. There is no assurance that the Advisor will be able to anticipate these potential events. In addition, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies and of dividends and interest paid with respect to such securities will fluctuate based on the relative strength of the U.S. dollar.

There may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers comparable to the reports and ratings published about issuers in the U.S. Foreign issuers generally are not subject to uniform accounting or financial reporting standards. Auditing practices and requirements may not be comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers. Certain countries’ legal institutions, financial markets and services are less developed than those in the U.S. or other major economies. A Fund may have greater difficulty voting proxies, exercising shareholder rights, securing dividends and obtaining information regarding corporate actions on a timely basis, pursuing legal remedies, and obtaining judgments with respect to foreign investments in foreign courts than with respect to domestic issuers in U.S. courts. The costs associated with foreign investments, including withholding taxes, brokerage commissions, and custodial costs, are generally higher than with U.S. investments.

Certain countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company. Some countries limit the investment of foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous terms than securities of the issuer available for purchase by nationals. Although securities subject to such restrictions may be marketable abroad, they may be less liquid than foreign securities of the same class that are not subject to such restrictions. In some countries the repatriation of investment income, capital and proceeds of sales by foreign investors may require governmental registration and/or approval. A Fund could be adversely affected by delays in or a refusal to grant any required governmental registration or approval for repatriation.

From time to time, trading in a foreign market may be interrupted. Foreign markets also have substantially less volume than the U.S. markets and securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. A Fund, therefore, may encounter difficulty in obtaining market quotations for purposes of valuing its portfolio and calculating its NAV. 

In many foreign countries there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the U.S., which may result in greater potential for fraud or market manipulation. Foreign over-the-counter markets tend to be less regulated than foreign stock exchange markets and, in certain countries, may be totally unregulated. Brokerage commission rates in foreign countries, which generally are fixed rather than subject to negotiation as in the U.S., are likely to be higher. Foreign security trading, settlement and custodial practices (including those involving securities settlement where assets may be released prior to receipt of payment) are often less developed than those in U.S. markets, may be cumbersome and may result in increased risk or substantial delays. This could occur in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of, or breach of duty by, a foreign broker-dealer, securities depository, or foreign sub-custodian.

To the extent that a Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or country, the Fund will have more exposure to economic risks related to such region or country than a fund whose investments are more geographically diversified. Adverse conditions or changes in policies in a certain region or country can affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated but are otherwise connected. In the event of economic or political turmoil, a deterioration of diplomatic relations or a natural or man-made disaster in a region or country where a substantial portion of a Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may have difficulty meeting a large number of shareholder redemption requests. The holding of foreign securities may be limited by a Fund to avoid investment in certain Passive Foreign Investment Companies (“PFICs”) and the imposition of a PFIC tax on the Fund resulting from such investments.

In June 2016, the United Kingdom (the “UK”) approved a referendum to leave the European Union (“EU”). The withdrawal, known colloquially as “Brexit”, was agreed to and ratified by the UK Parliament, and the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020. It began an 11-month transition period in which to negotiate a new trading relationship for goods and services that ended on December 31, 2020. The UK and the EU signed the Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA") on December 30, 2020, which was applied provisionally as of January 1, 2021 and entered into force on May 1. 2021. The TCA is an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the relationship between the EU and the UK following the end of the transition period. Further discussions are to be held between the UK and the EU in relation to matters not covered by the trade agreement, such as financial services. Brexit may have significant political and financial consequences for the Eurozone markets, including greater volatility in the global stock markets and illiquidity, fluctuations in currency and exchange rates, and an increased likelihood of a recession in the UK. At this time, the impact of Brexit cannot be predicted, however, market disruption in the EU and globally may have a negative effect on the value of the Funds’ investments. Additionally, the risks related to Brexit could be more pronounced if one or more additional EU member states seek to leave the EU.

Recently, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Funds' investments.

Recent examples of the above include conflict, loss of life and disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent, duration and impact of these conflicts, related sanctions and retaliatory actions are difficult to ascertain, but could be significant and have severe adverse effects on the region, including significant adverse effects on the regional or global economies and the markets for certain securities and commodities. These impacts could negatively affect the Funds' investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to the applicable region, and include (but are not limited to) declines in value and reductions in liquidity. In addition, to the extent new sanctions are imposed or previously relaxed sanctions are reimposed (including with respect to countries undergoing transformation), complying with such restrictions may prevent the Funds from pursuing certain investments, cause delays or other impediments with respect to consummating such investments or divestments, require divestment or freezing of investments on unfavorable terms, render divestment of underperforming investments impracticable, negatively impact the Funds' ability to achieve their investment objectives, prevent the Funds from receiving payments otherwise due, increase diligence and other similar costs to the Funds, render valuation of affected investments challenging, or require the Funds to consummate an investment on terms that are less advantageous than would be the case absent such restrictions. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect the Funds' performance with respect to such investments, and thus the Funds' performance as a whole. 

Foreign Currency Exchange Rates

Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the U.S. dollar market value of securities denominated in such foreign currencies and any income received or expenses paid by a Fund in that foreign currency. This may affect a Fund’s share price, income and distributions to shareholders. Some countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the U.S. dollar. It will be more difficult for the Advisor to value securities denominated in currencies that are fixed or managed. Certain currencies may not be internationally traded, which could cause illiquidity with respect to a Fund’s investments in that currency and any securities denominated in that currency. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets. Each Fund endeavors to buy and sell foreign currencies on as favorable a basis as practicable. Some price spread in currency exchanges (to cover service charges) may be incurred, particularly when a Fund changes investments from one country to another or when proceeds of the sale of securities in U.S. dollars are used for the purchase of securities denominated in foreign currencies. Some countries may adopt policies that would prevent a Fund from transferring cash out of the country or withhold portions of interest and dividends at the source.

Certain currencies have experienced a steady devaluation relative to the U.S. dollar. Any devaluations in the currencies in which a Fund’s portfolio securities are denominated may have a detrimental impact on the Fund. Where the exchange rate for a currency declines materially after a Fund’s income has been accrued and translated into U.S. dollars, the Fund may need to redeem portfolio securities to make required distributions. Similarly, if an exchange rate declines between the time a Fund incurs expenses in U.S. dollars and the time such expenses are paid, the Fund will have to exchange a greater amount of the currency into U.S. dollars in order to pay the expenses.

Investing in foreign currencies for purposes of gaining from projected changes in exchange rates further increases a Fund’s exposure to foreign securities losses.

Futures Contracts

The Funds may purchase or sell futures contracts traded on domestic and foreign exchanges, including those based on particular interest rates, securities, foreign currencies, securities indices and other financial instruments and indices. The Funds may also purchase and write call and put options on such futures contracts, in order to seek to increase total return or to hedge against changes in interest rates, securities prices, or currency exchange rates, or, to the extent permitted by its investment policies, to otherwise manage its portfolio of investments. The Funds may purchase or sell currency futures contracts. Generally, a futures contract is a standard binding agreement to buy or sell a specified quantity of an underlying reference instrument, such as a specific security, currency or commodity, at a specified price at a specified later date. Although some futures contracts by their terms require the actual delivery or acquisition of the underlying instrument or asset, some require cash settlement. In most cases the contractual obligation under a futures contract may be offset, or “closed out,” before the settlement date so that the parties do not have to make or take delivery.

A Fund has the ability to buy and sell stock index futures contracts. A stock index futures contract is an agreement between two parties to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to a specified dollar amount, times the difference between the stock index value at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the futures contract is originally struck. A stock index futures contract does not involve the physical delivery of the underlying stocks in the index. Although stock index futures contracts call for the actual taking or delivery of cash, in most cases a Fund expects to liquidate its stock index futures positions through offsetting transactions, which may result in a gain or a loss, before cash settlement is required.

Futures contracts in the U.S. have been designed by exchanges that have been designated “contract markets” by the CFTC and must be executed through a futures commission merchant (“FCM”), which is a brokerage firm that is a member of the relevant contract market. Futures contracts may also be entered into on certain exempt markets, including exempt boards of trade and electronic trading facilities, available to certain market participants.

A Fund will incur brokerage fees when it purchases and/or sells futures contracts, and at the time a Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, it must make a good faith deposit known as the “initial margin.” Thereafter, a Fund may need to make subsequent deposits, known as “variation margin,” to reflect changes in the marked-to-market value of the futures contract.

The Fund is required to comply with Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act. See the section entitled “Foreign Currency Transactions” above for additional information.

Futures are derivative instruments that are subject to a number of risks. Purchases and sales of stock index futures contracts may not completely offset a decline or rise in the value of a Fund’s investments during certain market conditions. In the futures markets, it may not always be possible to execute a buy or sell order at the desired price, or to close out an open position due to market conditions, limits on open positions and/or daily price fluctuations. Changes in the market value of a Fund’s investment securities may differ substantially from the changes anticipated by a Fund when it established its hedged positions, and unanticipated price movements in a futures contract may result in a loss substantially greater than such Fund’s initial investment in such a contract. 

There is a risk of loss by a Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position in a futures contract. The assets of a Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If an FCM does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty.

There is no assurance that an active market will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. An active market makes it more likely that futures contracts will be liquid and bought and sold at competitive market prices. In addition, many of the futures contracts available may be relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active market will develop or continue to exist.

Successful use of futures contracts depends upon the Advisor’s ability to correctly predict movements in the securities markets generally or of a particular segment of a securities market. No assurance can be given that the Advisor’s judgment in this respect will be correct.

The CFTC and the various exchanges have established limits, referred to as “speculative position limits,” on the maximum net long or net short position that any person may hold or control in a particular futures contract. Additionally, starting January 1, 2023, federal position limits apply to swaps that are economically equivalent to futures contracts that are subject to CFTC set speculative position limits. All positions owned or controlled by the same person or entity, even if in different accounts, must be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the applicable position limits have been exceeded, unless an exemption applies. Trading limits are imposed on the number of contracts that any person may trade on a particular trading day. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits and it may impose sanctions or restrictions. Futures exchanges may also limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. This daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and does not limit potential losses because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions.

Participation in foreign futures and foreign options transactions involves the execution and clearing of trades on or subject to the rules of a foreign board of trade. Neither the National Futures Association nor any domestic exchange regulates activities of any foreign boards of trade, including the execution, delivery and clearing of transactions, or has the power to compel enforcement of the rules of a foreign board of trade or any applicable foreign law. This is true even if the exchange is formally linked to a domestic market so that a position taken on the market may be liquidated by a transaction on another market. Moreover, such laws or regulations will vary depending on the foreign country in which the foreign futures or foreign options transaction occurs. Futures contracts that are traded on non-U.S. exchanges may not be as liquid as those purchased on CFTC-designated contract markets.

Customers who trade foreign futures of foreign options contracts may not be afforded certain of the protective measures provided by the CEA, the CFTC’s regulations and the rules of the National Futures Association and any domestic exchange, including the right to use reparations proceedings before the CFTC and arbitration proceedings provided by the National Futures Association or any domestic futures exchange. In particular, a Fund’s investments in foreign futures or foreign options transactions may not be provided the same protections in respect of transactions on U.S. futures exchanges. In addition, the price of any foreign futures or foreign options contract and, therefore the potential profit and loss thereon may be affected by any variance in the foreign exchange rate between the time an order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised.

Index Warrants

The Funds may purchase put warrants and call warrants whose values vary depending on the change in the value of one or more specified indices (“index warrants”). Index warrants are generally issued by banks or other financial institutions and give the holder the right, at any time during the term of the warrant, to receive upon exercise of the warrant a cash payment from the issuer based on the value of the underlying index at the time of exercise. In general, if the value of the underlying index rises above the exercise price of the index warrant, the holder of a call warrant will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise based on the difference between the value of the index and the exercise price of the warrant; if the value of the underlying index falls, the holder of a put warrant will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise based on the difference between the exercise price of the warrant and the value of the index. The holder of a warrant would not be entitled to any payments from the issuer at a time when, in the case of a call warrant, the exercise price is more than the value of the underlying index, or in the case of a put warrant, the exercise price is less than the value of the underlying index. If a Fund were not to exercise an index warrant prior to its expiration, a Fund would lose the amount of the purchase price it paid for the warrant. A Fund will normally use index warrants in a manner similar to its use of options on indices. 

Inflation-Linked and Inflation-Indexed Securities

The Funds may invest in inflation-linked bonds. The principal amount of these bonds increases with increases in the price index used as a reference value for the bonds. In addition, the amounts payable as coupon interest payments increase when the price index increases because the interest amount is calculated by multiplying the principal amount (as adjusted) by a fixed coupon rate.

Although inflation-indexed securities protect their holders from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may result in a decline in value. The values of inflation-linked securities generally fluctuate in response to changes to real interest rates, which are in turn tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If inflation were to rise at a rate faster than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of the inflation-linked securities. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in the value of inflation-linked securities. If inflation is lower than expected during a period a Fund holds inflation-linked securities, a Fund may earn less on such bonds than on a conventional bond. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in inflation-linked securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the price index used as a reference for the securities. There can be no assurance that the price index used for an inflation-linked security will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Inflation-linked and inflation-indexed securities include Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities issued by the U.S. government (see the section “U.S. Government Obligations” below for additional information), but also may include securities issued by state, local and non-U.S. governments and corporations and supranational entities.

Initial Public Offerings

A Fund may purchase initial public offerings (“IPOs”) in accordance with its investment strategies. IPO shares frequently are volatile in price, and may be held for only a short period of time, leading to increased portfolio turnover and expenses, such as commissions and transaction costs. When sold, IPO shares may result in realized taxable gains. In addition, the market for IPO shares can be speculative and/or inactive for extended periods of time. Limited trading in some IPOs may make it more difficult to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Holders of IPO shares also may be affected by: substantial dilution in the value of their shares, sales of additional shares, and concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders. In addition, some companies in IPOs may have limited operating histories, may be undercapitalized, and may not have invested in or experienced a full market cycle.

Investments in Banks

The Funds may invest in certificates of deposit (certificates representing the obligation of a bank to repay funds deposited with it for a specified period of time), time deposits (non-negotiable deposits maintained in a bank for a specified period of time up to seven days at a stated interest rate), bankers’ acceptances (credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft drawn on it by a customer) and other securities and instruments issued by domestic banks, foreign branches of domestic banks, foreign subsidiaries of domestic banks and domestic and foreign branches of foreign banks.

A Fund also may purchase U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued by foreign branches of domestic banks or foreign branches of foreign banks (“Eurodollar” obligations) and domestic branches of foreign banks (“Yankee dollar” obligations).

Eurodollar and other foreign obligations involve special investment risks, including the possibility that (i) liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, (ii) the obligations may be less marketable than comparable domestic obligations of domestic issuers, (iii) a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, (iv) deposits may be seized or nationalized, (v) foreign governmental restrictions, such as exchange controls, may be adopted, which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations, (vi) the selection of foreign obligations may be more difficult because there may be less information publicly available concerning foreign issuers, (vii) there may be difficulties in securing or enforcing a judgment against a foreign issuer, and (viii) the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign issuers may differ from those applicable to domestic issuers. In addition, foreign banks are not subject to examination by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. 

U.S. and global markets recently have experienced increased volatility, including the recent failures of certain U.S. and non-U.S. banks, which could be harmful to the Funds and issuers in which they invest. Conditions in the banking sector are evolving, and the scope of any potential impacts to the Funds and issuers, both from market conditions and also potential legislative or regulatory responses, are uncertain. Continued market volatility and uncertainty and/or a downturn in market and economic and financial conditions, as a result of developments in the banking industry or otherwise (including as a result of delayed access to cash or credit facilities), could have an adverse impact on the Funds and issuers in which they invest.

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in other investment companies, including ETFs, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, SEC rules thereunder and exemptions thereto. Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act requires that, as determined immediately after a purchase is made, (i) not more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company, (ii) not more than 10% of the value of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in securities of investment companies as a group, and (iii) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by the Fund. Certain exceptions to these limitations may apply, and the Funds may also rely on any applicable SEC rules or orders that provide exceptions to these limitations.

Investment companies are essentially pools of securities. Investing in other investment companies involves substantially the same risks as investing directly in the underlying securities, but may involve additional expenses at the investment company level, such as investment advisory fees and operating expenses. In some cases, investing in an investment company may involve the payment of a premium over the value of the assets held in that investment company’s portfolio. As an investor in another investment company, a Fund will bear its ratable share of the investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, and a Fund’s shareholders will bear such expenses indirectly, in addition to similar fees and expenses of a Fund. Despite the possibility of greater fees and expenses, the Advisor will invest if it believes investment in other investment companies provides attractive return opportunities. In addition, it may be more efficient for a Fund to gain exposure to particular market segments by investing in shares of one or more investment companies.

The SEC has adopted revisions to the rules permitting funds to invest in other investment companies in excess of the limits described above. While Rule 12d1-4 permits more types of fund of fund arrangements without reliance on an exemptive order or no-action letters, it imposes conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds' shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures. Rule 12d1-4 went into effect on January 19, 2021. The rescission of the applicable exemptive orders and the withdrawal of the applicable no-action letters was effective on January 19, 2022.

Loan Based Derivatives

The Funds may invest in derivative instruments that provide exposure to one or more credit default swaps. For example, a Fund may invest in a derivative instrument known as the Loan-Only Credit Default Swap Index (“LCDX”), a tradable index with 100 equally weighted underlying single-name loan-only credit default swaps (“LCDS”). Each underlying LCDS references an issuer whose loans trade in the secondary leveraged loan market. A Fund can either buy the index (take on credit exposure) or sell the index (pass credit exposure to a counterparty). While investing in these types of derivatives will increase the universe of debt securities to which a Fund is exposed, such investments entail additional risks, such as those discussed below, that are not typically associated with investments in other debt securities. Credit default swaps and other derivative instruments related to loans are subject to the risks associated with loans generally, as well as the risks of derivative transactions. For more information, see the section “Swaps--Interest Rate Swaps, Mortgage Swaps, Credit Swaps, Currency Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest Rate Caps, Floors and Collars, Inflation Indexed Swaps” below.

Mortgage-Backed Securities

The Funds may purchase mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities are interests in pools of mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations as further described below. The Funds may also purchase debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-backed securities (“Collateralized Mortgage Obligations”) and in other types of mortgage-related securities. Mortgage-backed securities may be issued or guaranteed by U.S. government entities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), or by private lenders. 

The timely payment of principal and interest on mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA is backed by GNMA and the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. These guarantees, however, do not apply to the market value of fund shares. Also, securities issued by GNMA and other mortgage-backed securities may be purchased at a premium over the maturity value of the underlying mortgages. This premium is not guaranteed and would be lost if prepayment occurs. Mortgage-backed securities issued by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities other than GNMA are not “full faith and credit” obligations. Unscheduled or early payments on the underlying mortgages may shorten the securities’ effective maturities and reduce returns. A Fund may agree to purchase or sell these securities with payment and delivery taking place at a future date. A decline in interest rates may lead to a faster rate of repayment of the underlying mortgages and expose a Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment. To the extent that such mortgage-backed securities are held by a Fund, the prepayment right of mortgagors may limit the increase in NAV of the Fund because the value of the mortgage-backed securities held by the Fund may not appreciate as rapidly as the price of noncallable debt securities.

Interests in pools of mortgage-backed securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-backed securities (such as securities issued by the GNMA) are described as “modified pass-through.” These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payments dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof are generally considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets a Fund’s investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee or guarantees, even if through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Advisor determines that the securities meet the Fund’s quality standards.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities are not subject to the Funds’ industry concentration restrictions, set forth above in the section “Investment Restrictions,” by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. government securities.

Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk

Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Funds’ investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. These disruptions could prevent the Funds from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and negatively impact the Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objectives. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Funds. 

COVID-19

Disease outbreaks that affect local economies or the global economy may materially and adversely impact the Funds and the Advisor’s business. For example, uncertainties regarding the COVID-19 outbreak have resulted in serious economic disruptions across the globe. These types of outbreaks can be expected to cause severe decreases in core business activities such as manufacturing, purchasing, tourism, business conferences and workplace participation, among others. These disruptions lead to instability in the market place, including stock market losses and overall volatility, as has occurred in connection with COVID-19. In the face of such instability, governments may take extreme and unpredictable measures to combat the spread of disease and mitigate the resulting market disruptions and losses. The Advisor has in place a business continuity plan reasonably designed to ensure that it maintains normal business operations, and it periodically tests those plans. However, in the event of a pandemic or an outbreak, there can be no assurance that the Advisor’s or the Funds’ service providers will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons. Although vaccines for COVID-19 are widely available, the full impacts of a pandemic or disease outbreaks are unknown and the pace of recovery may vary from market to market, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time.

Options

The Funds may purchase and write call or put options on securities and indices and enter into related closing transactions.

All of the Funds may invest in options that are listed on exchanges or traded over the counter. Certain over-the-counter options may be illiquid. Thus, it may not be possible to close such options positions at the time or price desired, which may have an adverse impact on a Fund’s investments in such options. Accordingly, a Fund will only invest in such options to the extent consistent with its limit on investments in illiquid investments.

The Funds are required to comply with Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act. See the section entitled “Foreign Currency Transactions” above for additional information.

Call Options

A purchaser (holder) of a call option pays a non-refundable premium to the seller (writer) of a call option to obtain the right to purchase a specified amount of an investment at a fixed price (the exercise price) during a specified period (exercise period). Conversely, the seller (writer) of a call option, upon payment by the holder of the premium, has the obligation to sell the investment to the holder of the call option at the exercise price during the exercise period. The Funds may both purchase and write call options.

The premium that a Fund pays when purchasing a call option or receives when writing a call option will reflect, among other things, the market price of the investment, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the investment, the relationship of the exercise price to the volatility of the investment, the length of the option period and supply and demand factors. The premium is the market value of an option.

Purchasing Call Options

The Funds may purchase call options. As a holder of a call option, a Fund has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase an investment at the exercise price during the exercise period. Instead of exercising the option and purchasing the investment, a Fund may choose to allow the option to expire or enter into a “closing sale transaction” with respect to the option. A closing sale transaction gives a Fund the opportunity to cancel out its position in a previously purchased option through the offsetting sale during the exercise period of an option having the same features. A Fund will realize a profit from a closing sale transaction if the cost of the transaction is more than the premium it paid to purchase the option. A Fund will realize a loss from the closing sale transaction if the cost of the transaction is less than the premium paid by the Fund. A Fund may purchase call options on investments that it intends to buy in order to limit the risk of a substantial change in the market price of the investment. A Fund may also purchase call options on investments held in its portfolio and on which it has written call options.

Although a Fund will generally purchase only those call options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options, no secondary market on an exchange may exist. In such event, it may not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options, with the result being that a Fund would have to exercise its options in order to realize any profit and would incur brokerage commissions upon the exercise of such options and upon the subsequent disposition of the underlying investments acquired through the exercise of such options. Further, unless the price of the underlying investment changes sufficiently, a call option purchased by a Fund may expire without any value to the Fund, in which event the Fund would realize a capital loss which will be short-term unless the option was held for more than one year. 

Writing Call Options

The Funds may write call options. As the writer of a call option, a Fund has the obligation to sell the security at the exercise price during the exercise period.

A call option is “covered” when a Fund either holds the security that is the subject of the option or possesses the option to purchase the same security at an exercise price equal to or less than the exercise price of the covered call option.

As the writer of a call option, in return for the premium, a Fund gives up the opportunity to realize a profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price and retains the risk of loss should the price of the security decline. If a call option written by a Fund is not exercised, the Fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium. However, any gain may be offset by a decline in the market value of the security during the exercise period. If the option is exercised, the Fund will experience a profit or loss from the sale of the underlying security. A Fund may have no control over when the underlying securities must be sold because the Fund may be assigned an exercise notice at any time during the exercise period.

A Fund may choose to terminate its obligation as the writer of a call option by entering into a “closing purchase transaction.” A closing purchase transaction allows a Fund to terminate its obligation to sell a security subject to a call option by allowing the Fund to cancel its position under a previously written call option through an offsetting purchase during the exercise period of an option having the same features. A Fund may not effect a closing purchase transaction once it has received notice that the option will be exercised. In addition, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to engage in a closing purchase transaction at a time or price desirable to the Fund. Effecting a closing purchase transaction on a call option permits a Fund to write another call option on the underlying security with a different exercise price, exercise date or both. If a Fund wants to sell a portfolio security that is subject to a call option, it will effect a closing purchase transaction prior to or at the same time as the sale of the security.

A Fund will realize a profit from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is less than the premium received from writing the option. Conversely, a Fund will experience a loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is more than the premium received from writing the option. Because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security, any loss resulting from the closing purchase transaction of a written call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security owned by the Fund.

Put Options

A purchaser (holder) of a put option pays a non-refundable premium to the seller (writer) of a put option to obtain the right to sell a specified amount of a security at a fixed price (the exercise price) during a specified period (exercise period). Conversely, the writer of a put option, upon payment by the holder of the premium, has the obligation to buy the security from the holder of the put option at the exercise price during the exercise period. The Funds may both purchase and write put options.

Purchasing Put Options

As a holder of a put option, a Fund has the right, but not the obligation, to sell a security at the exercise price during the exercise period. Instead of exercising the option and selling the security, a Fund may choose to allow the option to expire or enter into a closing sale transaction with respect to the option. A closing sale transaction gives a Fund the opportunity to cancel out its position in a previously purchased option through the offsetting sale during the exercise period of an option having the same features.

A Fund may purchase put options on its portfolio securities for defensive purposes (“protective puts”). A Fund may purchase a protective put for a security it holds in its portfolio to protect against a possible decline in the value of the security subject to the put option. A Fund may also purchase a protective put for a security in its portfolio to protect the unrealized appreciation of the security without having to sell the security. By purchasing a put option, a Fund is able to sell the security subject to the put option at the exercise price during the exercise period even if the security has significantly declined in value.

A Fund may also purchase put options for securities it is not currently holding in its portfolio. A Fund would purchase a put option on a security it does not own in order to benefit from a decline in the market price of the security during the exercise period. A Fund will only make a profit by exercising a put option if the market price of the security subject to the put option plus the premium and the transaction costs paid by the Fund together total less than the exercise price of the put option. 

Writing Put Options

As the writer of a put option, a Fund has the obligation to buy the underlying security at the exercise price during the exercise period.

If a put option written by a Fund is not exercised, the Fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium. If the put option is exercised, the Fund must fulfill the obligation to purchase the underlying security at the exercise price, which will usually exceed the market value of the underlying security at that time. A Fund may have no control over when the underlying securities must be purchased because the Fund may be assigned an exercise notice at any time during the exercise period.

A Fund may choose to terminate its obligation as the writer of a put option by entering into a “closing purchase transaction.” A closing purchase transaction allows a Fund to terminate its obligation to purchase a security subject to a put option by allowing the Fund to cancel its position under a previously written put option through an offsetting purchase during the exercise period of an option having the same features. A Fund may not effect a closing purchase transaction once it has received notice that the option will be exercised. In addition, there is no guarantee that a Fund will be able to engage in a closing purchase transaction at a time or price desirable to the Fund. Effecting a closing purchase transaction on a put option permits the Fund to write another put option.

A Fund will realize a profit from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is less than the premium received from writing the option. Conversely, a Fund will experience a loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is more than the premium received from writing the option.

A Fund may write put options in situations when the Advisor wants to buy the underlying security for the Fund’s portfolio at a price lower than the current market price of the security. To effect this strategy, a Fund would write a put option at an exercise price that, reduced by the premium received on the option, reflects the lower price the Fund is willing to pay. Since the Fund may also receive interest on debt securities or currencies maintained to cover the exercise price of the option, this technique could be used to enhance current return during periods of market uncertainty. The risk of this strategy is that the market price of the underlying security would decline below the exercise price less the premiums received.

Options on Foreign Currencies

The Funds may buy and write options on foreign currencies in a manner similar to that in which futures or forward contracts on foreign currencies will be used. In addition, options on foreign currencies may be used to hedge against adverse changes in foreign currency conversion rates. For example, a decline in the U.S. dollar value of a foreign currency in which portfolio securities are denominated will reduce the U.S. dollar value of such securities, even if their value in the foreign currency remains constant. In order to protect against such diminutions in the value of the portfolio securities, a Fund may buy put options on the foreign currency. If the value of the currency declines, a Fund will have the right to sell such currency for a fixed amount in U.S. dollars, thereby offsetting, in whole or in part, the adverse effect on its portfolio.

Conversely, when a rise in the U.S. dollar value of a currency in which securities to be acquired are denominated is projected, thereby increasing the cost of such securities, a Fund may buy call options on the foreign currency. The purchase of such options could offset, at least partially, the effects of the adverse movements in exchange rates. As in the case of other types of options, however, the benefit to a Fund from purchases of foreign currency options will be reduced by the amount of the premium and related transaction costs. In addition, if currency exchange rates do not move in the direction or to the extent desired, a Fund could sustain losses on transactions in foreign currency options that would require a Fund to forego a portion or all of the benefits of advantageous changes in those rates.

The Funds also may write options on foreign currencies. For example, to hedge against a potential decline in the U.S. dollar due to adverse fluctuations in exchange rates, a Fund could, instead of purchasing a put option, write a call option on the relevant currency. If the decline expected by a Fund occurs, the option will most likely not be exercised and the diminution in value of portfolio securities will be offset at least in part by the amount of the premium received. Similarly, instead of purchasing a call option to hedge against a potential increase in the U.S. dollar cost of securities to be acquired, a Fund could write a put option on the relevant currency which, if rates move in the manner projected by a Fund, will expire unexercised and allow a Fund to hedge the increased cost up to the amount of the premium. If exchange rates do not move in the expected direction, the option may be exercised and a Fund would be required to buy or sell the underlying currency at a loss, which may not be fully offset by the amount of the premium. Through the writing of options on foreign currencies, a Fund also may lose all or a portion of the benefits that might otherwise have been obtained from favorable movements in exchange rates. 

Options on Indices

The Funds may invest in options on indices. Put and call options on indices are similar to puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities or futures contracts. When a Fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from a Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a specified multiple (“multiplier”), which determines the total dollar value for each point of such difference. When a Fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights as to such call as are indicated above. When a Fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon a Fund’s exercise of the put, to deliver to a Fund an amount of cash equal to the difference between the exercise price of the option and the value of the index, times a multiplier, similar to that described above for calls. When a Fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require a Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.

Because the value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular security, whether a Fund will realize gain or loss on the purchase of an option on an index depends upon movements in the level of prices in the market generally or in an industry or market segment rather than movements in the price of a particular security. Accordingly, successful use by a Fund of options on indices is subject to the Advisor’s ability to predict correctly the direction of movements in the market generally or in a particular industry. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities.

Index prices may be distorted if trading of a substantial number of securities included in the index is interrupted causing the trading of options on that index to be halted. If a trading halt occurred, a Fund would not be able to close out options which it had purchased and the Fund may incur losses if the underlying index moved adversely before trading resumed. If a trading halt occurred and restrictions prohibiting the exercise of options were imposed through the close of trading on the last day before expiration, exercises on that day would be settled on the basis of a closing index value that may not reflect current price information for securities representing a substantial portion of the value of the index.

If a Fund holds an index option and exercises it before final determination of the closing index value for that day, it runs the risk that the level of the underlying index may change before closing. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall “out-of-the-money,” the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer. Although a Fund may be able to minimize this risk by withholding exercise instructions until just before the daily cutoff time or by selling rather than exercising the option when the index level is close to the exercise price, it may not be possible to eliminate this risk entirely because the cutoff times for index options may be earlier than those fixed for other types of options and may occur before definitive closing index values are announced.

Over-The-Counter (“OTC”) Options

The Funds may write covered put and call options and buy put and call options that trade in the OTC market to the same extent that it may engage in exchange traded options. OTC options differ from exchange traded options in certain material respects. OTC options are arranged directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation. Thus, there is a risk of non-performance by the dealer. Because there is no exchange, pricing is typically done based on information from market makers. OTC options are available for a greater variety of securities and in a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices, however, than exchange traded options and the writer of an OTC option is paid the premium in advance by the dealer. There can be no assurance that a continuous liquid secondary market will exist for any particular OTC option at any specific time. A Fund may be able to realize the value of an OTC option it has purchased only by exercising it or entering into a closing sale transaction with the dealer that issued it. A Fund may suffer a loss if it is not able to exercise or sell its position on a timely basis. When a Fund writes an OTC option, it generally can close out that option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer with which the Fund originally wrote the option.

Private Placements

A Fund may invest in securities that are purchased in private placements, which are subject to restrictions on resale as a matter of contract or under federal securities laws. Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for these securities, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, a Fund could find it more difficult to sell the securities when the Advisor believes that it is advisable to do so, or may be able to sell the securities only at prices lower than if the securities were more widely held. At times, it also may be more difficult to determine the fair value of the securities for purposes of computing a Fund’s NAV. 

While private placements may offer opportunities for investment that are not otherwise available on the open market, the securities so purchased are often “restricted securities” that cannot be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act, the availability of an exemption from registration (such as Rule 144 or Rule 144A under the 1933 Act) or that are not readily marketable because they are subject to other legal or contractual delays or restrictions on resale.

The absence of a trading market can make it difficult to ascertain a market value for illiquid investments such as private placements. Disposing of illiquid investments may involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses, and it may be difficult or impossible for a Fund to sell the illiquid securities promptly at an acceptable price. A Fund may have to bear the extra expense of registering the securities for resale and the risk of substantial delay in effecting the registration. In addition, market quotations are typically less readily available for these securities. The judgment of the Advisor may at times play a greater role in valuing these securities than in the case of unrestricted securities.

Generally, restricted securities may be sold only to qualified institutional buyers, in a privately negotiated transaction to a limited number of purchasers, in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and when other conditions are met pursuant to an exemption from registration, or in a public offering for which a registration statement is in effect under the 1933 Act. A Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act when selling restricted securities to the public. As such, a Fund may be liable to purchasers of the securities if the registration statement prepared by the issuer, or the prospectus forming a part of the registration statement, is materially inaccurate or misleading.

REITs

The Penn Capital Mid Cap Core Fund and the Penn Capital Special Situations Small Cap Equity Fund may invest in equity REITs and equity interests issued by REITs; the Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund and the Penn Capital Opportunistic High Income Fund may invest in debt obligations issued by REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate-related loans or interests. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with the applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). A Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management and other expenses paid by REITs in which it invests in addition to the expenses paid by the Fund. Debt securities issued by REITs are, for the most part, general and unsecured obligations and are subject to risks associated with REITs.

Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. An equity REIT may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying properties owned by the REIT. A mortgage REIT may be affected by changes in interest rates and the ability of the issuers of its portfolio mortgages to repay their obligations in addition to the fact that a mortgage REIT that is in its liquidation stage may return capital to investors when it is disadvantageous to do so. In addition, with respect to investments in mortgage REITs that create exposure to mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages (which refer to loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments, and second-lien mortgage loans), the risk of default is generally higher, and a decline in or flattening of property values also may exacerbate losses. REITs are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are not diversified. REITs are generally dependent upon maintaining cash flows to repay borrowings and to make distributions to shareholders and are subject to the risk of default by lessees or borrowers. REITs whose underlying assets are concentrated in properties used by a particular industry, such as health care, are also subject to risks associated with such industry. In addition, REITS are subject to the possibilities of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code, and failing to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act.

REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks, including prepayment risk. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations can be expected to decline. If the REIT invests in adjustable rate mortgage loans the interest rates on which are reset periodically, yields on a REIT’s investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates. This causes the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate obligations. 

REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a more limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than more widely held securities.

A Fund’s investment in a REIT may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received or may result in a Fund making distributions that constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders for federal income tax purposes. In addition, distributions by a Fund from REITs will not qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction, or, generally, for treatment as qualified dividend income.

Repurchase and Reverse Repurchase Agreements

Under a repurchase agreement, a Fund agrees to buy securities guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government or its agencies from a qualified bank or broker-dealer and then to sell the securities back to the bank or broker-dealer after a short period of time (generally, less than seven days) at a higher price. The bank or broker-dealer must transfer to a Fund’s custodian securities with an initial market value of at least 100% of the dollar amount invested by a Fund in each repurchase agreement. The Advisor will monitor the value of such securities daily to determine that the value equals or exceeds the repurchase price.

Repurchase agreements may involve risks in the event of default or insolvency of the bank or broker-dealer, including possible delays or restrictions upon a Fund’s ability to sell the underlying securities. A Fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with parties who meet certain creditworthiness standards, i.e., banks or broker-dealers that the Advisor has determined present no serious risk of becoming involved in bankruptcy proceedings within the time frame contemplated by the repurchase transaction.

The Funds may also each enter into reverse repurchase agreements. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund agrees to sell a security in its portfolio and then to repurchase the security at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment. When entering into reverse repurchase agreements, the Fund is required to comply with Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act. See the section entitled “Foreign Currency Transactions” above for additional information.

The use of repurchase agreements by a Fund involves certain risks. For example, if the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying security at a time when the value of the security has declined, a Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of the security. If the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under the bankruptcy code or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for the loan by a Fund not within the control of that Fund, and therefore the realization by a Fund on the collateral may be automatically stayed. Finally, it is possible that a Fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement. While the Advisor acknowledges these risks, it is expected that if repurchase agreements are otherwise deemed useful to a Fund, these risks can be controlled through careful monitoring procedures.

Restricted and Illiquid Investments

Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act ("Rule 22e-4" or the "Liquidity Rule"), each of the Funds may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment as defined in Rule 22e-4 is an investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions within 7 calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. These investments may include restricted securities and repurchase agreements maturing in more than 7 days. Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, and thus may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to an exemption from registration. Subject to the adoption of guidelines by the Board, certain restricted securities that may be sold to institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and non-exempt commercial paper may be determined to be liquid by the Advisor. Illiquid investments involve the risk that the investments will not be able to be sold at the time the Advisor desires or at prices approximating the value at which a Fund is carrying the investments. To the extent an investment held by a Fund is deemed to be an illiquid investment or a less liquid investment, the Fund will be exposed to a greater liquidity risk.

The Trust has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to Rule 22e-4. If the limitation on illiquid investments is exceeded, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC.

On November 2, 2022, the SEC proposed amendments to Rule 22e-4. If adopted as proposed, the proposed amendments would result in changes to the Funds' liquidity classification framework and could potentially increase the percentage of the Funds' investments deemed to be illiquid. In addition, the Funds' operations and investment strategies may be adversely impacted if the proposed amendments are adopted. 

There are no restrictions on a Fund’s ability to invest in restricted securities (that is, securities that are not registered pursuant to the 1933 Act), except to the extent such securities may be considered illiquid. Securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A of the 1933 Act will be considered liquid if determined to be so under procedures adopted by the Board pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act.

Step-Coupon Securities

Step-coupon securities trade at a discount from their face value and pay coupon interest. The coupon rate is low for an initial period and then increases to a higher coupon rate thereafter. Market values of these types of securities generally fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than conventional interest-paying securities of comparable term and quality. Under many market conditions, investments in such securities may be illiquid, making it difficult for a Fund to dispose of them or determine their current value.

Structured Notes

Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate and/or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. The value of the principal of and/or interest on structured notes is determined by reference to changes in the return, interest rate or value at maturity of a specific asset, reference rate or index (the “reference instrument”) or the relative change in two or more reference instruments. The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may be increased or decreased, depending upon changes in the applicable reference instruments. Structured notes may be positively or negatively indexed, so that an increase in value of the reference instrument may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or value of the structured note at maturity. In addition, changes in the interest rate or the value of the structured note at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference investment; therefore, the value of such note may be very volatile. Structured notes may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference instrument. Structured notes may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. In connection with its investments in structured notes, a Fund is required to comply with Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act. See the section entitled “Foreign Currency Transactions” above for additional information.

Supranational Entities

The Funds may invest in obligations of supranational entities. A supranational entity is an entity designated or supported by national governments to promote economic reconstruction, development or trade amongst nations. Examples of supranational entities include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (also known as the World Bank) and the European Investment Bank. Obligations of supranational entities are subject to the risk that the governments on whose support the entity depends for its financial backing or repayment may be unable or unwilling to provide that support. Obligations of a supranational entity that are denominated in foreign currencies will also be subject to the risks associated with investments in foreign currencies, as described above in the section “Foreign Currency Transactions.”

Swaps–Interest Rate Swaps, Mortgage Swaps, Credit Swaps, Currency Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest Rate Caps, Floors and Collars, Inflation Indexed Swaps

The Funds may enter into interest rate, mortgage, credit, currency and total return swaps, as well as interest rate caps, floors and collars. The Funds may also purchase and write (sell) options contracts on swaps, referred to as “swaptions.” Generally, swap agreements are contracts between a Fund and another party (the swap counterparty) involving the exchange of payments on specified terms over periods ranging from a few days to multiple years. A swap agreement may be negotiated bilaterally and traded OTC between the two parties (for an uncleared swap) or, in some instances, must be transacted through an FCM and cleared through a clearinghouse that serves as a central counterparty (for a cleared swap). In a basic swap transaction, a Fund agrees with the swap counterparty to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) and/or cash flows earned or realized on a particular “notional amount” or value of predetermined underlying reference instruments. The notional amount is the set dollar or other value selected by the parties to use as the basis on which to calculate the obligations that the parties to a swap agreement have agreed to exchange. The parties typically do not actually exchange the notional amount. Instead they agree to exchange the returns that would be earned or realized if the notional amount were invested in given investments or at given rates. An inflation index swap is a contract between two parties, whereby one party makes payments based on the cumulative percentage increase in an index that serves as a measure of inflation (typically, the Consumer Price Index) and the other party makes a regular payment based on a compounded fixed rate. Typically, an inflation index swap has payment obligations netted and exchanged upon maturity. The value of an inflation index swap is expected to change in response to changes in the rate of inflation. If inflation increases at a faster rate than anticipated at the time the swap is entered into, the swap will increase in value. Similarly, if inflation increases at a rate slower than anticipated at the time the swap is entered into, the swap will decrease in value. 

The Funds may enter into swap transactions for hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed-rate payments for floating rate payments. Mortgage swaps are similar to interest rate swaps in that they represent commitments to pay and receive interest. The notional principal amount, however, is tied to a reference pool or pools of mortgages. Credit swaps involve the receipt of floating or fixed rate payments in exchange for assuming potential credit losses of an underlying security. Credit swaps give one party to a transaction the right to dispose of or acquire an asset (or group of assets), or the right to receive or make a payment from the other party, upon the occurrence of specified credit events. Currency swaps involve the exchange of the parties’ respective rights to make or receive payments in specified currencies. Total return swaps are contracts that obligate a party to pay or receive interest in exchange for payment by the other party of the total return generated by a security, a basket of securities, an index, or an index component. A swaption is an option to enter into a swap agreement. Like other types of options, the buyer of a swaption pays a non-refundable premium for the option and obtains the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms. The seller of a swaption, in exchange for the premium, becomes obligated (if the option is exercised) to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms. The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate, to receive payment of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling the interest rate floor. An interest rate collar is the combination of a cap and a floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined range of interest rates.

A great deal of flexibility is possible in the way swap transactions are structured. The Funds will generally enter into swap agreements on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams that are to be made by a Fund and its counterparty with respect to a particular swap agreement are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net difference in the two payments. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate and mortgage swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an interest rate swap defaults, a Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. In contrast, currency swaps usually involve the delivery of the entire principal amount of one designated currency in exchange for the other designated currency. Therefore, the entire principal value of a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations.

In an uncleared swap, the swap counterparty is typically a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. During the term of an uncleared swap, a Fund is usually required to pledge to the swap counterparty, from time to time, an amount of cash and/or other assets equal to the total net amount (if any) that would be payable by the Fund to the counterparty if the swap were terminated on the date in question, including any early termination payments. Periodically, changes in the amount pledged are made to recognize changes in value of the contract. Likewise, the counterparty may be required to pledge cash or other assets to cover its obligations to the Fund. However, the amount pledged may not always be equal to or more than the amount due to the other party. Therefore, if a counterparty defaults in its obligations to a Fund, the amount pledged by the counterparty and available to the Fund may not be sufficient to cover all the amounts due to the Fund and the Fund may sustain a loss.

The CFTC has adopted rules that apply to CFTC-registered swap dealers that are not banks. Such rules generally require a Fund to provide variation margin and (in some cases) initial margin when it enters into uncleared swap agreements.

Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing and exchange-trading. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and implementing rules will ultimately require the clearing and exchange-trading of many swaps. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis based on the type of market participant, CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing and public trading facilities making such cleared swaps available to trade. To date, the CFTC has designated only certain of the most common types of credit default index swaps and interest rate swaps as subject to mandatory clearing and certain public trading facilities have made certain of those cleared swaps available to trade, but it is expected that additional categories of swaps will in the future be designated as subject to mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements.

In a cleared swap, a Fund’s ultimate counterparty is a central clearinghouse rather than a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. Cleared swaps are submitted for clearing through each party’s FCM, which must be a member of the clearinghouse that serves as the central counterparty. Transactions executed on a swap execution facility (“SEF”) may increase market transparency and liquidity but may require a Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of swaps that it has used in the past. When a Fund enters into a cleared swap, it must deliver to the central counterparty (via the FCM) an amount referred to as “initial margin.” During the term of the swap agreement, a “variation margin” amount may also be required to be paid by the Fund or may be received by the Fund in accordance with margin controls set for such accounts, depending upon changes in the marked-to-market value of the swap agreement. If the value of a Fund’s cleared swap declines, the Fund will be required to make additional “variation margin” payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. Conversely, if the market value of a Fund’s position increases, the FCM will post additional “variation margin” to the Fund’s account. 

The use of swap transactions is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Advisor, in using swap agreements, is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates, inflation, currency exchange rates or other applicable factors, the investment performance of a Fund will be less than its performance would have been if it had not used the swap agreements.

In an uncleared swap, performance is the responsibility only of the swap counterparty and not of any exchange or clearinghouse. As a result, a Fund is subject to the risk that a counterparty will be unable or will refuse to perform under such agreement, including because of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. A Fund risks the loss of the accrued but unpaid amounts under a swap agreement, which could be substantial, in the event of a default, insolvency or bankruptcy by a swap counterparty. In such an event, a Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the swap agreements, but bankruptcy and insolvency laws could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor. If the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in losses.

Central clearing is designed to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, but it does not eliminate those risks completely and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps. There is also a risk of loss by a Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position, or the central counterparty in a swap contract. The assets of a Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty. Finally, a Fund is subject to the risk that, after entering into a cleared swap with an executing broker, no FCM or central counterparty is willing or able to clear the transaction. In such an event, the Fund may be required to break the trade and make an early termination payment to the executing broker. Credit risk of cleared swap participants is concentrated in a few clearinghouses, and the consequences of insolvency of a clearinghouse are not clear.

The Funds may invest in publicly or privately issued interests in investment pools whose underlying assets are credit default, credit-linked, interest rate, currency exchange, equity-linked or other types of swap contracts and related underlying securities or securities loan agreements. The pools’ investment results may be designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified securities index or “basket” of securities, or sometimes a single security. These types of pools may be used by a Fund to gain exposure to multiple securities with a smaller investment than would be required to invest directly in the individual securities. They also may be used by a Fund to gain exposure to foreign securities markets without investing in the foreign securities themselves and/or the relevant foreign market. To the extent that a Fund invests in pools of swaps and related underlying securities or securities loan agreements whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign securities, investing in such pools will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign securities. See the section “Foreign Securities” above. In addition to the risks associated with investing in swaps generally, a Fund bears the risks and costs generally associated with investing in pooled investment vehicles, such as paying the fees and expenses of the pool and the risk that the pool or the operator of the pool may default on its obligations to the holder of interests in the pool, such as a Fund. Interests in privately offered investment pools of swaps may be considered illiquid.

The regulation of cleared and uncleared swaps, as well as other derivatives, is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, such as speculative position limits on certain types of derivatives, or limits or restrictions on the counterparties with which a Fund engages in derivative transactions, may limit or prevent the Fund from using or limit the Fund’s use of these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategy, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. 

Synthetic Securities

Incidental to other transactions in fixed income securities and/or for investment purposes, a Fund also may combine options on securities with cash, cash equivalent investments or other fixed income securities in order to create “synthetic” securities that approximate desired risk and return profiles. This may be done where a “non-synthetic” security having the desired risk/return profile either is unavailable (e.g., short-term securities of certain non-U.S. governments) or possesses undesirable characteristics (e.g., interest payments on the security would be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes). A Fund also may purchase forward non-U.S. exchange contracts in conjunction with U.S. dollar-denominated securities in order to create a synthetic non-U.S. currency denominated security that approximates desired risk and return characteristics where the non-synthetic securities either are not available in non-U.S. markets or possess undesirable characteristics. The use of synthetic bonds and other synthetic securities may involve risks different from, or potentially greater than, risks associated with direct investments in securities and other assets including market risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk, and their value may or may not correlate with the value of the relevant underlying asset.

Temporary Investments

Under normal circumstances, a Fund may have money received from the purchase of Fund shares, or money received on the sale of its portfolio securities for which suitable investments consistent with such Fund’s investment objective(s) are not immediately available. Under these circumstances, a Fund may have such monies invested in cash or cash equivalents in order to earn income on this portion of its assets. Cash equivalents include money market mutual funds and money market deposit accounts, as well as investments such as U.S. government obligations, repurchase agreements, bank obligations, commercial paper and corporate bonds with remaining maturities of thirteen months or less. A Fund may also have a portion of its assets invested in cash equivalents in order to meet anticipated redemption requests or if other suitable securities are unavailable. In addition, a Fund may reduce its holdings in equity and other securities and may invest in cash, cash equivalents or other high quality short-term investments for temporary defensive purposes, during periods in which the Advisor believes changes in economic, financial, political or other conditions make it advisable.

Bank obligations include bankers’ acceptances, negotiable certificates of deposit and non-negotiable time deposits, including U.S. dollar-denominated instruments issued or supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions. Although each of the Funds may invest in money market obligations of foreign banks or foreign branches of U.S. banks only where the Advisor determines the instrument to present minimal credit risks, such investments may nevertheless entail risks that are different from those of investments in domestic obligations of U.S. banks due to differences in political, regulatory and economic systems and conditions. All investments in bank obligations are limited to the obligations of financial institutions having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, and investments by a Fund in the obligations of foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks will not exceed 10% of a Fund’s total assets at the time of purchase. A Fund may also make interest-bearing savings deposits in commercial and savings banks in amounts not in excess of 10% of its net assets.

Investments by a Fund in commercial paper will consist of issues rated at the time of investment as A-1 and/or P-1 by S&P^®, Moody’s or a similar rating by another NRSRO. In addition, a Fund may acquire unrated commercial paper and corporate bonds that are determined by the Advisor at the time of purchase to be of comparable quality to rated instruments that may be acquired by such Fund, as previously described.

Trust Preferred Securities

The Funds may also purchase trust preferred securities, which have characteristics of both subordinated debt and preferred stock. Trust preferred securities are issued by a special purpose trust subsidiary backed by subordinated debt of a corporate parent. These securities generally have a final stated maturity date and a fixed schedule for periodic payments. In addition, these securities have provisions that afford preference over common and preferred stock upon liquidation, although the securities are subordinated to other, more senior debt securities of the same issuer. The issuers of these securities often have the right to defer interest payments for a period of time.

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. The market value of trust preferred securities may be more volatile than those of conventional debt securities. Trust preferred securities may be issued in reliance on Rule 144A under the 1933 Act or otherwise subject to restrictions on resale. There can be no assurance as to the liquidity of trust preferred securities and the ability of holders, such as a Fund, to sell their holdings. If the parent company defaults on interest payments to the trust, the trust will not be able to make dividend payments to holders of its securities. 

U.S. Government Obligations

A Fund may invest in a variety of U.S. Treasury obligations including bonds, notes and bills, which mainly differ only in their interest rates, maturities and time of issuance. The Funds may also each invest in other securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, such as obligations of Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, GNMA, Fannie Mae^®, General Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Maritime Administration and Resolution Trust Corp. Government agency obligations have different levels of credit support and, therefore, different degrees of credit risk. Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States, such as the Federal Housing Administration and Ginnie Mae^®, present little credit risk. Government agency obligations also include instruments issued by certain instrumentalities established or sponsored by the U.S. government, including the Federal Home Loan Banks, Fannie Mae^®, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (‘‘FHLMC’’ or “Freddie Mac^®”). Although these securities are issued, in general, under the authority of an Act of Congress, the U.S. government is not obligated to provide financial support to the issuing instrumentalities and these securities are neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. government. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has the authority to support FNMA and FHLMC by purchasing limited amounts of their respective obligations. In addition, the U.S. government has, in the past, provided financial support to FNMA and FHLMC with respect to their debt obligations. However, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will always do so or would do so yet again.

Additionally, from time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could impact the creditworthiness of the United States and could impact the liquidity of the U.S. Government securities markets and ultimately the Funds.

Variable and Floating Rate Instruments

The Funds may purchase variable- and floating-rate instruments (including bank loans, which are discussed in the section “Bank Loans, Loan Participations and Assignments” above). These instruments may include variable amount master demand notes that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary in addition to providing for periodic adjustments in the interest rate. These instruments may also include leveraged inverse floating-rate debt instruments, or “inverse floaters.” The interest rate of an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest on a security or interest to which it is related. An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent that its interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change in the index rate of interest, and is subject to many of the same risks as derivatives. The higher degree of leverage inherent in inverse floaters is associated with greater volatility in their market values. Certain of these investments may be illiquid. The absence of an active secondary market with respect to these investments could make it difficult for a Fund to dispose of a variable or floating rate note if the issuer defaulted on its payment obligation or during periods that a Fund is not entitled to exercise its demand rights, and a Fund could, for these or other reasons, suffer a loss with respect to such instruments.

Warrants

A Fund has the ability to purchase warrants and similar rights, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at the specified price during a specified period of time. Warrants do not represent ownership of the securities, but only the right to buy them. Warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the company issuing them. Warrants differ from call options in that warrants are issued by the issuer of the security that may be purchased on their exercise, whereas call options may be written or issued by anyone. The prices of warrants do not necessarily move parallel to the prices of the underlying securities.

The purchase of warrants involves the risk that a Fund could lose the purchase value of a warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrant’s expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price, such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Under normal circumstances, no more than 5% of a Fund’s net assets will be invested in warrants. This 5% limit includes warrants that are not listed on any stock exchange. Warrants acquired by a Fund in units or attached to securities are not subject to these limits.

When-Issued Purchases, Delayed Delivery and Forward Commitments

A Fund may purchase or sell particular securities with payment and delivery taking place at a later date. When a Fund agrees to purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis or enter into a forward commitment to purchase securities, it is required to comply with Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act. See the section entitled “Foreign Currency Transactions” above for additional information. 

When-issued and forward commitment transactions involve the risk that the price or yield obtained in a transaction (and therefore the value of a security) may be less favorable then the price or yield (and therefore the value of a security) available in the market when the delivery of the securities takes place.

If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to a Fund on the settlement date. In these cases, a Fund may realize a capital gain or loss.

When a Fund engages in when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in a Fund incurring a loss or failing to receive a cumulative profit on the trade.

The market value of the securities underlying a when-issued purchase or a forward commitment to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value, are taken into account when determining the NAV of a Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. A Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date. When a Fund makes a forward commitment to sell securities it owns, the proceeds to be received upon settlement are included in such Fund’s assets. Fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities are not reflected in the Fund’s NAV as long as the commitment remains in effect.

Zero-Coupon, Delayed Interest and Capital Appreciation Securities

A Fund may invest in zero-coupon, delayed interest, pay-in-kind (“PIK”) and capital appreciation securities, which are securities that make no periodic interest payments, but are sold at a deep discount from their face value. The buyer recognizes a rate of return determined by the gradual appreciation of the security, which is redeemed at face value on a specified maturity date. The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity, as well as market interest rates, the liquidity of the security, and the issuer’s perceived credit quality. The discount, in the absence of financial difficulties of the issuer, typically decreases as the final maturity date approaches. If the issuer defaults, a Fund may not receive any return on its investment. Because such securities bear no interest and compound semi-annually at the rate fixed at the time of issuance, their value generally is more volatile than the value of other fixed income securities. Since such bondholders do not receive interest payments, when interest rates rise, zero-coupon, delayed interest and capital appreciation securities fall more dramatically in value than bonds paying interest on a current basis. When interest rates fall, zero-coupon, delayed interest and capital appreciation securities rise more rapidly in value because the bonds reflect a fixed rate of return. An investment in zero-coupon, delayed interest and capital appreciation securities may cause a Fund to recognize income and make distributions to shareholders before it receives any cash payments on its investment. To generate cash to satisfy distribution requirements, a Fund may have to sell portfolio securities that it otherwise would have continued to hold or to use cash flows from other sources such as the sale of Fund shares.

PIK securities may be debt obligations or preferred shares that provide the issuer with the option of paying interest or dividends on such obligations in cash or in the form of additional securities rather than cash. Similar to zero-coupon bonds and delayed interest securities, PIK securities are designed to give an issuer flexibility in managing cash flow. PIK securities that are debt securities can be either senior or subordinated debt and generally trade flat (i.e., without interest). The trading price of PIK debt securities generally reflects the market value of the underlying debt plus an amount representing accrued interest since the last interest payment. 

The Trust has adopted, on behalf of the Funds, a policy relating to the selective disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio holdings by the Advisor, Board, officers, or third party service providers, in accordance with regulations that seek to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio holdings is in the best interest of Fund shareholders. The policies relating to the disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio holdings are designed to allow disclosure of portfolio holdings information where necessary to the Fund’s operation without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. It is the policy of the Trust that disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio holdings to a select person or persons prior to the release of such holdings to the public (“selective disclosure”) is prohibited, unless there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure.

The Trust discloses portfolio holdings information as required in regulatory filings and shareholder reports, discloses portfolio holdings information as required by federal and state securities laws and may disclose portfolio holdings information in response to requests by governmental authorities. As required by the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Trust will disclose each Fund’s portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR, Form N-CEN, and Form N-PORT, or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require.

Generally, after the 30th business day of the month following each calendar quarter end, each Fund may provide, at the Advisor’s discretion, its portfolio holdings to various rating and ranking organizations. In addition, generally after the 30th business day of the month following each calendar quarter end, each Fund may post to its website a list of its top ten holdings or full portfolio holdings at the discretion of the Advisor. The timing, frequency and type (i.e., ratings/rankings/holdings) of disclosure may change at the Advisor’s discretion, as well as whether to post to each Fund’s website.

The Trust may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about a Fund’s portfolio holdings that is not publicly available to its third-party service providers, which include U.S. Bank, N.A., the custodian; U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services”), the administrator, accounting agent and transfer agent; Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm; Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, legal counsel; FilePoint, the financial printer; the Funds’ proxy voting service(s); and the Trust’s liquidity classification agent. These service providers are required to keep such information confidential, and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information except as necessary in providing services to a Fund. Such holdings are released on conditions of confidentiality, which include appropriate trading prohibitions.

“Conditions of confidentiality” include confidentiality terms included in written agreements, implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g. attorney-client relationship), or required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody services provided by financial institutions). Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in a Fund’s portfolio.

Portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Advisor, to (i) certain independent reporting agencies recognized by the SEC as acceptable agencies for the reporting of industry statistical information and (ii) financial consultants to assist them in determining the suitability of the Funds as an investment for their clients, in each case in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the Company’s and the Advisor’s fiduciary duties to Fund shareholders. Disclosures to financial consultants are also subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions. The foregoing disclosures are made pursuant to the Trust’s policy on selective disclosure of portfolio holdings. The Board or a committee thereof may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Advisor reserves the right to refuse to fulfill any request for portfolio holdings information from a shareholder or non-shareholder if it believes that providing such information will be contrary to the best interests of a Fund.

The Board provides ongoing oversight of the Trust’s policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Board receives from the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Board receives an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to a Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any violation of the policy set forth above as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such violation must be reported by the Advisor, director, officers or third party service providers to the Trust’s CCO, who will determine whether the violation should be reported immediately to the Board or at its next quarterly Board meeting.

Board of Trustees

The business and affairs of the Trust are managed under the oversight of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Trust’s organizational documents. The Trustees are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and overseeing the actions of the Trust’s service providers. The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise the Trust’s daily business operations.

Trustees who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) are referred to as “Independent Trustees.” Trustees who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust are referred to as “Interested Trustees.” The Board is currently composed of six Independent Trustees and two Interested Trustees. The Board has selected Arnold M. Reichman, an Independent Trustee, to act as Chair. Mr. Reichman’s duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and interfacing with management to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of his duties, Mr. Reichman will consult with the other Independent Trustees and the Trust’s officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chair may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.

The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least four times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board also relies on professionals, such as the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firms and legal counsel, to assist the Trustees in performing their oversight responsibilities.

The Board has established seven standing committees — Audit, Contract, Executive, Nominating and Governance, Product Development, Regulatory Oversight, and Valuation Committees. The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Trustees to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section entitled “Standing Committees.”

The Board has determined that the Trust’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to effectively perform its oversight responsibilities.

Trustees and Executive Officers 

The Trustees and executive officers of the Trust, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below.

Trustee Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

The information above includes each Trustee’s principal occupations during the last five years.  Each Trustee possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his or her qualifications to serve as a Trustee.  The cumulative background of each Trustee led to the conclusion that each Trustee should serve as a Trustee of the Trust. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Ms. Dolly has over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, and she has demonstrated her leadership and management abilities by serving in numerous senior executive-level positions. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing, banking and investment services industry, including service on the boards of public companies, industry regulatory organizations and a university. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and has served on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Ms. Tirinnanzi has over 20 years of strategic, regulatory and operational management experience in the financial and mortgage industries, including service on the boards of a public company and real estate investment trust, and brings to the Board her expertise regarding derivatives markets and related businesses. 

Standing Committees

The responsibilities of each Committee of the Board and its members are described below.

Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised of three Independent Trustees. The current members of the Audit Committee are Ms. Tirinnanzi and Messrs. Chandler and Giordano. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.

Contract Committee. The Board has a Contract Committee comprised of an Interested Trustee and three Independent Trustees. The current members of the Contract Committee are Mses. Dolly and Tirinnanzi and Messrs. Sablowsky and Straniere. The Contract Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the approval and continuation of agreements and plans of the Trust. The Contract Committee convened five times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.

Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised of an Interested Trustee and three Independent Trustees. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano, Reichman and Sablowsky. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Trust when the Board is not in session. The Executive Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.

Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a Nominating and Governance Committee comprised of three Independent Trustees. The current members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano and Reichman. The Nominating and Governance Committee recommends to the Board all persons to be nominated as Trustees of the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee care of the Trust’s Secretary. The Nominating and Governance Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.

Product Development Committee. The Board has a Product Development Committee comprised of the Interested Trustees and two Independent Trustees. The current members of the Product Development Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Reichman, Sablowsky and Shea. The Product Development Committee oversees the process regarding the addition of new investment advisers and investment products to the Trust. The Product Development Committee met seven times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.

Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of the Interested Trustees and three Independent Trustees. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Ms. Dolly and Messrs. Reichman, Sablowsky, Shea and Straniere. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Trust. The Regulatory Oversight Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024. 

Valuation Committee. The Board has a Valuation Committee comprised of the Interested Trustees and two officers of the Trust. The members of the Valuation Committee are Messrs. Faia, Sablowsky, Shea and Shaw. The Valuation Committee is responsible for reviewing fair value determinations. The Valuation Committee met five times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.

Risk Oversight

The Board performs its risk oversight function for the Trust through a combination of (1) direct oversight by the Board as a whole and Board committees and (2) indirect oversight through the Trust’s investment advisers and other service providers, Trust officers and the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”).  The Trust is subject to a number of risks, including but not limited to investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk.  Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Trust is the responsibility of the Trust’s investment advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk) that carry out the Trust’s investment management and business affairs.  Each of the investment advisers and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models and may differ from the Trust’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls.

The Board provides risk oversight by receiving and reviewing on a regular basis reports from the Trust’s investment advisers or other service providers, receiving and approving compliance policies and procedures, periodic meetings with the Trust’s portfolio managers to review investment policies, strategies and risks, and meeting regularly with the Trust’s CCO to discuss compliance reports, findings and issues.  The Board also relies on the Trust’s investment advisers and other service providers, with respect to the day-to-day activities of the Trust, to create and maintain procedures and controls to minimize risk and the likelihood of adverse effects on the Trust’s business and reputation.

Board oversight of risk management is also provided by various Board Committees.  For example, the Audit Committee meets with the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firms to ensure that the Trust’s respective audit scopes include risk-based considerations as to the Trust’s financial position and operations.

The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight.  The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Trust’s investments or activities.

Trustee Ownership of Shares of the Trust

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee in the Funds and in all of the portfolios of the Trust and The RBB Fund, Inc. (which for each Trustee comprise all registered investment companies within the Trust’s family of investment companies overseen by him or her), as of December 31, 2023, including the amounts through the deferred compensation plan:

As of December 31, 2023, the Independent Trustees and their respective immediate family members (spouse or dependent children) did not own beneficially or of record any securities of the Trust’s investment advisers or distributors, or of any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisers or distributors.

Trustees’ and Officers’ Compensation

Effective January 1, 2025, the Trust and The RBB Fund, Inc., based on an allocation formula, pay each Trustee a retainer at the rate of $225,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each receives an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each receives an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

From January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024, the Trust and The RBB Fund, Inc., based on an allocation formula, paid each Trustee a retainer at the rate of $175,000 annually, $13,500 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $5,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $4,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $7,500 and $5,000, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $2,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $35,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $25,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee received an additional fee of $15,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $100,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $40,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

From January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, the Trust and The RBB Fund, Inc., based on an allocation formula, paid each Trustee a retainer at the rate of $150,000 annually, $13,500 for each regular meeting of the Board, $5,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person, $4,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person, and $2,000 for each committee meeting attended telephonically or special meeting of the Board attended in-person or telephonically. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $20,000 for his services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $10,000 per year for his services. The Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $35,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $75,000 per year for his services in this capacity. 

Trustees are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board or any committee thereof. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as CCO of the Trust. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Trust, and such compensation is determined by the Board. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, Vigilant Compliance, LLC received $875,000 in aggregate from all series of the Trust and The RBB Fund, Inc. for its services and compensation from each Fund as shown in the following table:

Employees of the Trust serve as President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, and Director of Marketing & Business Development and are compensated for services provided. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, each of the following members of the Board and the President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, and Director of Marketing & Business Development received compensation from the Trust and The RBB Fund, Inc. in the following amounts:

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, each of the following members of the Board and the President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development received compensation from each of the Funds in the following amounts:

Each compensated Trustee is entitled to participate in the Trust’s deferred compensation plan (the “DC Plan”). Under the DC Plan, a compensated Trustee may elect to defer all or a portion of his or her compensation and have the deferred compensation treated as if it had been invested by the Trust in shares of one or more of the portfolios of the Trust. The amount paid to the Trustees under the DC Plan will be determined based upon the performance of such investments.

Trustee Emeritus Program

The Board has created a position of Trustee Emeritus, whereby an incumbent Trustee who has attained at least the age of 75 and completed a minimum of fifteen years of service as a Trustee or as a director of The RBB Fund, Inc., may, in the sole discretion of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Trust (“Committee”), be recommended to the full Board to serve as Trustee Emeritus.

A Trustee Emeritus that has been approved as such receives an annual fee in an amount equal to up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Trustee. Compensation will be determined annually by the Committee and the Board with respect to each Trustee Emeritus. In addition, a Trustee Emeritus will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in connection with their service, including expenses of travel and lodging incurred in attendance at Board/Committee meetings. A Trustee Emeritus will continue to receive relevant materials concerning the Funds and will be available to consult with the Trustees at reasonable times as requested. However, a Trustee Emeritus does not have any voting rights at Board meetings and is not subject to election by shareholders of the Funds. 

A Trustee Emeritus will be permitted to serve in such capacity from year to year at the pleasure of the Committee and the Board for up to three years. Effective February 2024, Julian Brodsky serves as a Trustee Emeritus of the Trust. Effective January 2025, Robert Straniere will serve as a Trustee Emeritus of the Trust.

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, Mr. Brodsky received compensation from each of the Funds in the following amounts:

Principal Holders, Control Persons and Management Ownership

As of November 30, 2024, to the Trust’s knowledge, the following named persons at the addresses shown below were owners of record of approximately 5% or more of the total outstanding shares of a class of a Fund as indicated below. Any shareholder that owns 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a portfolio or class may be presumed to “control” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) the portfolio or class. Shareholders controlling a portfolio or class could have the ability to vote a majority of the shares of the portfolio or class on any matter requiring approval of the shareholders of the portfolio or class.

As of November 30, 2024, the Trustees and officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each class of each Fund. 

Investment Advisor

Penn Capital Management Company, LLC, (the “Advisor”), a Delaware corporation located at 1200 Intrepid Avenue, Suite 400, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19112, serves as the Funds’ investment advisor. The Advisor is an SEC-registered investment adviser. The Adviser is controlled by SGAM Advisors LLC, a subsidiary of Seaport Global Holdings LLC (“Seaport”). Seaport was organized in 2001 and serves as a leading capital markets firm providing robust sales, trading and research services, and the resources of a full-service investment bank. Seaport is principally employee owned and managed.

The approval of a new investment advisory agreement for each Fund (the "Advisory Agreement") was required as a result of the change in control of the Adviser which occurred on July 3, 2024.

The shareholders of Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, Penn Capital Opportunistic High Income Fund and Penn Capital Mid Cap Core Fund approved the Advisory Agreement at a special meeting of the shareholders held on November 7, 2024 (the “Special Meeting”).

At the Special Meeting, an insufficient number of shareholders of the Penn Capital Special Situations Small Cap Equity Fund (the “Special Situations Fund”) were present, in person or by proxy. As a result, there was no quorum and the shareholders of the Special Situations Fund were unable to vote on the proposed investment advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Special Situations Fund and the Adviser. To avoid disruption of the Special Situations Fund's investment management program, the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) had approved an interim investment advisory agreement between the Trust, with respect to the Special Situations Fund, and the Adviser (the “Interim Agreement”), beginning on July 3, 2024, which would be effective for up to 150 days (i.e., until and including November 30, 2024). The terms of the Interim Agreement were the same as those of the original investment advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Special Situations Fund, and the Adviser, except for certain provisions that are required by law, the date and term of the agreement and certain other immaterial differences. Beginning on December 1, 2024, the term of the Interim Agreement has been extended until the earlier of (a) an additional 45 calendar days or (b) the approval of the a new investment advisory agreement by the shareholders of the Special Situations Fund (such period being the “Additional Period”). The terms and conditions of the Interim Agreement will otherwise continue in effect during the Additional Period without change, except that the Adviser will not receive any compensation or reimbursement of its costs for services provided to the Special Situations Fund under the Interim Agreement during the Additional Period. A special shareholder meeting is scheduled for January 14, 2025, at which it is expected that the Advisory Agreement will be approved by the shareholders of the Special Situations Fund. 

The Board has approved the Advisory Agreement between the Advisor and the Trust, on behalf of each Fund. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor furnishes, at its own expense, all services, facilities and personnel necessary in connection with managing each Fund’s investments and effecting portfolio transactions. The Advisor also may pay fees to certain brokers/dealers to have the Funds available for sale through such institutions, as well for certain shareholder services provided to customers purchasing Fund shares through such institutions.

For its services under the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor receives an advisory fee from each Fund as shown below. The Advisor’s fee is calculated as a percentage of each Fund’s average daily net assets and is assessed to each share class based on the average daily net assets of the class. The Advisor’s fee is accrued daily and paid monthly based on the average daily net assets for the prior month.

With respect to each of the Penn Capital Mid Cap Core Fund and Penn Capital Special Situations Small Cap Equity Fund, the Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay Fund expenses so that the total annual operating expenses of the Fund (excluding any acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs, and extraordinary and other non-routine expenses) do not exceed the amounts shown below. With respect to each of the Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund and the Penn Capital Opportunistic High Income Fund, the Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay Fund expenses so that the total annual operating expenses of the Fund (including any acquired fund fees and expenses incurred by the Fund as a result of its investments in other investment companies managed by the Advisor, but excluding any acquired fund fees and expenses incurred by the Fund as a result of its investments in unaffiliated investment companies, taxes, interest, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs, and extraordinary and other non-routine expenses) do not exceed the amounts shown below. The Advisor and the Board have determined that the expense limitation agreements with respect to each of the Funds will remain in place through the period ending December 31, 2025, and will be reviewed each year, at which time the continuation of the expense limitation agreements will be discussed by the Advisor and the Board. The expense limitation agreements also provide that the Advisor is entitled to be reimbursed by a Fund for any fees it waived and/or expenses it paid for a period of three years following the date of the fee waiver or payment, to the extent such reimbursement will not cause the Fund to exceed any applicable expense limit that was in place when the fees were waived or expenses paid.

During the fiscal periods indicated below, the following Funds paid advisory fees to the Advisor, and the Advisor waived fees and/or reimbursed expenses, as indicated in the following tables:

The Advisor’s waived fees and paid expenses that are subject to potential recoupment are as follows:

Portfolio Managers

Other Accounts Under Management. The table below identifies, for each portfolio manager of each Fund, the number of accounts managed (excluding the Funds) and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. Information in the table is shown as of August 31, 2024. Asset amounts are approximate and have been rounded.

If an account has a co-portfolio manager, the total number of accounts and assets have been allocated to each respective portfolio manager. Therefore, some accounts and assets have been counted twice.

Portfolio Manager Compensation

Compensation

The Advisor’s compensation plans are designed to incentivize employees responsible for investment management and trading. Compensation plans include salaries commensurate with experience, investment performance-based bonuses, revenue growth participation plan and equity ownership for selected individuals. Salary is determined by certain factors including experience, leadership, management, and contributions to the strategic planning and decision-making within the investment processes. The investment performance-based bonuses are based on certain factors, including but not limited to, investment returns as relative to an applicable Fund’s benchmark over the 1, 3 and 5-year periods, volatility measurements and individual professional investment performance attribution. Revenue growth participation awards and stock ownership eligibility are awarded based on distinguishing accomplishments to the investment process and/or the Advisor’s business. Compensation plans of employees responsible for investment management is managed by the Advisor’s executive team.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when a Fund’s portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or accounts, as is the case for the Funds’ portfolio managers.

The Advisor and the Funds have adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the Advisor and the individuals that it employs. For example, the Advisor seeks to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The Advisor has also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that these policies and procedures will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear. 

These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who manages multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to focus on the investment opportunities for each of those accounts as fully as might be the case if he or she were to devote attention to a single fund.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a single fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which could affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Brokers/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or account that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide portfolio managers with brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”)), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the Advisor’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others.

Portfolio Managers Ownership in the Funds.

Portfolio Managers Ownership in the Funds. As of August 31, 2024, each portfolio manager that retained decision making authority over a Fund’s management beneficially owned the following dollar range of shares of such Fund:

The Trust entered into a number of agreements whereby certain parties provide various services to the Funds.

Distributor

Distribution Services

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) is the distributor (also known as principal underwriter) of the shares of the Funds and is located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

Under a Distribution Agreement with the Trust, the Distributor acts as the agent of the Trust in connection with the continuous offering of shares of the Funds. The Distributor continually distributes shares of the Funds on a best efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Fund shares. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust.

The Distributor may enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries for distribution of shares of the Funds. With respect to certain financial intermediaries and related fund “supermarket” platform arrangements, the Funds and/or the Advisor, rather than the Distributor, typically enter into such agreements. These financial intermediaries may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from parties other than the Distributor. These financial intermediaries may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Funds.

Investors who purchase shares through financial intermediaries will be subject to the procedures of those intermediaries through which they purchase shares, which may include charges, investment minimums, cutoff times and other restrictions in addition to, or different from, those listed herein. Information concerning any charges or services will be provided to customers by the financial intermediary through which they purchase shares. Investors purchasing shares of the Funds through financial intermediaries should acquaint themselves with their financial intermediary’s procedures and should read the Prospectus in conjunction with any materials and information provided by their financial intermediary. The financial intermediary, and not its customers, will be the shareholder of record, although customers may have the right to vote shares depending upon their arrangement with the intermediary. The Distributor does not receive compensation from the Funds for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a Rule 12b-1 plan is effective, as applicable. The Advisor pays the Distributor a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The Distribution Agreement is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities in accordance with the 1940 Act. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of a Fund on no less than 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Agreement, or by the Distributor, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act). 

Fund Transfer Agent, Administrator and Accountant

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services”) provides accounting and administrative services and shareholder servicing to the Funds as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent. Fund Services’ address is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. The services provided under the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement include processing purchase and redemption transactions; establishing and maintaining shareholder accounts and records; disbursing dividends declared by the Funds; day-to-day administration of matters related to the existence of the Trust under state law (other than rendering investment advice); maintenance of its records; preparation, mailing and filing of reports; and assistance in monitoring the total number of shares sold in each state for “Blue Sky” purposes.

Pursuant to a Fund Administration Servicing Agreement and a Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement, each between Fund Services and the Trust, Fund Services also performs certain administrative, accounting and tax reporting functions for the Funds, including preparing and filing federal and state tax returns, preparing and filing securities registration compliance filings with various states, compiling data for and preparing notices to the SEC, assistance in the preparation of the Funds’ registration statement under federal and state securities laws, preparing financial statements for the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports, monitoring the Funds’ expense accruals, calculating the daily NAV for each Fund, and monitoring the Funds’ compliance with their investment objectives and restrictions.

During the following fiscal periods, the Funds paid the following administration and accounting fees to Fund Services:

Custodian

U.S. Bank National Association, an affiliate of Fund Services, is the custodian of the assets of the Funds (“Custodian”) pursuant to a custody agreement between the Custodian and the Trust. The Custodian’s address is Custody Operations, 1555 North RiverCenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. The Custodian and Fund Services are affiliates.

The Trust, the Advisor and Foreside Financial Group, LLC, on behalf of the Distributor, have adopted codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of each of those entities to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by a Fund.

The Trust and the Advisor have adopted procedures for voting proxies for equity securities on behalf of the Funds (“Proxy Voting Guidelines”). The Proxy Voting Guidelines are included in Appendix B to this SAI. Information about how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 (when available) may be obtained (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-844-302-PENN (7366) and (2) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Fund shares are sold on a continuous basis at the NAV next computed following acceptance of an order by the Fund. Each Fund’s NAV for the purpose of pricing purchase and redemption orders is generally determined at 4:00 p.m., Eastern Standard time on each day the Fund is open as determined by the Board. The Funds are generally open on the same days that the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading. The NYSE is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

A Fund’s NAV is calculated by adding the value of all assets of the Fund attributable to that share class, deducting all liabilities attributable to that share class, and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of that share class, the result being adjusted to the nearest cent. Each Fund’s daily NAV is available by calling 1-844-302-PENN (7366).

Information about the market value of each portfolio security may be obtained by the Advisor from an approved independent pricing service. The pricing service relies primarily on prices of actual market transactions as well as trader quotations. However, the pricing service may use a matrix system to determine valuations of fixed income securities and bank loans. This system considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities, call features, ratings and developments relating to specific securities in arriving at valuations. The procedures used by the pricing service and its valuations are reviewed by the Valuation Designee (defined below) under the general supervision of the Board.

The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Funds and their Valuation Designee (defined below) in calculating each Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, each Fund has designated the Advisor as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable.

Portfolio securities listed on a national or foreign securities exchange, including those listed on the NASDAQ^® Stock Market (“NASDAQ^®”), for which market quotations are available, are valued at the official closing price of such exchange on each business day (defined as days on which the Funds are open for business). If there is no such official closing price on an exchange, the portfolio security will be valued at the most recent quoted bid price. Price information on listed securities is taken from the exchange where the security is primarily traded.

Options contracts listed for trading on a securities exchange or board of trade are valued at the last quoted sales price, or if no sales are reported for exchange-traded options, or the options are not exchange-traded, then they are valued at the most recent quoted bid price. Futures contracts are valued at the daily quoted settlement prices. Other assets and securities for which no quotations are readily available (such as for certain restricted or unlisted securities and private placements) or that may not be reliably priced (such as in the case of trade suspensions or halts, price movement limits set by certain foreign markets, and thinly traded or illiquid investments) will be valued in good faith at fair value using procedures and methods approved by the Board.

The Prospectus describes the manner in which the Funds’ shares may be purchased and redeemed. Shares of each Fund are offered directly to the public by the Distributor.

The purchase and redemption price of shares is the NAV next calculated after receipt of an order in proper form. As described in the Prospectus, financial institutions and intermediaries may purchase or redeem Fund shares on any day that the NYSE is open for business by placing orders with the Funds’ transfer agent (or their authorized agent). Institutions and intermediaries that use certain proprietary systems of the Advisor may place orders electronically through those systems. Each Fund reserves the right to refuse any purchase requests, particularly those that the Funds determine would not be in the best interests of the Fund or its shareholders, or that could adversely affect the Fund or its operations.

It is currently the Trust’s policy to pay all redemptions in cash. The Trust, however, has filed a notice of election under Rule 18f-1 of the 1940 Act that allows a Fund to redeem in-kind redemption requests of a certain amount. Specifically, if the amount being redeemed is over the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund’s net assets, the Fund has the right to redeem the shares by providing the amount that exceeds $250,000 or 1% of the Fund’s net assets in securities instead of cash. Shareholders may incur subsequent brokerage charges on the sale of any such securities so received in payment of redemptions. A gain or loss for federal income tax purposes may be realized by a taxable shareholder upon an in-kind redemption depending upon the shareholder’s basis in the shares of the Trust redeemed. 

The Trust reserves the right to suspend the right of redemption and/or to postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which trading on the NYSE is restricted, or during the existence of an emergency (as determined by the SEC by rule or regulation) as a result of which disposal or evaluation of the portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may by order permit. The Trust also reserves the right to suspend sales of shares of the Funds for any period during which the NYSE, the Distributor and/or the Custodian are not open for business.

Marketing and Support Payments

From time to time, the Advisor, in its discretion, and out of its own resources and without additional costs to the Funds or shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or other compensation to certain financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Funds. The prospect of receiving additional payments or other compensation may provide those financial intermediaries and/or their salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of the Funds over sales of other mutual funds (or non-mutual fund investments) that do not make such payments. You should consider whether your financial intermediary has such an arrangement with the Funds and whether that creates a significant conflict of interest for your financial intermediary when evaluating any recommendations related to the purchase of Fund shares. Although the Advisor has an incentive to increase assets and receive more advisory fees, the shares purchased by shareholders through financial intermediaries which the Advisor pays revenue sharing are not as profitable to the Advisor as those purchased in direct shareholder accounts.

Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Shareholder Servicing Plan (the “Servicing Plan”) that allows the Funds to pay servicing fees to intermediaries such as banks, broker-dealers, financial advisers or other financial institutions (“Service Organizations”) that provide shareholder services (“Shareholder Servicing Activities”). Shareholder Servicing Activities include one or more of the following: (1) establishing and maintaining accounts and records relating to shareholders of the Funds; (2) aggregating and processing orders involving the shares of the Funds and related payments; (3) maintaining and operating websites or other systems through which shareholders access the Funds and receive related services; (4) processing dividend and other distribution payments from the Funds on behalf of shareholders; (5) providing information to shareholders as to their ownership of Fund shares or about other aspects of the operations of the Funds; (6) preparing tax reports or forms on behalf of shareholders; (7) facilitating the transmission of proxy statements, annual and semiannual reports, prospectuses (including summary prospectuses) and other communications from the Funds to shareholders; (8) assisting shareholders in changing the Funds’ records as to their addresses, dividend options, account registrations or other data; (9) providing sub-accounting with respect to shares beneficially owned by shareholders, or the information to the Funds necessary for sub-accounting; (10) responding to shareholder inquiries relating to the services performed and other matters pertaining to the Funds; (11) providing shareholders with a service that invests the assets of their accounts in shares pursuant to specific or pre-authorized instructions; (12) receiving, tabulating and transmitting to the Funds proxies executed with respect to special meetings of shareholders of the Funds; (13) assisting in responding to regulatory inquiries regarding shareholders and the Funds; and (14) providing such other related services as the Funds or customers of the intermediary may reasonably request. Under the Servicing Plan, each Fund may pay servicing fees to Service Organizations at an annual rate not to exceed 0.15% of the average daily value of net assets.

To the extent that the costs of the arrangements with the Service Organizations (1) are not paid out of the Servicing Plan or (2) are related to distribution or marketing of a Fund’s shares and not paid out of the 12b-1 Plan, the Advisor may make additional payments, out of its own assets, to compensate Service Organizations for these arrangements. These additional payments are sometimes referred to as “revenue sharing” payments. The Advisor may benefit from these arrangements because the increase in the sale of Fund shares will result in an increase in a Fund’s assets and consequently an increase in advisory fees. These fees may be in addition to fees paid from a Fund’s assets to them or other Service Organizations.

During the following fiscal periods, the Funds paid the following shareholder servicing fees:

The Advisor invests Fund assets consistent with a Fund’s investment objectives, strategies, policies and restrictions. The Advisor will seek to obtain the best net results taking into account such factors as price (including applicable dealer spread), size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm’s general execution and operational facilities, and the firm’s risk in positioning the securities involved.

The Funds have no obligation to deal with any broker-dealer or group of brokers or dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities. The Advisor may, from time to time, direct trades to certain brokers that provide favorable commission rates, consistent with its goal to seek best execution. The Funds will not purchase portfolio securities from any affiliated person acting as principal except in conformity with SEC regulations.

For securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, the Advisor generally deals directly with the dealers who make markets in these securities unless better prices and execution are, in the Advisor’s opinion, available elsewhere. The Advisor negotiates commission rates with brokers based on the quality and quantity of services provided in light of generally prevailing rates, and while the Advisor generally seeks reasonably competitive commission rates, a Fund does not necessarily pay the lowest commissions available. The Board periodically reviews the commission rates and the allocation of orders.

Portfolio transactions may be placed with broker-dealers who furnish the Advisor with investment research or services. The commissions on such brokerage transactions with investment research or services may be higher than another broker might have charged for the same transaction in recognition of the value of research or services provided. Such research or services include advice, both orally and in writing, as to: the value of securities; the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities; the availability of securities, or purchasers or sellers of securities; as well as analyses and reports concerning issues, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts. To the extent portfolio transactions are effected with broker-dealers who furnish research and/or other services to the Advisor, the Advisor receives a benefit. Such research or services provided by a broker-dealer through whom the Advisor effects securities transactions for a Fund may be used by the Advisor in servicing all of its accounts. In addition, the Advisor may not use all of the research and services provided by such broker-dealer in connection with the Fund.

The Trust also may enter into arrangements, commonly referred to as “brokerage/service arrangements,” with broker-dealers pursuant to which a broker-dealer agrees to pay the cost of certain products or services provided to the Funds in exchange for fund brokerage. Under a typical brokerage/service arrangement, a broker agrees to pay a portion of a Fund’s custodian, administrative or transfer agency fees, and in exchange, the Fund agrees to direct a minimum amount of brokerage to the broker. The Advisor, on behalf of the Trust, usually negotiates the terms of the contract with the service provider, which is paid directly by the broker.

During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, the following Funds paid the following brokerage commissions to brokers who also provided research services. The dollar values of the securities traded for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024 are also shown below:

The same security may be suitable for a Fund, another portfolio series of the Trust or other private accounts managed by the Advisor. If and when a Fund and two or more accounts simultaneously purchase or sell the same security, the transactions will be allocated as to price and amount in accordance with arrangements equitable to the Fund and the accounts. The simultaneous purchase or sale of the same securities by a Fund may negatively affect the price paid or received by the Fund or the size of the position obtainable or able to be sold by the Fund.

During the following fiscal periods, the Funds incurred brokerage commissions as follows:

From time to time, a Fund may acquire and hold securities issued by its “regular brokers and dealers” or the parents of those brokers and dealers. For this purpose, regular brokers and dealers are the 10 brokers or dealers that: (1) received the greatest amount of brokerage commissions during a Fund’s last fiscal year; (2) engaged in the largest amount of principal transactions for portfolio transactions of a Fund during the Fund’s last fiscal year; or (3) sold the largest amount of a Fund’s shares during the Fund’s last fiscal year. As of the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, the Funds did not own securities of their “regular brokers or dealers” or their parents.

Portfolio Turnover

Although the Funds generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Advisor, investment considerations warrant such action. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in a Fund’s portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions.

The following summarizes certain tax considerations generally affecting the Funds, the underlying investment companies, and Fund shareholders that are not fully described in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Funds, the underlying investment companies, or Fund shareholders, and the discussions here and in the Prospectus are not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Potential investors should consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax situations.

The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectus and this SAI are based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the regulations issued under it, and court decisions and administrative interpretations, as in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly alter the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may be retroactive. 

General

Each Fund and each underlying investment company intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. As such, each Fund and underlying investment company generally will be exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, each Fund and underlying investment company must meet three important tests each year.

First, each Fund and underlying investment company must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies or net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of each Fund’s and each underlying investment company’s taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s and the underlying investment companies’ assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund or underlying investment company has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund or underlying investment company does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of each Fund’s and each underlying investment company’s total assets may be invested in the securities of (1) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (2) two or more issuers that the Fund or underlying investment company controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

Third, each Fund and underlying investment company must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of the Fund’s or underlying investment company’s investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) before taking into account any deduction for dividends paid, and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.

Each Fund and underlying investment company intends to comply with these requirements. If a Fund or underlying investment company were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax and for excise tax in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, the Fund or underlying investment company could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year a Fund or underlying investment company were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, shareholders in a Fund or underlying investment company would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of the Fund’s or underlying investment company’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). Each Fund and underlying investment company intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

As of August 31, 2024, the Penn Capital Opportunistic High Income Fund had $744,153 of short-term capital loss carryforwards, and $1,542,377 of long-term capital loss carryforwards, the Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund had $1,836,104 of short-term capital loss carryforwards, and $896,747 of long-term capital loss carryforward, and the Penn Capital Special Situations Small Cap Equity Fund had $39,310 of short-term capital loss carryforwards and $0 of long-term capital loss carryforwards.

Taxation of Certain Investments

The tax principles applicable to transactions in financial instruments, such as futures contracts and options, that may be engaged in by a Fund or an underlying investment company, and investments in passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”), are complex and, in some cases, uncertain. Such transactions and investments may cause a Fund or an underlying investment company to recognize taxable income prior to the receipt of cash, thereby requiring the Fund or the underlying investment company to liquidate other positions, or to borrow money, so as to make sufficient distributions to shareholders to avoid corporate-level tax. Moreover, some or all of the taxable income recognized may be ordinary income or short-term capital gain, so that the distributions may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. 

In addition, in the case of any shares of a PFIC in which a Fund or an underlying investment company invests, the Fund or the underlying investment company may be liable for corporate-level tax on any ultimate gain or distributions on the shares if the Fund or the underlying investment company fails to make an election to recognize income annually during the period of its ownership of the shares.

State and Local Taxes

Although each Fund and underlying investment company expects to qualify as a regulated investment company and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, a Fund or an underlying investment company may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.

Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, Two Liberty Place, 50 South 16th Street, Suite 2900, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose services include an audit of the Funds’ financial statements and the performance of related tax services.

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as the Funds’ legal counsel.

The financial statements included in the Annual Report for the Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, the Penn Capital Opportunistic High Income Fund, the Penn Capital Mid Cap Core Fund and the Penn Capital Special Situations Small Cap Equity Fund, and the report of Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, thereon for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The Funds will provide a copy of the Funds’ annual report on Form N-CSR and semi-annual reports, on request and without charge. You may request a copy of the annual and semi-annual reports at no charge by calling 1-844-302-PENN (7366).

APPENDIX A

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

Short-Term Credit Ratings

An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. The following summarizes the rating categories used by S&P Global Ratings for short-term issues:

“A-1” – A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

“A-2” – A short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

“A-3” – A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

“B” – A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

“C” – A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

“D” – A short-term obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings – S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. A foreign currency rating on an issuer can differ from the local currency rating on it when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, versus obligations denominated in a foreign currency.

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

“NP” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.¹ Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:

“F1” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

1. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity.

“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate. 

“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

“C” – Securities possess high short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

“RD” – Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.

“D” – Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.

The DBRS Morningstar® Ratings Limited (“DBRS Morningstar”) short-term obligation ratings provide DBRS Morningstar’s opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.

The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS Morningstar for commercial paper and short-term debt:

“R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high. Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

“R-1 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high. Differs from “R-1 (high)” by a relatively modest degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.

“R-1 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as favorable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

“R-2 (high)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

“R-2 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events. A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer’s ability to meet such obligations.

“R-3” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality. There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due. May be vulnerable to future events, and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of developments.

“R-4” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

“R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.

“D” – A downgrade to “D” may occur when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding-up statute, or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods. DBRS Morningstar may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

The following summarizes the ratings used by S&P Global Ratings for long-term issues:

“AAA” – An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

“AA” – An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

“A” – An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

“BBB” – An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

“BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” – Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions. 

“BB” – An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

“B” – An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB”, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

“CCC” – An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

“CC” – An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “CC” rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

“C” – An obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

“D” – An obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within the next five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or the next 30 calendar days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring

Plus (+) or minus (-) – Ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned, or is no longer assigned.

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings - S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. A foreign currency rating on an issuer can differ from the local currency rating on it when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, versus obligations denominated in a foreign currency.

Moody’s long-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more. Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for long-term debt:

“Aaa” – Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

“Aa” – Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

“A” – Obligations rated “A” are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

“Baa” – Obligations rated “Baa” are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

“Ba” – Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

“B” – Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

“Caa” – Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

“Ca” – Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

“C” – Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

“NR” – Is assigned to unrated obligations, obligation and/or program.

The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

“AA” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events. 

“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

“BBB” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

“BB” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present

“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.

“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.

“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Fitch believes that this approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below “CCC”.

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.

The DBRS Morningstar long-term obligation ratings provide DBRS Morningstar’s opinion on the risk that investors may not be repaid in accordance with the terms under which the long-term obligation was issued. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer. All rating categories from AA to CCC contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS Morningstar for long-term debt:

“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high. Credit quality differs from “AAA” only to a small degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.

“A” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than “AA.” May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

“BBB” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.

“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of very highly speculative credit quality. In danger of defaulting on financial obligations. There is little difference between these three categories, although “CC” and “C” ratings are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default or subordinated to obligations rated in the “CCC” to “B” range. Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the “C” category.

“D” – A downgrade to “D” may occur when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods. DBRS Morningstar may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.

Municipal Note Ratings

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings’ opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings’ analysis will review the following considerations:

●          Amortization schedule - the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

●          Source of payment - the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

Municipal Short-Term Note rating symbols are as follows: 

“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

“SP-2” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

“D” – This rating is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

Moody’s uses the global short-term Prime rating scale (listed above under Short-Term Credit Ratings) for commercial paper issued by U.S. municipalities and nonprofits. These commercial paper programs may be backed by external letters of credit or liquidity facilities, or by an issuer’s self-liquidity.

For other short-term municipal obligations, Moody’s uses one of two other short-term rating scales, the Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and Variable Municipal Investment Grade (“VMIG”) scales provided below.

Moody’s uses the MIG scale for U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

MIG Scale

“MIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

“MIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

“MIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), Moody’s assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer’s ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders (“on demand”) and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade.

Moody’s typically assigns the VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned and it is denoted as “NR”.

“VMIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

“VMIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

“VMIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections.

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

About Credit Ratings

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings’ view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. 

Fitch’s credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) are assigned to corporations, sovereign entities, financial institutions such as banks, leasing companies and insurers, and public finance entities (local and regional governments). Issue-level ratings are also assigned and often include an expectation of recovery, which may be notched above or below the issuer-level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation’s documentation).

DBRS Morningstar offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on DBRS Morningstar’s quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria. They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. DBRS Morningstar issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. DBRS Morningstar credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees. 

The following information is a summary of the proxy voting guidelines for the Advisor.

Penn Capital Management Company, LLC

Penn Capital has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the economic interest of its clients. Set forth below are the guidelines that Penn Capital uses in voting specific proposals presented by the boards of directors or shareholders of companies whose securities are held in client portfolios.

Penn Capital also coordinates the filing with the SEC of the proxy voting records filed in Form NP-X for the PENN Trust.

For clients that give us authority to vote proxies, we have the ability to tailor voting. We vote proxies based on a client’s instruction or a client’s legal structure, such as an ERISA pension plan. Absent legal structure considerations or specific instructions, clients’ proxies are voted in accordance with what Penn Capital believes is in the economic interest of the shareholders, in consultation with our proxy research provider, as described below. Additionally, some clients contractually reserve the right to vote their own proxies or contractually direct us to vote their proxies in a certain manner.

We utilize the services of Broadridge Financial Solutions’ ProxyEdge web-based platform(“ProxyEdge”) to provide proxy research and voting recommendations. Recommendations are based on objective analysis. We leverage meeting information and historical votes results provided through ProxyEdge to determine our recorded vote. All Penn Capital clients’ securities are voted through one master voting account maintained via ProxyEdge; however as detailed below, Penn Capital reserves the right to extract shares from such bulk voting procedures when and as directed by our respective clients. Additionally, Penn Capital reserves the right to vote contrary to ProxyEdge recommendations in the event that Penn Capital determines that it is in the client’s interest. Penn Capital also utilizes tools such as custom alerts and reporting made available through Broadridge’s ProxyEdge platform as a means to help facilitate our voting process.

We utilize the services of the ProxyEdge automated voting system provided by Broadridge to electronically vote ballots. Broadridge notifies Penn Capital in advance of the board meetings, provides the appropriate proxies to be voted, and maintains records of proxy statements received and votes cast.

The following guidelines have been adopted by Penn Capital to objectively evaluate proxy votes that are in the economic interest of our clients:

Board of Directors: The election of directors and an independent board is important to ethical and effective corporate governance. Directors are expected to be competent individuals and they should be accountable and responsive to shareholders. Adviser supports an independent board of directors, and prefers that key committees such as audit, nominating, and compensation committees be comprised of independent directors. Adviser generally votes against management efforts to classify a board and generally supports proposals to declassify the board of directors. Adviser considers withholding votes from directors with an unsatisfactory attendance record. While generally in favor of separating Chairman and CEO positions, Adviser will review this issue on a case-by-case basis, considering other factors, including the company's corporate governance guidelines and performance. Adviser evaluates proposals to restore or provide for cumulative voting on a case-by-case basis and considers such factors as corporate governance provisions as well as relative performance. 

Ratification of Auditors: In light of several high-profile accounting scandals, ProxyEdge closely scrutinizes the role and performance of auditors. On a case-by-case basis, Glass Lewis examines proposals relating to non-audit relationships and non-audit fees. ProxyEdge considers, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to rotate auditors, and votes against the ratification of auditors when there is clear and compelling evidence of accounting irregularities or negligence attributable to the auditors.

Management & Director Compensation: A company's equity-based compensation plan should align with the shareholders' long-term interests. ProxyEdge evaluates plans on a case-by-case basis by considering several factors to determine whether the plan is fair and reasonable. Adviser generally opposes plans that have the potential to be excessively dilutive. The Adviser generally supports employee stock option plans. Severance compensatio arrangements are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, although Adviser generally opposes "golden parachutes" that are considered excessive. Adviser normally supports proposals that require a percentage of director compensation be in the form of common stock, as it aligns their interests with those of the shareholders. Adviser reviews on a case-by-case basis any shareholder proposals to adopt policies on expensing stock option plans and continues to monitor future developments in this area.

Anti-Takeover Mechanisms and Related Issues: Adviser generally opposes anti-takeover measures since they tend to reduce shareholder rights. However, as with all proxy issues, ProxyEdge conducts an independent review of each anti-takeover proposal. Occasionally, Adviser may vote with management when the research analyst has concluded that the proposal is not onerous and would not harm Client interests as stockholders. Adviser generally supports proposals that require shareholder rights plans ("poison pills") to be subject to a shareholder vote. Adviser evaluates shareholder rights' plans on a caseby-case basis to determine whether they warrant support. Adviser generally votes against any proposal to issue stock that has unequal or subordinate voting rights. Additionally, Adviser generally opposes any supermajority voting requirements as well as the payment of "greenmail." Adviser usually supports "fair price" provisions and confidential voting.

Changes to Capital Structure: Adviser realizes that a company's financing decisions significantly impact its shareholders, particularly when they involve the issuance of additional shares of common or preferred stock or the assumption of additional debt. ProxyEdge will carefully review, on a case-by-case basis, proposals by companies to increase authorized shares and the purpose for the increase. Adviser generally votes against dual-class capital structures to increase the number of authorized shares where that class of stock would have superior voting rights. Adviser generally votes in favor of the issuance of preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock issuance are deemed reasonable. ProxyEdge reviews proposals seeking preemptive rights on a case-by-case basis.

Social and Corporate Policy Issues: As a fiduciary, Adviser is primarily concerned about the financial interests of its Clients. Adviser generally gives management discretion with regard to social, environmental, and ethical issues, although Adviser may vote in favor of those issues that are believed to have significant economic benefits or implications.

Penn Capital has established a Proxy Voting Committee, which is responsible for the review and approval of the firm’s written Proxy Policy procedures and guidelines. The Compliance Department monitors regulatory developments with respect to proxy voting and works with the Proxy Voting Committee to develop policies that implement those requirements. Daily administration of the proxy voting process is the responsibility of the Investment Services department.

Conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of the clients’ interests. The Compliance Department is responsible for resolving potential conflicts of interest in the proxy voting process. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include:

Penn Capital, its officers, directors, or affiliates have a business or personal relationship with participants in a proxy contest, corporate directories or candidates for directorships;

Penn Capital, its officers, directors, or affiliates have a material business relationship with a proponent of a proxy proposal and this business relationship may influence how the proxy vote is cast.

When a potential material conflict of interest exists, Penn Capital will obtain Client consent before voting. Penn Capital will provide the Client with sufficient information regarding the shareholder vote and the potential conflict, so the Client can make an informed decision whether to consent. 

If you need further information, please direct your written requests to:

Client Services 

Penn Capital Management Company, Inc. 

Navy Yard Business Center 

1200 Intrepid Avenue, Suite 400 

Philadelphia, PA 19112

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