PROSPECTUS

DATED DECEMBER 31, 2022

 

 

JAMES ALPHA FUNDS TRUST d/b/a EASTERLY FUNDS TRUST

 

FUND Class A Class C Class I Class R6
Easterly Global Real Estate Fund JAREX JACRX JARIX JARSX
Easterly Hedged Equity Fund JDAEX JDCEX JDIEX JDSEX

 

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

FUND SUMMARY: EASTERLY GLOBAL REAL ESTATE FUND   1
FUND SUMMARY: EASTERLY HEDGED EQUITY FUND   8
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON EACH FUND’S STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS   16
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS   21
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE   30
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS   30
PRICING OF FUND SHARES   33
CHOOSING A SHARE CLASS   34
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES   40
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES   42
MARKET TIMING AND FREQUENT TRADING POLICY   45
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS   46
TAX CONSEQUENCES   46
DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES   48
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS   50
APPENDIX A   A-1

 

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FUND SUMMARY: EASTERLY GLOBAL REAL ESTATE FUND

 

 

Investment Objective:

The Fund seeks total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation.

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund:

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, for transactions in Class I and Class R6, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Easterly Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the Choosing a Share Class section on page 34 of this Prospectus. In addition, Appendix A attached to this Prospectus contains information regarding financial intermediary-specific sales charge waivers and discounts.

 

Shareholder Fees Class A Class C Class I Class R6
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases as a % of offering price 5.75% None None None
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends as a % of offering price None None None None
Maximum Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (Load) as a % of offering price NONE1 1.00% None None
Redemption Fee None None None None

         

ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Class A Class C Class I Class R6
Management Fees 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90%
Distribution and/or Service Rule 12b-1 Fees 0.25% 1.00% None None
Other Expenses 0.21% 0.21% 0.21% 0.21%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses before Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reduction/Reimbursement 1.36% 2.11% 1.11% 1.11%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reduction/ Reimbursement (0.07)% (0.17)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reduction/Reimbursement2 1.36% 2.11% 1.04% 0.94%

 

1. A contingent deferred sales charge may apply in some cases. See “Choosing a Share Class - Class A Shares.”

 

2. Pursuant to an operating expense limitation agreement between Easterly Funds LLC, the Fund’s investment manager (“Easterly” or the “Adviser”), and the Fund, Easterly has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or pay expenses of the Fund so that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding front-end and contingent deferred sales loads, leverage, interest and tax expenses, dividends and interest on short positions, brokerage commissions, expenses incurred in connection with any merger, reorganization or liquidation, extraordinary or non-routine expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses) for Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 do not exceed 1.69%, 2.37%, 1.04%, and 0.94%, respectively. The expense limitation agreement for Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 shares will be in effect through December 31, 2023. This operating expense limitation agreement cannot be terminated during its term. Easterly is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to limitations, for management fees waived and Fund expenses it paid within three (3) years of the end of the fiscal year in which such management fees were waived or expenses paid, as long as the reimbursement does not cause the Fund’s operating expenses to exceed (i) the expense cap in place at the time the fees were waived or the expenses were incurred; or (ii) the current expense cap, whichever is less.

 

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Expense Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. It also shows costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects the contractual fee waiver/expense reimbursement arrangement for the duration of the arrangement only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs, would be:

 

If the shares are redeemed at the end of each period:

 

  1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Class A $706 $981 $1,277 $2,116
Class C $314 $661 $1,134 $2,441
Class I $106 $346 $605 $1,345
Class R6 $96 $336 $595 $1,336

 

If the shares are not redeemed:

 

  1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Class A $706 $981 $1,277 $2,116
Class C $214 $661 $1,134 $2,441
Class I $106 $346 $605 $1,345
Class R6 $96 $336 $595 $1,336

 

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund was 116% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies:

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in real estate and real estate-related issuers or investments that provide exposure to real estate and real estate-related issuers, and in derivatives and other instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. The Fund may invest 100% of its net assets (other than cash and cash equivalents) in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and may also invest in other publicly traded real estate securities that are included in the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Net Index (the “Index”). The Index may include securities of any issuer that derived in the previous full fiscal year at least 75% of its total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) from the ownership, trading and development of income-producing real estate. REITs are typically small, medium or large capitalization stocks which fall within the range of $500 million to $50 billion in equity market capitalization. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 40% of its net assets in the securities of issuers located in at least three foreign countries. The Fund will limit its investments in issuers located in any single foreign country to no more than 25% of its net assets. The Fund also seeks to enhance current income by writing (selling) covered call options with a notional value of up to 30% of the Fund’s net assets. “Notional value” is the value of an option contract’s underlying shares at the current market price. The Fund’s sub-adviser uses both a quantitative screening process and a qualitative stock selection process when selecting securities for investment by the Fund in connection with its strategy.

 

Quantitative Screening Process - Ranger Global Real Estate Advisors, LLC (“Ranger”), sub-adviser to the Fund, and Green Street Advisors of Newport Beach, California, an independent research and consulting firm concentrating on publicly-traded real estate securities, have designed a proprietary quantitative screening model, the Global Real Estate Investment Model (the “Model”), which the Fund’s sub-adviser uses to identify the securities in which the Fund may invest. The Model identifies approximately 100 qualifying securities for evaluation by the Fund’s sub-adviser (“Qualifying Securities”). Qualifying Securities may include those issued by companies in a variety of sectors within the real estate industry, including, among others, the retail, office, industrial, hotel, healthcare, multi-family and self-storage sectors.

 

Qualitative Stock Selection Process - All Qualifying Securities are evaluated by the Fund’s sub-adviser in determining appropriate investments for the Fund. The Fund’s sub-adviser generally selects approximately 50 securities from among the approximately 100 Qualifying Securities based on its assessment of certain factors including, but not limited to, management quality, external growth potential, corporate governance, quality and location of assets, lease terms, tenant credit quality, debt structure and financial flexibility. The Fund’s sub-adviser may sell a security held in the Fund’s portfolio when it no longer qualifies under the parameters established by the Fund’s sub-adviser.

 

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Principal Risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio investments. When you sell your Fund shares, they may be worth less than what you paid for them and, accordingly, you can lose money investing in this Fund.

 

Investment and Market Risk - An investment in the Fund’s common shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund’s common shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund, which are generally traded on a securities exchange or in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets. The value of these securities, like other market investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) will occur that have significant impacts on issuers, industries, governments and other systems, including the financial markets. As global systems, economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, events that once had only local impact are now more likely to have regional or even global effects. Events that occur in one country, region or financial market will, more frequently, adversely impact issuers in other countries, regions or markets. These impacts can be exacerbated by failures of governments and societies to adequately respond to an emerging event or threat. Investors will be negatively impacted if the value of their portfolio holdings decreases as a result of such events, if these events adversely impact the operations and effectiveness of the Adviser or key service providers or if these events disrupt systems and processes necessary or beneficial to the management of accounts.

 

These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, increase the Fund’s volatility and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund. The Fund’s common shares at any point in time may be worth less than the original investment, even after taking into account any reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

 

Equity Securities Risk - The Fund is subject to risks associated with investing in equity securities, including market risk, issuer risk, price volatility risks and market trends risk. The prices of equity securities generally fluctuate in value more than fixed-income investments, may rise or fall rapidly or unpredictably and may reflect real or perceived changes in the issuing company’s financial condition and changes in the overall market or economy. The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected by the risks attendant to any investment in equity securities. Common stockholders are subordinate to debt or preferred stockholders in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and liquidation payments and, therefore, will be subject to greater credit risk than preferred stock or debt instruments. The price of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can fluctuate differently than the market as a whole.

 

Real Estate Securities Risks - The Fund does not invest in real estate directly, but because the Fund concentrates its investments in REITs and publicly traded real estate securities, its portfolio will be significantly impacted by the performance of the real estate market and may experience more volatility and be exposed to greater risk than a more diversified portfolio that does not make such investments. The value of the Fund’s common shares will be affected by factors affecting the value of real estate and the earnings of companies engaged in the real estate industry, including: (i) changes in general economic and market conditions; (ii) changes in the value of real estate properties; (iii) risks related to local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition; (iv) increases in property taxes and operating expenses; (v) changes in zoning laws; (vi) casualty and condemnation losses; (vii) variations in rental income, neighborhood values or the appeal of property to tenants; (viii) the availability of financing; (ix) changes in interest rates and quality of credit extended; (x) fluctuations in rent schedules and operating expenses; (xi) adverse changes in local, regional or general economic conditions; (xii) deterioration of the real estate market and the financial circumstances of tenants and sellers and (xiii) environmental factors. REITs and foreign real estate companies require specialized management and pay management expenses; may have less trading volume; may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than the overall securities markets; may not qualify for preferential tax treatments or exemptions; and may invest in a limited number of properties, in a narrow geographic area, or in a single property type, which increases the risk that the Fund could be unfavorably affected by the poor performance of a single investment or investment type.

 

Furthermore, investments in REITs and foreign real estate companies may involve duplication of management fees and certain other expenses, as the Fund indirectly bears its proportionate share of any expenses paid by REITs and foreign real estate companies in which it invests. Such expenses are not reflected in Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any, under the Annual Fund Operating Expenses section of the above fee table. There are special risks associated with investing in REIT preferred stock. Preferred stock may include provisions that permit the issuer, in its discretion, to defer or omit distributions for a certain period of time. If the Fund owns a security that is deferring or omitting its distributions, the Fund may be required to report the distribution on its tax returns, even though it may not have received this income. Further, preferred stock may lose substantial value due to the omission or deferment of dividend payments. Preferred stock may be less liquid than many other securities, such as common stocks, and generally offer no voting rights with respect to the issuer. Preferred stock may also be subordinated to other securities in an issuer’s capital structure, subjecting them to a greater risk of non-payment than more senior securities.

 

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In addition, in certain circumstances, an issuer of preferred stock may redeem the stock prior to a specified date, and this may negatively impact the return of the security. Certain sectors of the real estate industry, such as the retail, office, industrial, hotel, healthcare, multi-family and self-storage, carry special risks. These sectors may be affected by adverse economic and regulatory events or increased competition to a greater degree than other sectors of the real estate industry.

 

Medium and Small Capitalization Company Risk - Many of the real estate securities in which the Fund invests are medium and small capitalization companies. Investing in medium and small capitalization companies may involve more risk than is usually associated with investing in larger, more established companies. There is typically less publicly available information concerning small and medium capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Some small and medium capitalization companies have limited product lines, distribution channels and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets than do larger companies. Also, because small and medium capitalization companies normally have fewer shares outstanding than larger companies and trade less frequently, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices.

 

Foreign Securities Risk - The Fund’s foreign investments will be affected by changes in the foreign country’s exchange rates; political and social instability; changes in economic or taxation policies; difficulties when enforcing obligations; decreased liquidity; less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards; and increased volatility. Foreign companies may be subject to less regulation resulting in less publicly available information about the companies. Foreign investments also involve the risk of the possible seizure, nationalization or expropriation of the issuer or foreign deposits (in which the Fund could lose its entire investments in a certain market) and the possible adoption of foreign governmental restrictions. Unless the Fund has hedged its foreign currency exposure, foreign securities risk also involves the risk of negative foreign currency rate fluctuations, which may cause the value of securities denominated in such foreign currency (or other instruments through which the Fund has exposure to foreign currencies) to decline in value. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency hedging strategies, if used, are not always successful. These risks are magnified for investments in developing or emerging countries, which may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a small number of securities.

 

Management Risk - The Fund’s sub-adviser’s securities selections and other investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment goals. The Fund’s successful pursuit of its investment objective depends upon the Model and the Fund’s sub-adviser’s ability to manage the Fund in accordance with the Model. The Model’s parameters and weightings might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment goals. If one or more key individuals leave the employ of the Fund’s sub-adviser, the Fund’s sub-adviser may not be able to hire qualified replacements, or may require an extended time to do so. This could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.

 

Derivatives Risk - A derivative is an investment whose value depends on (or is derived from) the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index. Derivatives may be volatile and some derivatives have the potential for loss that is greater than the Fund’s initial investment. OTC derivatives, which are those not cleared and settled through a central exchange, may be more difficult to purchase, sell or value than more traditional investments, such as stocks or bonds, because there may be fewer purchasers or sellers of the derivative instrument or the derivative instrument may require participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. The Fund may also lose money on a derivative if the counterparty (issuer) fails to pay the amount due. If a counterparty were to default on its obligations, the Fund’s contractual remedies against such counterparty may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws, which could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor (e.g., the Fund may not receive the amount of payments that it is contractually entitled to receive). The Fund may also lose money on a derivative if the underlying asset on which the derivative is based, or the derivative itself, does not perform as the Adviser anticipated. Changes in the value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset. Changes in regulation relating to a mutual fund’s use of derivatives and related instruments could potentially limit or impact the Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives, limit the Fund’s ability to employ certain strategies that use derivatives and/or adversely affect the value of derivatives and the Fund’s performance. Compared to other types of investments, derivatives may be less tax efficient. The use of certain derivatives may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of ordinary income or short-term capital gains, distributions from which are taxable to individual shareholders at ordinary income tax rates rather than at the more favorable tax rates for long-term capital gain.

 

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In addition, changes in government regulation of derivative instruments could affect the character, timing and amount of the Fund’s taxable income or gains, and may limit or prevent the Fund from using certain types of derivative instruments as a part of its investment strategy, which could make the investment strategy more costly to implement or require the Fund to change its investment strategy. The Fund’s use of derivatives also may be limited by the requirements for taxation of the Fund as a regulated investment company.

 

Special Risks of Options - If the Fund sells (writes) a call option, there is risk that the Fund may be required to sell the underlying investment at a disadvantageous price. A decision as to whether, when and how to use covered call options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the life of the covered call option, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the option premium received and the exercise price of the covered call option, but has retained the risk of loss, minus the option premium received, should the price of the underlying security decline. The use of options may require the Fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, will limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize above the exercise price of an option, or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. Certain options may be traded in the OTC market, which are options negotiated with dealers; there is no secondary market for OTC options.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk - The frequency of the Fund’s transactions will vary from year to year. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in higher taxes. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance.

 

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

Performance:

The Fund has adopted the performance of the James Alpha Global Real Estate Investments Portfolio, a series of The Saratoga Advantage Trust (the “Predecessor Portfolio”), as the result of a reorganization of the Predecessor Portfolio into the Fund, which was consummated after the close of business on March 19, 2021 (the “Reorganization”). Prior to the Reorganization, the Fund had not yet commenced operations. The bar chart and table that follow provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Class A shares from year-to-year and by showing how the average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, and since inception of the Predecessor Portfolio, as applicable, compare with those of the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Net Index. The returns in the bar chart do not reflect the deduction of sales charges. If these amounts were reflected, returns would be less than shown. The past performance of the Fund and Predecessor Portfolio (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

The returns shown for periods ending on or prior to March 19, 2021 are those of the Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class S shares of the Predecessor Portfolio. Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class S shares of the Predecessor Portfolio were reorganized into Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 shares of the Fund, respectively, after the close of business on March 19, 2021. Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 shares’ returns of the Fund will be different from the returns of the Predecessor Portfolio as they have different expenses. The returns in the table assume you sold your shares at the end of each period and include the effect of Class A shares maximum applicable front-end sales charge. You may obtain the Fund’s updated performance information by calling toll free (833) 999-2636 or by visiting https://www.EasterlyFunds.com/funds/.

 

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CLASS A ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS – CALENDAR YEARS

 

 

Years

Best Quarter: Q1 2019 17.09%
Worst Quarter: Q1 2020 -26.83%

 

Class A performance year-to-date ended September 30, 2022: -29.39%

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS

(for the periods ended December 31, 2021)

 

  1 Year 5 Year 10 Year Life of Class
Class A Shares        
Return Before Taxes 14.95% 10.06% 10.16% None
Return After Taxes on Distributions 10.29% 5.79% 5.79% None
Return After Taxes on Distributions
and Sale of Fund Shares
8.81% 5.84% 5.89% None
Class C Shares        
Return Before Taxes 20.11% 10.54% None 10.05%1
Class I Shares        
Return Before Taxes 22.40% 11.83% 11.37% None
Class R6 Shares        
Return Before Taxes 22.56% None None 11.16%2
FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Net Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
27.21% 8.81% 9.56% *

 

* FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Net Index performance for life of Class C shares is 9.52%; and for life of Class R6 shares is 8.46%.

 

(1) The Predecessor Portfolio’s Class C shares commenced operations on January 5, 2012.

 

(2) The performance figures for Class R6 reflect the performance of the Predecessor Portfolio’s Class S shares. The Predecessor Portfolio’s Class S shares commenced operations on August 17, 2017.

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period shown and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns may be higher than before-tax returns due to an assumed benefit from capital losses that would have been realized had Fund shares been sold at the end of the relevant periods. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

 

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Management

 

Investment Adviser: Easterly Funds LLC

 

Sub-Adviser: Ranger Global Real Estate Advisors, LLC

 

Portfolio Manager:

 

Andrew J. Duffy, CFA President and Chief Investment Officer of Ranger since June 2016; President of Ascent Investment Advisors, LLC (“Ascent”) from February 2009 to May 2016 and Portfolio Manager of Ascent from February 2009 to November 2016; Portfolio Manager since inception of the Fund in 2021 (and of the Predecessor Portfolio since its inception in 2011 and of the Predecessor Fund since its inception in 2009*).

 

* For periods prior to August 1, 2011, the Fund operated as a separate fund called the Global Real Estate Investments Fund, which was advised by Ascent.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: In general, you may purchase, exchange, or redeem shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. Redemption requests may be made in writing, by telephone, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by check or wire transfer. Generally, the minimum initial purchase for Class A and Class C shares is $2,500 and the minimum initial purchase for Class I shares is $1 million. Class R6 shares are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under Choosing a Share Class in the Fund’s prospectus. The minimum subsequent investment in the Trust is $100, except for employee benefit plans, mutual fund platform programs, supermarket programs, associations and individual retirement accounts, which have no minimum subsequent investment requirements. There is no minimum subsequent investment for the Fund.

 

Tax Information: Distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-free plan, in which case your distributions may be taxed when withdrawn from the tax advantaged account. The Fund’s investment techniques may cause more of the Fund’s income dividends and capital gains distributions to be taxable at ordinary income tax rates than it would if it did not engage in such techniques.

 

Financial Intermediary Compensation: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and/or its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

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FUND SUMMARY: EASTERLY HEDGED EQUITY FUND

 

 

Investment Objective:

The Fund seeks capital appreciation.

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund:

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, for transactions in Class I and Class R6, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Easterly Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the Choosing a Share Class section on page 34 of this Prospectus. In addition, Appendix A attached to this Prospectus contains information regarding financial intermediary-specific sales charge waivers and discounts.

 

Shareholder Fees   Class A Class C Class I Class R6
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases as a % of offering price   5.75% None None None
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends as a % of offering price   None None None None
Maximum Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (Load) as a % of offering price   None1 1.00% None None
Redemption Fee   None None None None

   

 

ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

  Class A Class C Class I Class R6
Management Fees   1.20% 1.20% 1.20% 1.20%
Distribution and/or Service Rule 12b-1 Fees   0.25% 1.00% None None
Other Expenses   0.54% 0.54% 0.54% 0.54%
Interest/Dividend Expenses   0.03% 0.03% 0.03% 0.03%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses2   0.08% 0.08% 0.08% 0.08%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses before Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reduction/Reimbursement   2.10% 2.85% 1.85% 1.85%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reduction/ Reimbursement   (0.49)% (0.49%) (0.49)% (0.75)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reduction/Reimbursement3   1.61% 2.36% 1.36% 1.10%

 

1. A contingent deferred sales charge may apply in some cases. See “Choosing a Share Class - Class A Shares.”

 

2. Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. These Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not considered in the calculation of the expense cap. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses in the above fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s financial statements (or the financial highlights in this Prospectus) because the financial statements will include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in Acquired Funds.

 

3. Pursuant to an operating expense limitation agreement between Easterly Funds LLC, the Fund’s investment manager (“Easterly” or the “Adviser”), and the Fund, Easterly has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or pay expenses of the Fund so that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding front-end and contingent deferred sales loads, leverage, interest and tax expenses, dividends and interest on short positions, brokerage commissions, expenses incurred in connection with any merger, reorganization or liquidation, extraordinary or non-routine expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses) for Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 do not exceed 1.50%, 2.25%, 1.25%, and 0.99%, respectively. The expense limitation agreement for Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 shares will be in effect through December 31, 2023. This operating expense limitation agreement cannot be terminated during its term. Easterly is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to limitations, for management fees waived and Fund expenses it paid within three (3) years of the end of the fiscal year in which such management fees were waived or expenses paid, as long as the reimbursement does not cause the Fund’s operating expenses to exceed (i) the expense cap in place at the time the fees were waived or the expenses were incurred; or (ii) the current expense cap, whichever is less. Easterly has agreed to not seek reimbursement for management fees waived and Fund expenses it paid prior to the closing date of the reorganization of the predecessor series of The Saratoga Advantage Trust into the Fund.

 

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Expense Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. It also shows costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects the contractual fee waiver/expense reimbursement arrangement for the duration of the arrangement only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs, would be:

 

If the shares are redeemed at the end of each period:

 

  1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Class A $729 $1,102 $1,548 $2,781
Class C $339 $786 $1,410 $3,090
Class I $138 $483 $903 $2,078
Class R6 $112 $430 $852 $2,029

 

If the shares are not redeemed:

 

  1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Class A $729 $1,102 $1,548 $2,781
Class C $239 $786 $1,410 $3,090
Class I $138 $483 $903 $2,078
Class R6 $112 $430 $852 $2,029

 

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund was 23% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies:

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to achieve its objective by combining a long equity strategy with an options hedging strategy that seeks to provide protection during significant equity market downturns. The long equity strategy seeks to replicate the returns of the S&P 500® Index and to enhance these returns through the use of leverage. The Fund may use swaps to gain exposure to one or more asset classes, individual investments or investment strategies, as well as to generate leverage or hedge the Fund’s exposure to an asset class, individual investment or group of investments. The Fund will achieve exposure to S&P 500® Index companies primarily through exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), mutual funds, and closed-end funds but may also gain exposure through direct investment in common and preferred stocks.

 

The Fund’s options hedging strategy seeks to reduce the risk associated with the Fund’s long equity exposure from modest market downturns (e.g., a drop of between 6% and 8% in the value of the S&P 500® Index). Conventional put spreads consist of buying slightly out of the money put options and selling put options that are further out of the money with the same expiration. Typically, the notional value of the put spreads will be larger than the Fund’s exposure from its long equity strategy. The Fund expects primarily to use listed exchange-traded options. When market volatility is high, the Fund may also sell (write) covered call options to generate additional income.

 

The Fund’s sub-adviser may also seek to enhance the returns of the Fund’s long equity strategy by buying or selling options on ETFs whose strategies seek to minimize volatility (volatility ETFs). This strategy will be used opportunistically to express the Fund’s sub-adviser’s views on whether actual market volatility will be higher or lower than expected volatility. This strategy will include either buying long put or call options on volatility ETFs or employing a covered option spread on volatility ETFs. A covered option spread will consist of buying (or selling) slightly out of the money call or put options and selling (or buying) call or put options that are further out of the money with the same expiration.

 

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Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of U.S. issuers or investments that provide exposure to equity securities of U.S. issuers, and in derivatives and other instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. The Fund may invest in equity securities without regard to market capitalization.

 

The Fund intends to borrow money from banks to create leverage of up to 30% of the Fund’s assets. The Fund plans to invest the assets obtained through leverage in additional instruments that provide exposure to the S&P 500® Index companies as well as in additional options as part of the Fund’s hedging strategies. The Fund will therefore have long exposure of up to 130% of its assets.

 

The Fund’s sub-adviser uses proprietary valuation methods and risk measures as well as publicly available data regarding market volatility levels in managing the hedging strategies. The Fund’s sub-adviser considers multiple factors in determining how much leverage to employ and expected market volatility levels, such as premium at risk (i.e., the amount of net option premiums paid in implementing the hedging strategy), the time to expiration of options, the rate that options lose value as they near maturity (known as Theta), the risk of gain or loss resulting from changes in volatility (known as Vega), and the notional exposure of the options relative to the Fund’s long positions. The Fund’s sub-adviser’s proprietary option valuation methods will be used to determine when to use a particular option strategy and when to realize gains on the Fund’s options positions.

 

Principal Risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio investments. When you sell your Fund shares, they may be worth less than what you paid for them and, accordingly, you can lose money investing in this Fund.

 

Volatility Risk - The Fund may have investments that appreciate or decrease significantly in value over short periods of time. This may cause the Fund’s NAV per share to experience significant increases or declines in value over short periods of time.

 

Investment and Market Risk - An investment in the Fund’s common shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund’s common shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund, which are generally traded on a securities exchange or in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets. The value of these securities, like other market investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) will occur that have significant impacts on issuers, industries, governments and other systems, including the financial markets. As global systems, economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, events that once had only local impact are now more likely to have regional or even global effects. Events that occur in one country, region or financial market will, more frequently, adversely impact issuers in other countries, regions or markets. These impacts can be exacerbated by failures of governments and societies to adequately respond to an emerging event or threat. Investors will be negatively impacted if the value of their portfolio holdings decreases as a result of such events, if these events adversely impact the operations and effectiveness of the Adviser or key service providers or if these events disrupt systems and processes necessary or beneficial to the management of accounts. These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, increase the Fund’s volatility and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund. The Fund’s common shares at any point in time may be worth less than the original investment, even after taking into account any reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

 

Equity Securities Risk - The Fund is subject to risks associated with investing in equity securities, including market risk, issuer risk, price volatility risks and market trends risk. The prices of equity securities generally fluctuate in value more than fixed-income investments, may rise or fall rapidly or unpredictably and may reflect real or perceived changes in the issuing company’s financial condition and changes in the overall market or economy. The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected by the risks attendant to any investment in equity securities. Common stockholders are subordinate to debt or preferred stockholders in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and liquidation payments and, therefore, will be subject to greater credit risk than preferred stock or debt instruments. The price of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can fluctuate differently than the market as a whole.

 

Hedging Strategy Risk - The Fund’s hedging strategy is designed to reduce, but not necessarily eliminate, losses resulting from volatility and equity market declines. Even where the hedging strategy is used successfully, the Fund is likely to experience some loss in value during periods of volatility and/or equity market declines. It is important to know that the hedging strategy may not be successful in reducing volatility or offsetting equity market declines, and may result in losses.

 

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Also, the hedging strategy may prevent the Fund from achieving higher investment returns than may be available by investing in an unhedged portfolio or a comparable mutual fund without a similar hedging strategy. The Fund’s use of derivatives and ETFs will increase the Fund’s expenses. It is possible that the hedging strategy could result in losses and/or expenses that are greater than if the Fund did not include the hedging strategy.

 

Derivatives Risk - A derivative is an investment whose value depends on (or is derived from) the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index. Derivatives may be volatile and some derivatives have the potential for loss that is greater than the Fund’s initial investment. OTC derivatives, which are those not cleared and settled through a central exchange, may be more difficult to purchase, sell or value than more traditional investments, such as stocks or bonds, because there may be fewer purchasers or sellers of the derivative instrument or the derivative instrument may require participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. The Fund may also lose money on a derivative if the counterparty (issuer) fails to pay the amount due. If a counterparty were to default on its obligations, the Fund’s contractual remedies against such counterparty may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws, which could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor (e.g., the Fund may not receive the amount of payments that it is contractually entitled to receive). The Fund may also lose money on a derivative if the underlying asset on which the derivative is based, or the derivative itself, does not perform as the Adviser or the Fund’s sub-adviser anticipated. Changes in the value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset. Changes in regulation relating to a mutual fund’s use of derivatives and related instruments could potentially limit or impact the Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives, limit the Fund’s ability to employ certain strategies that use derivatives and/or adversely affect the value of derivatives and the Fund’s performance. Compared to other types of investments, derivatives may be less tax efficient.

 

The use of certain derivatives may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of ordinary income or short-term capital gains, distributions from which are taxable to individual shareholders at ordinary income tax rates rather than at the more favorable tax rates for long-term capital gain. In addition, changes in government regulation of derivative instruments could affect the character, timing and amount of the Fund’s taxable income or gains, and may limit or prevent the Fund from using certain types of derivative instruments as a part of its investment strategy, which could make the investment strategy more costly to implement or require the Fund to change its investment strategy. The Fund’s use of derivatives also may be limited by the requirements for taxation of the Fund as a regulated investment company.

 

Special Risks of Swaps - Swap transactions are structured as OTC two-party contracts and are often less liquid than other types of investments, and the Fund may be unable to sell or terminate its swap positions at a desired time or price. Certain swaps, such as total return swaps where two parties agree to “swap” payments on defined underlying assets or interest rates, can have the potential for unlimited losses. Swaps are also subject to the risk that the swap counterparty will not fulfill its contractual obligations. The swaps market is subject to extensive regulation under the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”) and certain SEC and CFTC rules promulgated thereunder. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including new and additional government regulation, could result in higher Fund costs and expenses and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability, among other things, to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

 

Special Risks of Options - If the Fund sells (writes) a call option, there is risk that the Fund may be required to sell the underlying investment at a disadvantageous price. A decision as to whether, when and how to use covered call options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the life of the covered call option, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the option premium received and the exercise price of the covered call option, but has retained the risk of loss, minus the option premium received, should the price of the underlying security decline. The use of options may require the Fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, will limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize above the exercise price of an option, or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. Certain options may be traded in the OTC market, which are options negotiated with dealers; there is no secondary market for OTC options.

 

Risk of Investing in Other Investment Companies - 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. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, such as ETFs and closed-end funds, the Fund’s shareholders will incur certain duplicative fees and expenses, including investment advisory fees as a result of the Fund’s investments in other investment companies, such as mutual funds, ETFs, and closed-end funds.

 

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The return on such investments will be reduced by the operating expenses, including investment advisory and administration fees, of such investment funds, and will be further reduced by Fund expenses, including management fees. In addition, investments in an ETF are subject to, among other risks, the risk that the ETF’s shares may trade at a discount or premium relative to the net asset value (“NAV”) of the shares and the listing exchange may halt trading of the ETF’s shares. If all or a portion of an ETF’s underlying securities trade in a foreign market that is closed during the time the domestic market in which the ETF’s shares are listed and traded is open, there may be changes between the last quote from the closed foreign market and the value of such underlying security during the ETF’s trading day. ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

 

Leverage Risk - Leverage created from borrowing money or certain types of transactions or instruments, including derivatives, may impair the Fund’s liquidity, cause it to liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, increase volatility or otherwise not achieve its intended objective. In addition to leverage resulting from borrowing money or entering into derivative positions, investments such as ETFs may include “embedded” leverage, which means the ETF pays a return linked to a multiple of the performance of the underlying index, securities basket or other reference asset. These investments may be more volatile than investments in unlevered securities, which may increase the volatility of the Fund.

 

Borrowing - The Fund will borrow money for investment purposes, which is a form of leveraging. Leveraging investments, by purchasing securities with borrowed money, is a speculative technique that increases investment risk while increasing investment opportunity. Leverage will magnify changes in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and on the Fund’s investments. For example, leveraging may exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the long equity positions held by the Fund. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, the Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Leverage also creates interest expenses for the Fund. To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest the Fund will have to pay, the Fund’s net income will be greater than it would be if leverage were not used. Conversely, if the income from the assets obtained with borrowed funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the net income of the Fund will be less than it would be if leverage were not used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to shareholders as dividends will be reduced. The use of derivatives in connection with leverage creates the potential for significant loss.

 

London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) Transition Risk - The Fund invests in financial instruments that may have floating or variable rate calculations for payment obligations or financing terms based on LIBOR, which is the benchmark interest rate at which major global banks lend to one another in the international interbank market for short-term loans. On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced a desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. Although many LIBOR rates were phased out at the end of 2021 as originally intended, a selection of widely used USD LIBOR rates will continue to be published until June 2023 in order to assist with the transition. The impact of the discontinuation of LIBOR and the transition to an alternative rate on the Fund’s portfolio remains uncertain. There can be no guarantee that financial instruments that transition to an alternative reference rate will retain the same value or liquidity as they would otherwise have had. This announcement and any additional regulatory or market changes that occur as a result of the transition away from LIBOR and the adoption of alternative reference rates may have an adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments, performance or financial condition, and might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that currently rely on LIBOR to determine interest rates.

 

Management Risk - The investment techniques and risk analysis used by the Fund’s portfolio managers may not produce the desired results. For example, there is no guarantee that the hedging strategy employed by the Fund’s sub-adviser will produce a portfolio with the level of reduced exposure to stock market risk that is expected by the Fund’s sub-adviser. In addition, the Fund’s hedging strategy will cause the Fund to underperform the broader equity markets during market rallies and to underperform significantly during sharp market upswings. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s hedging strategies will protect against all market losses and may cause the Fund to lose money during modest market downturns.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk - The frequency of the Fund’s transactions will vary from year to year. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in higher taxes. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance.

 

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

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Performance:

The Fund has adopted the performance of the James Alpha Managed Risk Domestic Equity Portfolio, a series of The Saratoga Advantage Trust (the “Predecessor Portfolio”), as the result of a reorganization of the Predecessor Portfolio into the Fund, which was consummated after the close of business on March 19, 2021 (the “Reorganization”). Prior to the Reorganization, the Fund had not yet commenced operations. The bar chart and table that follow provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Class I shares from year-to-year and by showing how the average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception of the Predecessor Portfolio compare with those of the S&P 500 Index. The past performance of the Fund and Predecessor Portfolio (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

The returns shown for periods ending on or prior to March 19, 2021 are those of the Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class S shares of the Predecessor Portfolio. Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class S shares of the Predecessor Portfolio were reorganized into Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 shares of the Fund, respectively, after the close of business on March 19, 2021. Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 shares’ returns of the Fund will be different from the returns of the Predecessor Portfolio as they have different expenses. You may obtain the Fund’s updated performance information by calling toll free (833) 999-2636 or by visiting www.EasterlyFunds.com/funds/.

 

CLASS I ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS – CALENDAR YEARS

 

 

Years

Best Quarter: Q2 2020 7.86%
Worst Quarter: Q1 2020 -6.84%

 

Class I performance year-to-date ended September 30, 2022: -7.79%

 

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AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS

(for the periods ended December 31, 2021)

 

  1 Year 5 Year Life of Fund
Class I Shares      
Return Before Taxes 11.27% 7.71% 6.06%1
Return After Taxes on Distributions 7.02% 5.24% 4.14%1
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 6.81% 5.02% 3.97%1
Class A Shares      
Return Before Taxes 4.66% 6.12% 4.73%1
Class C Shares      
Return Before Taxes 9.23% 6.51% 4.88%1
Class R6 Shares      
Return Before Taxes 11.73% None 8.67%2
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 28.71% 18.47% *

 

* S&P 500 Index performance for life of Class I, Class A, and Class C shares is 15.79% and for Class R6 shares is 18.78%.

 

(1) The Predecessor Portfolio’s Class I, Class A and Class C shares commenced operations on July 31, 2015.

 

(2) The performance figures for Class R6 reflect the performance of the Predecessor Portfolio’s Class S shares. The Predecessor Portfolio’s Class S shares commenced operations on August 17, 2017.

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for Class I shares only and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

 

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Management

 

Investment Adviser: Easterly Funds LLC

 

Sub-Adviser: EAB Investment Group, LLC (“EAB”)

 

Portfolio Managers:

 

Edward Boll Chief Executive Officer and Director of Portfolio Management of EAB; Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2021 (and of the Hedged Equity Strategies portion of the Predecessor Portfolio since its inception in 2015).
William Visconto President and Director of Risk Management of EAB; Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2021 (and of the Hedged Equity Strategies portion of the Predecessor Portfolio since its inception in 2015).
James Ryan Director of Strategy Development of EAB; Portfolio Manager since its inception in 2021 (and of the Hedged Equity Strategies portion of the Predecessor Portfolio since its inception in 2015).

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: In general, you may purchase, exchange, or redeem shares of the Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. Redemption requests may be made in writing, by telephone, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by check or wire transfer. Generally, the minimum initial purchase for Class A and Class C shares is $2,500 and the minimum initial purchase for Class I shares is $1 million. Class R6 shares are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under Choosing a Share Class in the Fund’s prospectus. The minimum subsequent investment in the Trust is $100, except for employee benefit plans, mutual fund platform programs, supermarket programs, associations and individual retirement accounts, which have no minimum subsequent investment requirements. There is no minimum subsequent investment for the Fund.

 

Tax Information: Distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-free plan, in which case your distributions may be taxed when withdrawn from the tax advantaged account. The Fund’s investment techniques may cause more of the Fund’s income dividends and capital gains distributions to be taxable at ordinary income tax rates than it would if it did not engage in such techniques.

 

Financial Intermediary Compensation: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and/or its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON EACH FUND’S STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

 

 

Investment Objectives:

 

Easterly Global Real Estate Fund The Fund seeks total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation.
Easterly Hedged Equity Fund The Fund seeks capital appreciation.

 

The Easterly Global Real Estate Fund’s investment objective is fundamental and may only be changed by the Board with shareholder approval. The Easterly Hedged Equity Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

 

Principal Investment Strategies:

The following provides additional information regarding each Fund’s investment strategies described at the front of this Prospectus.

 

Easterly Global Real Estate Fund

 

The Easterly Global Real Estate Fund pursues its investment objective by investing indirectly in a diversified portfolio of high quality, income-producing real estate properties through its investments in REITs and other real estate securities included in the Index. In addition, the Fund seeks to enhance current income by writing (selling) covered call options.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in real estate and real estate-related issuers or investments that provide exposure to real estate and real estate-related issuers, and in derivatives and other instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. The Fund may invest 100% of its net assets (other than cash and cash equivalents) in REITs, and may also invest in other publicly traded real estate securities included in the Index. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate-related loans or interests. “Real estate securities” include the securities of any issuer that derived in the previous full fiscal year at least 75% of its total EBITDA from the ownership, trading, and development of income producing real estate.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 40% of its net assets in the securities of issuers located in at least three foreign countries. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may invest without limitation in foreign real estate companies and other real estate securities, including direct investments in securities of foreign issuers and investments in depositary receipts (such as American Depositary Receipts and Global Depositary Receipts) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers of real estate securities that are corporations engaged in the business of owning, managing and developing commercial and residential real estate properties; provided, however, that the Fund limit its investments in issuers located in any single foreign country to no more than 25% of its net assets. All of the securities of the foreign issuers of real estate securities in which the Fund invests are listed on major foreign stock exchanges.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s strategy is to invest its net assets in publicly-traded REITs, and also to invest in other publicly-traded real estate securities that are included in the Index. The Fund’s sub-adviser uses both a quantitative screening process and a qualitative stock selection process when selecting securities for investment.

 

Quantitative Screening Process - The Fund’s sub-adviser and Green Street Advisors of Newport Beach, California, an independent research and consulting firm concentrating on publicly-traded real estate securities, have designed a proprietary quantitative screening model, the Global Real Estate Investment Model (the “Model”), which the Fund’s sub-adviser uses to identify the securities in which the Fund may invest. The Model identifies approximately 100 Qualifying Securities for further evaluation by the Fund’s sub-adviser.

 

The Model considers several criteria when selecting such securities including, but not limited to, insider ownership, free-float market capitalization, total return, management tenure, leverage, price to earnings ratio, dividend yield, dividend growth, historical earnings growth and projected earnings growth.

 

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Qualitative Stock Selection Process - All Qualifying Securities are evaluated by the Fund’s sub-adviser in determining appropriate investments for the Fund. The Fund’s sub-adviser generally selects approximately 50 securities from among the approximately 100 Qualifying Securities based on its assessment of certain factors including, but not limited to, management quality, external growth potential, corporate governance, quality and location of assets, lease terms, tenant credit quality, debt structure and financial flexibility. The Fund’s sub-adviser may sell a security held in the Fund when it no longer qualifies under the parameters established by the Fund’s sub-adviser. In addition, from time to time, as securities qualify under the Fund’s sub-adviser’s parameters, such securities may be added to the Fund. The Fund’s portfolio holdings are continuously monitored and evaluated by the Fund’s sub-adviser, based upon its assessment of current market conditions, changes in company-specific prospects, stock price valuations, and other circumstances that the Fund’s sub-adviser deems relevant. The active management of the Fund also includes at least semi-annual updates of the data used to identify the Qualifying Securities by Green Street Advisors. Green Street is compensated for providing this data by the Fund’s sub-adviser and not the Fund.

 

Covered Call Option Writing - Under normal market conditions, to enhance income, the Fund may write (sell) covered call options, which are limited to a notional value of up to 30% of the Fund’s net assets. “Notional value” is the value of an option contract’s underlying shares at the current market price. This is the number of shares underlying the contract, multiplied by the current market price of the shares. The Fund will write primarily OTC options. The Fund only writes call options on individual securities (“underlying securities”) held in the Fund (i.e., covered calls). The Fund may not sell “naked” call options (i.e., options representing more securities than are held in the Fund). By writing covered call options, the Fund’s sub-adviser seeks to generate gains and offset a portion of a potential market decline in the underlying security. The Fund’s covered call option writing program seeks to achieve a high level of net option premiums (covered call option premiums received minus transaction costs), while maintaining the potential for some capital appreciation on each underlying security on which call options are written.

 

As the seller of a covered call option, the Fund receives cash (the premium) from the purchaser. The purchaser of the covered call option has the right to any appreciation in the value of the underlying security over a fixed price (the exercise price) on a certain date, or range of dates, in the future (the expiration date). The Fund may sell covered call options “near-to-the-money” (i.e., the exercise price generally will be within a close range above or below the current level of the cash value of the underlying security) or “at-the-money” (i.e., the exercise price generally will be equal to the current level of the cash value of the underlying security). In this event, the Fund, in effect, sells the potential appreciation in the value of the underlying security in exchange for the premium. If, at expiration, the purchaser exercises a covered call option sold by the Fund, the Fund pays the purchaser the difference between the cash value of the security and the exercise price of the option. The premium, the exercise price and the market value of the underlying security determine the gain or loss realized by the Fund as the seller of the call option. Under typical market conditions, the notional value of the call options written by the Fund is expected to range from 10% to 30% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. The percentage of each underlying security to be used in writing covered call options will be determined based on the Fund’s sub-adviser’s opinion of the outlook for the underlying security, market opportunities and option price volatilities.

 

The principal factors affecting the market value of an option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security in relation to the exercise price of the option, the actual or perceived volatility of the underlying security and the time remaining until the expiration date. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as an asset and equivalent liability. The Fund then adjusts over time the asset or liability to the market value of the option. Options that are traded OTC are valued using one of three methods: dealer quotes, industry models with objective inputs, or by using a benchmark arrived at by comparing prior day dealer quotes with the corresponding change in the underlying security. Exchange-traded options will be valued using the last reported sale. If no last sale is reported, exchange traded options will be valued using an industry accepted model such as “Black Scholes.” The transaction costs of buying and selling options consist primarily of commissions (which are imposed in opening, closing, exercise and assignment transactions), but may also include margin and interest costs in particular transactions. The impact of transaction costs on the profitability of a transaction may often be greater for options transactions than for transactions in the underlying securities because these costs are often greater in relation to options premiums than in relation to the prices of underlying securities. Transaction costs may be different for transactions effected in foreign markets than for transactions effected in U.S. markets. Transaction costs associated with the Fund’s options strategy will vary depending on market circumstances and other factors.

 

If the value of the underlying security increases significantly, the Fund may look to buy back the covered call options written or close out the covered call option for cash settlement and then re-establish a new covered call option position in the security by writing new covered call options at higher exercise prices. If an underlying security’s price declines, the Fund may let the covered call options expire or buy back the covered call options written and sell new covered call options at lower exercise prices on that security. The Fund may seek to execute option rolls (as described above) such that the premium received from writing new covered call options exceeds the amounts paid to close the positions being replaced. In this event, if the price of a security against which a covered call option has been written has risen, the covered call option roll would be written on a larger portion of the Fund’s holding in that security. The Fund may also write covered call options with different characteristics and managed differently than described in this paragraph.

 

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Other Information Regarding the Fund’s Investment Strategy

 

The Fund may, from time to time, take defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategy in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such times, the Adviser may determine that the Fund should invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents, including money market instruments, prime commercial paper, repurchase agreements, Treasury bills and other short-term obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. In these and in other cases, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

The Fund’s sub-adviser may invest the Fund’s cash balances in any investments it deems appropriate and as permitted under the 1940 Act, including but not limited to, money market funds, repurchase agreements, U.S. Treasury and U.S. agency securities, municipal bonds and bank accounts. Any income earned from such investments is ordinarily reinvested by the Fund in accordance with its investment program. Many of the considerations entering into recommendations and decisions of the Adviser and the Fund’s portfolio manager are subjective. The Fund has no current intent to sell securities short. The Fund does not intend to use leverage through borrowing for investment purposes. However, the Board may borrow money for emergency or extraordinary purposes, as permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

The frequency and amount of portfolio purchases and sales (known as the “portfolio turnover rate”) will vary from year to year. Although the portfolio turnover rate is generally not expected to exceed 250%, it may vary greatly from year to year and will not be a limiting factor when the Fund’s sub-adviser deems portfolio changes appropriate. The Fund may engage in short-term trading strategies, and securities may be sold without regard to the length of time held when, in the opinion of the Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action. These policies may have the effect of increasing the annual rate of portfolio turnover of the Fund. The Fund’s high rate of turnover will result in higher brokerage commissions and will cause a portion, and potentially a high proportion, of the Fund’s distributions to be characterized as short-term capital gains taxable as ordinary income. If securities are not held for the applicable holding periods, dividends paid on them will not qualify for the advantageous federal tax rates. Additionally, in the case of the Fund, most of its dividends will be from REITs and the dividends from REITs do not generally “qualify” for the reduced tax rate on regular corporate dividends, but may qualify for a 20% deduction applicable to qualified REIT dividends. See “Tax Consequences.”

 

There is no assurance what portion, if any, of the Fund’s investments will qualify for the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As a result, there can be no assurance as to what portion of the Fund’s distributions will be designated as qualified dividend income. See “Tax Consequences.”

 

Subject to certain limitations as set forth below, the Fund may invest in the following types of securities:

 

REITs - The Fund invests in REITs and their foreign equivalents. REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate-related loans or interests. Distributions received by the Fund from REITs may consist of dividends, capital gains and/or return of capital. As REITs generally pay a higher rate of dividends than most other operating companies, the percentage of the Fund’s dividend income received from REIT shares will likely exceed the percentage of the Fund’s portfolio that is comprised of REIT shares. Dividends paid by REITs generally do not qualify for the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code, but may qualify for a 20% deduction applicable to qualified REIT dividends. See “Tax Consequences.”

 

Common Stocks - Common stocks represent an ownership interest in an issuer. While offering greater potential for long-term growth, common stocks are more volatile and more risky than some other forms of investment. Common stock prices fluctuate for many reasons, including adverse events, such as an unfavorable earnings report, changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, or when political or economic events affecting an issuer occur. In addition, common stock prices may be sensitive to rising interest rates as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase.

 

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Foreign Securities - Foreign securities in which the Fund may invest include direct investments in equity securities of foreign issuers that are traded on a foreign securities exchange or over the counter and investments in depository receipts (such as American Depositary Receipts, “ADRs”) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers that are traded on a U.S. securities exchange or over the counter. The Fund is not limited in the amount of assets it may invest in such foreign securities; however, the Fund limits its investments in any single foreign country to no more than 25%. As an alternative to holding foreign traded securities, the Fund may invest in dollar-denominated securities of foreign companies that trade on U.S. exchanges or in the U.S. OTC market (including depositary receipts, which evidence ownership in underlying foreign securities, and exchange traded funds).

 

The Fund may hold a substantial cash position. If the market advances during periods when the Fund is holding a large cash position, the Fund may not participate to the extent it would have if the Fund had been more fully invested.

 

Easterly Hedged Equity Fund

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to achieve its objective by combining a long equity strategy with an options hedging strategy that seeks to provide protection during significant equity market downturns. The long equity strategy seeks to replicate the returns of the S&P 500 Index and to enhance these returns through the use of leverage. The Fund may use swaps to gain exposure to one or more asset classes, individual investments or investment strategies, as well as to generate leverage or hedge the Fund’s exposure to an asset class, individual investment or group of investments. The Fund will achieve exposure to S&P 500 Index companies primarily through ETFs, mutual funds and closed-end funds but may also gain exposure through direct investment in common and preferred stocks.

 

The Fund’s options hedging strategy seeks to reduce the risk associated with the Fund’s long equity exposure from modest market downturns (e.g., a drop of between 6% and 8% in the value of the S&P 500 Index). Conventional put spreads consist of buying slightly out of the money put options and selling put options that are further out of the money with the same expiration. Typically, the notional value of the put spreads will be larger than the Fund’s exposure from its long equity strategy. The Fund expects primarily to use listed exchange-traded options.

 

A put option is a standardized contract that gives the buyer of the option the right, but not the obligation, to sell a specified amount of an underlying security at a specified time and price in exchange for paying a premium. When the Fund buys a put option, it has the right to sell the underlying security at the specified time and price. When the Fund sells (writes) a put option, the purchaser has the option to sell the underlying security to the Fund and receive the specified price.

 

When market volatility is high, the Fund may also sell (write) covered call options to generate additional income. A call option is the opposite of a put option and gives the holder the right to buy shares of an underlying security at a specified time and price in exchange for paying a premium. “Covered” call options are call options sold (written) by the Fund on securities that it owns.

 

The Fund’s sub-adviser may also seek to enhance the returns of the Fund’s long equity strategy by buying or selling options on ETFs whose strategies seek to minimize volatility (volatility ETFs). This strategy will be used opportunistically to express the Fund’s sub-adviser’s views on whether actual market volatility will be higher or lower than expected volatility. This strategy will include either buying long put or call options on volatility ETFs or employing a covered option spread on volatility ETFs. A covered option spread will consist of buying (or selling) slightly out of the money call or put options and selling (or buying) call or put options that are further out of the money with the same expiration.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of U.S. issuers or investments that provide exposure to equity securities of U.S. issuers, and in derivatives and other instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. The Fund considers various factors when determining whether a company is in a particular country or region/continent, including whether (1) it is organized under the laws of a country or in a country in a particular region/continent; (2) it has a principal office in a country or in a country in a particular region/continent; (3) it derives 50% or more of its total revenues from businesses in a country or in a country in a particular region/continent; and/or (4) its securities are traded principally on a security exchange, or in an OTC market, in a particular country or in a country in a particular region/continent.

 

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The Fund will notify shareholders at least 60 days prior to any change in its policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of U.S. issuers or investments that provide exposure to equity securities of U.S. issuers and in derivatives and other instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. The Fund may invest in equity securities without regard to market capitalization. The Fund intends to borrow money from banks to create leverage of up to 30% of the Fund’s assets. The Fund plans to invest the assets obtained through leverage in additional instruments that provide exposure to the S&P 500 Index companies as well as in additional options as part of the Fund’s hedging strategies. The Fund will therefore have long exposure of up to 130% of its assets.

 

The Fund’s sub-adviser uses proprietary valuation methods and risk measures as well as publicly available data regarding market volatility levels in managing the hedging strategies. The Fund’s sub-adviser considers multiple factors in determining how much leverage to employ and expected market volatility levels, such as premium at risk (i.e., the amount of net option premiums paid in implementing the hedging strategy), the time to expiration of options, the rate that options lose value as they near maturity (known as Theta), the risk of gain or loss resulting from changes in volatility (known as Vega), and the notional exposure of the options relative to the Fund’s long positions. The Fund’s sub-adviser’s proprietary option valuation methods will be used to determine when to use a particular option strategy and when to realize gains on the Fund’s options positions.

 

Other Information Regarding the Fund’s Investment Strategy

 

The Fund may hold a substantial cash position. If the market advances during periods when the Fund is holding a large cash position, the Fund may not participate to the extent it would have if the Fund had been more fully invested.

 

The investment techniques used by the Fund’s sub-adviser may change over time as new instruments and techniques are introduced or as a result of regulatory or market developments. The Adviser has discretion to select additional sub-advisers for the Fund, subject to approval by the Board and, if required, the Fund’s shareholders, and allocate the assets of the Fund among the Fund’s sub-advisers. The Adviser has discretion to manage directly all or a portion of the Fund’s investment strategies.

 

General Investment Policies of the Funds

 

The Funds’ investments in the types of securities described in this Prospectus vary from time to time and, at any time, a Fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this Prospectus. The Funds may also invest in securities and other investments not described in this Prospectus, but which are described in the SAI. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the Funds are applied at the time of purchase unless otherwise disclosed.

 

For additional information regarding the types of instruments in which a Fund may invest, please see the “Investment of the Trust’s Assets and Related Risks” section of the Fund’s SAI.

 

Temporary or Cash Investments

 

Each Fund may temporarily depart from its respective principal investment strategy or strategies for defensive purposes, including by making short-term investments in cash, cash equivalents, and high-quality, short-term debt securities and money market instruments, including affiliated and unaffiliated instruments, in response to or in anticipation of adverse market, economic or political conditions. While a Fund is in a defensive position, the opportunity to achieve its investment objective will be limited. To the extent that a Fund uses a money market fund for its cash position, there will be some duplication of expenses because a Fund would bear its pro rata portion of such money market fund’s advisory fees and operational expenses.

 

Shares of the Easterly Funds are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

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PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

 

There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Each Fund’s share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio securities. When you sell your Fund shares, they may be worth less than what you paid for them and, accordingly, you can lose money investing in the Funds.

 

The following chart summarizes the principal risks of each Fund. These risks could adversely affect the net asset value, total return, and the value of a Fund and your investment. The risk descriptions below provide a more detailed explanation of the principal investment risks that correspond to the risks described in each Fund’s Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.

 

Risk Easterly Global Real Estate Fund Easterly Hedged Equity Fund
Borrowing  
Derivatives Risk
Special Risks of Options
Special Risks of Swaps  
Equity Securities Risk
Foreign Currency Risk  
Foreign Securities Risk  
Hedging Strategy Risk  
Investment and Market Risk
Leverage Risk  
London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) Transition Risk  
Liquidity Risk  
Management Risk
Medium and Small Capitalization Company Risk  
Portfolio Turnover Risk
Risk of Investing in Other Investment Companies  
Risk of Limitation on Call Option Writing  
REIT Risk  
Real Estate Securities Risks  
Tax Risk
Volatility Risk  

 

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Borrowing - The Fund will borrow money for investment purposes, which is a form of leveraging. Leveraging investments, by purchasing securities with borrowed money, is a speculative technique that increases investment risk while increasing investment opportunity. Leverage will magnify changes in the Fund’s NAV and on the Fund’s investments. For example, leveraging may exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the long equity positions held by the Fund. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, the Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Leverage also creates interest expenses for the Fund. To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest the Fund will have to pay, the Fund’s net income will be greater than it would be if leverage were not used. Conversely, if the income from the assets obtained with borrowed funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the net income of the Fund will be less than it would be if leverage were not used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to shareholders as dividends will be reduced. The use of derivatives in connection with leverage creates the potential for significant loss.

 

Derivatives Risk - Derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on or is derived from an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index. Derivatives may be used as a substitute for purchasing the underlying asset or as a hedge to reduce exposure to risks. The use of derivatives involves risks similar to, as well as risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities or other more traditional instruments. OTC derivatives, which are those not cleared and settled through a central exchange, may be more difficult to purchase, sell or value than other investments. When used for hedging or reducing exposure, the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, reference rate or index. The Fund could lose more than the cash amount invested in derivatives. Certain derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. If a counterparty were to default on its obligations, the Fund’s contractual remedies against such counterparty may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws, which could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor (e.g., the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it is contractually entitled to receive). Central clearing and exchange trading of certain derivatives are designed to reduce counterparty and liquidity risk, but they do not eliminate those risks completely. Changes in regulation relating to a mutual fund’s use of derivatives and related instruments could potentially limit or impact the Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives, limit the Fund’s ability to employ certain strategies that use derivatives and/or adversely affect the value of derivatives and the Fund’s performance.

 

Compared to other types of investments, derivatives may be less tax efficient. The use of certain derivatives may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of ordinary income or short-term capital gains, distributions from which are taxable to individual shareholders at ordinary income tax rates rather than at the more favorable tax rates for long-term capital gain. In addition, changes in government regulation of derivative instruments could affect the character, timing and amount of the Fund’s taxable income or gains, and may limit or prevent the Fund from using certain types of derivative instruments as a part of its investment strategy, which could make the investment strategy more costly to implement or require the Fund to change its investment strategy. The Fund’s use of derivatives also may be limited by the requirements for taxation of the Fund as a regulated investment company.

 

Special Risks of Options - If the Fund sells (writes) a put option, there is risk that the Fund may be required to buy the underlying investment at a disadvantageous price. If the Fund sells (writes) a call option, there is risk that the Fund may be required to sell the underlying investment at a disadvantageous price. If the Fund purchases a put option or call option, there is risk that the price of the underlying investment will move in a direction that causes the option to expire worthless. Options can involve economic leverage, which could result in these investments experiencing greater volatility than other investments, which could increase the volatility of the Fund. A decision as to whether, when and how to use covered call options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the life of the covered call option, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the option premium received and the exercise price of the covered call option, but has retained the risk of loss, minus the option premium received, should the price of the underlying security decline. The writer of an “American-style” option has no control over when, during the exercise period of the option, it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. This does not apply for “European-style” options, which may only be exercised at termination. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice for an American-style option, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must either close out the position with a cash settlement or deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. Thus, the use of options may require the Fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, will limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize above the exercise price of an option, or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. The Fund’s ability to terminate OTC options may be more limited than with exchange-traded options and may involve the risk that banks, broker-dealers or other financial institutions participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations.

 

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If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written, it would not be able to sell the underlying portfolio security unless the option expired without exercise. The value of options may also be adversely affected if the market for such options becomes less liquid or smaller. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out a covered call option by buying such covered call option.

 

The Easterly Global Real Estate Fund intends to primarily write covered call options that are exchange-traded options but may write OTC options. Exchange-traded options may also be illiquid. Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation (the “OCC”) may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options). If trading on an exchange were discontinued, the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist. However, outstanding options on that exchange that had been issued by the OCC as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms. The hours of trading for listed or OTC options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that would not be reflected concurrently in the options markets. Call options are marked to market daily at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and their value will be affected by changes in the value of and dividend rates of the underlying common stocks, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the stock market and the underlying common stocks and the remaining time to the options’ expiration. Additionally, the exercise price of an option may be adjusted downward before the option’s expiration as a result of the occurrence of certain corporate events affecting the underlying equity security, such as extraordinary dividends, stock splits, mergers or other extraordinary distributions or events. A reduction in the exercise price of an option may reduce the Fund’s capital appreciation potential on the underlying security.

 

Special Risks of Swaps - Certain swap transactions are structured as OTC two-party contracts and are often less liquid than other types of investments, and the Fund may be unable to sell or terminate its swap positions at a desired time or price. Certain swaps, such as total return swaps where two parties agree to “swap” payments on defined underlying assets or interest rates, can have the potential for unlimited losses. Swaps are also subject to the risk that the swap counterparty will not fulfill its contractual obligations. The swaps market is subject to extensive regulation under the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank”) and certain SEC and CFTC rules promulgated thereunder. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including new and additional government regulation, could result in higher Fund costs and expenses and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability, among other things, to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

 

Equity Securities Risk - The Fund is subject to risks associated with investing in equity securities, including market risk, issuer risk, price volatility risks and market trends risk. The prices of equity securities generally fluctuate in value more than fixed-income investments, may rise or fall rapidly or unpredictably and may reflect real or perceived changes in the issuing company’s financial condition and changes in the overall market or economy. Price movements in equity securities may result from factors or events affecting individual issuers, industries or the market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles that may cause downward price movements over prolonged periods of time. The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected by the risks attendant to any investment in equity securities. Common stockholders are subordinate to debt or preferred stockholders in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and liquidation payments and, therefore, will be subject to greater credit risk than preferred stock or debt instruments. The price of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can fluctuate differently than the market as a whole.

 

Foreign Currency Risk - Although the Fund reports its net asset value and pays expenses and distributions in U.S. dollars, the Fund intends to invest in foreign securities denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Therefore, changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s investment securities and the net asset value of its shares. For example, even if securities prices are unchanged on their primary foreign stock exchange, the Fund’s net asset value may change because of a change in the rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and the trading currency of that primary foreign stock exchange. The currencies of certain countries in which the Fund invests are more volatile than those of other countries and, therefore, the Fund’s investments related to those countries may be more adversely impacted by currency rate fluctuations. Generally, if a foreign currency depreciates against the U.S. dollar (i.e., if the U.S. dollar strengthens), the value of the existing investment in the securities denominated in that currency will decline. When a given currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar (i.e., if the U.S. dollar weakens), the value of the existing investment in the securities denominated in that currency will rise. Certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of foreign securities issuers to make payments of principal and interest to investors located outside of the country, due to a blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

 

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Foreign Securities Risk - The Fund’s investments in foreign securities involve risks in addition to the risks associated with domestic securities. One additional risk is currency risk. Foreign securities also have risks related to economic and political developments abroad, including expropriations and any effects of foreign social, economic or political instability. In particular, adverse political or economic developments in a geographic region or a particular country in which the Fund invests could cause a substantial decline in the value of its portfolio securities. Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Economic sanctions could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities or groups of securities for a substantial period of time. International trade barriers or economic sanctions against foreign countries, organizations, entities and/or individuals, may adversely affect the Fund’s foreign holdings or exposures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets, or the imposition of punitive taxes. Governmental actions can have a significant effect on the economic conditions in foreign countries, which also may adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. For example, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain sectors or industries. In addition, a foreign government may limit or cause delay in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund’s assets back into the U.S., or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations.

 

Certain foreign investments may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions, or become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Certain foreign investments may become illiquid when, for instance, there are few, if any, interested buyers and sellers or when dealers are unwilling to make a market for certain securities. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value, especially in changing markets. Foreign companies, in general, are not subject to the regulatory requirements of U.S. companies and may have less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards and, as such, there may be less publicly available information about these companies. Moreover, foreign accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards generally are different from those applicable to U.S. companies. Finally, in the event of a default of any foreign debt obligations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to obtain or enforce a judgment against the issuers of the securities. Furthermore, foreign exchanges and broker-dealers are generally subject to less government and exchange scrutiny and regulation than their U.S. counterparts. In addition, differences in clearance and settlement procedures in foreign markets may cause delays in settlements of the Fund’s trades effected in those markets.

 

With respect to Funds that invest in developing or emerging countries, compared to the United States and other developed countries, developing or emerging countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a small number of securities. Prices of these securities tend to be especially volatile and, in the past, securities in these countries have been characterized by greater potential loss than securities of companies located in developed countries.

 

Hedging Strategy Risk - The Fund’s hedging strategy is designed to reduce, but not necessarily eliminate, losses resulting from volatility and market declines. Even where the hedging strategy is used successfully, the Fund is likely to experience some loss in value during periods of volatility and/or market declines. It is important to know that the hedging strategy may not be successful in reducing volatility or offsetting market declines, and may result in losses. Also, the hedging strategy may prevent the Fund from achieving higher investment returns than may be available by investing in an unhedged portfolio or a comparable mutual fund without a similar hedging strategy and the Fund’s use of derivatives and ETFs will increase the Fund’s expenses. It is possible that the hedging strategy could result in losses and/or expenses that are greater than if the Fund did not include the hedging strategy.

 

Investment and Market Risk - An investment in the Fund’s common shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund’s common shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund, which are generally traded on a securities exchange or in the OTC markets. The value of these securities, like other market investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) will occur that have significant impacts on issuers, industries, governments and other systems, including the financial markets.

 

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As global systems, economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, events that once had only local impact are now more likely to have regional or even global effects. Events that occur in one country, region or financial market will, more frequently, adversely impact issuers in other countries, regions or markets. These impacts can be exacerbated by failures of governments and societies to adequately respond to an emerging event or threat. Investors will be negatively impacted if the value of their portfolio holdings decreases as a result of such events, if these events adversely impact the operations and effectiveness of the Adviser and/or sub-adviser, as applicable, or key service providers or if these events disrupt systems and processes necessary or beneficial to the management of accounts. These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, increase the Fund’s volatility and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund. The Fund’s common shares at any point in time may be worth less than the original investment, even after taking into account any reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial condition.

 

Global events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations cause a significant negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, increase the Fund’s volatility, exacerbate pre-existing political, social and economic risks to the Fund. The Fund’s operations may be interrupted as a result, which may contribute to the negative impact on investment performance. In addition, governments, their regulatory agencies, or self-regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that could have a significant negative impact on the Fund’s investment performance. The current outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in instances of market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in travel restrictions, closed international borders, disruptions of healthcare systems, business operations and supply chains, layoffs, lower consumer demand, defaults and other significant economic impacts, all of which have disrupted global economic activity across many industries and may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks, locally or globally. The ongoing effects of COVID-19 are unpredictable and may result in significant and prolonged effects on the Fund’s performance.

 

Leverage Risk - Borrowing money to buy securities exposes the Fund to leverage because the Fund can achieve a return on a capital base larger than the assets that shareholders have contributed to the Fund. Leverage exists when the Fund purchases or sells an instrument or enters into a transaction without investing cash in an amount equal to the full economic exposure of the instrument or transaction. Such instruments may include, among others, written options and derivatives. Leveraging may cause the Fund to be more volatile because it may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s leverage strategies will be successful. Certain investments, such as ETFs, may include “embedded” leverage, which means the ETF pays a return linked to a multiple of the performance of the underlying index, securities basket or other reference asset. These investments may be more volatile than investments in unlevered securities, which may increase the volatility of the Fund.

 

London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”)Transition Risk - The Fund invests in financial instruments that may have floating or variable rate calculations for payment obligations or financing terms based on LIBOR, which is the benchmark interest rate at which major global banks lend to one another in the international interbank market for short-term loans. On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced a desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. Although many LIBOR rates were phased out at the end of 2021 as originally intended, a selection of widely used USD LIBOR rates will continue to be published until June 2023 in order to assist with the transition. The impact of the discontinuation of LIBOR and the transition to an alternative rate on the Fund’s portfolio remains uncertain. There can be no guarantee that financial instruments that transition to an alternative reference rate will retain the same value or liquidity as they would otherwise have had. This announcement and any additional regulatory or market changes that occur as a result of the transition away from LIBOR and the adoption of alternative reference rates may have an adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments, performance or financial condition, and might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that currently rely on LIBOR to determine interest rates.

 

Liquidity Risk - An investment is considered to be illiquid if the Fund reasonably expects the investment cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. An investment may be deemed illiquid due to a lack of trading volume in the investment or if the investment is privately placed and not traded in any public market or is otherwise restricted from trading. The Fund may be unable to sell illiquid investments at the time or price it desires and could lose its entire investment in such investments. Investments with an active trading market or that the Adviser otherwise deems liquid could become illiquid before the Fund can exit its positions. The liquidity of the Fund’s assets may change over time. The Fund may also make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions.

 

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Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the security or instrument at all and could lose its entire investment in such investments. Investments in foreign securities, particularly those of issuers located in emerging market countries, tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced). The liquidity of the Fund’s assets may change over time.

 

Management Risk (Easterly Global Real Estate Fund) - The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively-managed fund. The Fund’s successful pursuit of its investment objective depends upon the Model and the Sub-Adviser’s ability to manage the Fund in accordance with the Model. The Model’s parameters and weightings might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment goals. If one or more key individuals leave the employ of the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser may not be able to hire qualified replacements, or may require an extended time to do so. This could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.

 

Management Risk (Easterly Hedged Equity Fund) - The investment techniques and risk analysis used by the portfolio managers may not produce the desired results. For example, there is no guarantee that the hedging strategy employed by the Sub-Adviser will produce a portfolio with the level of reduced exposure to stock market risk that is expected by the Sub-Adviser. In addition, the Fund’s hedging strategy will cause the Fund to underperform the broader equity markets during market rallies and to underperform significantly during sharp market upswings. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s hedging strategies will protect against all market losses and may cause the Fund to lose money during modest market downturns.

 

Medium and Small Capitalization Company Risk - Investing in medium and small capitalization companies may involve more risk than is usually associated with investing in larger, more established companies. Medium and small sized companies and the industries in which they are involved frequently are still maturing and are more sensitive to changing market conditions than larger companies in more established industries. Small companies often have limited product lines, markets, financial resources and less experienced management. The securities of medium and small capitalization companies may be less liquid than the securities of larger capitalization companies, which could have an adverse effect on the ability of the Fund to sell these securities at favorable prices. This also may impede the Fund’s ability to obtain market quotations based on actual trades in order to value the Fund’s securities. Medium and small capitalization securities may have returns that can vary, occasionally significantly, from the market in general. In addition, medium and small capitalization companies may not pay a dividend, which can cushion returns in a falling market.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk - The frequency of the Fund’s transactions will vary from year to year. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in higher taxes. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance.

 

Real Estate Securities Risks - The Fund does not invest in real estate directly. The Easterly Global Real Estate Fund only invests in REITs and other publicly traded real estate securities in the Index which are defined as securities of any issuer that derived in the previous full fiscal year at least 75% of its total EBITDA from either (i) the ownership, development, construction, financing, management or sale of commercial real estate or (ii) products or services related to the real estate industry, like building supplies or mortgage servicing; therefore, its portfolio will be significantly impacted by the performance of the real estate market and may experience more volatility and be exposed to greater risk than a more diversified portfolio. Although the Fund does not invest in real estate directly, the Fund may be subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership in real property. The value of the Fund’s common shares is affected by factors affecting the value of real estate and the earnings of companies engaged in the real estate industry.

 

These factors include, among others: (i) changes in general economic and market conditions; (ii) changes in the value of real estate properties; (iii) risks related to local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition; (iv) increases in property taxes and operating expenses; (v) changes in zoning laws; (vi) casualty and condemnation losses; (vii) variations in rental income, neighborhood values or the appeal of property to tenants; (viii) the availability of financing; (ix) changes in interest rates; (x) fluctuations in rent schedules and operating expenses; (xi) adverse changes in local, regional or general economic conditions; (xii) deterioration of the real estate market and the financial circumstances of tenants and sellers and (xiii) environmental factors. Many real estate companies utilize leverage, which increases investment risk and could adversely affect a company’s operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates. The value of securities of companies in the real estate industry may go through cycles of relative under-performance and over-performance in comparison to equity securities markets in general.

 

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To the extent the Fund receives REIT distributions that represent mortgage interest or rent, the Fund’s distributions may be taxable as ordinary income to investors of the Fund. Furthermore, investments in REITs and foreign real estate companies may involve duplication of management fees and certain other expenses, as the Fund indirectly bears its proportionate share of any expenses paid by REITs and foreign real estate companies in which it invests. Such expenses are not reflected in the above fee table.

 

There are also special risks associated with particular sectors of real estate investments:

 

1) Retail Properties - Retail properties are affected by the overall health of the economy and may be adversely affected by, among other things, the growth of alternative forms of retailing, bankruptcy, departure or cessation of operations of a tenant, a shift in consumer demand due to demographic changes, changes in spending patterns and lease terminations.

 

2) Office and Industrial Properties - Office and industrial properties are affected by the overall health of the economy, and other factors such as a downturn in the businesses operated by their tenants, obsolescence and non-competitiveness.

 

3) Hotel Properties - The risks of hotel properties include, among other things, the necessity of a high level of continuing capital expenditures, competition, increases in operating costs which may not be offset by increases in revenues, dependence on business and commercial travelers and tourism, increases in fuel costs and other expenses of travel and adverse effects of general and local economic conditions. Hotel properties tend to be more sensitive to adverse economic conditions and competition than many other commercial properties.

 

4) Healthcare Properties - Healthcare properties and healthcare providers are affected by several significant factors, including federal, state and local laws governing licenses, certification, adequacy of care, pharmaceutical distribution, rates, equipment, personnel and other factors regarding operations, continued availability of revenue from government reimbursement programs and competition on a local and regional basis. The failure of any healthcare operator to comply with governmental laws and regulations may affect its ability to operate its facility or receive government reimbursements.

 

5) Multifamily Properties - The value and successful operation of a multifamily property may be affected by a number of factors such as the location of the property, the ability of the management team, the level of mortgage rates, the presence of competing properties, adverse economic conditions in the locale, oversupply and rent control laws or other laws affecting such properties.

 

6) Community Centers - Community center properties are dependent upon the successful operations and financial condition of their tenants, particularly certain of their major tenants, and could be adversely affected by bankruptcy of those tenants. In some cases a tenant may lease a significant portion of the space in one center, and the filing of bankruptcy could cause significant revenue loss. Like others in the commercial real estate industry, community centers are subject to environmental risks and interest rate risk. They also face the need to enter into new leases or renew leases on favorable terms to generate rental revenues. Community center properties could be adversely affected by changes in the local markets where their properties are located, as well as by adverse changes in national economic and market conditions.

 

7) Self-Storage Properties - The value and successful operation of a self-storage property may be affected by a number of factors, such as the ability of the management team, the location of the property, the presence of competing properties, changes in traffic patterns and effects of general and local economic conditions with respect to rental rates and occupancy levels.

 

Other factors may contribute to the risk of real estate investments:

 

1) Development Issues - Certain real estate companies may engage in the development or construction of real estate properties. These companies in which the Fund invests (“portfolio companies”) are exposed to a variety of risks inherent in real estate development and construction, such as the risk that there will be insufficient tenant demand to occupy newly developed properties, and the risk that prices of construction materials or construction labor may rise materially during the development.

 

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2) Lack of Insurance - Certain of the Fund companies may fail to carry comprehensive liability, fire, flood, earthquake extended coverage and rental loss insurance, or insurance in place may be subject to various policy specifications, limits and deductibles. Should any type of uninsured loss occur, the Fund company could lose its investment in, and anticipated profits and cash flows from, a number of properties and, as a result, adversely affect the Fund’s investment performance.

 

3) Financial Leverage - Global real estate companies may be highly leveraged and financial covenants may affect the ability of global real estate companies to operate effectively.

 

4) Environmental Issues - In connection with the ownership (direct or indirect), operation, management and development of real properties that may contain hazardous or toxic substances, a portfolio company may be considered an owner, operator or responsible party of such properties and, therefore, may be potentially liable for removal or remediation costs, as well as certain other costs, including governmental fines and liabilities for injuries to persons and property. The existence of any such material environmental liability could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and cash flow of any such portfolio company and, as a result, the amount available to make distributions on shares of the Fund could be reduced.

 

5) REIT Issues - REITs are subject to a highly technical and complex set of provisions in the Code. It is possible that the Fund may invest in a real estate company which purports to be a REIT but which fails to qualify as a REIT. In the event of any such unexpected failure to qualify as a REIT, the purported REIT would be subject to corporate level taxation, significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company. See “REIT Risk” below.

 

6) Financing Issues - Financial institutions in which the Fund may invest are subject to extensive government regulation. This regulation may limit both the amount and types of loans and other financial commitments a financial institution can make, and the interest rates and fees it can charge. In addition, interest and investment rates are highly sensitive and are determined by many factors beyond a financial institution’s control, including general and local economic conditions (such as inflation, recession, money supply and unemployment) and the monetary and fiscal policies of various governmental agencies such as the Federal Reserve Board. These limitations may have a significant impact on the profitability of a financial institution since profitability is attributable, at least in part, to the institution’s ability to make financial commitments such as loans. Profitability of a financial institution is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of the institution’s funds, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change.

 

There is also a risk that a general lack of liquidity or other adverse events in the credit markets may adversely affect the ability of issuers in whose securities the Fund invests to finance real estate developments and projects or refinance completed projects. For example, adverse developments relating to sub-prime mortgages have been adversely affecting the willingness of some lenders to extend credit, in general, which may make it more difficult for companies to obtain financing on attractive terms or at all so that they may commence or complete real estate development projects, refinance completed projects or purchase real estate. It also may adversely affect the price at which companies can sell real estate, because purchasers may not be able to obtain financing on attractive terms or at all. These developments also may adversely affect the broader economy, which in turn may adversely affect the real estate markets. Such developments could reduce the number of real estate companies that are publicly traded and, consequently, reduce the Fund’s investment opportunities.

 

REIT Risk - Investments in REITs will subject the Fund to various risks. REIT share prices may decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. In general, real estate values can be affected by a variety of factors, including supply and demand for properties, the economic health of the country or of different regions and the strength of specific industries that rent properties. REITs often invest in highly leveraged properties. Returns from REITs, which typically are small or medium capitalization stocks, may trail returns from the overall stock market. In addition, changes in interest rates may hurt real estate values or make REIT shares less attractive than other income-producing investments. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation.

 

Qualification as a REIT under the Code in any particular year is a complex analysis that depends on a number of factors. There can be no assurance that the entities in which the Fund invests with the expectation that they will be taxed as a REIT will qualify as a REIT. An entity that fails to qualify as a REIT would be subject to a corporate level tax, would not be entitled to a deduction for dividends paid to its shareholders and would not pass through to its shareholders the character of income earned by the entity. If the Fund were to invest in an entity that failed to qualify as a REIT, such failure could significantly reduce the Fund’s yield on that investment.

 

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REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in real property and earn rental income from leasing those properties. They may also realize gains or losses from the sale of properties. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. Mortgage REITs invest primarily in mortgages and similar real estate interests and receive interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties. Mortgage REITs will be affected by changes in creditworthiness of borrowers and changes in interest rates. Hybrid REITs invest both in real property and in mortgages. Equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. Dividends paid by REITs do not generally qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code, but may qualify for a 20% deduction applicable to qualified REIT dividends. See “Tax Consequences.”

 

The Fund’s investments in REITs may include an additional risk to shareholders. Some or all of a REIT’s annual distributions to its investors may constitute a non-taxable return of capital. Any such return of capital will generally reduce the Fund’s basis in the REIT investment, but not below zero. To the extent the distributions from a particular REIT exceed the Fund’s basis in such REIT, the Fund will generally recognize gain. In part because REIT distributions often include a nontaxable return of capital, Adviser distributions to shareholders may also include a nontaxable return of capital. Shareholders that receive such a distribution will also reduce their tax basis in their common shares of the Fund, but not below zero. To the extent the distribution exceeds a shareholder’s basis in the Fund’s common shares, such shareholder will generally recognize a capital gain. A shareholder, by investing in REITs and foreign real estate companies indirectly through the Fund, will bear not only his proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, the management expenses of the underlying REITs. The Fund does not have any investment restrictions with respect to investments in REITs.

 

Risk of Investing in Other Investment Companies - The Fund may invest in investment companies as permitted under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. 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. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund’s shareholders will incur certain duplicative fees and expenses, including investment advisory fees. The return on such investments will be reduced by the operating expenses including investment advisory and administration fees, of such investment funds, and will be further reduced by Adviser expenses, including management fees; that is, there will be a layering of certain expenses. Investments in investment companies also may involve the payment of substantial premiums above the value of such companies’ portfolio securities. The Fund may invest cash holdings in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds as permitted under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated under that section. In addition, the Fund may invest in other investment companies that invest in a manner consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and strategies, including the use of ETFs.

 

Shares of ETFs have many of the same risks as direct investments in common stocks or bonds. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. In addition, their market value is expected to rise and fall as the value of the underlying index or portfolio securities rises and falls. The market value of their shares may differ from the NAV of the particular fund. As a shareholder in an ETF (as with other investment companies), the Fund would bear its ratable share of that entity’s expenses. At the same time, the Fund would continue to pay its own investment management fees and other expenses. As a result, the Fund and its shareholders, in effect, will be absorbing duplicate levels of fees with respect to investments in ETFs. In addition, the Fund would have increased market exposure to those companies held in its portfolio that are also held by the ETF. The securities of other investment companies and ETFs in which the Fund may invest may be leveraged. As a result, the Fund may be indirectly exposed to leverage through an investment in such securities. An investment in securities of other investment companies and ETFs that use leverage may expose the Fund to higher volatility in the market value of such securities and the possibility that the Fund’s long-term returns on such securities (and, indirectly, the long-term returns of the shares) will be diminished. In addition, ETFs may trade at a price above (premium) or below (discount) their NAV, especially during periods of market volatility or stress, causing investors to pay significantly more or less than the value of the ETF’s underlying portfolio. When all or a portion of an ETF’s underlying securities trade in a foreign market that is closed during the time the domestic market in which the ETF’s shares are listed and traded is open, there may be changes between the last quote from the closed foreign market and the value of such underlying security during the ETF’s trading day. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained.

 

In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities. In times of market stress, market makers or authorized participants may step away from their respective roles in making a market in shares of the ETF and in executing purchase or redemption orders.

 

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International ETFs may have a limited number of authorized participants. To the extent that these authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with the ETF, and no other authorized participant is able to step forward, ETF shares may trade at a discount to net asset value and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

Risk of Limitation on Call Option Writing – The number of call options the Fund can write is limited by the securities held by the Fund, and further limited by the fact that call options represent 100 share lots of the underlying securities. The Fund does not write “naked” or uncovered call options. Furthermore, the Fund’s options transactions are subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded. These limitations govern the maximum number of options in each class which may be written by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or written in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Fund may write may be affected by options written by other investment advisory clients of the Sub-Adviser. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.

 

Tax Risk - The Fund’s investment techniques, including use of covered call options, short-term trading strategies, and high portfolio turnover rate, may result in more of the Fund’s income dividends and capital gains distributions being taxable to you at ordinary income tax rates than it would if it did not engage in such techniques.

 

Volatility Risk – The Fund may have investments that appreciate or decrease significantly in value over short periods of time. This may cause the Fund’s NAV per share to experience significant increases or declines in value over short periods of time.

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE

 

 

A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s securities is available in the Funds’ SAI.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS

 

 

The Board is generally responsible for overseeing the management and business affairs of the Funds. It oversees the operation of the Funds by its officers. It also reviews the management of each Fund’s assets by the Easterly and sub-advisers. Information about the Trustees and executive officers of Easterly Funds is contained in the SAI.

 

Investment Adviser

 

Easterly is a registered investment adviser located at 515 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022. As of September 30, 2022, Easterly had approximately $1.095 billion in assets under management.

 

Subject to the general supervision of the Board of Trustees, Easterly is responsible for managing each Fund in accordance with its investment objective(s) and policies, and making recommendations with respect to the hiring, termination or replacement of sub-advisers. Easterly also maintains related records for the Funds. Easterly may invest the Funds’ assets in securities and other instruments. For sub-advised Funds, Easterly may exercise this discretion in order to invest the Funds’ assets pending allocation to a sub-adviser, to hedge the Fund against exposure created by a sub-adviser, or to modify the Fund’s exposure to a particular investment or market-related risk. Easterly may also exercise this discretion over unallocated assets and may reallocate to itself assets previously allocated to a sub-adviser.

 

Commodity Pool Operator Exclusions and Regulation.

 

With respect to the Funds, Easterly has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (CPO) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, with respect to the Funds, the investment manager 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 the applicable Funds, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in commodity futures, commodity options and swaps, which in turn include non-deliverable currency forward contracts, as further described in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.

 

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Because Easterly 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 goal, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Funds are not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options, or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the investment manager’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Funds, their investment strategies or this Prospectus.

 

Manager of Managers Order The board of trustees has authorized the Funds to operate in a “manager of managers” structure whereby Easterly can appoint and replace sub-advisors, and enter into, amend and terminate sub-advisory agreements with such sub-advisors, each subject to board approval but without obtaining prior shareholder approval (Manager of Managers Structure). The Funds will, however, inform shareholders of the hiring of any new sub-advisor within 90 days after the hiring. The Manager of Managers Structure provides the Funds with greater flexibility and efficiency by preventing the Funds from incurring the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approval of such sub-advisory agreements.

 

The use of the Manager of Managers Structure with respect to a Fund is subject to certain conditions that are set forth in the SEC exemptive order and no-action letter guidance issued by the SEC staff. Under the Manager of Managers Structure, Easterly has the ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Trust’s board of trustees, to oversee sub-advisors and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. Easterly will also, subject to the review and approval of the Trust’s board of trustees: set the Fund’s overall investment strategy; evaluate, select and recommend sub-advisors to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets; and implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that each sub-advisor complies with the Fund’s investment goal, policies and restrictions. Subject to review by the Trust’s board of trustees, Easterly will allocate and, when appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among sub-advisors and monitor and evaluate the sub-advisors’ performance.

 

The Funds pay the Adviser an annual fee as set forth below:

 

Fund Contractual Advisory Fee

Advisory Fee Received for
the Fiscal Year ended
August 31, 2022

(after waivers and
reimbursements)

Easterly Global Real Estate Fund 0.90% 0.84%
Easterly Hedged Equity Fund 1.20% 0.65%

 

Each Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses. Easterly has contractually agreed, at least through December 31, 2023, to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or pay expenses to the extent necessary to ensure that Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding front-end and contingent deferred sales loads, leverage, interest and tax expenses, dividends and interest on short positions, brokerage commissions, expenses incurred in connection with any merger, reorganization or liquidation, extraordinary or non-routine expenses, such as litigation and proxy-related expenses, and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses) will not exceed the percentage indicated in the table below for each Fund’s average daily net assets. Easterly is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to limitations, for management fees waived and Fund expenses it paid within three (3) years of the end of the fiscal year in which such management fees were waived or expenses paid, as long as the reimbursement does not cause the Fund’s operating expenses to exceed (i) the expense cap in place at the time the fees were waived or the expenses were incurred; or (ii) the current expense cap, whichever is less. This agreement may not be modified or terminated during its term. This agreement will terminate automatically if the Fund’s respective Investment Advisory Agreement with Easterly is terminated. With respect to the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund, Easterly has agreed to not seek reimbursement for management fees waived and Fund expenses it paid prior to the closing date of the reorganization of the predecessor series of The Saratoga Advantage Trust into the Fund.

 

Fund Name Class A Class C Class I Class R6
Easterly Global Real Estate Fund 1.69% 2.37% 1.04% 0.94%
Easterly Hedged Equity Fund 1.50% 2.25% 1.25% 0.99%

 

A discussion regarding the basis of the Board’s approval of the investment advisory agreement with Easterly and the sub-advisory agreements with each sub-adviser is available in the Funds’ Annual Report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2021.

 

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Sub-Adviser(s)

 

Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement between Easterly and each sub-adviser on behalf of the respective Fund, each sub-adviser provides day-to-day investment advice and recommendations for the Fund. Each sub-adviser makes investment decisions for the assets it has been allocated to manage, subject to the overall supervision of Easterly. Easterly oversees the sub-advisers for compliance with the Funds’ investment objective, policies, strategies and restrictions, and monitors each sub-adviser’s adherence to its investment style. The Board of Trustees supervises Easterly and the sub-advisers, establishes policies that they must follow in their management activities, and oversees the hiring and termination of sub-advisers recommended by Easterly. Easterly, not the Funds, pay sub-advisory fees.

 

Fund Sub-Advisor Sub-Advisor Address
Easterly Global Real Estate Fund Ranger Global Real Estate Advisors, LLC

405 Lexington Ave, Suite 3401

New York, NY 10174

Easterly Hedged Equity Fund EAB Investment Group, LLC 103 Carnegie Center, Suite 300,
Princeton, NJ 08540

 

Further Information About Each Sub-Adviser

 

Ranger Global Real Estate Advisors, LLC (“Ranger”) is a registered investment adviser. As of September 30, 2022, Ranger had approximately $1.8 billion in assets under management.

 

EAB Investment Group, LLC (“EAB”) is a registered investment adviser. As of September 30, 2022, EAB had approximately $80 million in assets under management.

 

Portfolio Manager(s)

 

Each Fund is managed by the portfolio manager(s) listed below. The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, and the portfolio manager’s ownership in each Fund they manage.

 

Edward Boll, William Visconto, and James Ryan are the co-Portfolio Managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund.

 

Andrew J. Duffy, CFA is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund.

 

The following is additional information regarding the portfolio managers identified above.

 

Andrew J. Duffy, CFA, is the President and Chief Investment Officer of Ranger and senior portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception. Mr. Duffy has over 27 years of global real estate securities experience in the private and public markets. From January 2008 through February 2009, Mr. Duffy was a Managing Director with Citigroup Principal Strategies, where he managed a long/short portfolio of global real estate securities. From February 2006 until December 2007, he was with Hunter Global Investors, L.P where he was the Co-Portfolio Manager of the Hunter Global Real Estate Fund. From 1999 to 2006, he was a Portfolio Manager at TIAA-CREF, during which time he was directly responsible for managing over $3 billion in global real estate equity and debt securities held in pension portfolios, college savings plans, open-end mutual funds and the firm’s proprietary general account. Between 1993 and 1999, Mr. Duffy was a Senior Research Analyst at Eagle Asset Management, where he launched and managed a dedicated real estate securities investment program in which he was responsible for fundamental analysis, security selection, portfolio construction and the covered call option writing strategy. His other professional experience includes being a Partner at Raymond James & Associates where, as an investment banker, he managed public offerings and advised on mergers and acquisitions.

 

Prior to his career in investments, Mr. Duffy served for five years as an officer in the United States Army, where his assignments included serving as a detachment commander in the 7th Special Forces Group and as company executive officer and platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division. Mr. Duffy received a B.S. in electrical engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1979 as a Distinguished Graduate (top 5% of class) and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1986. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1997.

 

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Edward Boll is the Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Portfolio Management of EAB, prior to which he was the co-Founder of DC Trading Partners, LLC; a senior portfolio manager at Goldman Sachs SLK Hull Derivatives Group; and Founder of TFM Investment Group, New York Division.

 

William Visconto is the Founder, President and Director of Risk Management at EAB. Previously, Mr. Visconto was Head Volatility Trader at McGowan Investors LLC; co-Founder of Volare Capital; and Head of Portfolio Management and Trading Floor Operations for PFTC Advisors and PFTC Trading.

 

James Ryan is the Director of Strategy Development at EAB. Previously, Mr. Ryan co-founded RB Derivatives LP, a quantitative equity trading firm. In 1990, Mr. Ryan co-founded Heard Trading, LLC. Heard Trading, LLC specialized in proprietary option trading and ETF arbitrage.

 

The SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers and the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of securities in the Funds.

 

Administration

 

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., located at 50 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02110, is the custodian of the assets of the Funds.

 

Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, located at 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246, serves as the Funds’ Transfer Agent (the “Transfer Agent”).

 

Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, located at 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246, provides administrative (including custody administration) and fund accounting services to the Funds. As such, they manage the administrative affairs of the Funds, calculate the net asset value of the shares of each Fund, and create and maintain the Funds’ required financial records.

 

PRICING OF FUND SHARES

 

 

The price of shares of a Fund is called “net asset value” or “NAV” is based on the value of a Fund’s investments. The NAV per share of a Fund is determined once daily at the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) (“Valuation Time”) on each day that the NYSE is open. Shares will not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed.

 

Generally, a Fund’s securities are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each security’s primary securities exchange. Securities traded or dealt in upon one or more securities exchanges (whether domestic or foreign, and including the National Association of Securities Dealers’ Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”)) for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary securities exchange (or in the case of NASDAQ securities, at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price) or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on the primary exchange. When a market price is not readily available, including circumstances under which Easterly determines that a security’s market price is not accurate, a portfolio security is valued by a pricing committee at its fair value, as determined under procedures established by the Board. In these cases, a Fund’s NAV will reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair value rather than their market price. Debt securities with remaining maturities of sixty days or less at the time of purchase may be valued at amortized cost. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces.

 

Securities traded on a foreign exchange which has not closed by the Valuation Time or for which the official closing prices are not available at the time the NAV is determined may us alternative market prices provided by a pricing service. In addition, with respect to securities that primarily are listed on a foreign exchange, when an event occurs after the close of a foreign exchange that is likely to have changed the value of the foreign securities (for example, a percentage change in value of one or more U.S. securities indices in excess of specified thresholds), such securities will be valued at their fair value, as determined under procedures established by the Board. Securities also may be fair valued in the event of a development effecting a country or region or an issuer-specific development, which is likely to have changed the value of the security. To the extent that a Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund’s NAV is calculated, in relevant part, based upon the NAVs of such ETFs (which are registered open-end management investment companies). The prospectuses for these ETFs explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.

 

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Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. In compliance with Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Board has designated the Adviser (but not the sub-advisers) as the valuation designee. The Adviser, as the valuation designee, performs the fair value determinations relating to Fund investments and is responsible for periodically assessing any material risks associated with the determination of the fair value of a Fund’s investments; establishing and applying fair value methodologies; testing the appropriateness of fair value methodologies; and overseeing and evaluating third-party pricing services. The Board oversees the Adviser in its role as valuation designee pursuant to Rule 2a-5.

 

Each Fund’s current NAV per share will be made available on the Fund’s website at https://www.EasterlyFunds.com/funds/.

 

CHOOSING A SHARE CLASS

 

 

Each Fund offers Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 shares. The Funds offer multiple classes of shares so that you can choose the class that best suits your investment needs. Refer to the information below so that you can choose the class that best suits your investment needs. The main differences between the share classes are sales charges, ongoing fees, and minimum investment. Class A charges a maximum sales load of 5.75% for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund, and Easterly Hedged Equity Fund Class C charges a maximum contingent deferred charge of 1.00%. Class A and Class C shares pay an annual distribution fee of up to 0.25% and 1.00%, respectively, of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to such Class for distribution and shareholder servicing expenses pursuant to the shareholder servicing plans adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1. Class I and Class R6 shares do not pay sales loads or 12b-1 fees. For information on ongoing distribution fees, see “Distribution (12b-1) and Shareholder Servicing Fees” in this Prospectus. Each class of shares in a Fund represents interest in the same portfolio of investments within the Fund. There is no investment minimum on reinvested distributions and a Fund may change investment minimums at any time. The Funds reserve the right to waive sales charges, as described below, and investment minimums. All share classes may not be available for purchase in all states.

 

When deciding which class of shares of a Fund to purchase, you should consider your investment goals, present and future amounts you may invest in a Fund, and the length of time you intend to hold your shares. To help you make a determination as to which class of shares to buy, please refer back to the examples of a Fund’s expenses over time in the “Fees and Expenses of the Fund” section for the Fund in this Prospectus. You also may wish to consult with your financial adviser for advice with regard to which share class would be most appropriate for you.

 

Shareholder Eligibility and Minimum Investment Amounts

 

For Class A and Class C shares of the Funds, the minimum initial investment in the Fund is $2,500. For Class I shares of the Funds, the minimum initial investment in the Fund is $1 million, which minimum would be waived for an investment adviser/broker making an allocation to the Fund’s Class I shares aggregating $1 million or more within 90 days. If the adviser/broker does not purchase $1 million or more in the aggregate within 90 days, then the adviser/broker’s next purchase would have to be for a minimum of the difference between $1 million and the aggregate total invested during the 90 days until aggregate purchases total $1 million or more (e.g., if the adviser/broker’s aggregate purchases within 90 days total $500,000 then the adviser/broker would have to make a single aggregate purchase of at least $500,000 to make future purchases of less than $1 million). In addition, the minimum initial investment for Class I shares of the Funds may be waived for certain investments, including sales through banks, broker-dealers and other financial institutions in; (i) discretionary and non-discretionary sponsored advisory programs; (ii) fund supermarkets; (iii) asset allocation programs: (iv) certain retirement plans investing directly with the Fund; (v) retirement plans investing through certain retirement plan platforms; and (vi) certain endowments, foundations and other not-for-profit entities investing directly with the Fund. With respect to Class A, Class I, and Class C, investments made in response to the SaratogaSHARP® asset allocation program’s allocations and reallocations will not be subject to a minimum initial investment. For employees and relatives of the Adviser, firms distributing shares of the Trust, and the Trust service providers and their affiliates, the minimum initial investment in the Trust is $1,000 with no minimum for any individual Fund. With respect to Class A shares and Class C shares, there is no minimum initial investment for employee benefit plans, mutual fund platform programs, supermarket programs, associations and individual retirement accounts.

 

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Class R6 shares of the Funds are available only to the following qualified investors:

 

Employer-sponsored retirement and benefit plans where shares are held at a plan level or at the Fund level through an omnibus account of a retirement plan recordkeeper. Employer-sponsored retirement and benefit plans include (i) employer sponsored pension or profit sharing plans that qualify under section401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), including 401(k), money purchase pension, profit sharing and defined benefit plans; (ii) 403(b) and non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate similar to plans described under (i) above, such as 457 plans and executive deferred compensation arrangements;(iii) health savings accounts maintained pursuant to Section 223 of the Code; and (iv) voluntary employees’ beneficiary arrangements maintained pursuant to Section 501(c)(9) of the Code.

 

Section 529 college savings plans where shares are held through the plan level or omnibus accounts held on the books of a Fund.

 

Other funds advised by Easterly (to the extent permitted by a fund’s investment strategies).

 

Mutual funds, ETFs and other registered investment companies not affiliated with Easterly.

 

Investors through a fee-based advisory program of a financial intermediary that has entered into a written agreement with the Distributor to offer such shares through an omnibus account held at the Fund.

 

Certain discretionary accounts where investments in a Fund are made and directed on their behalf by investment representatives at Easterly pursuant to a discretionary investment management agreement or trust agreement that provides for discretionary investment management services between Easterly and the investor, including programs in which Easterly is a portfolio strategist. Investors can combine purchases of Class R6 shares with Class R6 of other series of the Trust to meet the applicable investment minimum.

 

Institutional investors, subject to an initial minimum investment of $5 million. Institutional investors include, but are not limited to, corporations, qualified non-profit organizations, charitable trusts, foundations and endowments, governmental entities, municipalities, and hospitals investing for their own account. These accounts may not be held for the benefit of multiple underlying, unrelated investors. For these investors, accounts cannot be aggregated at the investor level to meet the initial minimum.

 

Other investors, subject to an initial minimum investment of $5 million. These accounts may not be held for the benefit of multiple underlying, unrelated investors. For these investors, accounts cannot be aggregated at the investor level to meet the initial minimum.

 

Programs in which Easterly is a portfolio strategist.

 

Except as otherwise provided above, Class R6 shares are not available to retail nonretirement accounts. Class R6 shares are offered to eligible investors provided that the Fund or its affiliates are not required to make or pay any type of administrative, sub-accounting, networking or revenue sharing payments or similar fees paid to intermediaries.

 

The minimum subsequent investment in the Trust is $100, except for employee benefit plans, mutual fund platform programs, supermarket programs, associations and individual retirement accounts, which have no minimum subsequent investment requirements. There is no minimum subsequent investment for a Fund. Investment minimums may be waived by the Adviser. If you received Class I or Class R6 shares as a result of a merger or reorganization of a predecessor fund into any of the Funds, you will be permitted to make additional Class I and Class R6 share purchases, respectively.

 

Class A Shares

 

Class A shares are offered at their public offering price, which is NAV plus the applicable sales charge and is subject to 12b-1 distribution fees of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of Class A shares. Over time, fees paid under this distribution and service plan will increase the cost of a Class A shareholder’s investment and may cost more than other types of sales charges. The sales charge varies, depending on how much you invest. There are no sales charges on reinvested distributions. The following sales charges, apply to your purchases of Class A shares of a Fund unless waived as described under “Sales Charge Waivers”:

 

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Amount Invested Sales Charge as a %
of Offering Price1
Sales Charge as a
% of Amount Invested
Dealer
Reallowance2
Less than $50,000 5.75% 6.10% 5.00%
$50,000 but less than $100,000 4.50% 4.71% 3.75%
$100,000 but less than $250,000 3.25% 3.36% 2.50%
$250,000 but less than $500,000 2.00% 2.04% 1.25%
$500,000 or more3,4 None4 None4 None4

 

1 Offering price includes the front-end sales load. The sales charge you pay may differ slightly from the amount set forth above because of rounding that occurs in the calculation used to determine your sales charge.

 

2 At the discretion of the Trust, however, the entire sales charge may at times be reallowed to dealers. The staff of the SEC has indicated that dealers who receive more than 90% of the sales charge may be considered underwriters.

 

3 Class A shares that are purchased at NAV in amounts of $500,000 or more may be assessed a 1.00% CDSC, if they are redeemed within twelve months from the date of purchase. See below for further information.

 

4 A selling broker may receive commissions on purchases of Class A shares over $500,000 calculated as follows: 1.00% on purchases between $500,000 and $3 million, 0.50% on amounts over $3 million but less than $5 million, 0.25% on amounts over $5 million.

 

The commission rate is determined based on the purchase amount combined with the current market value of existing investments in Class A shares. As shown, investors that purchase $500,000 or more of a Fund’s Class A shares will not pay any initial sales charge on the purchase. However, purchases of $500,000 or more of Class A shares may be subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) on shares redeemed during the first 12 months after their purchase. The CDSC is based upon the investor’s original purchase price. Any CDSC paid on the redemptions of Class A shares expressed as a percentage of the applicable redemption amount may be higher or lower than the charge described due to rounding. Brokers may receive distribution and/or shareholder service fees for Class A shares.

 

How to Reduce Your Sales Charge

 

You may be eligible to purchase Class A shares at a reduced sales charge. To qualify for these reductions, you must notify the Funds’ distributor, Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), in writing and supply your account number at the time of purchase. You may combine your purchase with those of your “immediate family” (your spouse and your children under the age of 21) for purposes of determining eligibility. If applicable, you will need to provide the account numbers of your spouse and your minor children as well as the ages of your minor children. These variations are separate and apart from those discussed in Appendix A.

 

You must notify your authorized Financial Intermediary or the Transfer Agent at the time a purchase order is placed that the purchase (or redemption) qualifies for a reduced sales charge (i.e., breakpoint discount), CDSC waiver or eligibility minimum. Similar notification must be made in writing when an order is placed by mail. The reduced sales charge, CDSC waiver or eligibility minimum will not be granted if: (i) notification is not furnished at the time of order; or (ii) a review of the records of the authorized dealer of the Fund’s shares or the Trust’s Transfer Agent does not confirm your represented holdings. Whether a sales charge waiver is available for your retirement plan or charitable account depends upon the policies and procedures of your intermediary. Please consult your financial adviser for further information.

 

Rights of Accumulation

 

For the purposes of determining the applicable reduced sales charge, the right of accumulation allows you to include prior purchases of Class A shares or Class C shares of any of the Trust’s portfolios as part of your current investment as well as reinvested dividends. To qualify for this option, you must be either:

 

an individual;

 

an individual and spouse purchasing shares for your own account or trust or custodial accounts for your minor children; or

 

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a fiduciary purchasing for any one trust, estate or fiduciary account, including employee benefit plans created under Sections 401, 403, or 457 of the Code, including related plans of the same employer.

 

If you plan to rely on this right of accumulation, you must notify the Distributor at the time of your purchase. You will need to give the Distributor your account numbers. Existing holdings of family members or other related accounts of a shareholder may be combined for purposes of determining eligibility. If applicable, you will need to provide the account numbers of your spouse and your minor children as well as the ages of your minor children.

 

Letter of Intent

 

The letter of intent allows you to count all investments within a 13-month period in Class A shares of any of the Trust’s portfolios as if you were making them all at once for the purposes of calculating the applicable reduced sales charges. The minimum initial investment under a letter of intent is 5% of the total letter of intent amount. The letter of intent does not preclude the Fund from discontinuing sales of its shares. You may include a purchase not originally made pursuant to a letter of intent under a letter of intent entered into within 90 days of the original purchase. To determine the applicable sales charge reduction, you may also include (1) the cost of shares of a Trust’s portfolio which were previously purchased at a price including a front-end sales charge during the 90-day period prior to the Distributor receiving the letter of intent, and (2) the historical cost of shares of other Trust portfolios you currently own acquired in exchange for shares of Trust portfolios purchased during that period at a price including a front-end sales charge. You may combine purchases and exchanges by family members (limited to spouse and children, under the age of 21, living in the same household). You should retain any records necessary to substantiate historical costs because the Trust, its Transfer Agent and any financial intermediaries may not maintain this information. Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends are not aggregated to achieve the stated investment goal.

 

Sales Charge Waivers

 

The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts to Class A Shares of a Fund will depend on whether you purchase your Class A Shares directly from a Fund or through a financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures (from those described above for Class A Shares generally) regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load waivers. Please consult your financial intermediary for more information. For specific information with respect to sales charge waivers and discounts available through a specific financial intermediary, please refer to Appendix A attached to this Prospectus. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify a Fund or the purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase a Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive such waivers or discounts.

 

The sales charge on purchases of Class A shares is waived for certain types of investors, including:

 

Employees of broker-dealers or other financial institutions (including registered investment advisors and financial planners) having agreements with the Distributor or Easterly (a “Selling Representative”) and their immediate families (or any trust, pension, profit sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons).

 

Employees of a bank, savings and loan, credit union or other financial institution that utilize a Selling Representative to clear purchases of the Trust’s shares and their immediate families.

 

Participants in certain “wrap-fee” programs, mutual fund platform programs, supermarket programs, or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with the Distributor or Easterly.

 

Clients of financial intermediaries that have entered into arrangements with the Distributor or Easterly (or otherwise have an arrangement with a broker-dealer or other financial institution with respect to sales of Trust shares) providing for the shares to be used in particular investment products made available to such clients and for which such registered investment advisors may charge a separate fee.

 

Institutional investors (which may include bank trust departments and registered investment advisors).

 

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Any accounts established on behalf of registered investment advisors or their clients by broker-dealers that charge a transaction fee and that have entered into agreements with the Distributor or Easterly.

 

Insurance company separate accounts, separate accounts used to fund certain unregistered variable annuity contracts, Section 403(b), 401(a), or 401(k) accounts and college savings plans organized under Section 529 of the Code.

 

Employer-sponsored retirement or benefit plans with total plan assets of at least $1 million where the plan’s investments in the Trust are part of an omnibus account. A minimum initial investment of $1 million in the Trust is required. Easterly in its sole discretion may waive these minimum dollar requirements.

 

Reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividends.

 

More information about existing sales charge reductions and waivers is available free of charge at www.EasterlyFunds.com.

 

Class C Shares

 

Class C shares of the Funds are offered at their NAV without an initial sales charge. This means that 100% of your initial investment is placed into shares of the Fund. Class C shares pay 1.00% on an annualized basis of their average daily net assets as reimbursement or compensation for service and distribution-related activities with respect to the Fund and/or shareholder services which amount is accrued and paid monthly. Over time, fees paid under this distribution and service plan will increase the cost of a Class C shareholder’s investment and may cost more than other types of sales charges.

 

Brokers that have entered into selling agreements with the Funds’ distributor may receive a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of Class C at the time of purchase. Brokers may also receive distribution and/or shareholder service fees for Class C shares held for over a year. If you redeem Class C shares within one year after purchase, you will be charged a CDSC of up to 1.00%. The charge will apply to the lesser of the original cost of the Class C shares being redeemed or the proceeds of your redemption and will be calculated without regard to any redemption fee. When you redeem Class C shares, the redemption order is processed so that the lowest CDSC is charged. Class C shares that are not subject to a CDSC are redeemed first. In addition, you will not be charged a CDSC when you redeem shares that you acquired through reinvestment of Fund dividends or capital gains. Any CDSC paid on the redemptions of Class C shares expressed as a percentage of the applicable redemption amount may be higher or lower than the charge described due to rounding.

 

CDSC Waivers

 

Certain shareholders may be eligible for CDSC waivers. Please see the information set forth below for specific eligibility requirements. You must notify your authorized Financial Intermediary or the Transfer Agent at the time a purchase order is placed that the purchase (or redemption) qualifies for a CDSC waiver. Similar notification must be made in writing when an order is placed by mail. The CDSC waiver will not be granted if: (i) notification is not furnished at the time of order; or (ii) a review of the records of the authorized dealer of the Fund’s shares or the Trust’s Transfer Agent does not confirm your represented holdings. In order to verify your eligibility, you may be required to provide account statements and/or confirmations regarding shares of the Fund or other Trust Funds.

 

A CDSC will not be imposed on: (i) any amount which represents an increase in value of shares purchased within the one year preceding the redemption; (ii) the current NAV of shares purchased more than one year prior to the redemption; and (iii) the current NAV of shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends or distributions. Moreover, in determining whether a CDSC is applicable it will be assumed that amounts described in (i), (ii) and (iii) above (in that order) are redeemed first.

 

In addition, the CDSC, if otherwise applicable, will be waived in the case of:

 

(1) redemptions of Class C shares held at the time a shareholder dies or becomes disabled, only if the Class C shares are: (a) registered either in the name of an individual shareholder (not a trust), or in the names of such shareholder and his or her spouse as joint tenants with right of survivorship; or (b) held in a qualified corporate or self-employed retirement plan, Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”) or Custodial Account under Section 403(b)(7) of the Code (“403(b) Custodial Account”), provided in either case that the redemption is requested within one year of the death or initial determination of disability;

 

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(2) redemptions in connection with the following retirement plan distributions: (a) lump-sum or other distributions from a qualified corporate or self-employed retirement plan following retirement (or, in the case of a “key employee” of a “top heavy” plan, following attainment of age 59 1/2); (b) distributions from an IRA or 403(b) Custodial Account following attainment of age 70 1/2; or (c) a tax-free return of an excess contribution to an IRA; and

 

(3) certain redemptions pursuant to the Fund’s Systematic Withdrawal Plan (see “Redemption of Shares—Systematic Withdrawal Plan”).

 

With reference to (1) above, for the purpose of determining disability, the Distributor utilizes the definition of disability contained in Section 72(m)(7) of the Code, which relates to the inability to engage in gainful employment. With reference to (2) above, the term “distribution” does not encompass a direct transfer of an IRA, 403(b) Custodial Account or retirement plan assets to a successor custodian or trustee. All waivers will be granted only following receipt by the Distributor of written confirmation of the shareholder’s entitlement.

 

The sales charge waivers (and discounts) available through financial intermediaries are set forth in Appendix A to this Prospectus (Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts). Please contact your financial intermediary regarding applicable sales charge waivers (and discounts) and for information regarding the financial intermediary’s related policies and procedures.

 

Class C Shares Conversion Feature

 

After 8 years, Class C shares generally will convert automatically to Class A shares of a Fund with no initial sales charge, provided that a Fund or the financial intermediary through which a shareholder purchased or holds Class C shares has records verifying that the Class C shares have been held for at least 8 years. The automatic conversion of Class C shares to Class A shares will not apply to shares held through group retirement plan record keeping platforms of certain intermediaries who hold such shares in an omnibus account and do not track participant level share lot aging to facilitate such a conversion. The 8-year period runs from the last day of the month in which the shares were purchased or, in the case of Class C shares acquired through an exchange, from the last day of the month in which the original Class C shares were purchased; the shares will convert to Class A shares based on their relative NAVs in the month following the 8-year period. At the same time, an equal proportion of Class C shares acquired through automatically reinvested distributions will convert to Class A shares on the same basis. A conversion of shares of one Class directly for shares of another Class of the same Fund generally should not be taxable for federal income tax purposes.

 

Class I Shares

 

Class I shares of the Funds are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge and are not subject to 12b-1 distribution fees. This means that 100% of your initial investment is placed into shares of a Fund.

 

Exchanges for Class I Shares

 

Holders of Class A and Class C shares issued by a Fund may exchange their shares for Class I shares provided that they: (1) hold their shares through a Selling Broker or other financial intermediary or institution that has a distribution agreement with the Fund’s distributor to offer Class I shares and which authorizes such an exchange; and (2) are otherwise eligible to invest in Class I shares in accordance with the terms of this Prospectus. Any such exchange is subject to the Funds’ discretion to accept or reject the exchange. Class A shareholders who purchased $1,000,000 or more of shares, and who then exchange them for Class I shares within eighteen months of the original purchase date, will be subject to a CDSC for such exchange in the same manner as would be applicable to a redemption of Class A shares purchased in an amount of $1,000,000 or more and redeemed within eighteen months of the date of original purchase, unless the Adviser in its sole discretion determines to waive the applicable CDSC. Class C shareholders who exchange them for Class I shares within one year of the original purchase date will be subject to a CDSC for such exchange in the same manner as would be applicable to a redemption of Class C shares made within one year of the date of original purchase, unless the Adviser in its sole discretion determines to waive the applicable CDSC. For federal income tax purposes, an exchange of Class A or Class C shares for Class I shares within the same Fund will not result in the recognition of a capital gain or loss.

 

Class R6 Shares

 

Class R6 shares are no-load shares that do not require that you pay a sales charge. Class R6 shares do not charge an annual Rule 12b-1 distribution or servicing fee. If you purchase Class R6 shares of the Funds you will pay the NAV next determined after your order is received.

 

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HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES

 

 

You may purchase shares of a Fund by sending a completed application form to the following address:

 

Regular Mail Overnight Mail

Easterly Funds Trust
c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

P.O. Box 541150

Omaha, NE 68154

Easterly Funds Trust
c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100

Elkhorn, NE 68022-3474

 

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you should supply your full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address. Mailing addresses containing a P.O. Box will not be accepted. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder’s identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

 

A Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any application to purchase shares. A purchase request could be rejected because of, amongst other things, the timing or amount of the investment or because of a history of excessive trading by the investor. You may purchase shares of a Fund by check, by wire, or through a broker.

 

Purchase by Check

 

Applications will not be accepted unless they are accompanied by a check drawn on a U.S. bank, thrift institutions, or credit union in U.S. funds for the full amount of the shares to be purchased. After you open an account, you may purchase additional shares by sending a check together with written instructions stating the name(s) on the account and the account number, to the above address. Make all checks payable to a Fund in which you choose to invest. A Fund will not accept payment in post-dated checks, third party checks, travelers’ checks, cash, money orders, cashier checks, credit card convenience checks or “starter” checks for the purchase of shares. Redemptions of shares of a Fund purchased by check may be subject to a hold period until the check has been cleared by the issuing bank.

 

Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase

 

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House (“ACH”). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutional that are ACH members may be used for these transactions. You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. All shares purchased via ACH will be purchased at the NAV per share (plus applicable sales charges, if any) next determined after a Fund receives the order in good order. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

 

Note: If your check or electronic payment does not clear, you will be you will be responsible for any loss incurred by the Funds. Additionally, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, the Funds’ transfer agent, will charge a $25 fee to defray bank charges.

 

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Purchase by Wire

 

If you wish to wire money to make an investment in the Funds, please call the Funds at (833) 999-2636 for wiring instructions and to notify a Fund that a wire transfer is coming. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds via wire. A Fund will normally accept wired funds for investment on the day received if they are received by the Fund’s designated bank before the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Your bank may charge you a fee for wiring same-day funds.

 

Purchase through Brokers

 

You may invest in the Funds through brokers or agents who have entered into selling agreements with the Funds’ distributor. The brokers and agents are authorized to receive purchase and redemption orders on behalf of a Fund. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on a Fund’s behalf. The Funds will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or its designee receives the order. The broker or agent may set their own initial and subsequent investment minimums. You may be charged a fee if you use a broker or agent to buy or redeem shares of a Fund. Finally, various servicing agents use procedures and impose restrictions that may be in addition to, or different from those applicable to investors purchasing shares directly from the Funds. You should carefully read the program materials provided to you by your servicing agent.

 

Automatic Investment Plans

 

You may participate in a Fund’s Automatic Investment Plan, an investment plan that automatically moves money from your bank account and invests it in a Fund through the use of electronic funds transfers or automatic bank drafts. You may elect to make subsequent investments by transfers of a minimum of $100 on specified days of each month into your established Fund account. Please contact the Funds at (833) 999-2636 for more information about the Funds’ Automatic Investment Plans.

 

When Order is Processed

 

All shares will be purchased at the NAV per share (plus applicable sales charges, if any) next determined after a Fund receives your application or request in good order. All requests received in good order by a Fund before the close of NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)) will be processed on that same day. Requests received after the close will be processed on the next business day.

 

Good Order

 

When making a purchase request, make sure your request is in good order. “Good order” means your purchase request includes:

 

1) The name of the Fund and share class

 

2) The dollar amount of shares to be purchased

 

3) A completed purchase application or investment stub

 

4) Check payable to a Fund

 

Retirement Plans

 

You may purchase shares of the Funds for your individual retirement plans. Please call the Funds at (833) 999-2636 for the most current listing and appropriate disclosure documentation on how to open a retirement account.

 

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HOW TO REDEEM SHARES

 

 

You may redeem all or any portion of the shares credited to your account by submitting a written request for redemption to the relevant Fund:

 

via Regular Mail via Overnight Mail

Easterly Funds Trust
c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

P.O. Box 541150

Omaha, NE 68154

Easterly Funds Trust
c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100

Elkhorn, NE 68022-3474

 

The Funds typically expect that it will take up to 7 days following the receipt of your redemption request to pay out redemption proceeds by check or electronic transfer. The Funds typically expect to pay redemptions from cash, cash equivalents, proceeds from the sale of Fund shares, any lines of credit, and then from the sale of portfolio securities. These redemption payment methods will be used in regular and stressed market conditions.

 

The Trust may suspend redemption procedures and postpone redemption payment during any period when (a) trading is restricted, as determined by the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, (b) the NYSE is closed other than for customary weekend or holiday closing, or (c) when the SEC has determined an emergency exists or has otherwise permitted such suspension or postponement.

 

If you own an IRA or other retirement plan, you must indicate on your redemption request whether the Fund should withhold federal income tax. Unless you elect in your redemption request that you do not want to have federal tax withheld, the redemption will be subject to withholding.

 

Redemptions by Telephone

 

The telephone redemption privilege is automatically available to all new accounts. If you do not want the telephone redemption privilege, you must indicate this in the appropriate area on your account application or you must write to the Fund and instruct it to remove this privilege from your account.

 

The proceeds will be sent by mail to the address designated on your account or wired directly to your existing account in a bank or brokerage firm in the United States as designated on your application. To redeem by telephone, call (833) 999-2636. If redeeming from an IRA account, you will be asked about tax withholding.

 

The Funds reserves the right to suspend the telephone redemption privileges with respect to your account if the name(s) or the address on the account has been changed within the previous 30 days. Neither the Funds, the transfer agent, nor their respective affiliates will be liable for complying with telephone instructions they reasonably believe to be genuine or for any loss, damage, cost or expense in acting on such telephone instructions and you will be required to bear the risk of any such loss. The Funds or the transfer agent, or both, will employ reasonable procedures to determine that telephone instructions are genuine. If the Funds and/or the transfer agent do not employ these procedures, they may be liable to you for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. These procedures may include, among others, requiring forms of personal identification prior to acting upon telephone instructions, providing written confirmation of the transactions and/or tape recording telephone instructions.

 

Redemptions through Broker

 

If shares of a Fund are held by a broker-dealer, financial institution, or other servicing agent, you must contact that servicing agent to redeem shares of a Fund. The servicing agent may charge a fee for this service.

 

Redemptions by Wire

 

You may request that your redemption proceeds be wired directly to your bank account. The Funds’ transfer agent imposes a $15 fee for each wire redemption and deducts the fee directly from your account, but the transfer agent does not charge a fee when transferring redemption proceeds by electronic funds transfer. Your bank may also impose a fee for the incoming wire.

 

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When Redemptions are Sent

 

Once a Fund receives your redemption request in “good order” as described below, it will issue a check based on the next determined NAV following your redemption request, which are payable at the next determined NAV following the receipt your redemption request in “good order”, as described below. If you purchase shares using a check and soon after request a redemption, your redemption proceeds will not be sent until the check used for your purchase has cleared your bank.

 

Good Order

 

Your redemption request will be processed if it is in “good order.” To be in good order, the following conditions must be satisfied:

 

1) The request should be in writing, unless redeeming by telephone, indicating the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed;

 

2) The request must identify your account number;

 

3) The request should be signed by you and any other person listed on the account, exactly as the shares are registered;

 

4) If you request that the redemption proceeds be sent to a person, bank or an address other than that of record or paid to someone other than the record owner(s), or if the address was changed within the last 30 days, or if the proceeds of a requested redemption exceed $100,000, the signature(s) on the request must be medallion signature guaranteed by an eligible signature guarantor

 

When You Need Medallion Signature Guarantees

 

Certain requests require a medallion signature guarantee. To protect you and the Trust from fraud, certain transactions and redemption requests must be in writing and must include a medallion signature guarantee in the following situations (there may be other situations also requiring a medallion signature guarantee in the discretion of the Trust or Transfer Agent):

 

1) Re-registration of the account.

 

2) Changing bank wiring instructions on the account.

 

3) Name change on the account.

 

4) Setting up/changing systematic withdrawal plan to a secondary address.

 

5) Redemptions greater than $100,000.

 

6) Any redemption check that is being mailed to a different address than the address of record.

 

7) Your account registration has changed within the last 30 days.

 

You should be able to obtain a medallion signature guarantee from a bank or trust company, credit union, broker-dealer, securities exchange or association, clearing agency or savings association, as defined by federal law.

 

Systematic Withdrawal Plan

 

A systematic withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available for shareholders. Any Fund from which redemptions will be made pursuant to the Plan will be referred to as a “SWP Fund.” The Withdrawal Plan provides for monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual payments in any amount not less than $25, or in any whole percentage of the value of the SWP Fund’s shares, on an annualized basis. A shareholder may suspend or terminate participation in the Withdrawal Plan at any time. The Withdrawal Plan may be terminated or revised at any time by the Fund.

 

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Withdrawal Plan payments should not be considered dividends, yields or income. If periodic Withdrawal Plan payments continuously exceed net investment income and net capital gains, the shareholder’s original investment will be correspondingly reduced and ultimately exhausted. Each withdrawal constitutes a redemption of shares and any gain or loss realized must be recognized for federal income tax purposes. Shareholders should contact their dealer representative or the Trust for further information about the Withdrawal Plan.

 

Reinstatement Privilege

 

A shareholder who has had his or her shares redeemed or repurchased and has not previously exercised this reinstatement privilege may, within 35 days after the date of the redemption or repurchase, reinstate any portion or all of the proceeds of such redemption or repurchase in shares of the Fund in the same Class from which such shares were redeemed or repurchased, at NAV next determined after a reinstatement request (made in writing to and approved by Easterly), together with the proceeds, is received by the Transfer Agent.

 

Involuntary Redemptions

 

If the Fund is the only holding of a shareholder in the Trust, then due to the relatively high cost of maintaining small accounts, the Trust may redeem an account having a current value of $1,000 or less as a result of redemptions, but not as a result of a fluctuation in the Fund’s NAV after the shareholder has been given at least 30 days in which to increase the account balance to more than that amount. Involuntary redemptions may result in the liquidation of Fund holdings at a time when the value of those holdings is lower than the investor’s cost of the investment or may result in the realization of taxable capital gains.

 

Redemption-In-Kind

 

If the Board of Trustees determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the Fund may pay, in accordance with rules adopted by the SEC, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund’s net assets by a distribution-in-kind of readily marketable portfolio securities in lieu of cash. Redemptions failing to meet this threshold must be made in cash. Shareholders receiving distributions-in-kind of portfolio securities will be subject to market risks on the securities received, and may incur brokerage commissions when subsequently disposing of those securities.

 

Exchange Privilege

 

Shares of the Fund may be exchanged without payment of any exchange fee for shares of another Fund of the Trust of the same Class at their respective NAVs. Please refer to that Fund’s Prospectus with respect to the fees and expenses of investing in shares of the Fund. The Trust may in the future offer an exchange feature involving shares of an unaffiliated fund group subject to receipt of appropriate regulatory relief. There are special considerations when you exchange Fund shares that are subject to a CDSC. When determining the length of time you held the shares and the corresponding CDSC rate, any period (starting at the end of the month) during which you held shares of a Fund that does not charge a CDSC will not be counted. Thus, in effect the “holding period” for purposes of calculating the CDSC is frozen upon exchanging into a fund that does not charge a CDSC. In addition, shares that are exchanged into or from a Fund subject to a higher CDSC rate will be subject to the higher rate, even if the shares are re-exchanged into a Fund with a lower CDSC rate.

 

An exchange of shares is treated for federal income tax purposes as a redemption (sale) of shares given in exchange by the shareholder, and an exchanging shareholder may, therefore, realize a taxable gain or loss in connection with the exchange. The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which Fund shares being acquired may be legally sold. Easterly reserves the right to reject any exchange request and the exchange privilege may be modified or terminated upon notice to shareholders in accordance with applicable rules adopted by the SEC.

 

With regard to redemptions and exchanges made by telephone, the Distributor and the Trust’s Transfer Agent will request personal or other identifying information to confirm that the instructions received from shareholders or their account representatives are genuine. Calls may be recorded. If our lines are busy or you are otherwise unable to reach us by phone, you may wish to ask your investment representative for assistance or send us written instructions, as described elsewhere in this Prospectus. For your protection, we may delay a transaction or not implement one if we are not reasonably satisfied that the instructions are genuine. If this occurs, we will not be liable for any loss.

 

The Distributor and the Transfer Agent also will not be liable for any losses if they follow instructions by phone that they reasonably believe are genuine or if an investor is unable to execute a transaction by phone.

 

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MARKET TIMING AND FREQUENT TRADING POLICY

 

 

The Funds discourage and do not accommodate market timing. Frequent trading into and out of a Fund can harm all Fund shareholders by disrupting a Fund’s investment strategies, increasing Fund expenses, decreasing tax efficiency, and diluting the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. The Funds are designed for long-term investors and are not intended for market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Accordingly, the Board has approved policies that seek to curb these disruptive activities while recognizing that shareholders may have a legitimate need to adjust their Fund investments as their financial needs or circumstances change. The Funds currently use several methods to reduce the risk of market timing. These methods include:

 

1) committing staff to monitor, on a continuing basis, recent trading activity in order to identify trading activity that may be contrary to the Funds’ Market Timing and Exchange Policy;

 

2) providing notice to certain investors to cease trading if transactions are deemed excessive or suspicious;

 

3) providing warning letters or emails;

 

4) rejecting specific purchase requests; and

 

5) rejecting purchase requests from certain investors

 

Though these methods involve judgments that are inherently subjective and involve some selectivity in their application, the Funds seek to make judgments and applications that are consistent with the interests of a Fund’s shareholders. Based on the frequency of redemptions in your account, the Adviser or transfer agent may in its sole discretion determine that your trading activity is detrimental to a Fund as described in the Funds’ Market Timing and Exchange Policy and elect to reject certain purchases or revoke the amount, number, frequency or method for requesting future purchases or exchanges into the Funds. The Funds reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase requests for any reason, particularly when the shareholder’s trading activity suggests that the shareholder may be engaged in market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Neither the Funds nor the Adviser will be liable for any losses resulting from rejected purchase orders. The Adviser may also bar an investor who has violated these policies (and the investor’s financial adviser) from future trading with the Funds.

 

Although the Funds’ attempt to limit disruptive trading activities, some investors use a variety of strategies to hide their identities and their trading practices. There can be no guarantee that the Funds will be able to identify or limit these activities. Omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of the Funds.

 

While the Funds will encourage financial intermediaries to apply the Funds’ Market Timing and Exchange Policy to their customers who invest indirectly in the Funds, the Funds are limited in their ability to monitor the trading activity or enforce the Funds’ Market Timing and Exchange Policy with respect to customers of financial intermediaries. For example, should it occur, the Funds may not be able to detect market timing that may be facilitated by financial intermediaries or made difficult to identify in the omnibus accounts used by those intermediaries for aggregated purchases, exchanges and redemptions on behalf of all their customers. More specifically, unless the financial intermediaries have the ability to apply the Funds’ Market Timing and Exchange Policy to their customers through such methods as implementing short-term trading limitations or restrictions and monitoring trading activity for what might be market timing, the Funds may not be able to determine whether trading by customers of financial intermediaries is contrary to the Funds’ Market Timing and Exchange Policy. Brokers maintaining omnibus accounts with the Funds have agreed to provide shareholder transaction information to the extent known to the broker to a Fund upon request. If the Funds or its transfer agent or shareholder servicing agent suspects there is market timing activity in the account, the Funds will seek full cooperation from the service provider maintaining the account to identify the underlying participant. At the request of the Adviser, the service providers may take immediate action to stop any further short-term trading by such participants.

 

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DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

 

Each Fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment company under the Code. As a regulated investment company, a Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to you. The Easterly Hedged Equity Fund declares and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, annually. The Easterly Global Real Estate Fund declares and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, quarterly. Distributions of net realized long-term and short-term capital gains, if any, earned by a Fund will be made annually for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund, and will be made quarterly for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund. A Fund may distribute such income dividends and capital gains more frequently, if necessary, in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on a Fund, or should the Board deem it to be in the best interest of shareholders. The amount of any distribution will vary, and there is no guarantee a Fund will pay either an income dividend or a capital gains distribution.

 

Dividends derived from net investment income and distributions of net realized long and short-term capital gains paid by a Fund to a shareholder will be automatically reinvested (at current NAV) in additional shares of a Fund (which will be deposited in the shareholder’s account) unless the shareholder instructs the Funds, in writing, to pay all dividends and distributions in cash. Shares acquired by dividend and distribution reinvestment will not be subject to any CDSC and will be eligible for conversion on a pro rata basis.

 

Annual Statements

 

You will be sent annually a statement (IRS Form 1099-DIV) showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous calendar year, if any. The statement provides information on your dividends and capital gains for tax purposes. If any dividends are declared in October, November, or December to shareholders of record in such months and paid in January of the following year, then such amounts will be treated for tax purposes as received by the shareholders on December 31 of the prior year. A Fund may reclassify income after your tax reporting statement is mailed to you. Prior to issuing your statement, a Fund will make every effort to search for reclassified income to reduce the number of corrected forms mailed to shareholders. However, when necessary, a Fund will send you a corrected Form 1099-DIV to reflect reclassified information or, with respect to the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund, adjust the cost basis of any covered shares (defined below).

 

Avoid “Buying a Dividend”

 

At the time you purchase your Fund shares, a Fund’s net asset value may reflect undistributed income, undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation in value of portfolio securities held by the Fund. For taxable investors, a subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment, would be taxable. For example, if you buy shares in a Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, you may receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution. This is known as “buying a dividend.”

 

TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

 

The following tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in the Trust. Unless your investment in the Trust is through a tax-advantaged retirement account, such as a 401(k) plan or IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when a Fund makes distributions and when you sell Fund shares, including an exchange to another portfolio.

 

Taxes on Distributions

 

In general, if you are a taxable investor, Fund distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains or some combination of both, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in Fund shares. A Fund’s investment techniques, including use of covered call options, short-sales, short-term trading strategies, derivatives and high portfolio turnover rate, may result in more of the Fund’s income dividends and capital gains distributions being taxable to you at ordinary income tax rates than it would if it did not engage in such techniques.

 

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For federal income tax purposes, any income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Trust. Certain ordinary income dividends received by individuals may be taxed at the same rate as long-term capital gains if certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. With respect to Easterly Global Real Estate Fund, dividends paid to shareholders from the Fund’s investments in U.S. REITs generally will not qualify for taxation at long-term capital gain rates applicable to qualified dividend income. However, even if income received in the form of ordinary income dividends is taxed at the same rate as long-term capital gains, such income will not be considered long-term capital gains for other federal income tax purposes. For example, you generally will not be permitted to offset ordinary income dividends with capital losses when calculating your net capital gains or losses. Certain ordinary income dividends received by corporations may be eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction if certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Short-term capital gain distributions will continue to be taxed at ordinary income rates.

 

With respect to the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund, because of “noncash” expenses such as property depreciation, the cash flow of a REIT that owns properties will exceed its taxable income. The REIT, and in turn the Fund, may distribute this excess cash to shareholders. Such a distribution is classified as a return of capital. Return-of capital distributions generally are not taxable to you. Your cost basis in your Fund shares will be decreased by the amount of any return of capital. Any return of capital distributions in excess of your cost basis will be treated as capital gains.

 

Under recent tax legislation, individuals and certain other noncorporate entities are generally eligible for a 20% deduction with respect to ordinary dividends received from REITs (“qualified REIT dividends”). Treasury regulations permit a regulated investment company (such as the Funds) to pass through to its shareholders qualified REIT dividends eligible for the 20% deduction.

 

Taxes on Sales

 

Your sale of Fund shares normally is subject to federal income tax and may result in a taxable gain or loss to you. Your exchange of Fund shares for shares of another portfolio is treated for tax purposes like a sale of your original Fund shares and a purchase of your new shares. Thus, the exchange may, like a sale, result in a taxable gain or loss to you and will give you a new tax basis for your new shares. If a shareholder realizes a loss on the redemption or exchange of a Fund’s shares and reinvests in that portfolio’s shares or substantially identical shares within 30 days before or after the redemption or exchange, the transactions may be subject to the “wash sale” rules, resulting in a postponement of the recognition of such loss for tax purposes. The ability to deduct losses is subject to further limitations under the Code.

 

Cost Basis

 

A Fund (or its administrative agents) is required to report to the IRS and furnish to Fund shareholders cost basis and holding period information upon a redemption of “covered shares” (those generally purchased on or after January 1, 2012, and sold on or after that date). In the absence of an election, a Fund will use a default cost basis method which is the average cost method. The cost basis method elected by a Fund shareholder (or the cost basis method applied by default) for each sale of Fund shares may not be changed after the close of business on the trade date of each such sale of Fund shares. Fund shareholders should consult with their tax advisers prior to making redemptions to determine the best IRS accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about the cost basis reporting rules.

 

Back-up Withholding

 

By law, a Fund must withhold a portion of your taxable distributions and redemption proceeds unless you provide your correct social security number or taxpayer identification number, certify that this number is correct, certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, and certify that you are a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). A Fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount is currently 24% of your taxable distributions or redemption proceeds. When you open your Fund account, you should provide your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you can avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance tax payment.

 

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Other

 

Fund distributions and gains from the sale or exchange of your Fund shares also may be subject to state and local taxes. If more than 50% of a Fund’s assets are invested in foreign securities at the end of any fiscal year, the Fund may elect to permit shareholders to generally take a credit or deduction on their federal income tax return for foreign taxes paid by the Fund (subject to various limitations). In such a case shareholders would also need to include such foreign taxes in income. The Easterly Global Real Estate Fund may derive “excess inclusion income” from certain equity interests in mortgage pooling vehicles either directly or through an investment in a U.S. REIT.

 

Please see the SAI for a discussion of the risks and special tax consequences to shareholders in the event a Fund realizes excess inclusion income in excess of certain threshold amounts.

 

Foreign Shareholders

 

Shareholders other than U.S. persons may be subject to a different U.S. federal income tax treatment, including withholding tax at the rate of 30% on amounts treated as ordinary dividends from a Fund (and, under certain circumstances, at the rate of 21% on certain capital gain dividends), as discussed in more detail in the SAI.

 

Medicare Tax

 

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

 

This discussion of “Tax Consequences” is not intended or written to be used as tax advice. Because everyone’s tax situation is unique, you should consult your tax professional about federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences before making an investment in the Fund.

 

DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES

 

 

Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC, is the distributor for the shares of a Funds. The distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Shares of a Funds are offered on a continuous basis.

 

Distribution (12b-1) and Shareholder Servicing Fees

 

The Trust, with respect to each Fund that offers Class A and Class C shares, has adopted a Plan of Distribution for each of Class A and Class C, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act (the “Plans”), pursuant to which the respective Fund may pay the distributor an annual fee for distribution and shareholder servicing expenses of 0.25% for Class A shares and 1.00% for Class C shares of a Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the respective class of shares. Class I shares and Class R6 shares do not have a Plan. Because these fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets on an on-going basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

 

The distributor and other entities, including a broker-dealer affiliate of the Adviser, are paid pursuant to the Plans provided and the expenses borne by the distributor and others in the distribution of Fund shares, including the payment of commissions for sales of the shares and incentive compensation to and expenses of dealers and others who engage in or support distribution of shares or who service shareholder accounts, including overhead and telephone expenses; printing and distribution of prospectuses and reports used in connection with the offering of a Fund’s shares to other than current shareholders; and preparation, printing and distribution of sales literature and advertising materials. In addition, the distributor or other entities may utilize fees paid pursuant to the Plans to compensate dealers or other entities for their opportunity costs in advancing such amounts, which compensation would be in the form of a carrying charge on any un-reimbursed expenses.

 

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Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries

 

The Funds’ distributor, its affiliates, and the Adviser and its affiliates may each, at its own expense and out of its own assets including their legitimate profits from Fund-related activities (and not as an additional charge to a Fund), provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of a Fund. Financial intermediaries include brokers-dealers, financial advisers, financial planners, banks, insurance companies, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators and others. These payments may be in addition to the Rule 12b-1 fees and any sales charges that are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide shareholder or administrative services, or marketing support. Marketing support may include access to sales meetings, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives, inclusion of a Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs. These payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The distributor may, from time to time, provide promotional incentives to certain investment firms. Such incentives may, at the distributor’s discretion, be limited to investment firms who allow their individual selling representatives to participate in such additional compensation.

 

Such payments may provide incentives for such parties to make shares of a Fund available to their customers and may allow a Fund greater access to such parties and their customers than would be the case if no payments were paid. Such access advantages include, but are not limited to, placement of a Fund on a list of mutual funds offered as investment options to the financial intermediary’s customers; access to the financial intermediary’s registered representatives and/or ability to assist in training and educating the financial intermediary’s registered representatives. These payment arrangements will not change the price an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that a Fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor.

 

The Adviser does not direct a Fund’s portfolio securities transactions, or otherwise compensate broker-dealers in connection with a Fund’s portfolio transactions, in consideration of sales of Fund shares. Financial intermediaries that receive these types of payments may have a conflict of interest in recommending or selling a Fund rather than other mutual funds to their client investors, particularly if these payments exceed the amounts paid by other mutual funds.

 

Householding

 

To reduce expenses, the Funds mail only one copy of the prospectus and each annual and semi-annual report to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, please call the Funds at (833) 999-2636 on days the Funds are open for business or contact your financial institution. The Funds will begin sending you individual copies thirty days after receiving your request.

 

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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

The financial highlights information presented for the Funds include the financial history of the Predecessor Portfolios, each of which was reorganized into a corresponding Fund after the close of business on March 19, 2021. The financial highlights show the Fund’s and the Predecessor Portfolio’s financial history for the past five fiscal years or, if shorter, the period of operations of the Predecessor Portfolio or any of its share classes. The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s and the Predecessor Portfolio’s financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The information presented in the tables below has been audited by Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, independent registered public accountants, whose report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are included in the Fund’s August 31, 2022 annual report, which is available upon request. The total returns in the table represent the rate an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund or Predecessor Portfolio (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

 

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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (For a share outstanding throughout each year/period)

Easterly Global Real Estate Fund

 

    CLASS A  
    Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year   $ 18.94     $ 15.56     $ 17.81     $ 18.73     $ 18.98  
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment income (1)     0.14       0.11       0.19       0.09       0.33  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (2.93 )     4.85       (0.51 )     0.65       1.22  
Total from investment operations     (2.79 )     4.96       (0.32 )     0.74       1.55  
                                         
Dividends and Distributions:                                        
Dividends from net investment income     (0.41 )     (0.28 )     (0.28 )     (0.64 )     (0.69 )
Distributions from realized gains     (1.18 )     (1.30 )     (1.65 )     (1.02 )     (1.11 )
Total dividends and distributions     (1.59 )     (1.58 )     (1.93 )     (1.66 )     (1.80 )
Net Asset Value, End of Year   $ 14.56     $ 18.94     $ 15.56     $ 17.81     $ 18.73  
                                         
Total Return*     (16.03 )%     33.47 %     (1.93 )%     4.67 %     8.75 %
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000s)   $ 97,639     $ 118,587     $ 88,222     $ 104,815     $ 109,634  
Ratio of gross operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (2)     1.36 %     1.51 %     1.60 %     1.60 %     1.62 %
Ratio of net operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (3)     1.36 %     1.51 %     1.60 %     1.60 %     1.62 %
Ratio of net investment income (including dividend and interest expense) after expense reimbursement/recoupment to average net assets     0.80 %     0.64 %     1.16 %     0.52 %     1.80 %
Portfolio Turnover Rate     116 %     160 %     187 %     172 %     204 %
                                         

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period.

 

(2) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund - Class A:

 

    1.36 %     1.51 %     1.60 %     1.60 %     1.62 %

 

(3) Ratio of net operating expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund - Class A:

 

    1.36 %     1.51 %     1.60 %     1.60 %     1.62 %

 

* Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not assume the effects of any sales charges. Aggregate (not annualized) total return is shown for any period shorter than one year. Total return does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions or on the redemption of shares.

 

51

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (For a share outstanding throughout each year/period)

Easterly Global Real Estate Fund

 

    CLASS C  
    Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year   $ 19.06     $ 15.68     $ 17.95     $ 18.89     $ 19.13  
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment income (loss) (1)     0.01       (0.02 )     0.07       (0.04 )     0.20  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (2.94 )     4.89       (0.51 )     0.65       1.22  
Total from investment operations     (2.93 )     4.87       (0.44 )     0.61       1.42  
                                         
Dividends and Distributions:                                        
Dividends from net investment income     (0.32 )     (0.19 )     (0.18 )     (0.53 )     (0.55 )
Distributions from realized gains     (1.18 )     (1.30 )     (1.65 )     (1.02 )     (1.11 )
Total dividends and distributions     (1.50 )     (1.49 )     (1.83 )     (1.55 )     (1.66 )
Net Asset Value, End of Year   $ 14.63     $ 19.06     $ 15.68     $ 17.95     $ 18.89  
                                         
Total Return*     (16.64 )%     32.51 %     (2.62 )%     3.87 %     7.90 %
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000s)   $ 52,362     $ 75,701     $ 65,907     $ 80,048     $ 82,262  
Ratio of gross operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (2)     2.11 %     2.26 %     2.35 %     2.37 %     2.37 %
Ratio of net operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (3)     2.11 %     2.26 %     2.35 %     2.37 %     2.37 %
Ratio of net investment income (loss) (including dividend and interest expense) after expense reimbursement/recoupment to average net assets     0.05 %     (0.11 )%     0.42 %     (0.25 )%     1.06 %
Portfolio Turnover Rate     116 %     160 %     187 %     172 %     204 %
                                         

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period.

 

(2) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund - Class C:

 

    2.11 %     2.26 %     2.35 %     2.37 %     2.37 %

 

(3) Ratio of net operating expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund - Class C:

 

    2.11 %     2.26 %     2.35 %     2.37 %     2.37 %

 

* Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not assume the effects of any sales charges. Aggregate (not annualized) total return is shown for any period shorter than one year. Total return does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions or on the redemption of shares.

 

52

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (For a share outstanding throughout each year/period)

Easterly Global Real Estate Fund

 

    CLASS I  
    Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,  
      2022       2021       2020       2019       2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year   $ 19.84     $ 16.19     $ 18.42     $ 19.29     $ 19.46  
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment income (1)     0.20       0.18       0.28       0.17       0.41  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (3.07 )     5.08       (0.54 )     0.66       1.27  
Total from investment operations     (2.87 )     5.26       (0.26 )     0.83       1.68  
                                         
Dividends and Distributions:                                        
Dividends from net investment income     (0.45 )     (0.31 )     (0.32 )     (0.68 )     (0.74 )
Distributions from realized gains     (1.18 )     (1.30 )     (1.65 )     (1.02 )     (1.11 )
Total dividends and distributions     (1.63 )     (1.61 )     (1.97 )     (1.70 )     (1.85 )
Net Asset Value, End of Year   $ 15.34     $ 19.84     $ 16.19     $ 18.42     $ 19.29  
                                         
Total Return*     (15.74 )%     34.06 %     (1.51 )%     5.06 %     9.22 %
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000s)   $ 571,664     $ 678,440     $ 544,432     $ 643,866     $ 591,437  
Ratio of gross operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (2)     1.11 %     1.26 %     1.35 %     1.33 %     1.37 %
Ratio of net operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (3)     1.04 %     1.12 %     1.19 %     1.19 %     1.19 %
Ratio of net investment income (including dividend and interest expense) after expense reimbursement/recoupment to average net assets     1.12 %     1.02 %     1.68 %     0.93 %     2.13 %
Portfolio Turnover Rate     116 %     160 %     187 %     172 %     204 %
                                         

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period.

 

(2) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund - Class I:

 

    1.11 %     1.26 %     1.35 %     1.33 %     1.37 %

 

(3) Ratio of net operating expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund - Class I:

 

    1.04 %     1.12 %     1.19 %     1.19 %     1.19 %

 

* Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not assume the effects of any sales charges. Aggregate (not annualized) total return is shown for any period shorter than one year. Total return does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions or on the redemption of shares.

 

53

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (For a share outstanding throughout each year/period)

Easterly Global Real Estate Fund

 

    CLASS R6  
    Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year   $ 20.09     $ 16.35     $ 18.55     $ 19.35     $ 19.46  
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment income (1)     0.23       0.22       0.31       0.22       0.42  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (3.13 )     5.13       (0.54 )     0.69       1.32  
Total from investment operations     (2.90 )     5.35       (0.23 )     0.91       1.74  
                                         
Dividends and Distributions:                                        
Dividends from net investment income     (0.45 )     (0.31 )     (0.32 )     (0.69 )     (0.74 )
Distributions from realized gains     (1.18 )     (1.30 )     (1.65 )     (1.02 )     (1.11 )
Total dividends and distributions     (1.63 )     (1.61 )     (1.97 )     (1.71 )     (1.85 )
                                         
Redemption Fees     -       -       -       -       0.00 **
                                         
Net Asset Value, End of Year   $ 15.56     $ 20.09     $ 16.35     $ 18.55     $ 19.35  
                                         
Total Return*     (15.69 )%     34.29 %     (1.32 )%     5.44 %     9.54 %
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000s)   $ 50,074     $ 32,039     $ 31,355     $ 12,238     $ 21,284  
Ratio of gross operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (2)     1.11 %     1.26 %     1.36 %     1.33 %     1.37 %
Ratio of net operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (3)     0.94 %     0.97 %     1.00 %     0.88 %     0.90 %
Ratio of net investment income (including dividend and interest expense) after expense reimbursement/recoupment to average net assets     1.30 %     1.18 %     1.86 %     1.20 %     2.23 %
Portfolio Turnover Rate     116 %     160 %     187 %     172 %     204 %
                                         

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period.

 

(2) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund - Class R6:

 

    1.11 %     1.26 %     1.36 %     1.33 %     1.37 %

 

(3) Ratio of net operating expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Global Real Estate Fund - Class R6:

 

    0.94 %     0.97 %     1.00 %     0.88 %     0.90 %

 

* Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not assume the effects of any sales charges. Aggregate (not annualized) total return is shown for any period shorter than one year. Total return does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions or on the redemption of shares.

 

** Per share amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

 

54

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (For a share outstanding throughout each year/period)

Easterly Hedged Equity Fund

 

    CLASS A  
    Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year   $ 11.18     $ 10.83     $ 10.42     $ 10.80     $ 10.33  
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment loss (1)     (0.03 )     (0.08 )     (0.05 )     (0.13 )     (0.11 )
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (0.06 )     1.17       0.72       0.75       0.81  
Total from investment operations     (0.09 )     1.09       0.67       0.62       0.70  
                                         
Dividends and Distributions:                                        
Dividends from net investment income     (1.10 )     (0.74 )     -       (0.31 )     (0.23 )
Distributions from realized gains     -       -       (0.26 )     (0.69 )     -  
Total dividends and distributions     (1.10 )     (0.74 )     (0.26 )     (1.00 )     (0.23 )
Net Asset Value, End of Year   $ 9.99     $ 11.18     $ 10.83     $ 10.42     $ 10.80  
                                         
Total Return*     (1.17 )%     10.67 %     6.56 %     6.26 %     6.91 %
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000s)   $ 1,538     $ 1,899     $ 1,537     $ 519     $ 230  
Ratio of gross operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (2)     2.02 %     2.04 %     2.07 %     2.22 %     2.70 %
Ratio of net operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (3)     1.54 %     2.04 %     2.01 %     2.20 %     2.76 %
Ratio of net investment loss (including dividend and interest expense) after expense reimbursement/recoupment to average net assets     (0.33 )%     (0.73 )%     (0.44 )%     (1.28 )%     (1.04 )%
Portfolio Turnover Rate     23 %     44 %     173 %     245 %     84 %
                                         

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period.

 

(2) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund - Class A:

 

    1.99 %     1.99 %     2.05 %     2.19 %     2.39 %

 

(3) Ratio of net operating expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund - Class A:

 

    1.51 %     1.99 %     1.99 %     2.17 %     2.45 %

 

* Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not assume the effects of any sales charges. Aggregate (not annualized) total return is shown for any period shorter than one year. Total return does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions or on the redemption of shares.

 

55

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (For a share outstanding throughout each year/period)

Easterly Hedged Equity Fund

 

    CLASS C  
    Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year   $ 10.90     $ 10.57     $ 10.28     $ 10.66     $ 10.21  
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment loss (1)     (0.10 )     (0.14 )     (0.14 )     (0.18 )     (0.19 )
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (0.08 )     1.12       0.69       0.72       0.81  
Total from investment operations     (0.18 )     0.98       0.55       0.54       0.62  
                                         
Dividends and Distributions:                                        
Dividends from net investment income     (0.90 )     (0.65 )     -       (0.23 )     (0.17 )
Distributions from realized gains     -       -       (0.26 )     (0.69 )     -  
Total dividends and distributions     (0.90 )     (0.65 )     (0.26 )     (0.92 )     (0.17 )
Net Asset Value, End of Year   $ 9.82     $ 10.90     $ 10.57     $ 10.28     $ 10.66  
                                         
Total Return*     (1.95 )%     9.77 %     5.47 %+     5.51 %+     6.11 %
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000s)   $ 366     $ 746     $ 1,781     $ 524     $ 322  
Ratio of gross operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (2)     2.77 %     2.68 %     2.81 %     2.96 %     3.45 %
Ratio of net operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (3)     2.29 %     2.68 %     2.94 %     2.96 %     3.51 %
Ratio of net investment loss (including dividend and interest expense) after expense reimbursement/recoupment to average net assets     (1.02 )%     (1.31 )%     (1.36 )%     (1.74 )%     (1.83 )%
Portfolio Turnover Rate     23 %     44 %     173 %     245 %     84 %
                                         

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period.

 

(2) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund - Class C:

 

    2.74 %     2.63 %     2.79 %     2.93 %     3.14 %

 

(3) Ratio of net operating expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund - Class C:

 

    2.26 %     2.63 %     2.92 %     2.93 %     3.20 %

 

+ Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and, consequently, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset values and returns for shareholder transactions.

 

* Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not assume the effects of any sales charges. Aggregate (not annualized) total return is shown for any period shorter than one year. Total return does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions or on the redemption of shares.

 

56

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (For a share outstanding throughout each year/period)

Easterly Hedged Equity Fund

 

    CLASS I  
    Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year   $ 11.33     $ 10.96     $ 10.53     $ 10.90     $ 10.41  
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment loss (1)     (0.01 )     (0.06 )     (0.03 )     (0.10 )     (0.06 )
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (0.07 )     1.19       0.72       0.76       0.82  
Total from investment operations     (0.08 )     1.13       0.69       0.66       0.76  
                                         
Dividends and Distributions:                                        
Dividends from net investment income     (1.12 )     (0.76 )     -       (0.34 )     (0.27 )
Distributions from realized gains     -       -       (0.26 )     (0.69 )     -  
Total dividends and distributions     (1.12 )     (0.76 )     (0.26 )     (1.03 )     (0.27 )
Net Asset Value, End of Year   $ 10.13     $ 11.33     $ 10.96     $ 10.53     $ 10.90  
                                         
Total Return*     (0.98 )%     10.91 %     6.69 %     6.68 %     7.40 %
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000s)   $ 61,982     $ 33,478     $ 41,145     $ 19,673     $ 3,742  
Ratio of gross operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (2)     1.77 %     1.84 %     1.82 %     1.99 %     2.25 %
Ratio of net operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (3)     1.29 %     1.84 %     1.81 %     1.86 %     2.30 %
Ratio of net investment loss (including dividend and interest expense) after expense reimbursement/recoupment to average net assets     (0.13 )%     (0.51 )%     (0.29 )%     (0.93 )%     (0.61 )%
Portfolio Turnover Rate     23 %     44 %     173 %     245 %     84 %
                                         

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period.

 

(2) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund - Class I:

 

    1.74 %     1.79 %     1.79 %     1.95 %     1.93 %

 

(3) Ratio of net operating expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund - Class I:

 

    1.26 %     1.79 %     1.79 %     1.82 %     1.99 %

 

* Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not assume the effects of any sales charges. Aggregate (not annualized) total return is shown for any period shorter than one year. Total return does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions or on the redemption of shares.

 

57

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (For a share outstanding throughout each year/period)

Easterly Hedged Equity Fund

 

    CLASS R6  
    Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended  
    August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,     August 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year   $ 11.58     $ 11.13     $ 10.64     $ 10.95     $ 10.38  
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment income (loss) (1)     0.02       (0.02 )     0.02       -       (0.01 )
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (0.08 )     1.23       0.73       0.72       0.85  
Total from investment operations     (0.06 )     1.21       0.75       0.72       0.84  
                                         
Dividends and Distributions:                                        
Dividends from net investment income     (1.12 )     (0.76 )     -       (0.34 )     (0.27 )
Distributions from realized gains     -       -       (0.26 )     (0.69 )     -  
Total dividends and distributions     (1.12 )     (0.76 )     (0.26 )     (1.03 )     (0.27 )
                                         
Redemption Fees     -       -       -       -       0.00 **
                                         
Net Asset Value, End of Year   $ 10.40     $ 11.58     $ 11.13     $ 10.64     $ 10.95  
                                         
Total Return*     (0.77 )%     11.49 %     7.19 %     7.23 %     8.21 %
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of year (000s)   $ 11,289     $ 17,970     $ 9,702     $ 13,365     $ 21,023  
Ratio of gross operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (2)     1.77 %     1.84 %     1.81 %     1.94 %     2.22 %
Ratio of net operating expenses (including dividend and interest expense) to average net assets (3)     1.03 %     1.38 %     1.36 %     1.33 %     1.62 %
Ratio of net investment income (loss) (including dividend and interest expense) after expense reimbursement/recoupment to average net assets     0.20 %     (0.20 )%     0.16 %     (0.03 )%     (0.13 )%
Portfolio Turnover Rate     23 %     44 %     173 %     245 %     84 %
                                         

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period.

 

(2) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund - Class R6:

 

    1.74 %     1.79 %     1.78 %     1.90 %     1.89 %

 

(3) Ratio of net operating expenses to average net assets (excluding dividend and interest expenses) for the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund - Class R6:

 

    1.00 %     1.33 %     1.34 %     1.30 %     1.29 %

 

* Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not assume the effects of any sales charges. Aggregate (not annualized) total return is shown for any period shorter than one year. Total return does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions or on the redemption of shares.

 

** Per share amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

 

58

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts

 

The availability of certain initial or deferred sales charge waivers and discounts may depend on the particular financial intermediary or type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund shares.

 

Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load (“CDSC”) waivers which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify the fund or the purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase fund shares directly from the fund or through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts.

 

Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. and each entity’s affiliates (“Raymond James”)

 

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account, or through an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered investment adviser for which Raymond James provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s Prospectus or SAI.

 

Front-end sales load waivers on Class A shares available at Raymond James

 

Shares purchased in an investment advisory program.

 

Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same portfolio (but not any other fund within the fund family).

 

Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James.

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same portfolio family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occurs in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement).

 

A shareholder in a Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted at NAV to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James.

 

CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C shares available at Raymond James

 

Death or disability of the shareholder.

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Prospectus.

 

Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account.

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70 1/2 as described in the Prospectus.

 

Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James.

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

 

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Front-end load discounts available at Raymond James: breakpoints, and/or rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent

 

Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

 

Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC (“Janney”)

 

If you purchase fund shares through a Janney brokerage account, you will be eligible for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”), or back-end sales charge, waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this fund’s Prospectus or SAI.

 

Front-end sales charge* waivers on Class A shares available at Janney

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).

 

Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Janney.

 

Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within ninety (90) days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e., right of reinstatement).

 

Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans.

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

 

Class C shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Janney’s policies and procedures.

 

CDSC waivers on Class A and C shares available at Janney

 

Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder.

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s Prospectus.

 

Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account.

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and other retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 701/2 as described in the fund’s Prospectus.

 

Shares sold to pay Janney fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney.

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

 

Shares exchanged into the same share class of a different fund.

 

A-2

 

 

Front-end sales charge* discounts available at Janney: breakpoints, rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent

 

Breakpoints as described in the fund’s Prospectus.

 

Rights of accumulation (“ROA”), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Janney. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney Montgomery Scott may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

 

* Also referred to as an “initial sales charge.”

 

Robert W. Baird & Co. (“Baird”)

 

Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Baird platform or account will only be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.

 

Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A shares Available at Baird

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund

 

Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Baird or its affiliate(s) and their family members as designated by Baird

 

Shares purchased using the proceeds of redemptions from a Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same accounts, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as rights of reinstatement)

 

A shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their share converted at net asset value to Class A shares of the same fund if the shares are no longer subject to CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Baird

 

Employer-sponsored retirement plans or charitable accounts in a transactional brokerage account at Baird, including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs

 

CDSC Waivers on Class A and C shares Available at Baird

 

Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s Prospectus

 

Shares bought due to returns of excess contributions from an IRA Account

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable Internal Revenue Service regulations as described in the Fund’s Prospectus

 

Shares sold to pay Baird fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Baird

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement

 

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Front-End Sales Charge Discounts Available at Baird: Breakpoints and/or Rights of Accumulation

 

Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus

 

Rights of accumulation, which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Baird. Eligible fund family assets not held at Baird may be included in the rights of accumulation calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets

 

Letters of Intent (LOI) allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family through Baird, over a 13-month period of time

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”)

 

Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this prospectus or the SAI.

 

Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch

 

Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan.

 

Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan (does not include 529 Plan units or 529-specific share classes or equivalents).

 

Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program.

 

Shares exchanged due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers.

 

Shares purchased by third party investment professionals on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch’s platform.

 

Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform.

 

Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).

 

Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers.

 

Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members.

 

Directors or Trustees of the fund, and employees of the fund’s investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this prospectus.

 

Eligible shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (i.e. systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill Lynch’s account maintenance fees are not eligible for reinstatement.

 

A-4

 

 

CDSC Waivers on Class A Shares and Class C Shares available at Merrill Lynch

 

Death or disability of the shareholder.

 

Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s prospectus.

 

Return of excess contributions from an IRA account.

 

Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Code.

 

Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch.

 

Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

 

Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to certain fee based accounts or platforms (applicable to A and C shares only).

 

Shares received through an exchange due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers.

 

Front-end Sales Charge Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints and/or Rights of Accumulation

 

Breakpoints as described in this prospectus.

 

Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts as described in this prospectus will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts (including 529 program holdings, where applicable) within the purchaser’s household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial professional about such assets.

 

Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time.

 

A-5

 

 

Additional information about each Fund’s investments is available in the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders. In the Funds’ Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The Funds’ SAI also provides additional information about each Fund. The SAI is incorporated herein by reference (legally is part of this Prospectus). For a free copy of the Annual Report, the Semi-Annual Report or the SAI, to request other information about the Funds, or to make shareholder inquiries, please call (833) 999-2636.

 

You also may obtain information about the Funds, including the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and the SAI, by calling your financial advisor or by visiting our Internet site at: https://www.EasterlyFunds.com/funds/.

 

Information about the Funds, including the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and the SAI, can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Section. Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: [email protected].

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act file number is 811-23611.

 

A-6