Gabelli ETFs Trust
Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF
Gabelli Equity Income ETF
Gabelli Small & Mid Cap ETF
Gabelli Micro Cap ETF
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF
Gabelli Automation ETF
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF
Gabelli Green Energy ETF
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
April 29, 2024
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is not a prospectus, describes:
FUND |
TICKER SYMBOL |
Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | GGRW |
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | GABF |
Gabelli Equity Income ETF | GABE |
Gabelli Small & Mid Cap ETF | GSMD |
Gabelli Micro Cap ETF | GMRO |
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | LOPP |
Gabelli Automation ETF | GAST |
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | GCAD |
Gabelli Green Energy ETF | GGRE |
Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca
(each a “Fund” and together the “Funds”) which are series of the Gabelli ETFs Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”). This SAI should be read in conjunction with the prospectus for shares of the Funds dated April 29, 2024. This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Trust’s prospectus. For a free copy of the prospectus, please contact the Trust at the address, telephone number, or Internet website printed below.
One Corporate Center
Rye, New York 10580-1422
Telephone: 800-GABELLI (800-422-3554)
www.gabelli.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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GENERAL INFORMATION
The Trust is a registered investment company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on July 26, 2018. The Trust utilizes the ActiveShares® methodology licensed from Precidian Investments, LLC (“Precidian”). The Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF (the “Growth Innovators Fund”), the Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF (the “Financial Services Fund”), the Gabelli Equity Income ETF (the “Equity Income Fund”) (f/k/a Gabelli Global Small Cap ETF), the Gabelli Small & Mid Cap ETF (the “Small & Mid Cap Fund”), the Gabelli Micro Cap ETF (the “Micro Cap Fund”), the Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF (the “Love Our Planet Fund”), the Gabelli Automation ETF (the “Automation Fund”) (f/k/a Gabelli Asset ETF), the Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF (the “Aerospace and Defense Fund”) (f/k/a Gabelli Equity Income ETF), and the Gabelli Green Energy ETF (the “Green Energy Fund”) are each a series of the Trust. The Gabelli Financial Services Fund, Gabelli Green Energy Fund, and Gabelli Micro Cap Fund are classified as non-diversified investment companies. The Trust’s principal office is located at One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422. Each Fund is advised by Gabelli Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”).
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
Each Fund’s prospectus discusses the investment objective of each Fund and the principal strategies to be employed to achieve these objectives. This SAI contains supplemental information concerning certain types of securities and other instruments in which a Fund may invest, additional strategies that a Fund may utilize in seeking to achieve its investment objective, and certain risks associated with such investments and strategies. Subject to the investment policies and restrictions contained in the prospectus and this SAI, a Fund may invest in any of the securities described herein, unless stated otherwise.
Equity Securities (All Funds)
Common stocks represent the residual ownership interest in the issuer and holders of common stock are entitled to the income and increase in the value of the assets and business of the issuer after all of its debt obligations and obligations to preferred stockholders are satisfied. Common stocks generally have voting rights. Common stocks fluctuate in price in response to many factors including historical and prospective earnings of the issuer, the value of its assets, general economic conditions, interest rates, investor perceptions, and market liquidity.
Equity securities also include preferred stock (whether or not convertible into common stock). Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects.
As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similarly stated yield characteristics. Debt securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for preferred or common stock are liabilities of the issuer but are generally subordinated to more senior elements of the issuer’s balance sheet. Although such securities also generally reflect an element of conversion value, their market value also varies with interest rates and perceived credit risk. The market value of preferred stock will also generally reflect whether (and if so when) the issuer may force holders to sell their preferred shares back to the issuer and whether (and if so when) the holders may force the issuer to buy back their preferred shares. Generally, the right of the issuer to repurchase the preferred stock tends to reduce any premium that the preferred stock might otherwise trade at due to interest rate or credit factors, while the right of the holders to require the issuer to repurchase the preferred stock tend to reduce any discount that the preferred stock might otherwise trade at due to interest rate or credit factors.
The Adviser believes that opportunities for capital appreciation may be found in the preferred stock. This is particularly true in the case of companies that have performed below expectations at the time the preferred stock was issued. If the company’s performance has been poor enough, its preferred stock will trade more like its common stock than like a fixed income security and may result in above average appreciation once it becomes apparent that performance is improving.
Non-Transparent Exchange-Traded Fund (“ETF”) Structure Risk (All Funds)
Investments in ETFs have unique characteristics, including, but not limited to, the expense structure and additional expenses associated with investing in ETFs. ETFs are subject to, among other risks, tracking risk and passive and, in some cases, active investment risk. In addition, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of a Fund’s expenses, and indirectly the ETF’s expenses, incurred through a Fund’s ownership of the ETF. Because the expenses and costs of an underlying ETF are shared by its investors, redemptions by other investors in the ETF could result in decreased economies of scale and increased operating expenses for such ETF. The ETFs may not achieve their investment objective. Each Fund, through its investment in ETFs, may not achieve its investment objective.
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Unlike most actively managed ETFs, the Funds do not provide daily disclosure of their portfolio holdings. Instead, the Funds provide a verified intraday indicative value (“VIIV”), calculated and disseminated every second throughout the trading day. The VIIV is intended to provide investors and other market participants with a highly correlated per share value of the underlying portfolio that can be compared to the current market price. There is, however, a risk that shares of the Funds may trade at a wider bid/ask spread than ETFs that publish their portfolios on a daily basis, especially during periods of market disruption or volatility, and therefore, may cost investors more to trade. Because the Funds trade on the basis of the VIIV, they may trade at a wider bid/ask spread than traditional ETFs that publish their portfolios on a daily basis. Accordingly, the Adviser or its designee will monitor on an ongoing basis how shares of the Funds trade, including the level of any market price premium or discount to net asset value (“NAV”) and the bid/ask spreads on market transactions. Should there be extended periods of unusually high bid/ask spreads, the Board of Trustees of the Funds (the “Board”) will consider the continuing viability of the Funds, whether shareholders are being harmed, and what, if any, action would be appropriate to, among other things, narrow the premium/discount or spread, as applicable. Potential actions may include, but are not limited to, changing lead market makers, listing the Funds on a different exchange, changing the size of Creation Units (as defined below), changing the Funds’ investment objectives or strategies, and liquidating the Funds. There is also a risk that the market price may vary significantly from the NAV and, thus, the underlying value of the Funds significantly from the underlying NAV of the Funds. There is also a risk that, despite not disclosing the portfolio holdings each day, some market participants may seek to use publicly available information, including the VIIV, to identify the Funds’ investment strategies and engage in certain predatory trading practices that may have the potential to harm the Funds.
Early Close/Trading Halt Risk (All Funds)
An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Funds being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. When indices or securities experience a sharp decline in price, an exchange or market may close entirely or halt for a period of time in accordance with exchange “circuit breaker” rules or issue trading halts on specific securities and therefore, a Fund’s ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted. These exchange or market actions may result in a Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. A Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. In such circumstances, each Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. In addition, due to the non-transparency of the portfolio a trading halt in a portfolio security could cause discrepancies between the VIIV and NAV of the Funds, resulting in uncertainty on the part of the AP that results in wider, less liquid markets. Any security for which trading has been halted for an extended period of time will be disclosed on the Funds’ website, www.gabelli.com.
Authorized Participant and AP Representative Concentration Risk (All Funds)
The creation and redemption process for the Funds occur through a confidential brokerage account with an agent, called an “AP Representative”, on behalf of an authorized participant permitted to engage in creation or redemption transactions (each, an “Authorized Participant”). Each day, the AP Representative will be given the names and quantities of the securities to be deposited, in the case of a creation, or redeemed, in the case of a redemption, allowing the AP Representative to buy and sell positions in the portfolio securities to permit creations or redemptions on the Authorized Participant’s behalf, without disclosing the information to the Authorized Participant. The Funds may have a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants and AP Representatives, none of which are obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Funds and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to process creation and/or redemption orders, the Funds’ shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting. This risk may be more pronounced in volatile markets, potentially where there are significant redemptions in ETFs, generally. The fact that the Funds are offering a novel and unique structure may affect the number of entities willing to act as Authorized Participants and AP Representatives. During times of market stress, Authorized Participants may be more likely to step away from these types of ETFs than traditional ETFs.
Large Shareholder Risk. (All Funds)
Certain shareholders, including the Adviser and its affiliates, may own a substantial amount of the Funds’ shares. The disposition of shares by large shareholders, resulting in redemptions through or by Authorized Participants, could have a significant negative impact on the Funds. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on NYSE Arca, Inc. and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Funds’ shares. The form of a large shareholder’s contribution and any redemption activity in the Funds can adversely affect the tax efficiency of the Funds.
Absence of an Active Market (All Funds)
Although shares of the Funds are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained by market makers or Authorized Participants. Authorized Participants are not obligated to execute purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. Because this is a novel and unique structure, this could influence the number of entities willing to act as Authorized Participants. In periods of market volatility, market makers and/or Authorized Participants may be less willing to transact in the Funds’ shares. The absence of an active market for the Funds’ shares may contribute to the Funds’ shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases a Fund’s shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells a Fund’s shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.
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New Fund Risk (All Funds)
The Funds are new with limited operating history and may have higher expenses. There can be no assurance that the Funds will grow to or maintain an economically viable size. The Funds could cease operations, and investors may be required to liquidate or transfer their assets at a loss. However, the fee waivers in place with respect to certain of the Funds limits this risk for the periods that such fee waivers are effective.
Growth Stock Risk (Growth Innovators Fund and Micro Cap Fund only)
Securities of growth companies may be more volatile since such companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their business, and they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market.
Issuer-Specific Risk (All Funds)
Issuer-specific risk is the possibility that factors specific to an issuer to which a Fund is exposed will affect the market prices of the issuer’s securities and therefore the NAV of a Fund. The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the market as a whole. The Funds could lose all of their investment in a company’s securities.
Management Risk (All Funds)
The Funds’ portfolios are subject to the risk that strategies used by an investment manager and its securities selections fail to produce the intended results. If the portfolio manager is incorrect in his or her assessment of the growth prospects of the securities a Fund holds, then the value of a Fund’s shares may decline. In addition, the portfolio manager’s strategy may produce returns that are different from other mutual funds that invest in similar securities.
An investment manager’s judgments or decisions about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or issuer, industry, sector, region or market segment, or about the economy or interest rates, may be incorrect or otherwise may not produce the intended results, which may result in losses to the Funds’ portfolios. In addition, many processes used in portfolio management, including security selection, rely, in whole or in part, on the use of various technologies. The Funds’ portfolios may suffer losses if there are imperfections, errors or limitations in the quantitative, analytic or other tools, resources, information and data used, or the analyses employed or relied on, by an investment manager, or if such tools, resources, information or data are used incorrectly, fail to produce the desired results, or otherwise do not work as intended. There can be no assurance that the use of these technologies will result in effective investment decisions for the Funds’ portfolios.
Market Trading Risk (All Funds)
Individual Fund shares may be purchased and sold only on a national securities exchange or alternative trading system through a broker-dealer, and may not be directly purchased or redeemed from the Funds. There can be no guarantee that an active trading market for shares will develop or be maintained, or that their listing will continue unchanged. Buying and selling shares may require you to pay brokerage commissions and expose you to other trading costs. Due to brokerage commissions and other transaction costs that may apply, frequent trading may detract from realized investment returns. Trading prices of shares may be above, at, or below each Fund’s NAV, will fluctuate in relation to NAV based on supply and demand in the market for shares and other factors, and may vary significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. The return on your investment will be reduced if you sell shares at a greater discount or narrower premium to NAV than when you acquired shares.
Sector Risk (Aerospace and Defense Fund and Love Our Planet Fund only)
Under normal circumstances, the Aerospace and Defense Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in aerospace and defense companies, and thus its investments will be focused in a particular sector. By investing a significant portion of its assets in a particular sector, the Aerospace and Defense Fund will be subject to the risk that companies in the same sector are likely to react similarly to legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions, increased competition, or other factors affecting that market segment. In such cases, the Aerospace and Defense Fund would be exposed to an increased risk that the value of its overall portfolio will decrease because of events that disproportionately and negatively affect that sector. In addition, investments in a particular sector may be more volatile than the broader market as a whole, and the Aerospace and Defense Fund’s investments in such a sector may be disproportionately susceptible to losses.
Although the Love Our Planet Fund does not employ a sector focus, the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in a particular sector can increase from time to time based on the Adviser’s perception of available investment opportunities. If the Love Our Planet Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular sector, the Fund will be subject to the risk that companies in the same sector are likely to react similarly to legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions, increased competition, or other factors affecting that market segment. In such cases, the Love Our Planet Fund
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would be exposed to an increased risk that the value of its overall portfolio will decrease because of events that disproportionately and negatively affect that sector. In addition, investments in a particular sector may be more volatile than the broader market as a whole, and the Love Our Planet Fund’s investments in such a sector may be disproportionately susceptible to losses.
Because the Funds may allocate relatively more assets to certain sectors than others, each Fund’s performance may be more susceptible to any developments which affect those sectors emphasized by the Funds. In addition, each Fund could underperform other funds investing in similar sectors or comparable benchmarks because of the investment manager’s choice of securities within such sector.
Socially Responsible Investment Risk (Love Our Planet Fund only)
The application of the Adviser’s socially responsible criteria will affect the Fund’s exposure to certain issuers, industries, sectors, regions, and countries and may impact the relative financial performance of the Fund – positively or negatively – depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor. The Fund’s investment strategy limits the types of investments the Fund can make. Consequently, the Fund may underperform the market as a whole or other funds that are not subject to the same limitations.
Preferred Stock Risk (Growth Innovators Fund, Financial Services Fund, Small & Mid Cap Fund, Micro Fund, Love Our Planet Fund, Automation Fund, and Aerospace and Defense Fund only)
A preferred stock is a blend of the characteristics of a bond and common stock. It can offer the higher yield of a bond and has priority over common stock in equity ownership, but does not have the seniority of a bond and, unlike common stock, its participation in the issuer’s growth may be limited. Preferred stock has preference over common stock in the receipt of dividends and in any residual assets after payment to creditors should the issuer be dissolved. Although the dividend is set at a fixed annual rate, in some circumstances it can be changed or omitted by the issuer.
Large Capitalization Company Risk (Aerospace and Defense Fund and Financial Services Fund only)
Companies with $10 billion or more in market capitalization are considered by the Adviser to be large capitalization companies. Large capitalization companies generally experience slower rates of growth in earnings per share than do mid and small capitalization companies.
Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in technology and consumer tastes. Many larger companies also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. If valuations of large capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of small or medium capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of small and medium-sized companies.
Mid-Capitalization Company Risk (Small and Mid Cap Fund Financial Services Fund only)
Mid-cap company risk is the risk that investing in securities of mid-cap companies could entail greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. Mid-cap companies tend to have narrower product lines, more limited financial resources and a more limited trading market for their stocks, as compared with larger companies. As a result, their stock prices may decline more significantly or more rapidly than stocks of larger companies as market conditions change.
Small Capitalization Company Risk (Financial Services Fund and Small and Mid Cap Fund only)
Investing in securities of small capitalization companies may involve greater risks than investing in larger, more established issuers. Smaller capitalization companies typically have relatively lower revenues, limited product lines and lack of management depth, and may have a smaller share of the market for their products or services, than larger capitalization companies. The stocks of smaller capitalization companies tend to have less trading volume than stocks of larger capitalization companies. Less trading volume may make it more difficult for the portfolio managers to sell securities of smaller capitalization companies at quoted market prices. Finally, there are periods when investing in smaller capitalization stocks fall out of favor with investors and the stocks of smaller capitalization companies underperform.
Micro Cap Company Risk (Micro Cap Fund only)
Although micro-cap companies may offer greater potential for capital appreciation than larger companies, investing in securities of such companies may involve greater risks than investing in larger, more established companies, including the risk of loss and the risk that the returns may differ significantly from returns of the Fund investing in larger-cap companies or other asset classes. Micro-cap companies may be new or unseasoned companies which are in their very early stages of
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development. Micro-cap companies generally have limited product lines, markets, management personnel, competitive strengths, research, and financial resources, and may be more vulnerable to adverse business or market developments. Their securities may trade less frequently and in more limited volume, and are subject to more abrupt or erratic market price movements, than the securities of larger, more established companies. The Fund may be able to deal with only a few market-makers when purchasing and selling micro-cap securities, and may need a considerable amount of time to purchase or sell its positions in these securities. Also, micro-cap companies are typically subject to greater changes in earnings and business prospects than larger companies. The securities of micro-cap companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than the securities of larger companies. Consequently, micro-cap company stock prices tend to rise and fall in value more than other stock prices. Micro-cap securities are highly volatile, and these companies may fail to execute their business plans and go out of business. Micro-cap companies carry additional risks because of the tendency of their earnings and revenues to be less predictable. Micro-cap companies may be more vulnerable than larger companies to key personnel losses due to reliance on a smaller number of management personnel. These conditions, which create greater opportunities to find securities trading below the Adviser’s estimate of the company’s current worth, also involve increased risk. The shares of micro-cap companies may require fair-value pricing, which is subjective and requires judgment by the Adviser, and may be at risk for de-listing from a securities exchange, making it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell shares of a particular company. The actual market prices for a security may differ from the fair value of that security as determined by the Adviser, and there is no assurance that the Fund will realize fair valuation upon the sale of a security. In addition, there may be less public information available about micro-cap companies. It may take a long time before the Fund realizes a gain, if any, on an investment in a micro-cap company. Micro-cap companies may have limited financial resources and little or no access to additional credit and therefore may be more susceptible to market downturns or rising credit costs than larger, more established companies.
Non-Diversification Risk (Equity Income Fund, Aerospace and Defense Fund, Financial Services Fund, Micro Cap Fund, and Green Fund only)
Each Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” Fund. As a non-diversified Fund, more of a Fund’s assets may be focused in the securities of a small number of issuers, which may make the value of each Fund’s shares more sensitive to changes in the market value of a single issuer or industry than shares of a diversified Fund. The ability to invest in a more limited number of securities may increase the volatility of each Fund’s investment performance, as each Fund may be more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political, or regulatory event than a diversified Fund. If the securities in which each Fund invests perform poorly, each Fund could incur greater losses than it would have had if it had been invested in a greater number of securities.
Trading Issues Risk (All Funds)
Shares of a Fund may trade in the secondary market at times when the Fund does not accept orders to purchase or redeem shares. At such times, shares may trade in the secondary market with more significant premiums or discounts than might be experienced at times when a Fund accepts purchase and redemption orders. Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or for other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to “circuit breaker” rules on the stock exchange or market.
Value Investing Risk (Financial Services Fund, Small and Mid Cap Fund, Aerospace and Defense Fund, and Equity Income Fund only)
Each Fund invests in “value” stocks. The portfolio manager may be wrong in the assessment of a company’s value and the stocks each Fund holds may not reach what the portfolio manager believes are their full values. From time to time “value” investing falls out of favor with investors. During those periods, each Fund’s relative performance may suffer.
Borrowing (All Funds)
A Fund may not borrow money except for (1) short term credits from banks as may be necessary for the clearance of portfolio transactions and (2) borrowings from banks for temporary or emergency purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests, would otherwise require the untimely disposition of their portfolio securities. A Fund may mortgage, pledge, or hypothecate assets to secure such borrowings.
Borrowing may exaggerate the effect on NAV per share of any increase or decrease in the market value of securities purchased with borrowed funds. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of securities purchased.
Sector Risks
Automation (Automation Fund only). The Automation Fund may concentrate its investments in the equity securities of robotics and automation companies and, as such, is particularly vulnerable to risks inherent to those types of companies.
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These risks include, but are not limited to, small or limited markets for such securities, changes in business cycles, world economic growth, technological progress, rapid obsolescence and government regulation. Securities of robotics and automation companies, especially smaller, start-up companies, tend to be more volatile than securities of companies that do not rely heavily on technology. Rapid change to technologies that affect a company’s products could have a material adverse effect on such company’s operating results. Robotics and automation companies often rely on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secret laws to establish and protect their proprietary rights in their products and technologies, and there can be no assurance that the steps taken by these companies to protect their proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent the misappropriation of their technology or that competitors will not independently develop technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to such companies’ technology.
Industrials (Automation Fund only). The Automation Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in securities issued by companies in the industrials sector. The industrials sector includes companies engaged in the manufacture and distribution of capital goods, such as those used in defense, construction and engineering, companies that manufacture and distribute electrical equipment and industrial machinery and those that provide commercial and transportation services and supplies. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions. In addition, companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and exchange rates.
Technology (Automation Fund only). Technology companies, may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. Technology companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of those rights. Companies in the technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action.
Financial Services (Financial Services Fund only). The Financial Services Fund concentrates its investments in securities issued by financial services companies. The Financial Services Fund concentrates, its investments in securities issued by financial services companies. Financial services companies can be significantly affected by changing economic conditions, demand for consumer loans, refinancing activity and intense competition. Profitability can be largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital and the rate of consumer debt defaults, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Financial services companies are subject to extensive government regulation, which can change frequently and may adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain, or may affect them in other ways that are unforeseeable. In the past, financial services companies in general experienced considerable financial distress, which led to the implementation of government programs designed to ease that distress.
Clean Energy Company Risk (Green Fund only). Renewable and alternative energy companies can be significantly affected by the following factors: obsolescence of existing technology, short product cycles, legislation resulting in more strict government regulations and enforcement policies, fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of alternative energy fuels, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, the supply of and demand for oil and gas, world events and economic conditions. In addition, shares of clean energy companies have been significantly more volatile than shares of companies operating in other more established industries and the securities included in the Fund may be subject to sharp price declines. This industry is relatively nascent and under-researched in comparison to more established and mature sectors, and should therefore be regarded as having greater investment risk.
Concentration Risk (Aerospace and Defense Fund only)
The Aerospace and Defense Fund may concentrate its investments in securities issued by aerospace companies and defense companies which means that the Fund is less diversified than the Fund investing in a broader range of industries, and is particularly sensitive to general market conditions and other risks of the aerospace and defense industries, including that the aerospace industry and the defense industry can be significantly affected by government regulation and spending policies because companies involved in this industry rely, to a significant extent, on government demand for their products and services. The financial condition of these companies is heavily influenced by government defense spending, which may be reduced in efforts to control government budgets. The aerospace industry in particular has recently been affected by adverse economic conditions and consolidation within the industry.
Concentration Risk (Financial Services Fund only)
The Fund will concentrate its investments in securities issued by financial services companies which means that the Fund is less diversified than the Fund investing in a broader range of industries, and is particularly sensitive to general market conditions and other risks of the financial services industry, including:
● | Financial services companies can be significantly affected by changing economic conditions, demand for consumer loans, refinancing activity and intense competition, including price competition. Profitability can be largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital and the rate of consumer debt defaults, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change; unstable and/or rising interest rates may have a disproportionate effect on companies in the financial services sector. Financial services companies are subject to extensive government regulation, which can change frequently and may |
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adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain, or may affect them in other ways that are unforeseeable. In the past, financial services companies in general experienced considerable financial distress, which led to the implementation of government programs designed to ease that distress. Different areas of the overall financial services sector tend to be highly correlated and particularly vulnerable to certain factors.
● | Additional risks of investing in the financial services sector include: (i) systemic risk: factors outside the control of a particular financial institution may adversely affect the ability of the financial institution to operate normally or may impair its financial condition; (ii) non-diversified loan portfolios: financial services companies may have concentrated portfolios that makes them vulnerable to economic conditions that affect an industry; (iii) credit: financial services companies may have exposure to investments or agreements that may lead to losses; (iv) governmental limitations on a company’s loans, other financial commitments, product lines and other operations; (v) recent ongoing changes in the financial services industry (including consolidations, development of new products and changes to the industry’s regulatory framework); and (vi) rapidly rising inflation. Some financial services companies have recently experienced significant losses in value and the possible recapitalization of such companies may present greater risks of loss. |
● | Insurance companies have additional risks, such as heavy price competition, claims activity and marketing competition, and can be particularly sensitive to specific events such as manmade and natural disasters, terrorism, mortality risks and morbidity rates. Individual insurance companies may be exposed to reserve inadequacies, problems in investment portfolios (for example, due to real estate or “junk” bond holdings) and failures of reinsurance carriers. |
● | Federal or state law and regulations require banks, bank holding companies, broker dealers and insurance companies to maintain minimum levels of capital and liquidity. Bank regulators have broad authority and can impose sanctions, including conservatorship or receivership, on non-complying banks even when these banks continue to be solvent, thereby possibly resulting in the elimination of stockholders’ equity. Commercial banks (including “money center” regional and community banks), savings and loan associations and holding companies of the foregoing are especially subject to adverse effects of volatile interest rates, concentrations of loans in particular industries (such as real estate) and significant competition. The profitability of these businesses is to a significant degree dependent upon the availability and cost of capital funds. Economic conditions in the real estate market may have a particularly strong effect on certain banks and savings associations. |
● | The Fund may invest in financial services companies that invest in real estate, such as commercial banks, savings and loan associations (each discussed above) and Mortgage REITs. REITs are financial vehicles that pool investors’ capital to purchase or finance real estate. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real property mortgages and generally derive income primarily from interest payments thereon. Like investment companies, REITs are typically dependent on management skills and subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund that invests in REITs will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs’ operations. REITs may be highly leveraged and financial covenants may affect the ability of REITs to operate effectively. REITs are subject to a highly technical and complex set of provisions in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”). No assurances can be given that a REIT will be able to continue to qualify as a REIT or that complying with the REIT requirements under the Code will not adversely affect such REIT’s ability to execute its business plan. Issuers with exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets are particularly affected by volatility in both foreign and domestic equity markets. REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are subject to the possibility of adverse changes in interest rates and in the credit markets and the possibility of borrowers paying off mortgages sooner than expected (which may lead to reinvestment of assets at lower prevailing interest rates). In addition to these market and financial risks, REITs are subject to risks associated with the ownership of real estate, including possible adverse changes in zoning laws, limitations on rents, the risk of casualty or condemnation losses and terrorist attacks, and war or other acts that destroy real property. |
Loans of Portfolio Securities (All Funds)
To realize additional income, a Fund may lend its portfolio securities to securities broker-dealers or financial institutions if (1) the loan is collateralized in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements including collateralization continuously at no less than 100% by marking to market daily, (2) the loan is subject to termination by that Fund at any time, (3) a Fund receives reasonable interest or fee payments on the loan, (4) a Fund is able to exercise all voting rights with respect to the loaned securities and (5) the loan will not cause the value of all loaned securities to exceed 33 ⅓% of the value of a Fund’s assets, however, this limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities in accordance with a Fund’s investment objectives, policies and limitations or to repurchase agreements with respect to portfolio securities.
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Temporary Defensive Investments (All Funds)
For temporary defensive purposes, a Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in high quality money market instruments.
When a temporary defensive posture is believed by the Adviser to be warranted (“temporary defensive periods”), a Fund may without limitation hold cash or invest all or a portion of its assets in money market instruments and repurchase agreements in respect of those instruments. The money market instruments in which a Fund may invest are: short-term obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; government money market funds; and repurchase agreements. During temporary defensive periods, a Fund may also invest to the extent permitted by applicable law in shares of government money market mutual funds. Money market mutual funds are investment companies and the investments in those companies by a Fund are in some cases subject to certain fundamental investment restrictions and applicable law. As a shareholder in a mutual Fund, a Fund will bear its ratable share of its expenses, including management fees, and will remain subject to payment of the fees to the Adviser, with respect to assets so invested. A Fund may find it more difficult to achieve its investment objective during temporary defensive periods.
Regulation and Government Intervention Risk (All Funds)
Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibility that conditions in one country or region may adversely affect companies in a different country or region. I financial crisis has led governments and regulators around the world to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity. Governments, their regulatory agencies, or self-regulatory organizations may take actions that the regulation of the issuers in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Governments or their agencies may also acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such a program may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. Furthermore, volatile financial markets can expose the Fund to greater market and liquidity risk and potential difficulty in valuing portfolio instruments held by the Fund.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and its staff have been engaged in various initiatives and reviews that seek to improve and modernize the regulatory structure governing investment companies. These efforts have been focused on risk identification and controls in various areas, including imbedded leverage through the use of derivatives and other trading practices, cybersecurity, liquidity, enhanced regulatory and public reporting requirements and the evaluation of systemic risks. Any new rules, guidance or regulatory initiatives resulting from these efforts could increase the Fund’s expenses and impact its returns to shareholders or, in the extreme case, impact or limit its use of various portfolio management strategies or techniques and adversely impact the Fund.
In particular, the U.S. government has proposed and adopted multiple regulations that could have a long-lasting impact on the Fund and on the mutual fund industry in general. The SEC’s final rules and amendments that modernize reporting and disclosure and required the implementation of a liquidity risk management program, along with other potential upcoming regulations, could, among other things, restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in transactions, impact flows into the Fund and/or increase overall expenses of the Fund.
The SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), on October 28, 2020, which became effective August 18, 2022. Rule 18f-4 regulates the use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions for certain funds registered under the 1940 Act. Among other things, Rule 18f-4 requires funds that invest in derivative instruments beyond a specified limited amount to apply a value-at-risk (“VaR”) based limit to their use of certain derivative instruments and financing transactions and to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program. Consequently, unless a fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user” as defined in Rule 18f-4, the fund has established a comprehensive derivatives risk management program to comply with a VaR based leverage limit, appointed a derivatives risk manager and will provide additional disclosure both publicly and to the SEC regarding its derivatives positions. If a fund qualifies as a limited derivatives user, Rule 18f-4 requires the fund to have policies and procedures to manage its aggregate derivatives risk, which may require the fund to alter, perhaps materially, its use of derivatives, short sales, and reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as part of its investment strategies. In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC also eliminated the asset segregation framework for covering derivatives and certain financial instruments arising from SEC and staff guidance.
In response to the current economic environment, the Biden administration may call for an increased popular, political and judicial focus on finance related consumer protection. Financial institution practices are also subject to greater scrutiny and criticism generally. In the case of transactions between financial institutions and the general public, there may be a greater tendency toward strict interpretation of terms and legal rights in favor of the consuming public, particularly where there is a real or perceived disparity in risk allocation and/or where consumers are perceived as not having had an opportunity to exercise informed consent to the transaction. In the event of conflicting interests between retail investors holding shares of an open-end
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investment company such as the Fund and a large financial institution, a court may similarly seek to strictly interpret terms and legal rights in favor of retail investors.
Changes in federal policy, including tax policies, and at regulatory agencies occur over time through policy and personnel changes following elections, which lead to changes involving the level of oversight and focus on the financial services industry or the tax rates paid by corporate entities. The nature, timing and economic and political effects of potential changes to the current legal and regulatory framework affecting markets remain highly uncertain. Uncertainty surrounding future changes may adversely affect the Fund’s operating environment and therefore its investment performance.
In addition, certain of the Fund’s investments may provide exposure to coupon rates that are based on the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), Euro Interbank Offered Rate and other similar types of reference rates (each, a “Reference Rate”). These Reference Rates are generally intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings within certain financial markets. Most maturities and currencies of LIBOR were phased out at the end of 2021, with the remaining ones phased out on June 30, 2024. These events and any additional regulatory or market changes may have an adverse impact on the Fund or its investments, including increased volatility or illiquidity in markets for instruments that rely on LIBOR. SOFR has been selected by a committee established by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to replace LIBOR as a Reference Rate in the United States and U.S. law requires that contracts without a practicable LIBOR alternative default to SOFR plus a set spread beginning in mid-2024. SOFR is a secured, nearly risk-free rate, while LIBOR is an unsecured rate that includes an element of bank credit risk. In addition, SOFR is strictly an overnight rate, while LIBOR historically has been published for various maturities, ranging from overnight to one year. Thus, LIBOR may be expected to be higher than SOFR, and the spread between the two is likely to widen in times of market stress. Certain existing contracts provide for a spread adjustment when transitioning to SOFR from LIBOR, but there is no assurance that it will provide adequate compensation.
Other countries have undertaken similar initiatives to identify replacement Reference Rates for LIBOR in their respective markets. However, there are obstacles to converting certain existing investments and transactions to a new Reference Rate, as well as risks associated with using a new Reference Rate with respect to new investments and transactions. There remains uncertainty regarding the impact of the transition from LIBOR on the Fund and the financial markets generally, and the termination of certain Reference Rates presents risk to the Fund. The transition process, or the failure of an industry to transition, could lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for instruments that currently rely on LIBOR to determine interest rates and a reduction in the values of some LIBOR-based investments. Further, U.S. issuers are currently not obligated to include any particular fallback language in transaction documents for new issuances of LIBOR-linked securities. In addition, the alternative reference or benchmark rate may be an ineffective substitute, potentially resulting in prolonged adverse market conditions for the Fund. The elimination of a Reference Rate or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of Reference Rates could have an adverse impact on the market for or value of any securities or payments linked to those Reference Rates and other financial obligations held by the Fund or on its overall financial conditions or results of operations. Any substitute Reference Rate and any pricing adjustments imposed by a regulator or by counterparties or otherwise may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and/or NAV. At this time, it is not possible to completely identify or predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of alternative Reference Rates or any other reforms to Reference Rates that may be enacted in the UK or elsewhere.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has negatively affected economies, markets and individual companies in the United States and throughout the world. The effects of this pandemic to public health and business and market conditions may continue to have 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, and negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations. 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 in response to the pandemic 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 full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, or other future epidemics or pandemics, is currently unknown.
The Fund may be affected by governmental action in ways that are not foreseeable, and there is a possibility that such actions could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund and its ability to achieve its investment objectives.
Portfolio Turnover (All Funds)
Each 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 a Fund’s shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect a Fund’s performance.
The following table shows the Funds’ portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2023. No portfolio turnover information is included here for the Small & Mid Cap, Micro Cap, Equity Income, and Green Energy Funds because they have not yet commenced operations.
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Portfolio Turnover Rates
2022 | 2023 | |||||||
Growth Innovators Fund | 77 | % | 87 | % | ||||
Love Our Planet Fund | 19 | % | 24 | % | ||||
Automation Fund | 28 | % | 13 | % | ||||
Financial Services Fund | 72 | % | 31 | % | ||||
Aerospace and Defense Fund* | - | 28 | % |
* | The Aerospace and Defense Fund commenced operations January 3, 2023. |
Corporate Reorganizations (All Funds)
A Fund may invest in securities for which a tender or exchange offer has been made or announced and in securities for which a merger, consolidation, liquidation, or reorganization proposal has been announced. The primary risk of this type of investing is that if the contemplated transaction is abandoned, revised, delayed, or becomes subject to unanticipated uncertainties, the market price of the securities may decline below the purchase price paid by a Fund.
In general, securities that have announced reorganization transactions sell at a premium to their historic market price immediately prior to the announcement of the tender offer or reorganization proposal. However, the increased market price of such securities may reflect a discount to what the stated or appraised value of the security would be if the contemplated transaction were approved or consummated. Such investments may be particularly advantageous when the discount significantly overstates the risk of the contingencies involved; significantly undervalues the securities, assets, or cash to be received by shareholders of the prospective acquiring portfolio company as a result of the contemplated transaction; or fails adequately to recognize the possibility that the offer or proposal may be replaced or superseded by an offer or proposal of greater value. The evaluation of such contingencies requires unusually broad knowledge and experience on the part of the Adviser which must appraise not only the value of the issuer and its component businesses as well as the assets or securities to be received as a result of the contemplated transaction, but also the financial resources and business motivation of the offeror as well as the dynamics of the business climate when the offer or proposal is in progress.
A Fund’s investments in a single corporate reorganization transaction may be limited by its fundamental policies regarding diversification among issuers and industry concentration (see “Investment Restrictions” below), or otherwise by its investment policies. Because such investments are ordinarily short term in nature, they may increase a Fund’s portfolio turnover ratio, thereby increasing its brokerage and other transaction expenses. The Adviser intends to select investments of the type described which, in its view, have a reasonable prospect of significant capital appreciation in relation to both the risks involved and the potential of available alternate investments.
Other Investment Companies (All Funds)
Each of the Funds may invest only in other ETFs and exchange-traded notes, common stock, preferred stock, ADRs, real estate investment trusts, commodity pools, metals trusts, currency trusts, futures and government money market funds, provided that the investment is consistent with the investing Fund’s investment policies and restrictions.
As a shareholder of another investment company, a Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees. These expenses would be in addition to the management fee that each Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.
The Funds do not intend to purchase the shares of other open-end investment companies but reserves the right to invest up to 10% of its total assets in the securities of closed-end investment companies, including small business investment companies (not more than 5% of its total assets may be invested in more than 3% of the voting securities of any investment company). To the extent that a Fund invests in the securities of other investment companies, shareholders in the investing Fund may be subject to duplicative advisory and administrative fees.
Commodity Exchange-Traded Fund (“ETF”) Shares (All Funds)
A Fund may purchase shares of a commodity ETF. A commodity ETF is a publicly traded trust that acquires and holds underlying investments on a transparent basis. Because a commodity ETF has operating expenses and transaction costs, while the price of gold bullion does not, a commodity ETF will sell gold from time to time to pay expenses. This will reduce the amount of gold represented by each ETF share, irrespective of whether the trading price of the shares rises or falls in response to changes in the price of gold.
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An investment in a commodity ETF is subject to all of the risks of investing in the assets held by the ETF. In addition, the market value of the ETF shares may differ from their NAV because the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying assets. Because of the ability of large market participants to arbitrage price differences, the difference between the market value and the NAV of ETF shares should, in most cases, be small. Under certain circumstances, an ETF could be terminated. Should termination occur, the ETF could have to liquidate its holdings at a time when the price of gold is falling.
Commodity ETFs are generally not registered as investment companies for purposes of U.S. federal securities laws, and are not subject to regulation by the SEC as investment companies. Consequently, the owners of a commodity ETF do not have the regulatory protections provided to investors in investment companies. For example, the provisions of the 1940 Act that limit transactions with affiliates, prohibit the suspension of redemptions (except under certain limited circumstances) or limit sales loads do not apply to commodity ETFs. Commodity ETFs do not hold or trade in commodity futures contracts regulated by the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), as administered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). Furthermore, commodity ETFs are not a commodity pool for purposes of the CEA, and their sponsors are not subject to regulation by the CFTC as a commodity pool operator, or a commodity trading adviser. Consequently, the owner of a commodity ETF does not have the regulatory protections provided to investors in CEA regulated instruments or commodity pools, the sponsor is not subject to registration as a commodity pool operator, and the owners of the commodity ETF do not receive a disclosure document or certified annual report required to be delivered by a commodity pool operator. To the extent that a Fund invests in a commodity ETF, shareholders in such Fund may be subject to duplicative advisory and administrative fees.
Foreign Investments (All Funds)
A Fund’s investment in securities of foreign companies may be in the form of American depositary receipts or securities of foreign issuers that trade on an exchange in the United States.
American Depositary Receipts
American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. ADRs are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities that have been deposited with a “depository” and may be sponsored or unsponsored. These certificates are issued by depository banks and trade on an established market in the United States. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution in the issuer’s home country. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends and interest and corporate actions.
ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. For ADRs, the depository is typically a U.S. financial institution and the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities. Generally, ADRs are issued in registered form, denominated in U.S. dollars. While the two types of depositary receipt facilities (unsponsored or sponsored) are similar, there are differences regarding a holder’s rights and obligations and the practices of market participants. A depository may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by (or acquiescence of) the underlying issuer; typically, however, the depository requests a letter of non-objection from the underlying issuer prior to establishing the facility. Holders of unsponsored ADRs generally bear all the costs of the facility. The depository usually charges fees upon deposit and withdrawal of the underlying securities, the conversion of dividends into U.S. dollars or other currency, the disposition of non-cash distributions, and the performance of other services. The depository of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the underlying issuer or to pass through voting rights to depositary receipt holders with respect to the underlying securities.
Sponsored depositary receipt facilities are created in generally the same manner as unsponsored facilities, except that sponsored ADRs are established jointly by a depository and the underlying issuer through a deposit agreement. The deposit agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of the underlying issuer, the depository, and the depositary receipt holders. With sponsored facilities, the underlying issuer typically bears some of the costs of the ADRs (such as dividend payment fees of the depository), although most sponsored ADRs agree to distribute notices of shareholders meetings, voting instructions, and other shareholder communications and information to the ADRs holders at the underlying issuer’s request. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs do not eliminate all of the risks associated with directly investing in the securities of foreign issuers.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) (All Funds)
REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in income producing real estate or real estate-related loans
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or interests. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with the applicable requirements of the Code. Debt securities issued by REITs, for the most part, are general and unsecured obligations and are subject to risks associated with REITs. Like mutual funds, REITs have expenses, including advisory and administration fees paid by certain REITs and, as a result, a Fund is indirectly subject to those fees if a Fund invests in REITs.
Investing in REITs involves certain risks, including declines in the value of the underlying real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds, overbuilding, extended vacancies of properties, increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, losses due to costs resulting from the clean-up of environmental problems, liability to third parties for damages resulting from environmental problems, casualty or condemnation losses, limitations on rents, changes in neighborhood values and in the appeal of properties to tenants. Equity REITs may also be subject to property and casualty risks as their insurance policies may not completely recover repair or replacement of assets damaged by fires, floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters. REITs whose underlying assets are concentrated in properties used by a particular industry, such as healthcare, are also subject to industry-related risks. Certain “special purpose” REITs may invest their assets in specific real estate sectors, such as hotels, nursing homes or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the risks associated with adverse developments in any such sectors.
REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed income obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to decline. If the REIT invests in adjustable rate debt instruments the interest rates on which are reset periodically, yields on a REIT’s investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates. This causes the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed-rate obligations. However, REIT shares can be more volatile than, and perform differently from, larger company securities since REITs tend to be small- to medium-sized companies in relation to the equity markets as a whole. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities.
REITs are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are generally not diversified. REITs may be highly leveraged, and financial covenants may affect the ability of REITs to operate effectively. REITs are generally dependent upon maintaining cash flows to repay borrowings, to cover operating costs, and to make distributions to shareholders and are subject to the risk of default by lessees and borrowers. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. If REITs are net sellers of assets or do not reinvest principal, they are also subject to self-liquidation. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to qualify for tax-free pass-through of net income and gains under the Code or to maintain their exemptions from registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act. In the event of any such failure to qualify as a REIT under the Code, the company would be subject to corporate level taxation, significantly reducing the return to a Fund on its investment in such company.
Event Driven Investing (Micro Cap Fund only)
The Micro Cap Fund will invest in event driven opportunities from time to time. Event driven opportunities include, among others, investments in companies that may be involved with announced or anticipated mergers and acquisitions, tender offers, restructurings, reorganizations, spin- offs/split-offs, asset sales, liquidations, bankruptcies, public offerings, rights issues, legal or regulatory changes, or any other events that may be expected to impact the value of a company’s securities.
Event driven investing requires the investor to make judgments about: (i) the likelihood that an event will occur and (ii) the impact such event will have on the value of a company’s securities. If the event fails to occur or it does not have the effect foreseen, losses can result. Further, the consummation of mergers and tender and exchange offers may not occur or their consummation may not have the desired effect. The consummation of such transactions can be prevented or delayed by a variety of factors, including, by way of example: (i) intervention of a federal or state regulatory agency; (ii) compliance with any applicable federal or state securities laws; (iii) market conditions resulting in material changes in securities prices; (iv) inability to obtain adequate financing; and, in the case of mergers or tender and exchange offers, (v) opposition of the management or stockholders of the target company, which will often result in litigation to prevent the proposed transaction.
Economic Events and Market Risk (All Funds)
Periods of market volatility remain, and may continue to occur in the future, in response to various political, social and economic events both within and outside of the United States. These conditions have resulted in, and in many cases continue to result in, greater price volatility, less liquidity, widening credit spreads and a lack of price transparency, with many securities remaining illiquid and of uncertain value. Such market conditions may adversely affect the Funds,
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including by making valuation of some of a Funds’ securities uncertain and/or result in sudden and significant valuation increases or declines in a Funds’ holdings. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Hamas terrorist attacks, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues (such as the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus), recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Funds and its investments. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others.
Risks resulting from any future debt or other economic crisis could also have a detrimental impact on the global economy, the financial condition of financial institutions and our business, financial condition, and results of operation. Market and economic disruptions have affected, and may in the future effect, consumer confidence levels and spending, personal bankruptcy rates, levels of incurrence and default on consumer debt and home prices, among other factors. To the extent uncertainty regarding the U.S. or global economy negatively impacts consumer confidence and consumer credit factors, a Funds’ business, financial condition, and results of operations could be significantly and adversely affected. Downgrades to the credit ratings of major banks could result in increased borrowing costs for such banks and negatively affect the broader economy. Moreover, Federal Reserve policy, including with respect to certain interest rates and the decision to end its quantitative easing policy, may also adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend- and interest-paying securities. Market volatility, tariffs, rising interest rates, and/or a return to unfavorable economic conditions could impair the Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objectives.
Israel-Hamas Conflict Risk (All Funds)
In October 2023, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel’s southern border from the Gaza Strip and conducted a series of attacks on civilian and military targets. Hamas also launched extensive rocket attacks on the Israeli population and industrial centers located along Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip and in other areas within the State of Israel. Following the attack, Israel’s security cabinet declared war against Hamas, and a military campaign was initiated. These events may result in significant market disruptions and may adversely affect regional and global economies. Furthermore, the conflict between Israel and Hamas and the involvement of the United States and other countries could present material uncertainty and risk with respect to the Funds and the performance of the Funds’ investments or operations, and the Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objectives. To the extent that third parties, investors, or related customer bases have material operations or assets in Israel or Palestine, they may have adverse consequences related to the ongoing conflict. The extent and duration of the military action and any market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial.
Risks Relating to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine (All Funds)
Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in, which began in February 2022, the resulting responses by the United States and other countries, and the potential for wider conflict have increased volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affected regional and global economies. The United States and other countries have imposed broad-ranging economic sanctions on Russia and certain Russian individuals, banking entities and corporations as a response to its invasion of Ukraine. The United States and other countries have also imposed economic sanctions on Belarus and may impose sanctions on other countries that support Russia’s military invasion. These sanctions, as well as any other economic consequences related to the invasion, such as additional sanctions, boycotts or changes in consumer or purchaser preferences or cyberattacks on governments, companies or individuals, may have unpredictable effects on financial and capital markets globally.
The extent and duration of Russia’s military actions and the repercussions of such actions (including any retaliatory actions or countermeasures that may be taken by those subject to sanctions) are impossible to predict, but could continue to result in significant market disruptions, including in the oil and natural gas markets, and may continue to negatively affect global supply chains (including global food supplies), inflation and global growth. These and any related events could significantly impact the Funds’ performance and the value of an investment in the Funds, even beyond any exposure the Funds may have to Russian issuers or issuers in other countries directly affected by the invasion.
Special Risks Related to Cybersecurity (All Funds)
The Funds and their service providers are susceptible to cybersecurity risks that include, among other things, theft, unauthorized monitoring, release, misuse, loss, destruction or corruption of confidential and highly restricted data; denial of service attacks; unauthorized access to relevant systems, compromises to networks or devices that the Funds and their service providers use to service the Funds’ operations; or operational disruption or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Funds and their service providers. Cyberattacks against or security breakdowns of the Funds or their service providers may adversely impact the Funds and their shareholders, potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses; the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Funds to process transactions; inability to calculate each Fund’s NAV; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement, or other compensation costs; and/or additional compliance costs. The Funds may incur additional costs for cybersecurity risk management and remediation purposes. In addition, cybersecurity risks may also impact issuers of securities in which the Funds invest, which may cause the Funds’ investments in such issuers to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Funds or their service providers will not suffer losses relating to cyberattacks or other information security breaches in the future.
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INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment objectives of the Funds, and the following investment restrictions, are fundamental and may not be changed without the approval of a majority of the applicable Fund’s shareholders defined in the 1940 Act as the lesser of (1) 67% of the applicable Fund’s shares present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the applicable Fund’s outstanding shares. If a percentage restriction on investment or use of assets set forth below is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from changing market values or total assets of a Fund will not be considered a deviation from policy. The below investment restrictions on borrowing apply on a continuous basis.
Growth Innovators Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Purchase the securities of any one issuer, other than the U.S. government, or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, if immediately after such purchase more than 5% of the value of its total assets would be invested in such issuer or the Fund would own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested without regard to such 5% and 10% limitations; |
2. | Invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in any particular industry (this restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities); |
3. | Purchase securities on margin, but it may obtain such short term credits from banks as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of securities; |
4. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
5. | Mortgage, pledge, or hypothecate any of its assets except that, in connection with permissible borrowings mentioned in restriction (4) above, not more than 20% of the assets of the Fund (not including amounts borrowed) may be used as collateral; |
6. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities; |
7. | Purchase or otherwise acquire interests in real estate, real estate mortgage loans, or interests in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or development programs; |
8. | Purchase or acquire commodities or commodity contracts; |
9. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
10. | Invest for the purpose of exercising control over management of any company; or |
11. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority. |
Financial Services Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any one industry, except that under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 25% of the value of its net assets in the securities of companies principally engaged in the group of industries comprising the financial services sector; |
2. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
3. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority; |
4. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities; |
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5. | Invest for the purpose of exercising control over management of any company; |
6. | Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, including limited partnerships that invest primarily in real estate equity interests; |
7. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts; or |
8. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. |
For purposes of restriction (1) above, with respect to the Fund’s industry classifications, the Fund currently utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or rating group indexes, and/or as defined by Trust management. If Trust management chooses to define industry classifications pursuant to the foregoing, it will do so in a reasonable manner that is consistent with the purpose and intent of the industry classifications as represented generally by such widely recognized market indexes or rating group indexes, and any such management industry classifications will be applied consistently over time and in good faith.
Small and Mid Cap Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Invest more than 25% of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of issuers in any particular industry. This restriction does not apply to investments in U.S. government securities; |
2. | Purchase commodities or commodity contracts if such purchase would result in regulation of the Fund as a commodity pool operator; |
3. | Purchase or sell real estate, provided the Fund may invest in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; |
4. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority; |
5. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
6. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; or |
7. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities. |
Micro Cap Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
2. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority; |
3. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities; |
4. | Invest for the purpose of exercising control over management of any company; |
5. | Purchase real estate or interests therein, including limited partnerships that invest primarily in real estate equity interests, other than publicly traded real estate investment trusts, and similar instruments; |
6. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts; |
7. | Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any one industry; or |
8. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. |
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Love Our Planet Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
2. | Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; |
3. | Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States Government, its agencies or instrumentalities; |
4. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority; |
5. | Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This limitation shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities backed by real estate or securities issued by any company engaged in the real estate business; |
6. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities; |
7. | Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage, or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings; or |
8. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. |
Automation Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Purchase the securities of any one issuer, other than the U.S. government, or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, if immediately after such purchase more than 5% of the value of its total assets would be invested in such issuer or the Fund would own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested without regard to such 5% and 10% limitations; |
2. | Invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in any particular industry (this restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities); |
3. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority; |
4. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
5. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities; |
6. | Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This limitation shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities backed by real estate or securities issued by any company engaged in the real estate business; |
7. | Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; |
8. | Invest for the purpose of exercising control over management of any company; or |
9. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. |
Equity Income Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Invest more than 25% of the value its total assets in any one industry; |
2. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
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3. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority; |
4. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities; |
5. | Invest for the purpose of exercising control over management of any company; |
6. | Purchase real estate or interests therein, including limited partnerships that invest primarily in real estate equity interests; |
7. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts; or |
8. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. |
Aerospace and Defense Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
2. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority; |
3. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities; |
4. | Invest for the purpose of exercising control over management of any company; |
5. | Purchase real estate or interests therein, including limited partnerships that invest primarily in real estate equity interests; |
6. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts; or |
7. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. |
Green Fund
Under such restrictions, the Fund may not:
1. | Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by applicable law; |
2. | Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; |
3. | Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States Government, its agencies or instrumentalities; |
4. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority; |
5. | Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This limitation shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities backed by real estate or securities issued by any company engaged in the real estate business; |
6. | Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities; |
7. | Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage, or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings; or |
8. | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. |
There will be no violation of any investment restriction if that restriction is complied with at the time the relevant action is taken notwithstanding a later change in the market value of an investment, in the net or total assets of a Fund, or any other later change.
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PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
Employees of the Adviser and its affiliates will often have access to information concerning the portfolio holdings of a Fund. The Funds and the Adviser have adopted policies and procedures that require all employees to safeguard proprietary information of the Funds, which includes information relating to the Funds’ portfolio holdings as well as portfolio trading activity of the Adviser with respect to the Funds (collectively, “Portfolio Holdings Information”). The Adviser’s policies and procedures include a number of safeguards designed to control disclosure of portfolio holdings and characteristics so that such disclosure is consistent with the best interests of a Fund’s shareholders, including procedures to address conflicts between the interests of shareholders and those of the Adviser and its affiliates. The frequency with which this information is disclosed to the public, and the length of time between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed, are selected to minimize the possibility of a third party improperly benefiting from a Fund’s investment decisions to the detriment of a Fund’s shareholders. In the event that a request for portfolio holdings or characteristics creates a potential conflict of interest that is not addressed by the safeguards and procedures described above, the Adviser’s procedures require that such requests may only be granted with the approval of the Adviser’s legal department and the relevant chief investment officers. In addition, distribution of portfolio holdings information, including compliance with the Adviser’s policies and the resolution of any potential conflicts that may arise, is monitored quarterly by the Adviser’s compliance department. These policies further provide that no officer of the Trust or employee of the Adviser shall communicate with the media about a Fund without obtaining the advance consent of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer of the Adviser, or Chief Executive Officer, or General Counsel of the parent company of the Adviser.
Under the foregoing policies, a Fund may disclose Portfolio Holdings Information in the circumstances outlined below. Disclosure generally may be either on a monthly or quarterly basis with no time lag in some cases and with a time lag of up to sixty days in other cases (with the exception of proxy voting services which require a regular download of data):
1. | To regulatory authorities in response to requests for such information and with the approval of the Chief Compliance Officer of a Fund; |
2. | To fund rating and statistical agencies and to persons performing similar functions where there is a legitimate business purpose for such disclosure and such entity has agreed to keep such data confidential at least until it has been made public by the Adviser; |
3. | To service providers of the Funds, as necessary for the performance of their services to the Funds and to the Board, where such entity has agreed to keep such data confidential at least until it has been made public by the Adviser. The Funds’ current service providers that may receive such information are its administrator, sub-administrator, custodian, independent registered public accounting firm, legal counsel, and financial printers; |
4. | To firms providing proxy voting or other proxy services provided such entity has agreed to keep such data confidential at least until it has been made public by the Adviser; |
5. | To certain broker dealers, investment advisers, and other financial intermediaries for purposes of their performing due diligence on a Fund and not for dissemination of this information to their clients or use of this information to conduct trading for their clients. Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Information in these circumstances requires the broker, dealer, investment adviser, or financial intermediary to agree to keep such information confidential at least until it has been made public by the Adviser and is further subject to prior approval of the Chief Compliance Officer of a Fund and shall be reported to the Board at the next quarterly meeting; |
6. | To consultants for purposes of performing analysis of the Funds, which analysis may be used by the consultant with its clients or disseminated to the public, provided that such entity shall have agreed to keep such information confidential at least until it has been made public by the Adviser; and |
7. | To the AP Representative of the Funds in order to facilitate transactions. |
As of the date of this SAI, the Funds make information about their portfolio securities available to their administrator, sub-administrator, custodian, and proxy voting services on a daily basis, with no time lag, to its typesetter on a quarterly basis with a ten day time lag, to its financial printers on a quarterly basis with a forty-five day time lag, and to their independent registered public accounting firm and legal counsel on an as needed basis, with no time lag. The names of the Funds’ administrator, sub-administrator, custodian, independent registered public accounting firm, and legal counsel are set forth in this SAI. The Funds’ proxy voting service is Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., Donnelley Financial Solutions, and Appatura provide typesetting services for the Funds, and the Funds select from a number of financial printers who have agreed to keep such information confidential at least until it has been made public by the Adviser.
Other than arrangements with the Funds’ service providers and proxy voting service, the Funds have no ongoing arrangements to make available information about a Fund’s portfolio securities prior to such information being disclosed in a publicly available filing with the SEC that is required to include the information.
Disclosures made pursuant to a confidentiality agreement are subject to periodic confirmation by the Chief Compliance Officer of a Fund that the recipient has utilized such information solely in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Neither the Fund, nor the Adviser, nor any of the Adviser’s affiliates, will accept on behalf of itself, its affiliates, or the Funds any compensation or other consideration in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings of the Funds. The Board will review such arrangements annually with the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer.
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TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
Under Delaware law, the Trust’s Board is responsible for establishing the Funds’ policies and for overseeing the management of the Funds. The Board also elects a Fund’s officers who conduct the daily business of the Fund. Information pertaining to the Trustees and Executive Officers of the Trust is as follows:
Name,
Position(s), Address |
Term
of |
Number
of Funds in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee(3) |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
Other Directorships During the Past Five Years(4) | ||||
interested TRUSTEES(5): | ||||||||
Christopher J. Marangi Trustee 1974 |
Since 2021 | 6 | Managing Director and Co-Chief Investment Officer of the Value team of GAMCO Investors, Inc.; Portfolio Manager for Gabelli Funds, LLC and GAMCO Asset Management Inc. | — | ||||
Agnes Mullady Trustee 1958 |
Since 2021 | 14 | Senior Vice President of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (2008-2019); Executive Vice President of Associated Capital Group, Inc. (November 2016-2019); President and Chief Operating Officer of the Fund Division of Gabelli Funds, LLC (2010-2019); Vice President of Gabelli Funds, LLC (2006-2019); Chief Executive Officer of G.distributors, LLC (2011-2019); and an officer of all of the Gabelli/Teton Funds (2006-2019). | — | ||||
independent TRUSTEES(6): |
||||||||
John Birch(7) Trustee 1950 |
Since 2021 | 10 | Partner, The Cardinal Partners Global; Chief Operating Officer of Sentinel Asset Management and Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer of Sentinel Group Funds (2005-2015). | — | ||||
Anthony S. Colavita(7) Trustee 1961 |
Since 2021 | 23 | Attorney, Anthony S. Colavita, P.C.; Supervisor, Town of Eastchester, NY. | — | ||||
Michael J. Ferrantino Trustee 1971 |
Since 2021 | 7 | Chief Executive Officer of InterEx Inc. |
President, CEO, and Director of LGL Group; Director of LGL Systems Acquisition Corp. (Aerospace and Defense Communications) |
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Name,
Position(s), Address |
Term
of |
Number
of Funds in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee(3) |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
Other Directorships During the Past Five Years(4) | ||||
Leslie F. Foley(7) Trustee 1968 |
Since 2021 | 16 | Attorney; Serves on the Boards of the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy Andover; Vice President, Global Ethics & Compliance and Associate General Counsel for News Corporation (2008-2010). | — | ||||
Michael Melarkey Trustee 1949 |
Since 2021 | 24 | Of Counsel in the law firm of McDonald Carano Wilson LLP; Partner in the law firm of Avansino, Melarkey, Knobel, Mulligan & McKenzie (1980-2015). | Chairman of Southwest Gas Corporation (natural gas utility). | ||||
Salvatore J. Zizza(7) Trustee 1945 |
Since 2021 | 35 |
President, Zizza & Associates Corp. (private holding company); Chairman of Bergen Cove Realty Inc. (residential real estate). |
Director and Chairman of Trans-Lux Corporation (business services); Director and Chairman of Harbor Diversified Inc. (pharmaceuticals) (2009-2018); Retired Chairman of BAM (semiconductor and aerospace manufacturing); Director of Bion Environmental Technologies, Inc. |
Name,
Position(s), Address(1) Year of Birth |
Term
of Office And Length of Time Served(2) |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years | ||
OFFICERS: | ||||
John C. Ball President, Treasurer, Principal Executive Financial & Accounting Officer 1976 |
President
since 2020; Treasurer since 2023 |
Senior Vice President (since 2018) and other positions (2017-2018) of GAMCO Investors, Inc.; Chief Executive Officer, G. Distributors, LLC since 2020; Officer of registered investment companies within the Gabelli Fund Complex since 2017 | ||
Peter Goldstein Secretary and Vice President 1953 |
Since 2020 | General Counsel, GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Chief Legal Officer, Associated Capital Group, Inc. since 2021; General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Buckingham Capital Management, Inc. (2012-2020); Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, The Buckingham Research Group, Inc. (2012-2020) | ||
Richard J. Walz Chief Compliance Officer 1959 |
Since 2020 | Chief Compliance Officer of registered investment companies within the Gabelli Fund Complex since 2013 |
(1) | Address: One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422. | |
(2) | Each Trustee will hold office for an indefinite term until the earliest of (i) the next meeting of shareholders if any, called for the purpose of considering the election or re-election of such Trustee and until the election and qualification of his or her successor, if any, elected at such meeting, or (ii) the date a Trustee resigns or retires, or a Trustee is removed by the Board or shareholders, in accordance with the Company By- Laws and Declaration of Trust. For officers, includes time served in prior officer positions with the Trust. Each officer will hold office for an indefinite term or until the date he or she resigns or retires or until his or her successor is elected and qualified. | |
(3) | The “Fund Complex” or the “Gabelli Fund Complex” includes all the U.S. registered investment companies that are considered part of the same Fund complex as the Fund because they have common or affiliated investment advisers. This column includes only directorships of companies required to report to the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), i.e., public companies, or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. |
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(4) | This column includes only directorships of companies required to report to the SEC under the 1934 Act, i.e., public companies, or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. | |
(5) | “Interested person” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act. Mr. Christopher J. Marangi is considered to be an “interested person” because of his affiliation with the Trust’s Adviser. Ms. Mullady is considered to be an “interested person” of the Trust because of her direct or indirect beneficial interest in the Trust’s Adviser and due to a previous business or professional relationship with the Trust and the Adviser. | |
(6) | Trustees who are not considered to be “interested persons” of a Fund as defined in the 1940 Act are considered to be Independent Trustees. | |
(7) | Mr. Colavita’s father, Anthony J. Colavita, and Ms. Foley’s father, Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., serve as directors of other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex. Mr. Zizza is an independent director of Gabelli International Ltd., and Mr. Birch is a director of Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc, GAMCO International SICAV, Gabelli Associates Limited, and Gabelli Associates Limited IIE, all of which may be deemed to be controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and/or affiliates and in that event would be deemed to be under common control with the Fund’s Adviser. |
The Board believes that each Trustee’s experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of other Trustees lead to the conclusion that each Trustee should serve in such capacity. Among the attributes or skills common to all Trustees are their ability to review critically and to evaluate, question, and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the other Trustees, the Adviser, the sub-administrator, other service providers, counsel and the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, and to exercise effective and independent business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his duties effectively has been attained in large part through the Trustee’s business, consulting or public service positions and through experience from service as a member of the Board and one or more of the other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex (the “Fund Complex”), public companies, non-profit entities, or other organizations as set forth above and below. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his duties effectively also has been enhanced by education, professional training, and experience.
Interested Trustees:
Christopher J. Marangi. Mr. Marangi is a Managing Director and Co-Chief Investment Officer of the Value team of GAMI. In addition to the Fund, he is a portfolio manager on GAMCO’s institutional and high net worth separate accounts team and for several other open- and closed-end funds in the Fund Complex. He joined GAMI in 2003 as a research analyst covering companies in the cable, satellite, and entertainment sectors. He began his career as an investment banking analyst with J.P. Morgan & Company and later joined the private equity firm, Wellspring Capital Management. Mr. Marangi serves as President of the Resurrection School Foundation. Mr. Marangi graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Economy from Williams College and holds an M.B.A. with honors from the Columbia Business School.
Agnes Mullady. Ms. Mullady was an officer of registered investment companies within the Fund Complex from 2006 until 2019, President and Chief Operation Officer of the Fund Division of Gabelli Funds, LLC from 2010 until 2019, Chief Executive Officer of G.distributors, LLC from 2011 until 2019, Senior Vice President of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (“GAMI”) from 2009 until 2019, Vice President of Gabelli Funds, LLC from 2006 until 2019, and Executive Vice President of Associated Capital Group, Inc. from 2016 until 2019. She serves on the boards of other funds in the Fund Complex. Prior to joining GAMI in December 2005, Ms. Mullady was a Senior Vice President at U.S. Trust Company and Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Excelsior Funds from 2004 through 2005. Ms. Mullady received her M.B.A. degree in Finance from New York Institute of Technology and her B.A. in Accounting from Queens College.
Independent Trustees:
John Birch. Mr. Birch is a Partner of The Cardinal Partners Global, a strategic advisory firm, providing strategic advice and distribution support to international investment managers. He is a member of the Trust’s Audit Committee and serves on the boards of other funds in the Fund Complex. He is also a director and the Chairman of the GAMCO International SICAV and director and the Co-Chairman of the Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc. From 2005 to 2015, Mr. Birch served as the Chief Operating Officer of Sentinel Asset Management and Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Risk Officer of the Sentinel Group Funds. His other experience includes Vice President of Transfer Agency at State Street Bank in Luxembourg; Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of American Skandia Investment Services, Inc.; Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President (Partner) of International Fund Administration, Inc.; Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Vice President—Mutual Funds Division and Managing Director of Gabelli Funds, Inc.; and senior roles at Kansallis Banking Group and Privatbanken A/S. Mr. Birch received his Master of Tax from Metropolitan University College (Copenhagen) and attended the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Graduate School of Business.
Anthony S. Colavita, Esq. Mr. Colavita has been a practicing attorney with Anthony S. Colavita, P.C. since February 1988. He serves as the Lead Independent Trustee of the Fund, is Chairman of the Trust’s Audit and Nominating Committees, and a member of the ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee. Mr. Colavita also serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. Mr. Colavita has been Town Supervisor of the Town of Eastchester, New York since January 2004, with responsibilities for the review, adoption, and administration of a $35 million budget. he has also served as a board member for multiple not-for-profit corporations and was previously counsel to the New York State Senate. Additionally, Mr. Colavita was an Eastchester Town Councilman from 1998 to 2003. He has been active on the boards of several community based programs. Mr. Colavita received his Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University and his Juris Doctor from Pace University School of Law.
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Michael J. Ferrantino. Mr. Ferrantino is the Chief Executive Officer of InterEx Inc., a full-service exhibit company that specializes in the design, fabrication, management and service of custom exhibit spaces for the trade show retail and museum markets. He is a member of the Trust’s Nominating Committee. Mr. Ferrantino also serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. Mr. Ferrantino is a President, CEO, and director of The LGL Group, Inc., a diversified manufacturing company, and director of LGL Systems Acquisition Corp. He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer and a director of Valpey Fisher Corp., which was sold to CTS Corp. in 2012. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an M.B.A. from Loyola College, Baltimore.
Leslie F. Foley. Ms. Foley is an attorney currently serving on the Boards of the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy Andover. She is a member of the Trust’s Nominating Committee. She serves on the boards of other funds in the Fund Complex. Ms. Foley was previously Vice President, Global Ethics & Compliance and Associate General Counsel for News Corporation. She also served in the White House Counsel’s Office as Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush. Earlier in her career, Ms. Foley served as Counsel for O’Melveny and Myers LLP; Managing Director of Fixed Income Legal at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.; associate at Dewey Ballantine LLP; and law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She graduated from Yale University magna cum laude and from the University of Virginia School of Law where she was an editor of the Virginia Law Review.
Michael J. Melarkey, Esq. Mr. Melarkey, after more than forty years of experience as an attorney specializing in business, estate planning, and gaming regulatory work, retired from the active practice of law and is of counsel to the firm of McDonald Carano and Wilson in Reno, Nevada. He is a member of the Trust’s ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee. He serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. He was Chairman of the Board of Southwest Gas Corporation and served on its Nominating, Corporate Governance, and Compensation Committees. Mr. Melarkey acts as a trustee and officer for several private charitable organizations including as a trustee of The Bretzlaff Foundation and Edwin L. Wiegand Trust. He is an officer of a private oil and gas company. Mr. Melarkey received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law and Masters of Law in Taxation from New York University School of Law.
Salvatore J. Zizza. Mr. Zizza is the President of Zizza & Associates Corp., a private holding company that invests in various industries. He serves or has served as Chairman to other companies involved in manufacturing, recycling, real estate, technology, and pharmaceuticals. He is the Chairman of the Trust’s ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee and is a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Zizza serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. In addition to serving on the boards of other funds in the Fund Complex, he is currently and has previously been a director of other public companies. He was also the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer of a large NYSE-listed construction company. Mr. Zizza received his Bachelor’s degree and M.B.A. in Finance from St. John’s University, which awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Commercial Sciences.
Trustees — Leadership Structure and Oversight Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for general oversight of the Funds rests with the Board. The Board has appointed Anthony S. Colavita as the Lead Independent Trustee. The Lead Independent Trustee presides over executive sessions of the Trustees and also serves between meetings of the Board as a liaison with service providers, officers, counsel, and other Trustees on a wide variety of matters including scheduling agenda items for Board meetings. Designation as such does not impose on the Lead Independent Trustee any obligations or standards greater than or different from other Trustees. The Board has established a Nominating Committee and an Audit Committee to assist the Board in the oversight of the management and affairs of the Funds. The Board also has an ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee. Each of the Nominating, Audit, and ad hoc Proxy Voting Committees are entirely comprised of Independent Trustees. From time to time the Board establishes additional committees or informal working groups to deal with specific matters or assigns one of its members to work with trustees or directors of other Funds in the Fund Complex on special committees or working groups that deal with complex-wide matters, such as the multi-Fund ad hoc Compensation Committee relating to compensation of the Chief Compliance Officer for all the Funds in the Fund Complex. (The Fund Complex also has a separate multi-Fund Compensation Committee relating to certain officers of the closed-end funds in the Fund Complex, and some of the Funds’ Trustees may from time to time also serve on this separate committee.)
All of the Funds’ Trustees, other than Mr. Marangi and Ms. Mullady, are Independent Trustees, and the Board believes they are able to provide effective oversight of the Funds’ service providers. In addition to providing feedback and direction during Board meetings, the Trustees meet regularly in executive session and chair all committees of the Board.
The Funds’ operations entail a variety of risks, including investment, administration, valuation, and a range of compliance matters. Although the Adviser, the sub-administrator and the officers of the Funds are responsible for managing these risks on a day to day basis within the framework of their established risk management functions, the Board also addresses risk management of the Funds through its meetings and those of the committees and working groups. In particular, as part of its general oversight, the Board reviews with the Adviser at Board meetings the levels and types of risks being undertaken by the Funds, and the Audit Committee discusses the Funds’ risk management and controls with the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by the Funds. The Board reviews valuation policies and procedures and the valuations of specific illiquid securities. The Board also receives periodic reports from the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer regarding compliance matters relating to a Fund and its major service providers, including results of the implementation and testing of the Funds’ and such providers’ compliance programs. The Board’s oversight function is facilitated by management reporting processes that are designed to provide information to the Board about the identification, assessment and management of critical risks and the controls and policies and procedures used to mitigate those risks. The Board reviews its role in supervising the Funds’ risk management from time to time and may make changes in its discretion at any time.
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The Board has determined that its leadership structure is appropriate for the Funds because it enables the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over matters under its purview, allocates responsibility among committees in a manner that fosters effective oversight and allows the Board to devote appropriate resources to specific issues in a flexible manner as they arise. The Board periodically reviews its leadership structure as well as its overall structure, composition and functioning and may make changes in its discretion at any time.
Standing Board Committees
The Board has established two standing committees in connection with its governance of the Trust: the Audit and Nominating Committees, and has also established an ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee. The Trust does not have a standing Compensation Committee (although some of the individuals who are Trustees of the Funds participate in multi-Fund ad hoc Compensation Committees described above).
The Trust’s Audit Committee consists of three members: Anthony S. Colavita (Chairman), John Birch, and Salvatore J. Zizza, who are Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a Charter that was most recently reviewed and approved by the Board on February 12, 2024. As set forth in the Charter, the function of the Audit Committee is oversight; it is managements’ responsibility to maintain appropriate systems for accounting and internal control and it is the independent registered public accounting firm’s responsibility to plan and carry out a proper audit. The Audit Committee is generally responsible for reviewing and evaluating issues related to the accounting and financial reporting policies and practices of the Trust, its internal controls, and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain service providers, overseeing the quality and objectivity of the Funds’ financial statements and the audit thereof, and to act as a liaison between the Board and the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Audit Committee met twice.
The Trust’s Nominating Committee consists of three members: Anthony S. Colavita (Chairman), Leslie F. Foley, and Michael J. Ferrantino, who are Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Nominating Committee is responsible for selecting and recommending qualified candidates to the full Board in the event that a position is vacated or created. The Nominating Committee would consider, under procedures adopted by the Board, recommendations by shareholders if a vacancy were to exist. Such recommendations should be forwarded to the Secretary of the Trust. The Nominating Committee met once during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
The Trust’s ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee consists of three members: Salvatore J. Zizza (Chairman), Anthony S. Colavita, and Michael Melarkey, who are Independent Trustees of the Trust. Under certain circumstances and pursuant to specific procedures and guidelines, the ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee will, in place of the Trust’s Adviser, exercise complete control and discretion over the exercise of all rights to vote or consent with respect to certain securities owned by the Trust and may also determine to exercise complete control and discretion over the disposition of such securities. The ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee meets periodically on an as- needed basis to consider such matters and did not meet during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares
Set forth in the table below is the dollar range of equity securities in each Fund beneficially owned by each Trustee and the aggregate dollar range of equity securities in the Fund Complex beneficially owned by each Trustee as of December 31, 2023.
Name of Trustee | Fund | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities Held in each Fund* |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities Held in Fund Complex* | |||
INTERESTED TRUSTEES: | ||||||
Christopher J. Marangi | Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | A | E | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | C | |||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | A | |||||
Agnes Mullady | Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | A | D | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | A |
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Name of Trustee | Fund | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities Held in each Fund* |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities Held in Fund Complex* | |||
INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES: | ||||||
John Birch | Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | A | E | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | A | |||||
Anthony S. Colavita | Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | A | E | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | A | |||||
Michael J. Ferrantino | Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | A | A | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | A | |||||
Leslie F. Foley | Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | A | B | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | A | |||||
Michael J. Melarkey | Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | D | E | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | E | |||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | A | |||||
Salvatore J. Zizza | Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | A | E | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | C | |||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | A | |||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | C |
* | Key to Dollar Ranges – Information as of December 31, 2023. | |
A. | None | |
B. | $1 – $10,000 | |
C. | $10,001 – $50,000 | |
D. | $50,001 – $100,000 | |
E. | Over $100,000 |
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Set forth in the table below is the amount of interests beneficially owned, as of December 31, 2023, by certain Independent Trustees or their immediate family members, as applicable, in a holding that may be deemed to be controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and/or affiliates and in that event would be deemed to be under common control with the Fund’s Adviser.
Name of Independent Trustee | Name
of Owner and Relationships to Trustee |
Company | Title of Class |
Value
of |
Percent
of |
|||||||||
Michael J. Melarkey | Same | PMV Consumer Acquisitions Corp. | Warrants | $ | 2 | * | ||||||||
Salvatore J. Zizza | Same | Gabelli Associates Fund | Limited Partnership Interests | $ | 2,604,564 | 1.34 | % | |||||||
Salvatore J. Zizza | Same | Gabelli Performance Partnership L.P. | Limited Partnership Interests | $ | 361,502 | * |
* | An asterisk indicates that the ownership amount constitutes less than 1% of the total interests outstanding. |
Trustee and Officer Compensation
Set forth below is the planned compensation to be received by the Trustees and Officers. No director, officer, or employee of the Distributor, the Adviser or an affiliated company receives any compensation from the Funds for serving as an Officer or Trustee of the Trust. The Trust pays each Independent Trustee who is not a director, officer, or employee of the Adviser or any of its affiliates $1,000 per annum and $500 per meeting attended and $250 per special meeting or telephonic meeting attended and reimburses each Trustee for related travel and out of pocket expenses. All Board committee members receive $250 per committee meeting attended. The Lead Trustee receives an additional $500 per annum, the Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an additional $500 per annum, and the Chairman of the Nominating Committee receives an additional $250 per annum. A Trustee may receive a single meeting fee, allocated among the participating Funds in the Fund Complex, for participation in certain special meetings or committee meetings on behalf of multiple funds. Trustees and officers of the Funds who are employed by the Adviser, or an affiliated company receive no compensation or expense reimbursement from the Funds.
The following table sets forth estimated compensation to be earned by each of the Trust’s Trustees for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, and aggregate compensation paid to them by the Fund Complex for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. No Executive Officer or person affiliated with the Trust is expected to receive compensation in excess of $60,000 from the Trust for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Compensation Table
Aggregate
Compensation from Registrant
(Fiscal Year)
Name of Person and Position |
Aggregate Compensation |
Aggregate Fund Complex* |
||||||
INTERESTED TRUSTEES: | ||||||||
Christopher J. Marangi | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | (0) | |||
Agnes Mullady | $ | 3,000 | $ | 134,500 | (14) | |||
INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES: | ||||||||
John Birch | $ | 3,000 | $ | 41,668 | (10) | |||
Anthony S. Colavita | $ | 3,500 | $ | 169,758 | (23) | |||
Michael J. Ferrantino | $ | 3,000 | $ | 38,000 | (7) | |||
Leslie F. Foley | $ | 3,000 | $ | 95,000 | (16) | |||
Michael J. Melarkey | $ | 3,000 | $ | 195,500 | (24) | |||
Kuni Nakamura (Deceased) | $ | 4,372 | $ | 283,772 | (37) | |||
Salvatore J. Zizza | $ | 3,500 | $ | 325,500 | (35) |
* | The parenthetical number represents the number of investment companies (including the Funds or portfolios thereof) from which such person receives compensation and which are considered part of the same Fund Complex as the Trust because they have common or affiliated investment advisers. |
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Code of Ethics
The Trust, its Adviser, and Distributor have adopted a code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. The Code of Ethics permits personnel, subject to the Code of Ethics and its restrictive provisions, to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds.
Proxy Voting Policies
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has delegated the voting of portfolio securities to the Adviser. The Adviser has adopted proxy voting policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policy”) for the voting of proxies on behalf of client accounts for which the Adviser has voting discretion, including the Funds. Under the Proxy Voting Policy, portfolio securities held by a Fund are to be voted in the best interests of that Fund.
Normally, the Adviser exercises proxy voting discretion on particular types of proposals in accordance with guidelines (the “Proxy Voting Guidelines”) set forth in the Proxy Voting Policy. The Proxy Voting Guidelines address, for example, proposals to elect the board of directors, to classify the board of directors, to select the independent registered public accounting firm, to issue blank check preferred stock, to use confidential ballots, to eliminate cumulative voting, to require shareholder ratification of poison pills, to support fair price provisions, to require a supermajority shareholder vote for charter or bylaw amendments, to provide for director and officer indemnification and liability protection, to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock, to allow greenmail, to limit shareholders’ rights to call special meetings, to consider the non-financial effects of a merger, to limit shareholders’ rights to act by written consent, to approve executive and director compensation plans (including golden parachutes), to limit executive and director pay, to approve stock option plans, to opt in or out of state takeover statutes, and to approve mergers, acquisitions, corporate restructuring, spin-offs, buyouts, asset sales, or liquidations.
A Proxy Voting Committee comprised of senior representatives of the Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers has the responsibility for the content, interpretation, and application of the Proxy Voting Guidelines. In general, the Trustee of Proxy Voting Services, using the Proxy Voting Guidelines, recommendations of Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), Glass Lewis & Co. LLC (“Glass Lewis”), other third-party services, and the analysts of G.research, LLC (“G.research”) will determine how to vote on each issue. For non-controversial matters, the Trustee of Proxy Voting Services may vote the proxy if the vote is (1) consistent with the recommendations of the issuer’s board of directors and not contrary to the Proxy Voting Guidelines; (2) consistent with the recommendations of the issuer’s board of directors and is a non-controversial issue not covered by the Proxy Voting Guidelines; or (3) contrary to the recommendations of the issuer’s board of directors but is consistent with the Proxy Voting Guidelines. In these instances, the Trustee of Proxy Voting Services or the Chairman of the Committee may sign and date the proxy statement indicating how each issue will be voted. All matters identified by the Chairman of the Proxy Voting Committee, the Trustee of Proxy Voting Services, or the Adviser’s Legal Department as controversial, taking into account the recommendations of ISS, Glass Lewis, or other third party services and the analysts of G.research, will be presented to the Proxy Voting Committee. If the Chairman of the Proxy Voting Committee, the Trustee of Proxy Voting Services, or the Adviser’s Legal Department has identified the matter as one that (1) is controversial; (2) would benefit from deliberation by the Proxy Voting Committee; or (3) may give rise to a conflict of interest between the Adviser and its clients, the Chairman of the Proxy Voting Committee will initially determine what vote to recommend that the Adviser should cast and the matter will go before the Proxy Voting Committee.
For matters submitted to the Proxy Voting Committee, each member of the Proxy Voting Committee will receive, prior to the meeting, a copy of the proxy statement, any relevant third party research, a summary of any views provided by the portfolio manager, and any recommendations by G.research’s analysts. The portfolio manager, any member of Senior Management, or G.research’s analysts may be invited to present their viewpoints. If the Trustee of Proxy Voting Services or the Adviser’s Legal Department believes that the matter before the Proxy Voting Committee is one with respect to which a conflict of interest may exist between the Adviser and its clients, legal counsel will provide an opinion to the Proxy Voting Committee concerning the conflict. If the matter is one in which the interests of the clients of the Adviser may diverge, Counsel will so advise and the Proxy Voting Committee may make different recommendations as to different clients. For any matters where the recommendation may trigger appraisal rights, Counsel will provide an opinion concerning the likely risks and merits of such an appraisal action.
Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the interests of a Fund’s shareholders on the one hand, and those of the Fund’s Adviser, on the other hand, the conflict will be brought to the ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee of the Trust to determine a resolution.
Each matter submitted to the Proxy Voting Committee will be determined by the vote of a majority of the members present at the meeting. Should the vote concerning one or more recommendations be tied in a vote of the Proxy Voting Committee, the Chairman of the Committee will cast the deciding vote. The Proxy Voting Committee will notify the proxy department of its decisions and the proxies will be voted accordingly.
The Trust files Form N-PX with its complete proxy voting record for the twelve months ended June 30 no later than August 31 of each year. This filing is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free (800) 422-3554 and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
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CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
As of March 31, 2024, the following persons were known to own of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of any class of any Fund.
Name and Address of Holder of Record | Percentage of Class | Nature of Ownership | ||
Love Our Planet Fund: | ||||
Mario J. Gabelli and
Affiliates Greenwich, CT 06830 |
84.08% | Beneficialⴕ(a)(b) | ||
Wells Clearing Services Saint Louis, MO 63103 |
55.78% | Record | ||
The Bank of New York Mellon Pittsburgh, PA 15259 |
30.11% | Record | ||
A.J. Richard and Sons Farmingdale, NY 11735 |
20.73% | Record | ||
Richard Gregg Lloyd Harbor, NY 11743 |
12.18% | Record | ||
Growth Innovators Fund: | ||||
Mario J. Gabelli and Affiliates Greenwich, CT 06830 |
60.12% | Beneficialⴕ(a)(b) | ||
The Bank of New York Mellon Pittsburgh, PA 15259 |
59.18% | Record | ||
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Phoenix, AZ 85016-1215 |
14.12% | Record | ||
Wells Clearing Services LLC Saint Louis, MO 63103 |
8.26% | Record | ||
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC New York, NY 10004 |
5.33% | Record | ||
Automation Fund: | ||||
Mario J. Gabelli and Affiliates Greenwich, CT 06830 |
96.43% | Beneficialⴕ(a)(b) | ||
The Bank of New York Mellon Pittsburgh, PA 15259 |
95.84% | Record | ||
Financial Services Opportunities Fund: | ||||
Mario J. Gabelli and Affiliates Greenwich, CT 06830 |
56.33% | Beneficialⴕ(a)(b) | ||
The Bank of New York Mellon Pittsburgh, PA 15259 |
56.33% | Record | ||
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Phoenix, AZ 85016-1215 |
16.18% | Record | ||
National Financial Services LLC Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
9.14% | Record |
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Name and Address of Holder of Record | Percentage of Class | Nature
of Ownership | ||
Aerospace and Defense Fund: | ||||
Mario J. Gabelli and Affiliates Greenwich, CT 06830 |
72.13% | Beneficialⴕ(a)(b) | ||
The Bank of New York Mellon Pittsburgh, PA 15259 |
66.55% | Record | ||
Wells Clearing Services Saint Louis, MO 63103 |
10.73% | Record | ||
National Financial Services LLC Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
5.28% | Record |
ⴕ | Beneficial ownership of shares representing 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund may be deemed to represent control, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. | |
(a) | Includes shares directly or indirectly owned by Mr. Gabelli as a result of his position as a controlling person of certain other shareholders of the Fund, and shares of the Fund held by discretionary client accounts for which Mr. Gabelli disclaims beneficial ownership. | |
(b) | Includes shares of the Fund also included under Wells Clearing Services LLC and The Bank of New York Mellon. |
As of March 31, 2024, as a group, the Officers and Trustees of the Funds owned 2.18% of Love Our Planet Fund, 1.78% of Growth Innovators Fund, less than 1% of Automation Fund, less than 1% of Financial Services Opportunities Fund, and less than 1% of Aerospace and Defense Fund.
CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS
General
The Trust issues and sells shares of the Funds only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the distributor, without a sales load, at a price based on a Fund’s NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day, of an order received by the transfer agent in proper form. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to be placed earlier in the day. The following table sets forth the number of shares of the Fund that constitute a Creation Unit for each Fund.
Name of the Fund | Creation Unit Size | |||
Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | 5,000 | |||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | 5,000 | |||
Gabelli Equity Income ETF | 5,000 | |||
Gabelli Small & Mid Cap ETF | 5,000 | |||
Gabelli Micro Cap ETF | 5,000 | |||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | 5,000 | |||
Gabelli Automation ETF | 5,000 | |||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | 5,000 | |||
Gabelli Green Energy ETF | 5,000 |
In its discretion, the Adviser reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of a Fund’s shares that constitute a Creation Unit. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of a Fund, and to make a corresponding change in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Board.
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Each Fund intends to comply with the U.S. federal securities laws in accepting securities for deposit and satisfying redemptions with redemption securities by, among other means, assuring that any securities accepted for deposit and any securities used to satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act, will not be able to receive securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.
Fund Deposit
The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of a Fund generally consists of the deposit securities, the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) (“Deposit Securities”) and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component, defined below, constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to creation requests received in proper form. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the deposit amount, which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities (“Deposit Amount”), and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit.
The Adviser makes available through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) on each Business Day prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange, the list of names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security and the amount of the Cash Component (if any) to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for a Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of a Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.
The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities and the amount of the Cash Component changes pursuant to changes in the composition of a Fund’s portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by Adviser with a view to the investment goal of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities and the amount of the Cash Component may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting the underlying index or the Fund’s portfolio. The Funds reserve the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through the facilities of DTC (“DTC Facilities”) or the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (“NSCC Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC (as discussed below), or that the Authorized Participant is not able to trade due to a trading restriction. Each Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (iii) in certain other situations.
Cash Purchase Method
Although the Trust does not ordinarily permit partial or full cash purchases of Creation Units of the Funds when partial or full cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a partial or full cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser.
Creation Units
To be eligible to place orders and to create a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be: (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the NSCC Clearing Process (“Participating Process”), or (ii) a DTC participant, and, in either case, must have executed an agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (“Authorized Participant Agreement”). A Participating Party or DTC participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement is an Authorized Participant. All shares of a Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.
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Role of the Authorized Participant
Creation Units may be purchased only by or through an Authorized Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the distributor. Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the NAV of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be an Authorized Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through an Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of Authorized Participants.
Placement of Creation Orders
An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of a Fund, in proper form, no later than one hour prior to the closing time of the regular trading session of the Listing Exchange (normally 3 p.m. Eastern time), on any Business Day to receive that day’s NAV. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders for Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Orders for Creation Units must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the transfer agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the transfer agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of a Fund that are submitted on the Business Day, immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant non-U.S. market are closed may not be accepted (the “Cutoff Time”). The Trust or its designee, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Listing Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of the transfer agent’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose.
Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the transfer agent or its agent by the Cutoff Time on such Business Day.
Upon receiving an order for a Creation Unit, the transfer agent will notify the Adviser and the custodian of such order. The custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate sub-custodian.
The Authorized Participant must make available on or before the prescribed settlement date, by means satisfactory to a Fund, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Funds to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit.
Those placing orders should ascertain the applicable deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of the Fund. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.
The Authorized Participant is responsible for all transaction-related fees, expenses and other costs (as described below), as well as any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.
Once a purchase order has been accepted, it will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance in accordance with the Fund’s Cutoff Times as provided in the Authorized Participant Agreement and disclosed in this SAI.
Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units
Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to a Fund are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, an order will be accepted, subject to a Fund’s right to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth below.
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Once an order has been accepted, upon the next determination of the NAV of the shares, a Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The transfer agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.
Each Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the transfer agent if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of the Fund, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the discretion of the Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of the Fund make it impossible to process purchase orders for all practical purposes. The transfer agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Funds, the Funds’ custodian, the sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.
Issuance of a Creation Unit
Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to a Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the transfer agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery and a Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Typically, Creation Units are issued on a “T+2 basis” (i.e., two Business Days after trade date). However, each Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+2 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances.
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant Agreement, a Fund will issue Creation Units to an Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105% and up to 115%, which percentage the Trust may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with a Fund’s then-effective procedures. The Trust may use such cash deposit at any time to buy Deposit Securities for a Fund. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Funds is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 1 p.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date or such other time as designated by the Funds’ custodian. Information concerning the Funds’ current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the transfer agent. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Funds to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to a Fund of purchasing such securities and the value of the cash collateral including, without limitation, liability for related brokerage, borrowings and other charges.
In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, a Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Funds and the Funds’ determination shall be final and binding.
Costs Associated with Creation Transactions
A standard creation transaction fee is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance of Creation Units. The standard creation transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to a Fund. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to acquire Fund shares may be charged a fee for such services.
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The following table sets forth each Fund’s standard creation transaction fees and maximum additional charge (as described above). Transaction fees may be waived in certain circumstances deemed appropriate by the Trust.
Fund |
Standard
Creation |
Maximum |
||||||
Gabelli Growth Innovators ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % | ||||
Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % | ||||
Gabelli Equity Income ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % | ||||
Gabelli Small & Mid Cap ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % | ||||
Gabelli Micro Cap ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % | ||||
Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % | ||||
Gabelli Automation ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % | ||||
Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % | ||||
Gabelli Green Energy ETF | $ | 250 | 3 | % |
1 | As a percentage of the NAV per Creation Unit. |
Redemption of Creation Units
Shares of the Funds may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the transfer agent and only on a Business Day. The Funds will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market. The Funds generally redeem Creation Units for Fund Securities (as defined below) and the Cash Amount (as defined below). Please see the Cash Redemption Method section below and the following discussion summarizing the in-kind method for further information on redeeming Creation Units of the Funds.
The Adviser makes available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash as described below (“Cash Amount”) (if any). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next announced composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units under certain circumstances.
Unless cash redemptions are available or specified for the Funds, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below). The Funds may, in their sole discretion, substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security that may not be eligible for transfer through DTC Facilities or the NSCC Clearing Process or that the Authorized Participant is not able to trade due to a trading restriction. The Funds also reserve the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; (ii) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (iii) in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as a Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. The Funds generally redeem Creation Units for Fund Securities and the Cash Amount, but the Funds reserve the right to utilize a cash option for redemption of Creation Units.
Cash Redemption Method
Although the Trust does not ordinarily permit partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units of the Funds, when partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.
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Costs Associated with Redemption Transactions
A standard redemption transaction fee is imposed to offset transfer and other transaction costs that may be incurred by the Funds. The standard redemption transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed by an Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from a Fund to their account on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to dispose of Fund shares may be charged a fee for such services.
Placement of Redemption Orders
Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Funds must be submitted to the transfer agent by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of a Fund, in proper form, no later than one hour prior to the closing time of the regular trading session of the Listing Exchange (normally 3 p.m. Eastern time), on any Business Day to receive that day’s NAV. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier that day. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by a Fund to the transfer agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to a Fund’s transfer agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if: (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to a Fund’s transfer agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Listing Exchange closing time on any Business Day; (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Fund is received by the transfer agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the transfer agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC Facilities by 10 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date, the redemption request may be deemed rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC Facilities may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC Facilities by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.
Upon receiving a redemption request, the transfer agent shall notify the Fund and the Fund’s transfer agent of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the beneficial owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.
A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds by a Fund generally will be made within two Business Days (i.e., “T+2”). Each Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions later than T+2 but by T+7 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. Delayed settlement may occur due to a number of different reasons, including, without limitation, settlement cycles for the underlying securities, unscheduled market closings, an effort to link distribution to dividend record dates and ex-dates and newly announced holidays. For example, the redemption settlement process may be extended beyond T+2 because of the occurrence of a holiday in a non-U.S. market or in the U.S. bond market that is not a holiday observed in the U.S. equity market.
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If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Fund may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its shares based on the NAV of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above, to offset the Fund’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.
In the event that cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Trust, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (within seven calendar days thereafter).
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant Agreement, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to a Fund, at or prior to 10 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date, the transfer agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available Funds, having a value at least equal to 105% and up to 115%, which percentage the Trust may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date and shall be held by each Fund’s custodian and marked-to-market daily. The fees of each Fund’s custodian and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit a Fund to purchase missing Fund shares or acquire the Deposit Securities and the Cash Amount underlying such shares, and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost of the Fund acquiring such shares, the Deposit Securities or Cash Amount and the value of the cash collateral including, without limitation, liability for related brokerage and other charges.
Because the portfolio securities of a Fund may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for each Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of a Fund, or purchase or sell shares of a Fund on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant non-U.S. markets.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund: (i) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of each Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as is permitted by the SEC.
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INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
Investment Adviser
The Investment Adviser, a New York limited liability company and registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, serves as an investment adviser to registered investment companies with combined aggregate net assets of approximately $20.3 billion as of December 31, 2023. The Investment Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (“GAMI”), a New York corporation, whose Class A Common Stock is traded on the OTCQX under the symbol, “GAMI.” Mr. Mario J. Gabelli may be deemed a “controlling person” of the Investment Adviser on the basis of his controlling interest in GAMI. Mr. Gabelli owns a majority of the stock of GGCP, Inc. (“GGCP”), which holds a majority of the capital stock and voting power of GAMI. The Investment Adviser has several affiliates that provide investment advisory services: GAMCO Asset Management, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GAMI, acts as investment adviser for individuals, pension trusts, profit sharing trusts, and endowments, and as a sub-adviser to certain third party investment funds, which include registered investment companies, having assets under management of approximately $10.8 billion as of December 31, 2023; Teton Advisors, LLC (previously Teton Advisors, Inc., with assets under management of approximately $530.6 million as of December 31, 2023), and its affiliated investment Adviser, Keeley-Teton Advisers, LLC acts as investment advisers to The TETON Westwood Funds and separately managed accounts; Gabelli & Company Investment Advisers, Inc. (formerly, Gabelli Securities, Inc.), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Associated Capital Group, Inc. (“Associated Capital”), acts as investment adviser for certain alternative investment products, consisting primarily of risk arbitrage and merchant banking limited partnerships and offshore companies, with assets under management of approximately $1.6 billion as of December 31, 2023. Teton Advisors, Inc. was spun off by GAMI in March 2009 and is an affiliate of GAMI by virtue of Mr. Gabelli’s ownership of GGCP, the principal stockholder of Teton Advisors, Inc., the parent of Teton Advisors, LLC, as of December 31, 2023. Effective December 31, 2021, Teton Advisors, Inc. completed a reorganization by transferring its entire business operations and personnel to a new wholly-owned subsidiary, Teton Advisors, LLC. Associated Capital was spun off from GAMI on November 30, 2015, and is an affiliate of GAMI by virtue of Mr. Gabelli’s ownership of GGCP, the principal stockholder of Associated Capital.
The Adviser has sole investment discretion for the Fund’s assets under the supervision of the Fund’s Board and in accordance with the Fund’s stated policies. The Adviser will select investments for the Fund and will place purchase and sale orders on behalf of the Fund.
Affiliates of the Adviser may, in the ordinary course of their business, acquire for their own account or for the accounts of their advisory clients, significant (and possibly controlling) positions in the securities of companies that may also be suitable for investment by a Fund. The securities in which a Fund might invest may thereby be limited to some extent. For instance, many companies in the past several years have adopted so-called “poison pill” or other defensive measures designed to discourage or prevent the completion of non-negotiated offers for control of the company. Such defensive measures may have the effect of limiting the shares of the company which might otherwise be acquired by a Fund if the affiliates of the Adviser or their advisory accounts have or acquire a significant position in the same securities. However, the Adviser does not believe that the investment activities of its affiliates will have a material adverse effect upon a Fund in seeking to achieve their investment objectives.
Securities purchased or sold pursuant to contemporaneous orders entered on behalf of the investment company accounts of the Adviser or the advisory accounts managed by its affiliates for their unaffiliated clients are allocated pursuant to principles believed to be fair and not disadvantageous to any such accounts. In addition, all such orders are accorded priority of execution over orders entered on behalf of accounts in which the Adviser or its affiliates have a substantial pecuniary interest. The Adviser may on occasion give advice or take action with respect to other clients that differs from the actions taken with respect to the Funds. A Fund may invest in the securities of companies which are investment management clients of GAMCO. In addition, portfolio companies or their officers or directors may be minority shareholders of the Adviser or its affiliates.
The Adviser currently serves as investment adviser to the Funds pursuant to investment advisory contracts (the “Contracts”). Pursuant to the Contracts, the Adviser furnishes a continuous investment program for the Funds’ portfolio, makes the day to day investment decisions for the Funds, arranges the portfolio transactions for the Funds, and manages the Funds’ investments in accordance with the stated policies of each Fund, subject to the general supervision of the Board. Under the Contract, the Adviser also (i) provides the Fund with the services of persons competent to perform such supervisory, administrative, and clerical functions as are necessary to provide effective administration of the Fund, including maintaining certain books and records and overseeing the activities of the Fund’s Custodian (as defined below) and Transfer Agent (as defined below); (ii) oversees the performance of administrative and professional services to the Fund by others, including The Bank of New York Mellon, the Fund’s Sub-Administrator (the “Sub-Administrator” or “BNYM”), BNYM, the Fund’s Custodian, the Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (“BNYM” or the “Transfer Agent”) Transfer Agent, and Dividend Disbursing Agent, as well as accounting, auditing, and other services performed for the Fund; (iii) provides the Fund with adequate office space and facilities; (iv) supervises the preparation of, but does not pay
35
for, the periodic updating of the Fund’s registration statement, prospectus, and SAI, including the printing of such documents for the purpose of filings with the SEC and state securities administrators, the Fund’s tax returns, and reports to the Fund’s shareholders and the SEC; (v) supervises, but does not pay for, the calculation of the NAV of shares of the Fund; (vi) oversee the process governing the calculation and dissemination of the VIIV (“the VIIV Procedures”), subject to Board oversight, and, no less than annually, review the VIIV Procedures; (vii) supervises the preparation of, but does not pay for, all filings under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of such states or countries as are designated by the Distributor, which may be required to register or qualify, or continue the registration or qualification, of the Fund and/or its shares under such laws; and (viii) prepares notices and agendas for meetings of the Fund’s Board and minutes of such meetings in all matters required by applicable law to be acted upon by the Board.
Because the Fund trades on the basis of the VIIV, it may trade at a wider bid/ask spread than traditional ETFs that publish their portfolios on a daily basis. Accordingly, the Adviser will monitor on an on-going basis how shares of a Fund trade, including the level of any market price premium or discount to NAV and the bid/ask spreads on market transactions. Should there be extended periods during which shares trade at a significant premium or discount to NAV or of unusually wide bid/ask spreads, the Board will consider the continuing viability of a Fund, whether shareholders are being harmed, and what, if any, action would be appropriate to among other things, narrow the premium/discount or spread, as applicable. The Board will then decide whether to take any such action. Potential actions may include, but are not limited to, changing lead market makers, listing the Fund on a different exchange, changing the size of Creations Units, changing the Fund’s investment objective or strategy, and liquidating a Fund.
The Contracts provide that absent willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duty, the Adviser and its employees, officers, directors, and controlling persons are not liable to a Fund or any of their investors for any act or omission by the Adviser or for any error of judgment or for losses sustained by the Fund. However, the Contracts provide that a Fund is not waiving any rights it may have with respect to any violation of law which cannot be waived. The Contracts also provide indemnification for the Adviser and each of these persons for any conduct for which they are not liable to a Fund. The Contracts in no way restrict the Adviser from acting as adviser to others. A Fund has agreed by the terms of its Contract that the word “Gabelli” in its name is derived from the name of the Adviser which in turn is derived from the name of Mario J. Gabelli; that such name is the property of the Adviser for copyright and/or other purposes; and that, therefore, such name may be freely used by the Adviser for other investment companies, entities, or products. Each Fund has further agreed that in the event that for any reason, the Adviser ceases to be its investment adviser, the Fund will, unless the Adviser otherwise consents in writing, promptly take all steps necessary to change its name to one which does not include “Gabelli.”
By their terms, the Contracts will remain in effect from year to year, provided each such annual continuance is specifically approved by the Trust’s Board or by a “majority” (as defined pursuant to the 1940 Act) vote of its shareholders and, in either case, by a majority vote of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called specifically for the purpose of voting on the continuance of the Contracts. The Contracts are terminable without penalty by a Fund on sixty days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of its outstanding voting shares or by a vote of a majority of its Board, or by the Adviser on sixty days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” as defined by the 1940 Act.
As compensation for the Adviser’s services and related expenses borne by the Adviser, the Fund pays the Adviser a fee computed daily and payable monthly at the annual rate of 0.90% of a Fund’s net assets. The investment advisory agreement between Gabelli ETFs Trust (the “Trust”) and Adviser provides that the Adviser will pay all operating expenses of the Funds, except the management fees, interest expenses, taxes, expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portion transactions, including brokerage commissions, distribution fees or expenses, litigation expenses, and extraordinary expenses. For the last fiscal year ended December 31, each Fund paid investment advisory fees to the Adviser amounting to:
Advisory Fees Paid to Adviser by Each Fund
(Fiscal years ended December 31)
2022 | 2023 | |||||||
Growth Innovators Fund | $ | 25,031 | $ | 23,294 | ||||
Love Our Planet Fund | $ | 0 | $ | 108,622 | ||||
Financial Services Opportunities Fund | $ | 0 | $ | 62,414 | ||||
Automation Fund | $ | 0 | $ | 41,798 | ||||
Aerospace and Defense Fund1 | - | $ | 33,477 |
1 | The Aerospace and Defense Fund commenced operations January 3, 2023. |
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The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive (1) the Love Our Planet Fund’s management fee of 0.90% on the first $100 million in net assets and (2) each of the Automation Fund’s, the Financial Services Fund’s, the Equity Income Fund’s, and the Aerospace and Defense Fund’s management fees of 0.90% on each Fund’s first $25 million in net assets. Each fee waiver agreement will continue until at least April 30, 2025. The fee waiver agreements may be terminated only by, or with the consent of, the Board.
Portfolio Manager Information
Other Accounts Managed
The table below identifies the portfolio managers, the number of accounts (other than the Fund) for which each portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. For each category, the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts where fees are based on performance are also indicated, as applicable. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of December 31, 2023.
EXCLUDES GROWTH INNOVATORS FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
Howard F. Ward | Registered Investment Companies: | 3 | $ | 3.7 billion | 1 | $ | 2.6 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 69 | $ | 358.9 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
EXCLUDES FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
Macrae Sykes | Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $ | 2.4 billion | 1 | $ | 2.0 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 22 | $ | 19.5 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
EXCLUDES EQUITY INCOME FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
Mario J. Gabelli | Registered Investment Companies*: | 23 | $ | 16.4 billion | 5 | $ | 5.3 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 7 | $ | 0.9 billion | 7 | $ | 879 million | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 834 | $ | 6.5 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Robert D. Leininger | Registered Investment Companies: | 3 | $ | 6.2 billion | 2 | $ | 4.7 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 138 | $ | 151.9 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
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EXCLUDES SMALL & MID CAP GROWTH FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
Mario J. Gabelli | Registered Investment Companies*: | 23 | $ | 16.4 billion | 5 | $ | 5.3 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 7 | $ | 0.9 billion | 7 | $ | 879 million | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 834 | $ | 6.5 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Christopher J. Marangi |
Registered Investment Companies: |
9 |
$ |
6.9 billion | 3 |
$ |
4.8 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 1 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 259 | $ | 0.7 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Jeffrey J. Jonas | Registered Investment Companies: | 4 | 4.7 billion | 1 | $ | 2.6 billion | ||||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 1 | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 8 | 11.2 million | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||
Kevin V. Dreyer | Registered Investment Companies: | 6 | 6.7 billion | 2 | $ | 4.7 billion | ||||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 1 | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 253 | 0.7 billion | 0 | $ | 0 |
EXCLUDES MICRO CAP FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
Mario J. Gabelli | Registered Investment Companies*: | 23 | $ | 16.4 billion | 5 | $ | 5.3 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 7 | $ | 0.9 billion | 7 | $ | 879 million | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 834 | $ | 6.5 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Sarah Donnelly | Registered Investment Companies: | 5 | $ | 4.7 billion | 1 | $ | 2.6 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 7 | $ | 1.7 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Chong-Min Kang | Registered Investment Companies: | 1 | $ | 10.8 million | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 4 | $ | 0.5 million | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Ashish Sinha | Registered Investment Companies: | 6 | $ | 7.9 billion | 2 | $ | 4.7 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 3 | $ | 0.5 million | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Hendi Susanto | Registered Investment Companies: | 6 | $ | 5.1 billion | 2 | $ | 4.7 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 24 | $ | 10.3 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
38
EXCLUDES LOVE OUR PLANET FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
Christopher J. Marangi |
Registered Investment Companies: |
8 |
$ |
6.9 billion | 3 |
$ |
4.8 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 1 | $ | 4.4 million | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 259 | $ | 701.2 million | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Timothy M. Winter | Registered Investment Companies: | 3 | $ | 2.0 billion | 1 | $ | 290.6 million | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 9 | $ | 1.4 million | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Melody Bryant | Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $ | 1.7 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 67 | $ | 60.2 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
EXCLUDES AUTOMATION FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
Ashish Sinha | Registered Investment Companies: | 5 | $ | 7.9 billion | 2 | $ | 4.7 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 3 | $ | 0.5 million | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Justin Bergner | Registered Investment Companies: | 3 | $ | 1.9 billion | 1 | $ | 290.6 million | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 16 | $ | 3.4 million | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Hendi Susanto | Registered Investment Companies: | 5 | $ | 5.1 billion | 2 | $ | 4.7 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 24 | $ | 10.3 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
39
EXCLUDES AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
G. Anthony Bancroft |
Registered Investment Companies: |
1 |
$ |
2.6 billion | 0 |
$ |
2.6 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 6 | $ | 1.2 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
EXCLUDES GREEN FUND
Name of Portfolio Manager | Type of Accounts | Total
No. of Accounts Managed |
Total Assets | No.
of Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in Accounts where Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
|||||||||||
Mario J. Gabelli | Registered Investment Companies*: | 23 | $ | 16.4 billion | 5 | $ | 5.3 billion | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 7 | $ | 0.9 billion | 7 | $ | 879 million | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 834 | $ | 6.5 billion | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Timothy M. Winter | Registered Investment Companies: | 4 | $ | 2.0 billion | 1 | $ | 290.6 million | |||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts: | 9 | $ | 1.4 million | 0 | $ | 0 |
* | As of December 31, 2023, the total number of Registered Investment Companies (“RICs”) in the Fund Complex is 50. Mr. Gabelli is the sole portfolio manager of 6 RICs and part of the portfolio management team of 14 RICs. |
40
Potential Conflicts of Interest
Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other accounts. These potential conflicts include:
Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. Because the portfolio manager manages more than one account, they may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as if they were to devote substantially more attention to the management of only the Funds.
Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If the portfolio manager identifies an investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple accounts, a Fund or Funds may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity because the opportunity may need to be allocated among these accounts or other accounts managed primarily by other portfolio managers of the Adviser and its affiliates.
Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the accounts for which they exercise investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of these accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, a portfolio manager may execute differing or opposite transactions for one or more accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transactions, or both, to the detriment of one or more other accounts.
Selection of Broker-Dealers. A portfolio manager may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the Funds or accounts that he or she supervises. In addition to providing execution of trades, some brokers and dealers provide the Adviser with brokerage and research services. These services may be more beneficial to certain Funds or accounts of the Adviser and its affiliates than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the Adviser determines in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to a Fund, a portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the Funds or other accounts that the Adviser and its affiliates manage. In addition, with respect to certain types of accounts (such as pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed for organizations and individuals), the Adviser may be limited by the client concerning the selection of brokers or may be instructed to direct trades to particular brokers. In these cases, the Adviser or its affiliates may place separate, non-simultaneous transactions in the same security for a Fund and another account that may temporarily affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment of the Fund or the other account. Because of Mr. Gabelli’s position with the Funds’ Distributor and his indirect majority ownership interest in the Distributor, he may have an incentive to use the Distributor to execute portfolio transactions for a Fund even if using the Distributor is not in the best interest of the Fund.
Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to a portfolio manager differ among the accounts that they manage. If the structure of the Adviser’s management fee or a portfolio manager’s compensation differs among accounts (such as where certain accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager may be motivated to favor certain accounts over others. The portfolio manager also may be motivated to favor accounts in which they have investment interests, or in which the Adviser or its affiliates have investment interests. In Mr. Gabelli’s case, the Adviser’s compensation (and expenses) for a Fund are marginally greater as a percentage of assets than for certain other accounts and are less than for certain other accounts managed by Mr. Gabelli, while his personal compensation structure varies with near-term performance to a greater degree in certain performance fee based accounts than with non- performance fee based accounts. In addition, he has investment interests in several of the Funds managed by the Adviser and its affiliates. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance a portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those accounts that could most significantly benefit that portfolio manager.
The Adviser and the Funds have adopted compliance policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to address the various conflicts of interest that may arise for the Adviser and its staff members. However, there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will be able to detect and address every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may arise.
Compensation Structure for Portfolio Managers
The compensation of the portfolio managers for the Funds is structured to enable the Adviser to attract and retain highly qualified professionals in a competitive environment. The portfolio managers receive a compensation package that includes a minimum draw or base salary, equity based incentive compensation via awards that may include restricted stock, and incentive based variable compensation based on a percentage of net revenue received by the Adviser for managing each Fund to the extent that the amount exceeds a minimum level of compensation. Net revenues are determined
41
by deducting from gross investment management fees certain of the firm’s expenses (other than the respective portfolio manager’s compensation) allocable to a Fund (the incentive based variable compensation for managing other accounts is also based on a percentage of net revenues to the investment adviser for managing the account). The portfolio managers receive similar incentive based variable compensation for managing other accounts for GAMCO Asset Management, Inc. based on gross revenue. The compensation for managing accounts that have a performance based fee will have two components. One component is based on a percentage of net revenues received by the Adviser for managing the account. The second component is based on absolute performance of the account, with respect to which a percentage of the net performance fee is paid to a portfolio manager. These methods of compensation are based on the premise that superior long term performance in managing a portfolio should be rewarded with higher compensation as a result of growth of assets through appreciation and net investment activity. The level of equity based incentive and incentive based variable compensation is based on an evaluation by the Adviser’s parent, GAMI, of quantitative and qualitative performance evaluation criteria.
Ownership of Shares in the Fund
Set forth in the table below is the dollar range of equity securities in the Growth Innovators, Love Our Planet, Financial Services, Automation, and Aerospace and Defense Funds beneficially owned by their respective portfolio managers:
Team Member | Fund | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities Held in each Fund* | ||
Howard F. Ward | Growth Innovators Fund | E | ||
Christopher J. Marangi | Love Our Planet Fund | C | ||
Melody Bryant | Love Our Planet Fund | A | ||
Timothy M. Winter | Love Our Planet Fund | A | ||
Macrae Sykes | Financial Services Fund | D | ||
Justin Bergner | Automation Fund | B | ||
Ashish Sinha |
Automation Fund | A | ||
Hendi Susanto | Automation Fund | A | ||
Anthony Bancroft | Aerospace and Defense Fund1 | A |
1 | The Aerospace and Defense Fund commenced investment operations January 3, 2023. | |
* | Key to Dollar Ranges – Information as of December 31, 2023 | |
A. | None | |
B. | $1 – $10,000 | |
C. | $10,001 – $50,000 | |
D. | $50,001 – $100,000 | |
E. | $100,001 – $500,000 | |
F. | $500,001 – $1,000,000 | |
G. | Over $1,000,000 |
The Sub-Administrator
The Adviser has entered into an agreement (the “Sub-Administration Agreement”) with BNYM, which is located at 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809. Under the Sub-Administration Agreement, the Sub-Administrator (a) assists in supervising all aspects of the Trust’s operations except those performed by the Adviser under its advisory agreement with the Fund; (b) supplies the Fund with office facilities (which may be in the Sub-Administrator’s own offices), statistical and research data, data processing services, clerical, accounting, and bookkeeping services, including, but not limited to, the calculation of the NAV per share of the Fund, internal auditing and regulatory administration services, internal executive and administrative services, and stationery and office supplies; (c) prepares and distributes materials for all Board Meetings including the mailing of all Board materials and collates the same materials into the Board books and assists in the drafting of minutes of the Board meetings; (d) prepares reports to Trust shareholders, tax returns, and reports to and filings with the SEC and state “Blue Sky” authorities; (e) provides any equipment or services necessary for the purpose of pricing shares or valuing a Fund’s investment portfolio; (f) provides compliance testing of all Fund activities against applicable requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, the Code, and each Fund’s investment restrictions; (g) furnishes to the Adviser such statistical and other factual information and information regarding economic factors and trends as the Adviser from time to time may require; and (h) generally provides all administrative services that may be required for the ongoing operation of the Trust in a manner consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act.
For the services it provides, the Adviser pays the Sub-Administrator an annual fee based on the value of the aggregate average daily net assets of all Funds under its administration managed by the Adviser and its affiliates as follows: 0.0275% - first $10 billion, 0.0125% - exceeding $10 billion but less than $15 billion, 0.01% - over $15 billion but less than $20 billion and 0.008% - over $20 billion. The Sub-Administrator’s fee is paid by the Adviser and will result in no additional expenses to the Fund.
42
Counsel
Paul Hastings LLP, 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166, serves as the Trust’s legal counsel.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”), 300 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10017, serves as the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm. PwC provides audit services and tax return preparation services in connection with the Funds.
Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Dividend Disbursing Agent
The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM”), located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286, is the Custodian for the Fund’s cash and securities. BNYM is also the Transfer Agent and performs the shareholder services and acts as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent. BNYM does not assist in or is responsible for investment decisions involving assets of the Fund.
Distributor
G.distributors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of GAMI, having its principal offices located at One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422, is the Funds’ distributor. G.distributors, LLC, serves as the distributor of shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 5,000 shares or multiples thereof (“Creation Units”) for each of the Funds on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities that are purchased or sold by the each of the Funds.
The board has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for the funds. However, no Rule 12b-1 plan fee is currently charged to the funds, and there are no plans in place to impose a Rule 12b-1 plan fee. The plan, if implemented, is designed to benefit each fund and its shareholders. The plan is expected to, among other things, increase advertising of the funds, encourage purchases of fund shares and service to its shareholders, and increase or maintain assets of the funds so that certain fixed expenses may be spread over a broader asset base, with a positive impact on per share expense ratios. In addition, a positive cash flow into the fund is useful in managing the fund because the advisor has more flexibility in taking advantage of new investment opportunities and handling shareholder redemptions.
Under the plan, the funds pay the distributor or others for the expenses of activities that are primarily intended to sell shares of the funds. These expenses also may include service fees paid to securities dealers or others who have executed a servicing agreement with a fund, the distributor or its affiliates and who provide service or account maintenance to shareholders (service fees); and the expenses of printing prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes, of marketing support and of preparing and distributing sales literature and advertisements. Together, these expenses, including the service fees, are “eligible expenses.” Such payments would be fixed and not based on expenses incurred by the distributor.
In addition to the payments that the distributor or others are entitled to under the plan, the plan also provides that to the extent a fund, the advisor or the distributor or other parties on behalf of the fund, the advisor or the distributor make payments that are deemed to be for the financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of fund shares within the context of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, then such payments shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to the plan.
To the extent fees are for distribution or marketing functions, as distinguished from administrative servicing or agency transactions, certain banks may not participate in the plan because of applicable federal law prohibiting certain banks from engaging in the distribution of fund shares. These banks, however, are allowed to receive fees under the plans for administrative servicing or for agency transactions.
The distributor must provide written reports to the board at least quarterly on the amounts and purpose of any payment made under the plans and any related agreements, and furnish the board with such other information as the board may reasonably request to enable it to make an informed determination of whether the plan should be continued.
The plan has been approved according to the provisions of Rule 12b-1. The terms and provisions of the plan also are consistent with Rule 12b-1.
43
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
The Adviser and its affiliates currently serve as investment adviser to a number of investment companies and private account clients and may in the future act as adviser to others. It is the policy of the Adviser and its affiliates to allocate investments suitable and appropriate for each such client in a manner believed by the Adviser to be equitable to each client. In making such allocations among a Fund and other client accounts, the main factors considered are the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the portfolios of the Fund and other client accounts.
Under each Contract the Adviser is authorized on behalf of a Fund to employ brokers to effect the purchase or sale of portfolio securities with the objective of obtaining prompt, efficient, and reliable execution and clearance of such transactions at the most favorable price obtainable (“best execution”) at a reasonable expense. The Adviser is permitted to (1) direct Fund portfolio brokerage to G.research, an affiliate of the Adviser and a broker-dealer member of FINRA; and (2) pay commissions to brokers other than G.research which are higher than what might be charged by another qualified broker to obtain brokerage and/or research services considered by the Adviser to be useful or desirable for its investment management of a Fund and/or other advisory accounts under the management of the Adviser and any investment adviser affiliated with it. The Adviser does not consider the sales of shares of a Fund or other investment funds managed by the Adviser and its affiliates by brokers, including G.research, as a factor in its selection of brokers or dealers for a Fund’s portfolio transactions and has adopted compliance policies and procedures for itself and its affiliates to prevent any such transactions on that basis.
Transactions on U.S. stock exchanges involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions, which may vary among brokers. Transactions in securities other than those for which a securities exchange is the principal market are generally executed through a principal market maker. However, such transactions may be effected through a brokerage firm and a commission is paid whenever it appears that the broker can obtain a price that is at least as favorable taking into account its commissions. In general, there may be no stated commission on principal transactions in OTC securities, but the prices of such securities usually include undisclosed commissions or markups. Option transactions will usually be effected through a broker and a commission will be charged. A Fund also expects that securities will be purchased at times in underwritten offerings where the price includes a fixed amount of compensation generally referred to as a concession or discount.
The Adviser currently serves as investment adviser to a number of investment company clients and private accounts and may in the future act as adviser to others. Affiliates of the Adviser act as investment adviser to numerous private accounts and adviser to other investment companies. It is the policy of the Adviser and its affiliates to cause purchase and sale transactions to be allocated among a Fund and others whose assets they manage in such manner as it deems equitable. In making such allocations among a Fund and other client accounts, the main factors considered are the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held, and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the portfolios of the Fund and other client accounts.
The policy of a Fund regarding purchases and sales of securities and options for its portfolio is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient execution of transactions. In seeking to implement a Fund’s policies, the Adviser effects transactions with those brokers and dealers who the Adviser believes can obtain the most favorable prices and are capable of providing efficient executions. If the Adviser believes such price and execution are obtainable from more than one broker or dealer, it may give consideration to placing portfolio transactions with those brokers or dealers who also furnish research and other services to a Fund or the Adviser of the type described in Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act. In doing so, a Fund may also pay higher commission rates than the lowest available when the Adviser believes it is reasonable to do so in light of the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the broker effecting the transaction. Such services may include, but are not limited to, any one or more of the following: (i) information as to the availability of securities for purchase or sale; (ii) statistical or factual information or opinions pertaining to investments; (iii) wire services; and (iv) appraisals or evaluations of potential and existing investments.
Research services furnished by brokers or dealers through which a Fund effects security transactions are used by the Adviser and its advisory affiliates in carrying out their responsibilities with respect to all of their accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. Such investment information may be useful only to one or more of such other accounts. The purpose of this sharing of research information is to avoid duplicative charges for research provided by brokers and dealers. Neither a Fund nor the Adviser has any agreement or legally binding understanding with any broker or dealer regarding any specific amount of brokerage commissions which will be paid in recognition of such services. However, in determining the amount of portfolio commissions directed to such brokers or dealers, the Adviser considers the level of services provided and, based on such determinations, the Adviser allocated brokerage commissions of $578, $987, $292, and $2,471 for Growth Innovators Fund, Love Our Planet Fund, Automation Fund, and Financial Services Fund, respectively, on portfolio transactions in the principal amount of $4,301,280, $5,779,302, $1,503,864, and $6,388,447, and $4,551,575 for the Growth Innovators Fund, the Love Our Planet Fund, the Automation Fund, the Financial Services Fund, and the Aerospace and Defense Fund, respectively, during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. The average commissions on these transactions were $0.02, $0.03, $0.05, $0.03, and $0.02, per share for the Growth Innovators Fund, the Love Our Planet Fund, the Automation Fund, the Financial Services Fund, and the Aerospace and Defense Fund, respectively.
44
The following tables set forth certain information regarding the payment of brokerage commissions by each of the Growth Innovators Fund, the Love Our Planet Fund, the Automation Fund, the Financial Services Fund and the Aerospace and Defense Fund for the fiscal years ended December 31, as indicated:
Growth Innovators Fund
Year
ended December 31 |
Commissions Paid |
||||||
Total Brokerage Commissions | 2021* | $ | 974.33 | ||||
2022 | $ | 891.43 | |||||
2023 | $ | 924.43 | |||||
Commissions paid to G.research | 2021* | $ | 941.18 | ||||
2022 | $ | 578.40 | |||||
2023 | $ | 646.72 | |||||
% of Total Brokerage Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 69.96 | % | ||||
% of Total Transactions involving Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 91.87 | % |
Love Our Planet Fund
Year
ended December 31 |
Commissions Paid |
||||||
Total Brokerage Commissions | 2021** | $ | 4,869.32 | ||||
2022 | $ | 5,871.62 | |||||
2023 | $ | 6,979.46 | |||||
Commissions paid to G.research | 2021** | $ | 4,448.66 | ||||
2022 | $ | 987.43 | |||||
2023 | $ | 415.30 | |||||
% of Total Brokerage Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 5.95 | % | ||||
% of Total Transactions involving Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 15.87 | % |
Automation Fund
Year
ended December 31 |
Commissions Paid |
||||||
Total Brokerage Commissions | 2022*** | $ | 2,961.96 | ||||
2023 | $ | 2,708.55 | |||||
Commissions paid to G.research | 2022*** | $ | 292.00 | ||||
2023 | $ | 14.00 | |||||
% of Total Brokerage Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 0.52 | % | ||||
% of Total Transactions involving Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 7.72 | % |
Financial Services Fund
Year
ended December 31 |
Commissions Paid |
||||||
Total Brokerage Commissions | 2022**** | $ | 8,514.56 | ||||
2023 | $ | 7,278.94 | |||||
Commissions paid to G.research | 2022**** | $ | 2,470.74 | ||||
2023 | $ | 539.20 | |||||
% of Total Brokerage Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 7.41 | % | ||||
% of Total Transactions involving Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 26.04 | % |
45
Aerospace and Defense Fund
Year
ended December 31 |
Commissions Paid |
||||||
Total Brokerage Commissions | 2023***** | $ | 1,536.11 | ||||
Commissions paid to G.research | 2023***** | $ | 624.30 | ||||
% of Total Brokerage Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 40.64 | % | ||||
% of Total Transactions involving Commissions paid to G.research | 2023 | 51.97 | % |
* | For the period from commencement of operations on February 16, 2021 through December 31, 2021. | |
** | For the period from commencement of operations on February 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. | |
*** | For the period from commencement of operations on January 5, 2022 through December 31, 2022. | |
**** | For the period from commencement of operations on May 10, 2022 through December 31, 2022. | |
***** | For the period from commencement of operations on January 3, 2023 through December 31, 2023. |
Investment research obtained by allocations of a Fund’s brokerage is used to augment the scope and supplement the internal research and investment strategy capabilities of the Adviser but does not reduce the overall expenses of the Adviser to any material extent. Such investment research may be in written form or through direct contact with individuals and includes information on particular companies and industries as well as market, economic, or institutional activity areas. Research services furnished by brokers through which a Fund effects securities transactions are used by the Adviser and its advisory affiliates in carrying out their responsibilities with respect to all of their accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. Such investment information may be useful only to one or more of the other accounts of the Adviser and its advisory affiliates, and research information received for the commissions of those particular accounts may be useful both to a Fund and one or more of such other accounts.
The Adviser may also place orders for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities with G.research when it appears that, as an introducing broker or otherwise, G.research can obtain a price, execution, and commission which is at least as favorable as that obtainable by other qualified brokers and at a commission rate at least as favorable as it provides to its best customers for similar transactions. As required by Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act, the Board has adopted procedures which provide that the commissions paid to G.research on brokerage transactions must not exceed those which would have been charged by another qualified broker or member firm able to effect the same or a comparable transaction at an equally favorable price or it is what G.research charges its most favored customers on similar transactions. Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act and the Trust’s procedures contain requirements that the Board, including the Independent Trustees, review such commissions and transactions quarterly and procedures at least annually to determine their continuing appropriateness. The Adviser and G.research are also required to furnish reports and maintain records in connection with such reviews.
To obtain the best execution of portfolio trades on the NYSE, G.research controls and monitors the execution of such transactions on the floor of the NYSE through independent “floor brokers” or the Designated Order Turnaround System of the NYSE. Such transactions are then cleared, confirmed to a Fund for the account of G.research, and settled directly with the Custodian of a Fund by a clearing house member firm which remits the commission less its clearing charges to the G.research. G.research may also effect a Fund’s portfolio transactions in the same manner and pursuant to the same arrangements on other national securities exchanges which adopt direct access rules similar to those of the NYSE. In addition, G.research may directly execute transactions for the Funds on the floor of any exchange, provided: (i) the Trust’s Board has expressly authorized G.research to effect such transactions; and (ii) G.research annually advises the Fund of the aggregate compensation it earned on such transactions. The Fund, excluding the Growth Innovators Fund, the Love Our Planet Fund, Automation Fund, and Financial Services Fund, did not commence operations as of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and, therefore, did not pay any brokerage commissions during that period.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Growth Innovators Fund, the Love Our Planet Fund, the Automation Fund, the Financial Services Fund, and the Aerospace and Defense Fund did not purchase securities of their regular broker-dealers or their parent company.
BUYING AND SELLING OF SHARES
Information about buying and selling Fund shares is contained in the Funds’ prospectus. The prospectus is available to investors without charge and may be obtained by calling 800-GABELLI (800-422-3554) or through the Internet at www.gabelli.com.
46
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The NAV is calculated separately for the shares of the Fund on the Business Day. The NYSE is open Monday through Friday, but currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively.
The Fund’s NAV is determined as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the value of the Fund’s net assets, i.e. the value of its securities and other assets less its liabilities, including expenses payable or accrued by the total number of shares outstanding at the time the determination is made. As discussed in the “Purchase and Sale of Shares” section, although the Fund’s NAV is only computed once each regular trading day, the Fund’s VIIV will be broadcast each second throughout the course of a regular trading day.
Equity securities listed or traded on a national securities exchange or traded in the U.S. over-the-counter market where trades are reported contemporaneously and for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the last quoted sale or a market’s official closing price at the close of the exchange’s or other market’s regular trading hours, as of or prior to the time and day as of which such value is being determined.
Portfolio securities traded on more than one national securities exchange or market are valued according to the broadest and most representative market as determined by the Adviser. If there has been no sale on the day the valuation is made, the securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and ask prices on the principal market for such security on such day. If no ask prices are quoted on such day, then the security is valued at the closing bid price on the principal market for such security on such day. If no bid or ask prices are quoted on such day, the Fund’s accounting agent will notify the Adviser and the security will be valued based on written or standing instructions from the Adviser and/or the Pricing Committee.
Initial public offering securities are initially valued at cost. Upon commencement of trading, these securities are valued like any other equity security.
Information regarding the Fund’s NAV and how often shares of the Fund traded on the Listing Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund will be posted to the Fund’s website when it becomes available.
NYSE Closings
The holidays (as observed) on which the NYSE is closed, and therefore days upon which shareholders cannot redeem shares, currently are: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING TAXES
General
Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax issues concerning the Funds and the purchase, ownership, and disposition of a Fund’s shares by U.S. persons who hold their shares as capital assets (generally, assets held for investment). This discussion is based upon present provisions of the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative ruling authorities, all of which are subject to change, which change may be retroactive. This discussion does not purport to be complete or to address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to investors in light of their particular circumstances. No ruling has been or is expected to be sought from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or opinion of counsel regarding any matter discussed herein. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position different from any of the tax aspects set forth below. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisers with regard to the U.S. federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, or disposition of shares of a Fund, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, foreign country, or other taxing jurisdiction.
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Each Fund has elected to qualify and intends to continue to qualify on an annual basis as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. Accordingly, a Fund must, among other things, (a) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities, or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures, or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies, and net income from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships,” i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or that are readily tradable on a secondary market (or the substantial equivalent thereof), other than partnerships that derive 90% or more of their gross income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the taxable year (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities of (I) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and the securities of other regulated investment companies), (II) any two or more issuers (other than securities of other regulated investment companies) that it controls (by owning at least 20% of such issuer’s outstanding voting securities) and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or (III) any one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.”
A Fund may be able to cure a failure to derive 90% of its income from the sources specified above or a failure to diversify its holdings in the manner described above by paying a tax, by disposing of certain assets, or by paying a tax and disposing of assets. If, in any taxable year, a Fund fails one of these tests and does not timely cure the failure, such Fund will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by such Fund in computing its taxable income.
Although in general the passive activity loss rules of the Code do not apply to regulated investment companies, such rules do apply to a regulated investment company with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. Fund investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the Fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise, or withholding tax liabilities.
As a regulated investment company, a Fund generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on income and gains that it distributes to shareholders, if at least 90% of such Fund’s investment company taxable income (which includes, among other items, dividends, interest, and the excess of any net short term capital gains over net long term capital losses) and 90% of the Fund’s net tax-exempt income for the taxable year is distributed (or deemed distributed) in that taxable year. Any income or gains retained by a Fund will be subject to regular corporate-level income taxes. In addition, if the Fund were to fail to meet its annual distribution requirement or otherwise fail to qualify as a regulated investment company in any given year, that Fund would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on all of its taxable income and gains in that year. There is no assurance that a Fund will make sufficient distributions to eliminate all taxes at the Fund level in all periods.
A Fund will determine either to distribute or to retain for reinvestment all or part of any net long term capital gains. If any such gains are retained by any Fund, that Fund will be subject to tax on such retained amount. In that event, a Fund expects that it will designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders, each of whom (1) will be required to include in income for tax purposes as long term capital gains, its share of the undistributed amount, (2) will be entitled to credit its proportionate share of the tax paid by that Fund against its federal income tax liability and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liability, and (3) will increase its basis in its shares of that Fund by an amount equal to the amount of undistributed capital gains included in such shareholder’s gross income net of such tax.
Under the Code, amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax at the Fund level. To avoid the tax, a Fund must distribute during each calendar year an amount equal to at least the sum of (1) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (2) 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses for the one year period generally ending on October 31 of the calendar year (unless an election is made by a Fund with a November or December year-end to use such Fund’s fiscal year) and (3) certain ordinary income and net capital gains for previous years that were not previously distributed. To avoid application of the excise tax, each Fund intends to make distributions in accordance with calendar year distribution requirements.
Gains or losses on the sale of securities by a Fund will be long term capital gains or losses if the securities have been held by such Fund for more than twelve months. Gains or losses on the sale of securities held for twelve months or less will be short term capital gains or losses.
Certain options, futures contracts, and options on futures contracts are “section 1256 contracts.” Any gains or losses on section 1256 contracts are generally considered 60% long term and 40% short term capital gains or losses (“60/40”). Also, section 1256 contracts held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year are “marked-to-market” with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they were realized and the resulting gain or loss is treated as 60/40 gain or loss.
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Hedging transactions undertaken by a Fund may result in “straddles” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules may affect the character of gains (or losses) realized by a Fund. In addition, losses realized by a Fund on positions that are part of a straddle may be deferred under the straddle rules, rather than being taken into account in calculating the taxable income for the taxable year in which such losses are realized. Further, a Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry any positions that are part of a straddle. A Fund may make one or more of the elections available under the Code which are applicable to straddles. If a Fund makes any of the elections, the amount, character, and timing of the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions will be determined under rules that vary according to the election(s) made. The rules applicable under certain of the elections accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions.
Because application of the straddle rules may affect the character of gains or losses, defer losses, and/or accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions, and require the capitalization of interest expense, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long term capital gain, as described below, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to a Fund that did not engage in such hedging transactions.
Distributions
Dividends and other distributions by a Fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, a distribution will be treated as paid during the calendar year if it is paid during the calendar year or declared by a Fund in October, November, or December of that year, payable to shareholders of record on a date during any such month and paid by such Fund during January of the following year. Any such distributions paid during January of the following year will be deemed to be received on December 31 of the year the distributions are declared, rather than when the distributions are received.
Except as provided below, distributions of investment company taxable income are taxable to a U.S. shareholder as ordinary income. Properly designated distributions attributable to qualified dividends received by the Fund from certain U.S. and non-U.S. corporations are taxable to U.S. shareholders who are individuals at the reduced rate applicable to long term capital gains, provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met. Properly designated dividends paid by a Fund to a corporate shareholder, to the extent such dividends are attributable to dividends received by a Fund from U.S. corporations, may, subject to limitations, be eligible for the dividends received deduction.
Properly designated distributions of net capital gain (which consist of the excess of net long term capital gains over net short term capital losses) (“capital gain dividends”), if any, are taxable as long term capital gain, regardless of how long the shareholder has held its Fund shares, and are not eligible for the dividends received deduction. If the NAV of shares is reduced below a shareholder’s cost as a result of a distribution by the Fund, such distribution may be taxable even though it represents a partial return of invested capital in an economic sense. The price of shares purchased at any time may reflect the amount of a forthcoming distribution. Those purchasing shares just prior to a distribution will receive a distribution which will be taxable to them, even though the distribution represents in part a return of invested capital. Funds may make taxable distributions even during periods in which share price has declined.
If a Fund’s distributions exceed such Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a tax free return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s basis in its shares (reducing the basis of such shares accordingly). Amounts exceeding the shareholder’s basis will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of the shares (capital gains, if the shareholder holds his shares as capital assets).
Disposition of Shares
Upon a redemption, sale or exchange of shares, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss depending upon the basis in the shares. Such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss if the shares of capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and for non-corporate shareholders, long term-capital gain or loss, if the shareholder’s holding period for the shares is more than twelve months. Any loss realized on a redemption, sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced (including through reinvestment of Fund dividends) within a sixty-one day period beginning thirty days before and ending thirty days after the date the shares are disposed of. In such case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
Any loss realized by a shareholder on the redemption, sale, or exchange of Fund shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated for tax purposes as a long term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of net capital gains (including amounts credited as an undistributed capital gain dividend) received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.
If a shareholder (i) incurs a sales load charge in acquiring shares in a Fund and, by reason of incurring such charge or acquiring the shares, acquires the right to acquire shares of one or more regulated investment companies without the payment of a load charge or with the payment of a reduced load charge (a “reinvestment right”), and (ii) disposes of Fund shares before the 91st day after the date on which the shares were acquired and subsequently acquires shares in a Fund or in another regulated investment company before January 31 of the calendar year following the year of such disposition whereby the otherwise applicable load charge is reduced by reason of the reinvestment right, then the original load charge will not be taken into account for the purposes of determining the shareholder’s gain or loss on the disposition (to the extent the original load charge does not exceed the reduction in the subsequent load charge) subject to certain exceptions. To the extent such charge is not taken into account in determining the amount of gain or loss, the charge will be treated as incurred in connection with the subsequently acquired shares and will have a corresponding effect on the shareholder’s basis in such shares.
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Tax on Net Investment Income
Certain U.S. holders who are individuals, estates or trusts and whose income exceeds certain thresholds will be required to pay a 3.8% federal tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes dividends received from a Fund and capital gains from the sale or other disposition of a Fund’s stock.
Backup Withholding
The Trust generally will be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, currently at a rate of 24%, or Social Security number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability if timely filings are made to the IRS.
Other Taxes
Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state, local, and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation. Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax rules that differ significantly from those summarized above, including the likelihood that ordinary income dividends distributed to them will be subject to withholding of U.S. tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower treaty rate, if applicable), or that distributions may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax at a rate of 30% in the case of certain non-U.S. entities that fail to satisfy applicable reporting and certification requirements regarding their owners and/or account holders. Under proposed Treasury regulations, which may be relied upon by taxpayers until final regulations are published, there is no FATCA withholdings on certain capital gains distributions and gross proceeds from a sale or disposition of Fund shares (See FATCA, below).
If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to a Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not exempted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Foreign Withholding Taxes
Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. It is impossible to determine the rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of a Fund’s assets to be invested in various countries is not known. Each Fund does not expect that it will be eligible to elect to pass through to their shareholders the ability to use the foreign tax deduction or foreign tax credit for foreign taxes paid by a Fund with respect to qualifying taxes.
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”)
A 30% withholding tax on a Fund’s distributions generally applies if paid to a foreign entity unless: (i) if the foreign entity is a “foreign financial institution,” it undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding and certification obligations, (ii) if the foreign entity is not a “foreign financial institution,” it identifies certain of its U.S. investors or (iii) the foreign entity is otherwise excepted under FATCA. If required under the rules above, and subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreements, withholding under FATCA applies generally with respect to distributions from a Fund. Under proposed Treasury regulations, which may be relied upon by taxpayers until final Treasury regulations are published, there is no FATCA withholdings on certain capital gains distributions and gross proceeds from a sale or disposition of Fund shares. If withholding is required under FATCA on a payment related to your shares, investors that otherwise would not be subject to withholding (or that otherwise would be entitled to a reduced rate of withholding) on such payment generally will be required to seek a refund or credit from the IRS to obtain the benefits of such exemption or reduction. A Fund will not pay any additional amounts in respect to amounts withheld under FATCA. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect of FATCA based on your individual circumstances.
Special Federal Income Tax Rules
Certain of the Funds’ investment practices are subject to special and complex federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend, or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower taxed long term capital gain or qualified dividend income into higher taxed short term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is limited), (iv) cause a Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur and (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions. Each Fund will monitor its transactions and may, but is not required to, make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions.
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INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
From time to time, a Fund may quote its performance in advertisements or in reports and other communications to shareholders, computed according to formulas prescribed by the SEC.
A Fund’s performance will vary from time to time depending upon market conditions, the composition of its portfolio, and its operating expenses. Consequently, any given performance quotation should not be considered representative of a Fund’s performance for any specified period in the future. In addition, when considering “average” total return figures for periods longer than one year, it is important to note that a Fund’s annual total returns for any one year in the period might have been greater or less than the average for the entire period. In addition, because the performance will fluctuate, it may not provide a basis for comparing an investment in a Fund with certain bank deposits or other investments that pay a fixed yield for a stated period of time. Investors comparing a Fund’s performance with that of other funds should give consideration to the quality and maturity of the respective investment companies’ portfolio securities.
In reports or other communications to shareholders or in advertising material, a Fund may compare its performance with that of other funds as listed in the rankings prepared by Lipper Inc., Morningstar, Inc., or similar independent services that monitor the performance of funds or other industry or financial publications. It is important to note that the total return figures are based on historical results and are not intended to indicate future performance. Shareholders may make inquiries regarding the Fund’s total return figures to the Distributor.
In its reports, investor communications or advertisements, a Fund may also include: (i) descriptions and updates concerning its strategies and portfolio investments; (ii) its goals, risk factors, and expenses compared with other funds; (iii) analysis of its investments by industry, country, credit quality, and other characteristics; (iv) a discussion of the risk/return continuum relating to different investments; (v) the general biography or work experience of the portfolio manager of a Fund; (vi) portfolio manager commentary or market updates; (vii) discussion of macroeconomic factors affecting the Fund and its investments; and (viii) other information of interest to investors.
In connection with communicating its yield or total return to current or prospective shareholders, a Fund may also compare these figures to the performance of other funds tracked by Fund rating services or to other unmanaged indexes which may assume reinvestment of dividends but generally do not reflect deductions for administrative and management costs.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS’ SHARES
The shares of a Fund represent a beneficial interest in that Fund’s securities and other assets and in its profits or losses.
Information for Shareholders
All shareholder inquiries regarding administrative procedures including the purchase and redemption of shares should be directed to the Distributor, G.distributors, LLC, One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422. For assistance, call 800- GABELLI (800-422-3554) or through the internet at www.gabelli.com.
The Trust will send unaudited reports at least semiannually, and annual reports containing audited financial statements, to all of its shareholders.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Funds’ Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, including the Report of PwC, independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated by reference to the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders. The Funds’ Annual Report is available upon request at no charge by calling 800-GABELLI (800-422-3554) or through the internet at www.gabelli.com.
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APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF CORPORATE DEBT RATINGS
MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. (“Moody’s”)
Aaa: | Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk. |
Aa: | Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk. |
A: | Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk. |
Baa: | Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics. |
Ba: | Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk. |
B: | Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to very high credit risk. |
Caa: | Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk. |
Ca: | Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest. |
C: | Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest. |
NR: | NR is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program. |
Should no rating be assigned, the reason may be one of the following:
1. | An application for rating was not received or accepted. |
2. | The issue or issuer belongs to a group of securities that are not rated as a matter of policy. |
3. | There is a lack of essential data pertaining to the issue or issuer. |
4. | The issue was privately placed, in which case the rating is not published in Moody’s publications. |
Suspension or withdrawal may occur if new and material circumstances arise, the effects of which preclude satisfactory analysis; if there is no longer available reasonable up-to-date data to permit a judgment to be formed; if a bond is called for redemption; or for other reasons.
Note: | Moody’s appends numerical modifiers, 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of its generic rating category. Additionally, a “(hyb)” indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. |
STANDARD & POOR’S RATINGS SERVICES (“S&P”)
AAA: | An obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong. |
AA: | An obligation rated ‘AA’ differs from the highest rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong. |
A: | An obligation rated ‘A’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong. |
A-1
BBB: | An obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. |
BB,
B, CCC, CC, C: |
Obligations rated ‘BB’, ‘B’, ‘CCC’, ‘CC’, and ‘C’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions. |
BB: | An obligation rated ‘BB’ is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. |
B: | An obligation rated ‘B’ is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. |
CCC: | An obligation rated ‘CCC’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. |
CC: | An obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The ‘CC’ rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default. |
C: | An obligation rated ‘C’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared to obligations that are rated higher. |
D: | An obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation’s rating is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer. |
NR: | This indicates that no rating has been requested or that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy. |
Description of S&P and Moody’s commercial paper ratings:
The designation A-1 by S&P indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong. Capacity for timely payment on issues with an A-2 designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1.
The rating Prime-1 (P-1) is the highest commercial paper rating assigned by Moody’s. Issuers of P-1 paper must have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations, and ordinarily will be evidenced by leading market positions in well-established industries, high rates of return of Funds employed, conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection, broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation, and well established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
A-2