TOEWS
HEDGED OCEANA FUND
Ticker
Symbol: THIDX
TOEWS
TACTICAL INCOME FUND
Ticker
Symbol: THHYX
TOEWS
HEDGED U.S. FUND
Ticker
Symbol: THLGX
TOEWS
HEDGED U.S. OPPORTUNITY FUND
Ticker
Symbol: THSMX
TOEWS
UNCONSTRAINED INCOME FUND
Ticker
Symbol: TUIFX
TOEWS
TACTICAL DEFENSIVE ALPHA FUND
Ticker
Symbol: TTDAX
PROSPECTUS
August 28, 2024
Advised by: | |
Toews Corporation | |
1750 Zion Road, Suite 201 | |
Northfield, NJ 08225 | |
www.ToewsCorp.com | 1-877-558-6397 |
This Prospectus provides important information about the Funds that you should know before investing. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference. These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS HEDGED OCEANA FUND | 1 | |
FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS TACTICAL INCOME FUND | 6 | |
FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS HEDGED U.S. FUND | 11 | |
FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS HEDGED U.S. OPPORTUNITY FUND | 16 | |
FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS UNCONSTRAINED INCOME FUND | 21 | |
FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS TACTICAL DEFENSIVE ALPHA FUND | 27 | |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS | 33 | |
Investment Objectives | 33 | |
Principal Investment Strategies | 33 | |
Common Investment Strategies | 37 | |
Temporary Investments | 40 | |
Principal Investment Risks | 40 | |
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure | 45 | |
Cybersecurity | 45 | |
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS | 46 | |
Investment Adviser | 46 | |
Portfolio Managers | 47 | |
NET ASSET VALUE | 47 | |
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES | 48 | |
REDEMPTIONS | 50 | |
EXCHANGES | 52 | |
TAX STATUS, DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS | 53 | |
MARKET TIMING | 54 | |
DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES | 54 | |
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS | 55 | |
PRIVACY NOTICE | 61 |
FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS HEDGED OCEANA FUND |
Investment Objectives:
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) | None |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions | None |
Redemption Fee | None |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fees | 1.00% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.49% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1) | 0.04% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.53% |
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(2) | (0.24)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.29% |
(1) | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund. | |
(2) | The Fund’s adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund, through at least August 31, 2025, to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Reimbursement (exclusive of any (i) front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with instruments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example options and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; (vii) other fees related to underlying investments; (such as option fees and expenses or swap fees and expenses); or (viii) extraordinary expenses such as litigation (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees or contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the adviser) will not exceed 1.25%; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years on a rolling three year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed), if such recoupment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such expenses were waived, and (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of recoupment. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees on 60 days’ written notice to the adviser. |
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example further assumes that the expense limitation described in the footnotes to the fee table is in effect only until the end of the 1-year period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
$131 | $460 | $812 | $1,803 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 138% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies:
The adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives by investing primarily in securities linked to “developed market” issuers outside the U.S. or stock indices compromised of non-U.S. developed market issuers, as well as ETFs, futures contracts, investment grade fixed-income securities, cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities) and futures contracts on investment grade fixed-income securities and US Treasury securities. The Fund defines non-U.S. developed markets as those countries included in the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index (the “FTSE Index”). As of May 2024, the FTSE Index countries are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Similarly, the Fund defines non-U.S. developed market derivatives as those linked to securities of issuers in FTSE Index countries.
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The adviser employs what it defines as a “tactical” strategy by investing in a combination of securities and derivatives that it believes will produce economic exposure along a continuum similar to that of the securities in the FTSE Index. The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. During unfavorable market conditions there may be periods when the Fund will take a significant position in cash or cash equivalents. The adviser may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of the FTSE Index.
The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts, and derivatives on equities and equity indices. Short selling is an investment strategy that speculates on the decline in the price of a security.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis, including monitoring price movements and momentum, of developed international markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and derivatives to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the countries that make up the FTSE Index. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to securities representative of the FTSE Index. Equity index futures contracts trade on margin. To gain exposure to an Equity index futures contract, a certain percentage of the Fund’s assets may be allocated to a futures broker as collateral. This collateral amount is much less than the notional exposure to the underlying index. The Fund may allocate the cash or securities not needed for collateral to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities and/or fixed income derivatives. The Fund’s allocation to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities may be significant. The Fund’s adviser may engage in active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities and derivatives to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives.
Principal Risks:
As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance. The Fund is not designed to be a complete investment program.
● | Allocation Risk: The risk that if the Fund’s strategy for allocating assets among different assets classes does not work as intended, the Fund may not achieve its objective or may underperform other funds with the same or similar investment strategy. |
● | Credit Risk: Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. For high-yield bonds, changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly-rated securities. These securities can also be thinly traded or have restrictions on resale, making them difficult to sell at an acceptable price. |
● | Derivatives Risk: The Fund may execute an investment strategy or hedge by entering into derivative contracts such as futures and swaps, which can be riskier than traditional investments because they involve leverage, may be illiquid, may suffer counterparty default and may limit gains. |
● | ETF and Underlying Fund Risk: ETFs and Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory fees and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on its investments. ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. The market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that 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 basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF share trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value. |
● | Fixed Income Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. |
● | Foreign Risk: The Fund could be subject to greater risks because the Fund’s performance may depend on issues other than the performance of a particular company or U.S. market sector. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a mutual fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. The value of foreign securities is also affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. |
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● | Futures Risk: Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. Futures contracts may become mispriced or improperly valued when compared to the adviser’s expectation and may not produce the desired investment results. Additionally, changes in the value of futures contracts may not track or correlate perfectly with the underlying index because of temporary, or even long-term, supply and demand imbalances and because futures do not pay dividends unlike the stocks upon which they are based. |
● | Hedging Risk: When the adviser believes market conditions are unfavorable, the adviser may attempt to “hedge” with defensive positions and strategies including holding substantial positions in foreign or domestic fixed-income securities and/or cash equivalents, which may limit potential gains when compared to unhedged funds. |
● | Interest Rate Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed-income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of the fixed-income securities owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. |
● | Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated at or above investment grade (BBB/Baa or higher). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest. |
● | Issuer Risk: Fund value might decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual company or issuer in the Fund’s portfolio. The value of an individual issuer can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of certain types of companies or issuers can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. |
● | Management Risk: The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the adviser’s investment model. The models used by the adviser to determine or guide investment decisions may not achieve the objectives of the Fund. The adviser’s assessment of the attractiveness and potential appreciation of particular investments or markets in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results. |
● | Margin Risk: Certain derivatives require the Fund to make margin payments, a form of security deposit intended to protect against nonperformance of the derivative contract. The Fund may have to post additional margin if the value of the derivative position changes in a manner adverse to the Fund. Derivatives may be difficult to value, which may result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet additional margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a disadvantageous time. |
● | Market and Geopolitical Risk: The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate-change and climate-related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, international conflicts, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. It is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund. The COVID-19 global pandemic had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long any future impacts of the significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may impact your investment. Therefore, the Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates can have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. In times of severe market disruptions you could lose your entire investment. |
● | Options Risk: There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options. As the buyer of a put or call option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the Fund does not exercise the option. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security falls below the strike price. As the seller (writer) of a call option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security rises above the strike price. |
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● | Portfolio Turnover Risk: Portfolio turnover results in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance. |
● | Short Sales Risk: The Fund will engage in short selling and short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Positions in shorted securities and derivatives are speculative and more risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the cost of the replacement security or derivative is unknown. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short is unlimited, whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes selling securities short could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. |
● | Tax Inefficiency: The adviser expects that most of the gains generated by the Fund will be categorized as short-term capital gains which will be subject to higher tax rates than long-term capital gains. Given the potential tax-inefficiency of the Fund, investors should consider investing through a tax-deferred account and carefully consider the tax consequences before investing. |
● | U.S. Treasury Risk: Although the Fund invests in short-term Treasury obligations, an investment in the Fund is subject to risk even if all securities in the Fund are paid in full at maturity. All money market instruments, including U.S. Treasury obligations, can change in value in response to changes in interest rates, and a major change in rates could cause the share price to change. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, an investment in the Fund is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. government or any other government agency. |
Performance:
The bar chart and performance table below show the variability of the Fund’s returns, which is some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows performance of the Fund’s shares for each full calendar year since the Fund’s inception. The performance table compares the performance of the Fund’s shares over time to the performance of a broad-based securities market index. You should be aware that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling 1-877-558-6397.
Performance
Bar Chart
Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best Quarter: | 3/31/2017 | 7.37% |
Worst Quarter: | 12/31/2011 | (16.74)% |
The total return for Fund shares from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 was 2.81%.
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Performance
Table
Average Annual Total Returns
(For periods ended December 31,
2023)
One Year |
Five Years |
Ten Years |
Since
Inception of the Fund (6-4-10) | |
Return before taxes | 11.21% | 3.61% | 0.58% | 0.32% |
Return after taxes on distributions | 10.39% | 3.15% | 0.32% | 0.03% |
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | 6.62% | 2.62% | 0.34% | 0.16% |
MSCI
EAFE Index* (reflects no deduction for fees, expense or taxes) |
18.24% | 8.16% | 4.28% | 6.64% |
* | The MSCI EAFE Index (Europe, Australasia, Far East) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the US & Canada. The MSCI EAFE Index consists of the following 21 developed market country indices: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Investors cannot invest directly in an index or benchmark. |
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rate and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on a shareholder’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your Fund shares in tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRA”).
Adviser: Toews Corporation is the Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers: Phillip Toews, President, Jason Graffius, Chief Operating Officer, Randall Schroeder, Managing Director of Synthesis Investments, and Charles Collins, Head of Trading, each of the adviser, serve as the Fund’s Co-Portfolio Managers and are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Messrs. Toews and Schroeder have each served the Fund in this capacity since the Fund commenced operations in 2010. Mr. Graffius has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2014. Mr. Collins has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2017.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The minimum initial investment to open any type of account is $10,000. The minimum subsequent investment is $100 for all accounts. You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Redemptions requests may be made in writing, by telephone, on the Fund’s website, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by check or wire transfer.
Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-free plan. Withdrawals from your tax-free plan may be taxable.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS TACTICAL INCOME FUND |
Investment Objectives:
The Fund seeks to provide a high level of current income.
A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) | None |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions | None |
Redemption Fee | None |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fees | 1.00% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.23% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1) | 0.24% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.47% |
(1) | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund. |
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
$150 | $465 | $803 | $1,757 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 465% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies:
The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives by tactically investing in a portfolio of income-producing securities, including high-yield bonds, investment grade bonds, municipal bonds, U.S. Treasuries and/or cash/cash equivalents. In order to gain exposure to these securities the Fund invests primarily in (1) exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) and open-end investment companies (“Underlying Funds”) that primarily invest in or are otherwise exposed to domestic and foreign high-yield debt instruments (also known as “junk bonds”) (2) futures total return swaps or credit default swaps that used high yield debt instruments or high yield indexes as reference assets; (3) other U.S. or foreign fixed-income securities of any rating; (4) iBoxx iShares High Yield Corporate Bond Futures contracts or other futures contracts and (5) U.S. or foreign cash equivalents.
The adviser employs what it defines as a “tactical” strategy by investing in a combination of securities and derivatives that it believes will produce a high level of income, when in a bullish posture economic exposure of this Fund could be invested up to 100% in high yield debt instruments that the adviser believes will have a similar return to that of the securities in the BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Cash Pay Index. The Fund defines high yield debt instruments as corporate bonds or other bonds or debt instrument that are generally rated lower than Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or lower than BBB by S&P (below investment grade).
The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions, and when the adviser determines such conditions exist, the Fund will attempt to uncorrelate from the overall bond market by taking a defensive position and/or be allocated 100% to U.S. Treasuries and/or short-term fixed income securities, U.S. or foreign cash or cash equivalents. The Fund may invest in US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity. The Fund may invest in derivatives or futures contracts that derive the value from US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity.
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The Fund may hold equity index futures contracts and/or other derivatives. The advisor may sell short the iBoxx iShares High Yield Corporate Bond Futures contract to hedge the economic exposure of the Fund. The adviser also may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the broad-based US and foreign stock indices and, with respect to the high-yield bond segments of the portfolio, the high-yield bond market as a whole.
The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts and derivatives on equities and equity indices. Short selling is an investment strategy that speculates on the decline in the price of a security.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis, including monitoring price movements and momentum, of high-yield bond markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and derivatives to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the various fixed income markets. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to the high-yield bond market.
Principal Risks:
As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance.
● | Allocation Risk: The risk that if the Fund’s strategy for allocating assets among different assets classes does not work as intended, the Fund may not achieve its objective or may underperform other funds with the same or similar investment strategy. |
● | Below-Investment Grade Securities Risk: High-yield, high-risk securities, commonly called “junk bonds,” are considered speculative. While generally providing greater income than investments in higher-quality securities, these lower-quality securities will involve greater risk of principal and income that higher-quality securities, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of the security. Like other fixed-income securities, the value of high-yield securities will also fluctuate as interest rates change. |
● | Credit Default Swap Risk: Credit default swaps (“CDS”) are typically two-party financial contracts that transfer credit exposure between the two parties. Under a typical CDS, one party (the “seller”) receives pre-determined periodic payments from the other party (the “buyer”). The seller agrees to make compensating specific payments to the buyer if a negative credit event occurs, such as the bankruptcy or default by the issuer of the underlying debt instrument. The use of CDS involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions, such as potentially heightened counterparty, concentration and exposure risks. |
● | Credit Risk: Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. For high-yield bonds, changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly-rated securities. These securities can also be thinly traded or have restrictions on resale, making them difficult to sell at an acceptable price. |
● | Derivatives Risk: The Fund may execute an investment strategy or hedge by entering into derivative contracts such as futures, total return swaps and credit default swaps, which can be riskier than traditional investments because they involve leverage risk, tracking risk, may be illiquid, and may suffer counterparty default. There is a risk that adverse price movements in a swap instrument can result in a loss substantially greater than the Fund’s initial investment in that instrument (in some cases, the potential loss is unlimited). |
● | ETF and Underlying Fund Risk: ETFs and Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory fees and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on its investments. ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. The market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that 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 basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF share trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value. |
● | Fixed Income Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. |
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● | Foreign Risk: The Fund could be subject to greater risks because the Fund’s performance may depend on issues other than the performance of a particular company or U.S. market sector. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a mutual fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. The value of foreign securities is also affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. |
● | Futures Risk: The Fund’s use of futures involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) leverage risk (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying index. Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. |
● | Hedging Risk: When the adviser believes market conditions are unfavorable, the adviser may attempt to “hedge” with defensive positions and strategies including holding substantial positions in foreign or domestic fixed-income securities and/or cash equivalents, which may limit potential gains when compared to unhedged funds. |
● | Interest Rate Risk: When the Fund invests in bonds or in underlying funds that own bonds, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. |
● | Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated at or above investment grade (BBB/Baa or higher). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest. |
● | Issuer Risk: Fund value might decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual company or issuer in the Fund’s portfolio. The value of an individual issuer can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of certain types of companies or issuers can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. |
● | Liquidity Risk: Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations. |
● | Management Risk: The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the adviser’s investment model. The models used by the adviser to determine or guide investment decisions may not achieve the objectives of the Fund. The adviser’s assessment of the attractiveness and potential appreciation of particular investments or markets in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results. |
● | Margin Risk: Certain derivatives require the Fund to make margin payments, a form of security deposit intended to protect against nonperformance of the derivative contract. The Fund may have to post additional margin if the value of the derivative position changes in a manner adverse to the Fund. Derivatives may be difficult to value, which may result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet additional margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a disadvantageous time. |
● | Market and Geopolitical Risk: The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate change and climate-related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, international conflicts, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. It is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund. The COVID-19 global pandemic had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long any future impacts of the significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may impact your investment. Therefore, the Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates can have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. In times of severe market disruptions you could lose your entire investment. |
● | Options Risk: There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options. As the buyer of a put or call option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the Fund does not exercise the option. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security falls below the strike price. As the seller (writer) of a call option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security rises above the strike price. |
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● | Portfolio Turnover Risk: Portfolio turnover results in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance. |
● | Short Selling and Short Position Risk: The Fund will engage in short selling and short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Positions in shorted securities and derivatives are speculative and more risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the cost of the replacement security or derivative is unknown. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short is unlimited, whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes selling securities short could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. |
● | Tax Inefficiency: The adviser expects that most of the gains generated by the Fund will be categorized as short-term capital gains which will be subject to higher tax rates than long-term capital gains. Given the potential tax-inefficiency of the Fund, investors should consider investing through a tax-deferred account and carefully consider the tax consequences before investing. |
● | Total Return Swap Risk: In a total return swap, the buyer receives a periodic return equal to the total return of a specified security, securities or index, for a specified period of time. In return, the buyer pays the counterparty a variable stream of payments, typically based upon short term interest rates, possibly plus or minus an agreed upon spread. For example, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed rate of interest, the Fund may have to pay more money than it receives. Total return swaps entered into in which payments are not netted may entail greater risk than a swap entered into a net basis. There is a risk that adverse price movements in an instrument can result in a loss substantially greater than the Fund’s initial investment in that instrument (in some cases, the potential loss is unlimited). If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. However, particularly in the case of privately-negotiated instruments, there is a risk that the counterparty will not perform its obligations, which could leave the Fund worse off than if it had not entered into the position. These instruments are subject to high levels of volatility, in some cases due to the high levels of leverage the Fund may achieve with them. |
● | U.S. Treasury Risk: Although the Fund invests in short-term Treasury obligations, an investment in the Fund is subject to risk even if all securities in the Fund are paid in full at maturity. All money market instruments, including U.S. Treasury obligations, can change in value in response to changes in interest rates, and a major change in rates could cause the share price to change. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, an investment in the Fund is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. government or any other government agency. |
Performance:
The bar chart and performance table below show the variability of the Fund’s returns, which is some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows performance of the Fund’s shares for each full calendar year since the Fund’s inception. The performance table compares the performance of the Fund’s shares over time to the performance of a broad-based securities market index. You should be aware that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling 1-877-558-6397.
Performance
Bar Chart
Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best Quarter: | 12/31/2023 | 6.04% |
Worst Quarter: | 6/30/2022 | (4.07)% |
The total return for Fund shares from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 was 1.38%.
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Performance
Table
Average Annual Total Returns
(For periods ended December 31,
2023)
One Year |
Five Years |
Ten Years |
Since
Inception of the Fund (6-4-10) | |
Return before taxes | 4.50% | 2.31% | 2.64% | 4.11% |
Return after taxes on distributions | 2.64% | 1.08% | 1.27% | 2.50% |
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | 2.62% | 1.25% | 1.42% | 2.51% |
ICE
BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Cash Pay Index* (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
13.47% | 5.24% | 4.52% | 6.15% |
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index** | 5.53% | 1.10% | 1.81% | 2.22% |
* | The ICE BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Cash Pay Index is an unmanaged index used as a general measure of market performance consisting of fixed-rate, coupon-bearing bonds with an outstanding par which is greater than or equal to $50 million, a maturity range greater than or equal to one year and must be less than BBB/Baa3 rated but not in default. Investors cannot invest directly in an index or benchmark. | |
** | Bloomberg U.S Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based benchmark that measures the investment grade, US dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market. The Index includes Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, MBS (agency fixed-rate and hybrid ARM pass-throughs), ABS and CMBS (agency and nonagency). It includes securities that have at least one year to maturity, and have an outstanding par value of at least $250 million. Bonds specifically excluded are tax-exempt municipal securities, inflation-linked bonds, floating-rate issues and convertible bonds. The index is market cap weighted and reconstituted on the last business day of the month. Investors cannot invest directly in an index or benchmark. |
The Fund’s primary benchmark index has been changed to the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, because it is a more appropriate index given the Fund’s strategy and portfolio holdings.
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rate and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on a shareholder’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your Fund shares in tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRA”).
Adviser: Toews Corporation is the Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers: Phillip Toews, President, Jason Graffius, Chief Operating Officer, Randall Schroeder, Managing Director of Synthesis Investments, and Charles Collins, Head of Trading, each of the adviser, serve as the Fund’s Co-Portfolio Managers and are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Messrs. Toews and Schroeder have each served the Fund in this capacity since the Fund commenced operations in 2010. Mr. Graffius has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2014. Mr. Collins has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2017.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The minimum initial investment to open any type of account is $10,000. The minimum subsequent investment is $100 for all accounts. You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Redemptions requests may be made in writing, by telephone, on the Fund’s website, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by check or wire transfer.
Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-free plan. Withdrawals from your tax-free plan may be taxable.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS HEDGED U.S. FUND |
Investment Objectives:
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital.
A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) | None |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions | None |
Redemption Fee | None |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fees | 1.00% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.37% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.37% |
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(1) | (0.12)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.25% |
(1) | The Fund’s adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund, through at least August 31, 2025, to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Reimbursement exclusive of any (i) front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with instruments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example options and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; (vii) other fees related to underlying investments, (such as option fees and expenses or swap fees and expenses); or (viii) extraordinary expenses such as litigation (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees or contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the adviser) will not exceed 1.25%; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years on a rolling three year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed), if such recoupment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such expenses were waived, and (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of recoupment. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees, on 60 days’ written notice to the adviser. |
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example further assumes that the expense limitation described in the footnotes to the fee table is in effect only until the end of the 1-year period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
$127 | $422 | $739 | $1,636 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 3,133% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies:
The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing primarily in equity index futures contracts, as well as U.S. large cap stocks, ETFs that primarily invest in U.S. large cap stocks, investment grade fixed income securities, ETFs that primarily invest in investment grade fixed income securities, cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities) and futures contracts on investment grade fixed-income securities and US Treasury securities. The Fund defines large-cap common stock securities as those securities included in the MSCI US Prime Market Growth Index, the S&P 500 Index, the S&P 500 Growth Index, the Russell 1000 Growth Index, the NASDAQ-100 Index, and/or securities of other broad-based US large-cap stock indices. The 500 companies of the S&P 500 index have a wide range of market cap from nearly $2 trillion down to $1 billion.
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The adviser employs what it defines as a “tactical” strategy by investing in a combination of securities and derivatives that it believes will produce economic exposure along a continuum similar to that of the securities of broad-based US large-cap indices. The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. During unfavorable market conditions there may be periods when the Fund will take a significant position in cash and/or cash equivalents. The adviser also may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the broad-based US large-cap stock indices.
The Fund may purchase/sell put and/or call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts and derivatives on equities and equity indices. Short selling is an investment strategy that speculates on the decline in the price of a security.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis of large-cap equity markets. The adviser monitors, including monitoring price movements and momentum, large-cap equity markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and derivatives to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the broad-based US large-cap indices. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to said indices. Equity index futures contracts trade on margin. To gain exposure to an equity index futures contract, a certain percentage of the Fund’s assets may be allocated to a futures broker as collateral. This collateral amount is much less than the notional exposure to the underlying index. The Fund may allocate the cash or securities not needed for collateral to fixed income ETFs or other fixed income securities and/or in an addition to fixed income derivatives. The Fund’s allocation to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities may be significant. The Fund’s adviser may engage in active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities and derivatives to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives.
Principal Risks:
As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance.
● | Allocation Risk: The risk that if the Fund’s strategy for allocating assets among different assets classes does not work as intended, the Fund may not achieve its objective or may underperform other funds with the same or similar investment strategy. |
● | Common Stock Risk: The net asset value of the Fund will fluctuate based on changes in the value of the U.S. and/or foreign common stocks held by the Fund. Stock prices can fall rapidly in response to developments affecting a specific company or industry, or to changing economic, political or market conditions. |
● | Credit Risk: Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. For high-yield bonds, changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly-rated securities. These securities can also be thinly traded or have restrictions on resale, making them difficult to sell at an acceptable price. |
● | Derivatives Risk: The Fund may execute an investment strategy or hedge by entering into derivative contracts such as futures and swaps, which can be riskier than traditional investments because they involve leverage, may be illiquid, may suffer counterparty default and may limit gains. |
● | ETF and Underlying Fund Risk: ETFs and Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory fees and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on its investments. ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. The market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that 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 basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF share trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value. |
● | Fixed Income Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. |
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● | Futures Risk: Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. Futures contracts may become mispriced or improperly valued when compared to the adviser’s expectation and may not produce the desired investment results. Additionally, changes in the value of futures contracts may not track or correlate perfectly with the underlying index because of temporary, or even long-term, supply and demand imbalances and because futures do not pay dividends unlike the stocks upon which they are based. |
● | Hedging Risk: When the adviser believes market conditions are unfavorable, the adviser may attempt to “hedge” with defensive positions and strategies including holding substantial positions in foreign or domestic fixed-income securities and/or cash equivalents, which may limit potential gains when compared to unhedged funds. |
● | Interest Rate Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed-income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed-income securities owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of fixed-income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. |
● | Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated at or above investment grade (BBB/Baa or higher). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest. |
● | Issuer Risk: Fund value might decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual company or issuer in the Fund’s portfolio. The value of an individual issuer can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of certain types of companies or issuers can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. |
● | Large Cap Risk: Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller capitalization companies. During different market cycles, the performance of large capitalization companies has trailed the overall performance of the broader securities markets. |
● | Management Risk: The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the adviser’s investment model. The models used by the adviser to determine or guide investment decisions may not achieve the objectives of the Fund. The adviser’s assessment of the attractiveness and potential appreciation of particular investments or markets in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results. |
● | Margin Risk: Certain derivatives require the Fund to make margin payments, a form of security deposit intended to protect against nonperformance of the derivative contract. The Fund may have to post additional margin if the value of the derivative position changes in a manner adverse to the Fund. Derivatives may be difficult to value, which may result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet additional margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a disadvantageous time. |
● | Market and Geopolitical Risk: The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate change and climate-related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, international conflicts, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. It is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund. The COVID-19 global pandemic had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long any future impacts of the significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may impact your investment. Therefore, the Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates can have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. In times of severe market disruptions you could lose your entire investment. |
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● | Options Risk: There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options. As the buyer of a put or call option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the Fund does not exercise the option. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security falls below the strike price. As the seller (writer) of a call option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security rises above the strike price. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk: Portfolio turnover results in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance. |
● | Short Sales Risk: The Fund will engage in short selling and short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Positions in shorted securities and derivatives are speculative and more risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the cost of the replacement security or derivative is unknown. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short is unlimited, whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes selling securities short could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. |
● | Tax Inefficiency: The adviser expects that most of the gains generated by the Fund will be categorized as short-term capital gains which will be subject to higher tax rates than long-term capital gains. Given the potential tax-inefficiency of the Fund, investors should consider investing through a tax-deferred account and carefully consider the tax consequences before investing. |
● | U.S. Treasury Risk: Although the Fund invests in short-term Treasury obligations, an investment in the Fund is subject to risk even if all securities in the Fund are paid in full at maturity. All money market instruments, including U.S. Treasury obligations, can change in value in response to changes in interest rates, and a major change in rates could cause the share price to change. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, an investment in the Fund is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. government or any other government agency. |
Performance:
The bar chart and performance table below show the variability of the Fund’s returns, which is some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows performance of the Fund’s shares for each full calendar year since the Fund’s inception. The performance table compares the performance of the Fund’s shares over time to the performance of a broad-based securities market index. You should be aware that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling 1-877-558-6397.
Performance
Bar Chart
Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best Quarter: | 3/31/2012 | 14.20% |
Worst Quarter: | 9/30/2015 | (11.38)% |
The total return for Fund shares from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 was 7.38%.
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Performance
Table
Average Annual Total Returns
(For periods ended December 31, 2023)
One Year |
Five Years |
Ten Years |
Since
Inception of the Fund (6-4-10) | |
Return before taxes | 16.97% | 10.35% | 5.31% | 6.55% |
Return after taxes on distributions | 15.28% | 8.54% | 4.11% | 5.22% |
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | 10.03% | 7.65% | 3.83% | 4.86% |
S&P
500 Total Return Index* (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
26.29% | 15.69% | 12.03% | 13.88% |
* | The S&P 500 Total Return Index is an unmanaged market capitalization-weighted index which is comprised of 500 of the largest U.S. domiciled companies and includes the reinvestment of all dividends. Investors cannot invest directly in an index or benchmark. |
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rate and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on a shareholder’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your Fund shares in tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRA”).
Adviser: Toews Corporation is the Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers: Phillip Toews, President, Jason Graffius, Chief Operating Officer, Randall Schroeder, Managing Director of Synthesis Investments, and Charles Collins, Head of Trading, each of the adviser, serve as the Fund’s Co-Portfolio Managers and are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Messrs. Toews and Schroeder have each served the Fund in this capacity since the Fund commenced operations in 2010. Mr. Graffius has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2014. Mr. Collins has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2017.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The minimum initial investment to open any type of account is $10,000. The minimum subsequent investment is $100 for all accounts. You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Redemptions requests may be made in writing, by telephone, on the Fund’s website, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by check or wire transfer.
Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-free plan. Withdrawals from your tax-free plan may be taxable.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS HEDGED U.S. OPPORTUNITY FUND |
Investment Objectives:
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital.
A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) | None |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions | None |
Redemption Fee | None |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fees | 1.00% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.41% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.41% |
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(1) | (0.16)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.25% |
(1) | The Fund’s adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund, through at least August 31, 2025, to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Reimbursement (exclusive of any (i) front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with instruments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example options and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; (vii) other fees related to underlying investments, (such as option fees and expenses or swap fees and expenses); or (viii) extraordinary expenses such as litigation (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees or contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the adviser) will not exceed 1.25%; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years on a rolling three year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed), if such recoupment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such expenses were waived, and (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of recoupment. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees, on 60 days’ written notice to the adviser. |
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example further assumes that the expense limitation described in the footnotes to the fee table is in effect only until the end of the 1-year period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
$127 | $431 | $756 | $1,677 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 3,059% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies:
The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing primarily in equity index futures contracts on equity indices compromised of U.S. small and mid-cap issuers, small and mid-cap stocks, and ETFs that primarily invest in small and mid-cap issuers as well as investment grade fixed income securities, cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities) and futures contracts on investment grade fixed-income securities and US Treasury securities. The Fund defines small and mid-cap common stock securities as those securities included in the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index, S&P 500 Small-Cap 600 Growth Index, Russell 2000 Index, Russell 2000 Growth Index, MSCI US Small-Cap Growth Index and S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, and securities of other broad-based U.S. small and mid-cap stock indices. To be included in the S&P 400 index, a stock must have an unadjusted total market capitalization that ranges from $3.2 billion to $9.8 billion at the time of addition to the index. The Russell is 800 publicly traded U.S. companies with market caps of between $7.3 billion and the smallest at $257 million.
The Fund may also invest in stocks of U.S. small and mid-cap issuers and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest in such issuers.
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The adviser employs what it defines as a “tactical” strategy by investing in a combination of securities and derivatives that it believes will produce economic exposure along a continuum similar to that of the securities of broad-based US small and mid-cap stock indices. The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. During unfavorable market conditions there may be periods when the Fund will take a significant position in cash and/or cash equivalents. The adviser also may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the U.S. small and mid-cap stock indices.
The Fund purchases/sells put and/or call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts and derivatives on equities and equity indices. Short selling is an investment strategy that speculates on the decline in the price of a security.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis of small and mid-cap equity markets. The adviser monitors, including monitoring price movements and momentum, U.S. equity markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and derivatives to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the broad-based US small and mid-cap stock indices. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to said indices. Equity index futures contracts trade on margin. To gain exposure to an equity index futures contract, a certain percentage of the Fund’s assets may be allocated to a futures broker as collateral. This collateral amount is much less than the notional exposure to the underlying index. The Fund may allocate the cash or securities not needed for collateral to fixed income ETFs or other fixed income securities and/or in an addition to fixed income derivatives. The Fund’s allocation to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities may be significant. The Fund’s adviser may engage in active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities and derivatives to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.
Principal Risks:
As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance.
● | Allocation Risk: The risk that if the Fund’s strategy for allocating assets among different assets classes does not work as intended, the Fund may not achieve its objective or may underperform other funds with the same or similar investment strategy. |
● | Common Stock Risk: The net asset value of the Fund will fluctuate based on changes in the value of the U.S. and/or foreign common stocks held by the Fund. Stock prices can fall rapidly in response to developments affecting a specific company or industry, or to changing economic, political or market conditions. |
● | Credit Risk: Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. For high-yield bonds, changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly-rated securities. These securities can also be thinly traded or have restrictions on resale, making them difficult to sell at an acceptable price. |
● | Derivatives Risk: The Fund may execute an investment strategy or hedge by entering into derivative contracts such as futures and swaps, which can be riskier than traditional investments because they involve leverage, may be illiquid, may suffer counterparty default and may limit gains. |
● | ETF and Underlying Fund Risk: ETFs and Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory fees and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on its investments. ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. The market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that 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 basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF share trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value. |
● | Fixed Income Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. |
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● | Futures Risk: The Fund’s use of futures contracts involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) leverage risk (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying index. Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. |
● | Hedging Risk: When the adviser believes market conditions are unfavorable, the adviser may attempt to “hedge” with defensive positions and strategies including holding substantial positions in foreign or domestic fixed-income securities and/or cash equivalents, which may limit potential gains when compared to unhedged funds. |
● | Interest Rate Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed-income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of the fixed-income securities owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. |
● | Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated at or above investment grade (BBB/Baa or higher). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest. |
● | Issuer Risk: Fund value might decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual company or issuer in the Fund’s portfolio. The value of an individual issuer can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of certain types of companies or issuers can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. |
● | Management Risk: The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the adviser’s investment model. The models used by the adviser to determine or guide investment decisions may not achieve the objectives of the Fund. The adviser’s assessment of the attractiveness and potential appreciation of particular investments or markets in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results. |
● | Margin Risk: Certain derivatives require the Fund to make margin payments, a form of security deposit intended to protect against nonperformance of the derivative contract. The Fund may have to post additional margin if the value of the derivative position changes in a manner adverse to the Fund. Derivatives may be difficult to value, which may result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet additional margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a disadvantageous time. |
● | Market and Geopolitical Risk: The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate change and climate-related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, international conflicts, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. It is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund. The COVID-19 global pandemic had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long any future impacts of the significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may impact your investment. Therefore, the Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates can have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. In times of severe market disruptions you could lose your entire investment. |
● | Options Risk: There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options. As the buyer of a put or call option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the Fund does not exercise the option. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security falls below the strike price. As the seller (writer) of a call option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security rises above the strike price. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk: Portfolio turnover results in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance. |
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● | Short Sales Risk: The Fund will engage in short selling and short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Positions in shorted securities and derivatives are speculative and more risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the cost of the replacement security or derivative is unknown. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short is unlimited, whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes selling securities short could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. |
● | Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Risk: Small-cap and mid-cap companies may be more vulnerable than larger, more established organizations to adverse business or economic developments. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, and they may be dependent on a limited management group. |
● | Tax Inefficiency: The adviser expects that most of the gains generated by the Fund will be categorized as short-term capital gains which will be subject to higher tax rates than long-term capital gains. Given the potential tax-inefficiency of the Fund, investors should consider investing through a tax-deferred account and carefully consider the tax consequences before investing. |
● | U.S. Treasury Risk: Although the Fund invests in short-term Treasury obligations, an investment in the Fund is subject to risk even if all securities in the Fund are paid in full at maturity. All money market instruments, including U.S. Treasury obligations, can change in value in response to changes in interest rates, and a major change in rates could cause the share price to change. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, an investment in the Fund is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. government or any other government agency. |
Performance:
The bar chart and performance table below show the variability of the Fund’s returns, which is some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows performance of the Fund’s shares for each full calendar year since the Fund’s inception. The performance table compares the performance of the Fund’s shares over time to the performance of a broad-based securities market index. You should be aware that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling 1-877-558-6397.
Performance
Bar Chart
Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best Quarter: | 12/31/2020 | 19.15% |
Worst Quarter: | 9/30/2011 | (12.12)% |
The total return for Fund shares from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 was (4.17)%.
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Performance
Table
Average Annual Total Returns
(For periods ended December 31, 2023)
One Year |
Five Years |
Ten Years |
Since
Inception of the Fund (6-4-10) | |
Return before taxes | 9.18% | 6.91% | 1.71% | 3.78% |
Return after taxes on distributions | 8.87% | 5.69% | 1.01% | 2.81% |
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | 5.43% | 5.11% | 1.15% | 2.75% |
S&P 500 Total Return Index* | 26.29% | 15.69% | 12.03% | 13.88% |
Morningstar US Small Cap Total Return Index*** | 20.59% | 10.88% | 7.56% | 10.86% |
* | The S&P 500 Total Return Index is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks. The index is designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries. The Total Return version of the index is shown. Investors cannot invest directly in an index. | |
** | The Morningstar US Small Cap Total Return Index measures the performance of stocks issued by small-capitalization companies that are domiciled or principally traded in the United States. Investors cannot invest directly in an index or benchmark. |
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rate and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on a shareholder’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your Fund shares in tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRA”).
Adviser: Toews Corporation is the Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers: Phillip Toews, President, Jason Graffius, Chief Operating Officer, Randall Schroeder, Managing Director of Synthesis Investments, and Charles Collins, Head of Trading, each of the adviser, serve as the Fund’s Co-Portfolio Managers and are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Messrs. Toews and Schroeder have each served the Fund in this capacity since the Fund commenced operations in 2010. Mr. Graffius has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2014. Mr. Collins has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2017.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The minimum initial investment to open any type of account is $10,000. The minimum subsequent investment is $100 for all accounts. You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Redemptions requests may be made in writing, by telephone, on the Fund’s website, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by check or wire transfer.
Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-free plan. Withdrawals from your tax-free plan may be taxable.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS UNCONSTRAINED INCOME FUND |
Investment Objectives:
The Fund seeks to provide income and long-term growth of capital.
A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) | None |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions | None |
Redemption Fee | None |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fees | 1.00% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.44% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1) | 0.19% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.63% |
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(2) | (0.19)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.44% |
(1) | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund. | |
(2) | The Fund’s adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund, through at least August 31, 2025, to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Reimbursement exclusive of any (i) front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with instruments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example options and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; (vii) other fees related to underlying investments, (such as option fees and expenses or swap fees and expenses); or (viii) extraordinary expenses such as litigation (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees or contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the adviser) will not exceed 1.25%; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years on a rolling three year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed), if such recoupment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such expenses were waived, and (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of recoupment. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees, on 60 days’ written notice to the adviser. |
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example further assumes that the expense limitation described in the footnotes to the fee table is in effect only until the end of the 1-year period.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
$147 | $496 | $869 | $1,917 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 722% of the average value of its portfolio.
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Principal Investment Strategies:
The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s primary investment objective by investing in: (1) exchange traded funds and open-end investment companies (“Underlying Funds”) that primarily invest in or are otherwise exposed to domestic or foreign debt instruments, including developed or emerging market high-yield debt instruments (also known as “junk bonds”); (2) total return swaps and credit default swaps that use high yield debt instruments or high yield indexes as reference assets; (3) U.S. or foreign fixed-income securities, including developed or emerging market fixed income securities (of any rating and varying maturities), and structured notes; (4) preferred stocks; and (5) mortgage-related fixed income instruments of varying maturities (such as mortgage pass-through securities; collateralized mortgage obligations; mortgage-backed securities; asset-backed securities; senior, subordinated and junior subordinated mortgage notes and mortgage dollar rolls). The Fund may also invest a portion of its assets in private placement offerings, including mortgage-related fixed income instruments, which may be illiquid. The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk. During unfavorable market conditions, and when the adviser determines such conditions exist, the Fund will take a defensive position and/or be allocated 100% to U.S. Treasuries securities or short-term fixed income securities, U.S. or foreign cash or cash equivalents. The Fund may invest in US Treasury securities of any duration or maturity. The Fund may also invest in futures contracts on such US Treasury securities.
The Fund may invest in either U.S. or foreign securities or issuers, without limitation with respect to the amount or type of foreign security and these investments may include securities of issuers in developed or emerging markets.
The Fund may invest in both investment-grade fixed income securities and high yield fixed income securities (“junk bonds”). The Fund defines high-yield debt instruments as corporate bonds or other bonds or debt instruments that are generally rated lower than Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or lower than BBB- by S&P (below investment grade). Up to 100% of the Fund’s assets may be invested in instruments generally rated below Caa3 by Moody’s or CCC- by S&P or derivatives of such instruments. The Fund may invest in high yield bonds directly or through derivative instruments designed to replicate some or all of the features of an underlying portfolio of high yield bonds, such as credit default swaps. The Fund may invest in and/or short equity index futures contracts.
The adviser also may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the broad-based US and foreign stock indices and, with respect to the high-yield bond segments of the portfolio, the high-yield bond market as a whole.
The Fund may employ an options strategy. The Fund may purchase put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. The Fund may also buy put options on or sell short equity index ETFs. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period.
The adviser may engage in active and frequent trading to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives.
Principal Risks:
As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance.
● | Allocation Risk: The risk that if the Fund’s strategy for allocating assets among different assets classes does not work as intended, the Fund may not achieve its objective or may underperform other funds with the same or similar investment strategy. |
● | Below-Investment Grade Securities Risk: High-yield, high-risk fixed income securities, commonly called “junk bonds,” are considered speculative. While generally providing greater income than investments in higher-quality securities, these lower- quality securities will involve greater risk of principal and income that higher-quality securities, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of the security. Like other fixed-income securities, the value of high-yield securities will also fluctuate as interest rates change. |
● | Credit Default Swap Risk: Credit default swaps (“CDS”) are typically two-party financial contracts that transfer credit exposure between the two parties. Under a typical CDS, one party (the “seller”) receives pre-determined periodic payments from the other party (the “buyer”). The seller agrees to make compensating specific payments to the buyer if a negative credit event occurs, such as the bankruptcy or default by the issuer of the underlying debt instrument. The use of CDS involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions, such as potentially heightened counterparty, concentration and exposure risks. |
● | Credit Risk: Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. For high-yield bonds, changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly-rated securities. These securities can also be thinly traded or have restrictions on resale, making them difficult to sell at an acceptable price. |
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● | Derivatives Risk: Even a small investment in derivatives (which include options, futures, swap contracts such as total return swaps or credit default swaps, forward contracts and other transactions) may give rise to leverage risk (which can increase volatility and magnify the Fund’s potential for loss), and can have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance. Derivatives are also subject to credit risk (the counterparty may default) and liquidity risk (the Fund may not be able to sell security or otherwise exit the contract in a timely manner). |
● | Emerging Market Risk: Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less- developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid. |
● | ETF and Underlying Fund Risk: ETFs and Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory fees and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on its investments. ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. The market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that 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 basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF share trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value. |
● | Fixed Income Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. |
● | Foreign Risk: The Fund could be subject to greater risks because the Fund’s performance may depend on issues other than the performance of a particular company or U.S. market sector. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a mutual fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. The value of foreign securities is also affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. |
● | Hedging Risk: When the adviser believes market conditions are unfavorable, the adviser may attempt to “hedge” with defensive positions and strategies including holding substantial positions in foreign or domestic fixed-income securities and/or cash equivalents, which may limit potential gains when compared to unhedged funds. |
● | Interest Rate Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities or in Underlying Funds that own fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. |
● | Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated at or above investment grade (BBB/Baa or higher). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest. |
● | Issuer Risk: Fund value might decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual company or issuer in the Fund’s portfolio. The value of an individual issuer can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of certain types of companies or issuers can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. |
● | Liquidity Risk: Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations. |
● | Management Risk: The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objectives is directly related to the adviser’s investment model. The models used by the adviser to determine or guide investment decisions may not achieve the objectives of the Fund. The adviser’s assessment of the attractiveness and potential appreciation of particular investments or markets in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results. |
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● | Market and Geopolitical Risk: The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate change and climate-related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, international conflicts, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. It is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund. The COVID-19 global pandemic had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long any future impacts of the significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may impact your investment. Therefore, the Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates can have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. In times of severe market disruptions you could lose your entire investment. |
● | Mortgage-Backed, Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Related Instruments Risk: The default rate on underlying mortgage loans or asset loans may be higher than anticipated, potentially reducing payments to the Fund. Default rates are sensitive to overall economic conditions such as unemployment, wage levels and economic growth rates. Mortgage-backed and mortgage- related securities are susceptible to fluctuations in value due to changes in interest rates, are subject to risks associated with the credit quality of the underlying mortgage borrowers, and maturity risk because issuers of securities are able to prepay principal due on these securities, particularly during periods of declining interest rates. Subordinated mortgage-related instruments are considered speculative, subject to liquidity risk and severe losses in the event of default by a borrower. |
● | Options Risk: There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options. As the buyer of a put or call option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the Fund does not exercise the option. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security falls below the strike price. As the seller (writer) of a call option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security rises above the strike price. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk: Portfolio turnover results in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance. |
● | Preferred Stock Risk: Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit and default risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments. |
● | Private Placement Risks: The Fund may invest in private placement offerings of investment funds or unregistered securities, including mortgage-related fixed income instruments. Certain investment instruments and techniques that a private fund may use are speculative and involve a high degree of risk. Because of the speculative nature of a private fund’s investments and trading strategies, the Fund may suffer a significant or complete loss of its invested capital in one or more private funds. A shareholder will also bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying funds in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. In addition, interests in any private placement may also be illiquid. |
● | Short Sales Risk: The Fund will engage in short selling and short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Positions in shorted securities and derivatives are speculative and more risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the cost of the replacement security or derivative is unknown. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short is unlimited, whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes selling securities short could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. |
● | Tax Inefficiency: The adviser expects that most of the gains generated by the Fund will be categorized as short-term capital gains which will be subject to higher tax rates than long-term capital gains. Given the potential tax-inefficiency of the Fund, investors should consider investing through a tax-deferred account and carefully consider the tax consequences before investing. |
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● | Total Return Swap Risk: In a total return swap, the buyer receives a periodic return equal to the total return of a specified security, securities or index, for a specified period of time. In return, the buyer pays the counterparty a variable stream of payments, typically based upon short term interest rates, possibly plus or minus an agreed upon spread. For example, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed rate of interest, the Fund may have to pay more money than it receives. Total return swaps entered into in which payments are not netted may entail greater risk than a swap entered into a net basis. There is a risk that adverse price movements in an instrument can result in a loss substantially greater than the Fund’s initial investment in that instrument (in some cases, the potential loss is unlimited). If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. However, particularly in the case of privately-negotiated instruments, there is a risk that the counterparty will not perform its obligations, which could leave the Fund worse off than if it had not entered into the position. These instruments are subject to high levels of volatility, in some cases due to the high levels of leverage the Fund may achieve with them. |
● | Underlying Fund Risk: Underlying Funds, including ETFs and other investment companies, are subject to investment advisory fees and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in Underlying Funds and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Each Underlying Funds is subject to specific risks, depending on its investments. |
● | U.S. Treasury Risk: Although the Fund invests in short-term Treasury obligations, an investment in the Fund is subject to risk even if all securities in the Fund are paid in full at maturity. All money market instruments, including U.S. Treasury obligations, can change in value in response to changes in interest rates, and a major change in rates could cause the share price to change. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, an investment in the Fund is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. government or any other government agency. |
Performance:
The bar chart and performance table below show the variability of the Fund’s returns, which is some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows performance of the Fund’s shares for each full calendar year since the Fund’s inception. The performance table compares the performance of the Fund’s shares over time to the performance of a broad-based securities market index. You should be aware that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling 1-877-558-6397.
Performance
Bar Chart
Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best Quarter: | 12/31/2023 | 3.55% |
Worst Quarter: | 3/31/2018 | (2.78)% |
The total return for Fund shares from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 was 1.30%.
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Performance
Table
Average Annual Total Returns
(For periods ended December 31,
2023)
One Year |
Five Years |
Ten Years |
Since
Inception of the Fund (8-28-13) | |
Return before taxes | 3.08% | 1.54% | 1.60% | 1.74% |
Return after taxes on distributions | 1.37% | 0.63% | 0.61% | 0.71% |
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | 1.80% | 0.80% | 0.80% | 0.89% |
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index* | 5.53% | 1.10% | 1.81% | 1.85% |
* | The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged index which represents the U.S. investment-grade fixed-rate bond market (including government and corporate securities, mortgage pass-through securities and asset-backed securities). Investors cannot invest directly in an index or benchmark. |
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rate and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on a shareholder’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your Fund shares in tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRA”).
Adviser: Toews Corporation is the Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers: Phillip Toews, President, Jason Graffius, Chief Operating Officer, Randall Schroeder, Managing Director of Synthesis Investments, and Charles Collins, Head of Trading, each of the adviser, serve as the Fund’s Co-Portfolio Managers and are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Messrs. Toews and Schroeder have each served the Fund in this capacity since the Fund commenced operations in 2013. Mr. Graffius has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2014. Mr. Collins has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2017.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The minimum initial investment to open any type of account is $10,000. The minimum subsequent investment is $100 for all accounts. You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Redemptions requests may be made in writing, by telephone, on the Fund’s website, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by check or wire transfer.
Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-free plan. Withdrawals from your tax-free plan may be taxable.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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FUND SUMMARY: TOEWS TACTICAL DEFENSIVE ALPHA FUND |
Investment Objectives:
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital.
A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) | None |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions | None |
Redemption Fee | None |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fees | 1.00% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.34% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1) | 0.02% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.36% |
Fee Waiver and/or Reimbursement(2) | (0.09)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Reimbursement | 1.27% |
(1) | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund. | |
(2) | The Fund’s adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund, through at least August 31, 2025, to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Reimbursement exclusive of any (i) front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with instruments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example options and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; (vii) other fees related to underlying investments, (such as option fees and expenses or swap fees and expenses); or (viii) extraordinary expenses such as litigation (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees or contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the adviser) will not exceed 1.25%; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years on a rolling three year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed), if such recoupment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such expenses were waived, and (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of recoupment. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees, on 60 days’ written notice to the adviser. |
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example further assumes that the expense limitation described in the footnotes to the fee table is in effect only until the end of the 1-year period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
$129 | $422 | $736 | $1,627 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 669% of the average value of its portfolio.
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Principal Investment Strategies:
The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing primarily in: (1) derivative instruments including but not limited to futures contracts on equity indices comprised of issuers of any capitalization, (2) fixed income securities and (3) cash equivalents. The Fund may also invest directly in stocks of U.S. issuers of any capitalization, foreign large cap stocks and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest primarily in common stock. For the purpose of the Fund, foreign large cap stocks are defined as stocks from the universe of the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Fixed-income securities and cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities) may be of any duration or maturity. The Fund may also invest in futures contracts on such fixed-income securities and US Treasury securities.
“Alpha” in the Fund’s name refers to the adviser’s attempt over a long term market cycle to position Fund assets in blend indices during rising markets and attempting to exit to lower volatility stocks during declining markets, the Fund seeks to add alpha, which refers to excess total returns earned on an investment above the benchmark return at a similar or lower level of volatility. The adviser’s strategy allocates assets among stocks or equity index futures contracts representing varying capitalizations. The adviser anticipates the Fund’s assets will be allocated as follows, based upon an analysis of long-term historical returns and volatility of various asset classes:
Asset Class Allocation | Allocation Target | Allocation Range |
Small Cap Stocks | 25% | 0% to 50% |
Mid Cap Stocks | 25% | 0% to 40% |
Large Cap Stocks | 20% | 10% to 100% |
Foreign Large Cap Stocks | 30% | 0% to 50% |
Generally, the defensive position for this Fund will be defined as stocks or other instruments that are representative of low volatility stocks or instruments. However, there may be periods when the Fund will take a significant position in cash.
Each asset class will be allocated independently of the others. This means the Fund may not be allocated to each asset class at any one time and the Fund may maintain a position in one or more asset classes while being in a defensive position for one or more others. Based on the adviser’s proprietary algorithmic signal, the Fund could re-allocate its portfolio from 100% large cap stocks to the allocations indicated above.
Equity index futures contracts trade on margin. To gain exposure to an Equity index futures contract, a certain percentage of the Fund’s assets may be allocated to a futures broker as collateral. This collateral amount is much less than the notional exposure to the underlying index. The Fund may allocate the cash or securities not needed for collateral to fixed income ETFs or other fixed income securities and/or in an addition to fixed income derivatives. The Fund’s allocation to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities may be significant.
The Fund may hold equity index futures contracts and/or other derivatives. The Fund may invest in US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity. The Fund may invest in derivatives or futures contracts that derive the value from US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity.
The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts on equities and equity indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis of equity markets. The adviser monitors, the price movement and momentum, of equity markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and equity index futures to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to broad- based indices or vary the allocation of asset class allocations. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to equity asset class. The Fund’s adviser may engage in active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.
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Principal Risks:
As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance.
● | Allocation Risk: The risk that if the Fund’s strategy for allocating assets among different assets classes does not work as intended, the Fund may not achieve its objective or may underperform other funds with the same or similar investment strategy. |
● | Common Stock Risk: The net asset value of the Fund will fluctuate based on changes in the value of the U.S. and/or foreign common stocks held by the Fund. Stock prices can fall rapidly in response to developments affecting a specific company or industry, or to changing economic, political or market conditions. |
● | Credit Risk: Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. For high-yield bonds, changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly-rated securities. These securities can also be thinly traded or have restrictions on resale, making them difficult to sell at an acceptable price. |
● | Derivatives Risk: Even a small investment in derivatives (which include options, futures, swap contracts such as total return swaps or credit default swaps, forward contracts and other transactions) may give rise to leverage risk (which can increase volatility and magnify the Fund’s potential for loss), and can have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance. Derivatives are also subject to credit risk (the counterparty may default) and liquidity risk (the Fund may not be able to sell security or otherwise exit the contract in a timely manner). |
● | Emerging Markets Risk: In addition to the risks generally associated with investing in securities of foreign companies, countries with emerging markets also may have relatively unstable governments, social and legal systems that do not protect shareholders, economies based on only a few industries, and securities markets that trade a small number of issues. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions. |
● | ETF and Underlying Fund Risk: ETFs and Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory fees and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on its investments. ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. The market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that 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 basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF share trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value. |
● | Fixed Income Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. |
● | Foreign Risk: The Fund could be subject to greater risks because the Fund’s performance may depend on issues other than the performance of a particular company or U.S. market sector. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a mutual fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. The value of foreign securities is also affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. |
● | Futures Risk: The Fund’s use of futures contracts involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) leverage risk (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying index. Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. |
● | Hedging Risk: When the adviser believes market conditions are unfavorable, the adviser may attempt to “hedge” with defensive positions and strategies including holding substantial positions in foreign or domestic fixed-income securities and/or cash equivalents, which may limit potential gains when compared to unhedged funds. |
● | Interest Rate Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed-income securities owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of fixed-income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. |
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● | Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated at or above investment grade (BBB/Baa or higher). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest. |
● | Issuer Risk: Fund value might decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual company or issuer in the Fund’s portfolio. The value of an individual issuer can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of certain types of companies or issuers can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. |
● | Large Cap Risk: Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller capitalization companies. During different market cycles, the performance of large capitalization companies has trailed the overall performance of the broader securities markets. |
● | Management Risk: The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the adviser’s investment model. The models used by the adviser to determine or guide investment decisions may not achieve the objectives of the Fund. The adviser’s assessment of the attractiveness and potential appreciation of particular investments or markets in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results. |
● | Margin Risk: Certain derivatives require the Fund to make margin payments, a form of security deposit intended to protect against nonperformance of the derivative contract. The Fund may have to post additional margin if the value of the derivative position changes in a manner adverse to the Fund. Derivatives may be difficult to value, which may result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet additional margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a disadvantageous time. |
● | Market and Geopolitical Risk: The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate change and climate-related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, international conflicts, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. It is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund. The COVID-19 global pandemic had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long any future impacts of the significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may impact your investment. Therefore, the Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates can have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. In times of severe market disruptions you could lose your entire investment. |
● | Options Risk: There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security falls below the strike price. As the seller (writer) of a call option, the Fund will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security rises above the strike price. As the buyer of a put or call option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the Fund does not exercise the option. |
● | Portfolio Turnover Risk: Portfolio turnover results in higher brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs and may result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in the Fund’s performance. |
● | Short Sales Risk: The Fund will engage in short selling and short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Positions in shorted securities and derivatives are speculative and more risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the cost of the replacement security or derivative is unknown. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short is unlimited, whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes selling securities short could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. |
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● | Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Companies Risk: Direct investments in individual small and mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable than larger, more established organizations to adverse business or economic developments. In particular, small capitalization companies may have limited product lines, markets, and financial resources and may be dependent upon a relatively small management group. |
● | Tax Inefficiency: The adviser expects that most of the gains generated by the Fund will be categorized as short-term capital gains which will be subject to higher tax rates than long-term capital gains. Given the potential tax-inefficiency of the Fund, investors should consider investing through a tax-deferred account and carefully consider the tax consequences before investing. |
● | U.S. Treasury Risk: Although the Fund invests in short-term Treasury obligations, an investment in the Fund is subject to risk even if all securities in the Fund are paid in full at maturity. All money market instruments, including U.S. Treasury obligations, can change in value in response to changes in interest rates, and a major change in rates could cause the share price to change. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, an investment in the Fund is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. government or any other government agency. |
Performance:
The bar chart and performance table below show the variability of the Fund’s returns, which is some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows performance of the Fund’s shares for each full calendar year since the Fund’s inception. The performance table compares the performance of the Fund’s shares over time to the performance of a broad-based securities market index. You should be aware that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling 1-877-558-6397.
Performance
Bar Chart
Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best Quarter: | 6/30/2020 | 20.66% |
Worst Quarter: | 3/31/2020 | (19.48)% |
The total return for Fund shares from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 was 2.51%.
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Performance
Table
Average Annual Total Returns
(For periods ended December 31,
2023)
One Year |
Five Years |
Since
Inception of the Fund (1-7-16) | |
Return before taxes | 7.68% | 7.56% | 7.27% |
Return after taxes on distributions | 6.69% | 5.04% | 4.91% |
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | 4.66% | 5.30% | 5.05% |
S&P
500 Total Return Index* (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
26.29% | 15.69% | 13.97% |
MSCI
World Net Total Return USD Index* (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
23.79% | 12.80% | 11.08% |
* | The S&P 500 Total Return Index is an unmanaged market capitalization-weighted index which is comprised of 500 of the largest U.S. domiciled companies and includes the reinvestment of all dividends. Investors cannot invest directly in an index or benchmark. | |
** | The MSCI World Net Total Return USD Index captures large and mic cap representation across 23 Developed Markets (DM) countries. With 1,157 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country. |
After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rate and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on a shareholder’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your Fund shares in tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRA”).
The Fund’s primary benchmark index has been changed to the MSCI World Net Total Return USD Index because it is a more appropriate index given the Fund’s strategy and portfolio holdings.
Adviser: Toews Corporation is the Fund’s investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers: Phillip Toews, President, Jason Graffius, Chief Operating Officer, Randall Schroeder, Managing Director of Synthesis Investments, and Charles Collins, Head of Trading, each of the adviser, serve as the Fund’s Co-Portfolio Managers and are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Messrs. Toews, Schroeder, and Graffius have served the Fund in this capacity since the Fund commenced operations in 2016. Mr. Collins has served the Fund in this capacity since August 2017.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The minimum initial investment to open any type of account is $10,000. The minimum subsequent investment is $100 for all accounts. You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Redemptions requests may be made in writing, by telephone, on the Fund’s website, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by check or wire transfer.
Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-free plan. Withdrawals from your tax-free plan may be taxable.
Payments
to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the
Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank),
the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund
shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to
recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your
financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT |
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS |
Investment Objectives
Fund | Investment Objectives |
Toews Hedged Oceana Fund | The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. |
Toews Tactical Income Fund | The Fund seeks to provide a high level of current income. A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. |
Toews Hedged U.S. Fund | The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. |
Toews Hedged U.S. Opportunity Fund | The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. |
Toews Unconstrained Income Fund | The Fund seeks to provide income and long-term growth of capital. A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. |
Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund | The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. A secondary objective of the Fund is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. |
Each Fund’s investment objectives are a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.
Principal Investment Strategies
Toews Hedged Oceana Fund
Principal Investment Strategies: The adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives by investing primarily securities linked to “developed market” issuers outside the U.S. or stock indices compromised of non-U.S. developed market issuers, as well as ETFs, futures contracts investment grade fixed-income securities, cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities) and futures contracts on investment grade fixed-income securities and US Treasury securities. The Fund defines non-U.S. developed markets as those countries included in the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index (the “FTSE Index”). As of May 2024, the FTSE Index countries are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Similarly, the Fund defines non-U.S. developed market derivatives as those linked to securities of issuers in FTSE Index countries.
The adviser employs what it defines as a “tactical” strategy by investing in a combination of securities and derivatives that it believes will produce economic exposure along a continuum similar to that of the securities in the FTSE Index. The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. During unfavorable market conditions there may be periods when the Fund will take a significant position in cash or cash equivalents. The adviser may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of the FTSE Index.
The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts, and derivatives on equities and equity indices. Short selling is an investment strategy that speculates on the decline in the price of a security.
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The adviser primarily uses technical analysis, including monitoring price movements and momentum, of developed international markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and derivatives to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the countries that make up the FTSE Index. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to securities representative of the FTSE Index. Equity index futures contracts trade on margin. To gain exposure to an Equity index futures contract, a certain percentage of the Fund’s assets may be allocated to a futures broker as collateral. This collateral amount is much less than the notional exposure to the underlying index. The Fund may allocate the cash or securities not needed for collateral to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities and/or fixed income derivatives. The Fund’s allocation to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities may be significant. The Fund’s adviser may engage in active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities and derivatives to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.
Toews Tactical Income Fund
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives by tactically investing in a portfolio of income-producing securities, including high-yield bonds, investment grade bonds, municipal bonds, U.S. Treasuries and/or cash/cash equivalents. In order to gain exposure to these securities the fund invests primarily in (1) exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) and open-end investment companies (“Underlying Funds”) (2) futures total return swaps or credit default swaps; (3) other U.S. or foreign fixed-income securities of any rating; (4) iBoxx iShares High Yield Corporate Bond Futures contracts or other futures contracts and (5) U.S. or foreign cash equivalents.
The adviser employs what it defines as a “tactical” strategy by investing in a combination of securities and derivatives that it believes will produce a high level of income, when in a bullish posture economic exposure of this fund could be invested up to 100% in high yield debt instruments that the advisor believes will have a similar return to that of the securities in the BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Cash Pay Index. The Fund defines high yield debt instruments as corporate bonds or other bonds or debt instrument that are generally rated lower that Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or lower than BBB by S&P (below investment grade).
The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions, and when the adviser determines such conditions exist, the Fund will attempt to uncorrelate from the overall bond market by taking a defensive position and/or be allocated 100% to U.S. Treasuries and/or short-term fixed income securities, U.S. or foreign cash or cash equivalents. The Fund may invest in US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity. The Fund may invest in derivatives or futures contracts that derive the value from US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity.
The Fund may hold equity index futures contracts and/or other derivatives. The adviser may sell short the iBoxx iShares High Yield Corporate Bond Futures contract to hedge the economic exposure of the Fund. The adviser also may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the broad-based US and foreign stock indices and, with respect to the high-yield bond segments of the portfolio, the high-yield bond market as a whole.
The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts and derivatives on equities and equity indices. Short selling is an investment strategy that speculates on the decline in the price of a security.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis, including monitoring price movements and momentum, of high-yield bond markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and derivatives to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the various fixed income markets. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to the high-yield bond market.
Toews Hedged U.S. Fund
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing primarily in equity index futures contracts, as well as ETFs, U.S. Large Cap Stocks fixed income securities and cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities) and/or futures contracts on such investment grade fixed-income securities and cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities). The Fund defines large-cap common stock securities as those securities included in the MSCI US Prime Market Growth Index, the S&P 500 Index, the S&P 500 Growth Index, the Russell 1000 Growth Index, the NASDAQ-100 Index, and/or securities of other broad-based US large-cap stock indices. The Fund may also invest in large-cap common stocks and exchange traded funds that invest in large-cap common stocks.
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The adviser employs what it defines as a “tactical” strategy by investing in a combination of securities and derivatives that it believes will produce economic exposure along a continuum similar to that of the securities of broad-based US large-cap indices. The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. During unfavorable market conditions there may be periods when the Fund will take a significant position in cash and/or cash equivalents. The adviser also may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the broad-based US large-cap stock indices.
The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts, and derivatives on equities and equity indices.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis of large-cap equity markets. The adviser monitors, including monitoring price movements and momentum, large-cap equity markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and derivatives to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the broad-based US large-cap indices. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to said indices. Equity index futures contracts trade on margin. To gain exposure to an equity index futures contract, a certain percentage of the Fund’s assets may be allocated to a futures broker as collateral. This collateral amount is much less than the notional exposure to the underlying index. The Fund may allocate the cash or securities not needed for collateral to fixed income ETFs or other fixed income securities and/or in an addition to fixed income derivatives. The Fund’s allocation to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities may be significant. The Fund’s adviser may engage in active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities and derivatives to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.
Toews Hedged U.S. Opportunity Fund
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing primarily in equity index futures contracts on equity indices compromised of U.S. small and mid-cap issuers, ETFs, small and mid-cap stocks, as well as fixed income securities cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities) and/or futures contracts on such investment grade fixed-income securities and cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities). The Fund defines small and mid-cap common stock securities as those securities included in the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index, S&P 500 Small-Cap 600 Growth Index, Russell 2000 Index, Russell 2000 Growth Index, MSCI US Small-Cap Growth Index and S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, and securities of other broad-based US small and mid-cap stock indices. The Fund may also invest in stocks of U.S. small and mid-cap issuers and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest in such issuers.
The adviser employs what it defines as a “tactical” strategy by investing in a combination of securities and derivatives that it believes will produce economic exposure along a continuum similar to that of the securities of broad-based US small and mid-cap stock indices. The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. During unfavorable market conditions there may be periods when the Fund will take a significant position in cash and/or cash equivalents. The adviser also may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the US small and mid-cap stock indices.
The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts, and derivatives on equities and equity indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis of small and mid-cap equity markets. The adviser monitors, including monitoring price movements and momentum, US equity markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and derivatives to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the broad-based US small and mid-cap stock indices. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to said indices. Equity index futures contracts trade on margin. To gain exposure to an equity index futures contract, a certain percentage of the Fund’s assets may be allocated to a futures broker as collateral. This collateral amount is much less than the notional exposure to the underlying index. The Fund may allocate the cash or securities not needed for collateral to fixed income ETFs or other fixed income securities and/or in an addition to fixed income derivatives. The Fund’s allocation to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities may be significant. The Fund’s adviser may engage in active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities and derivatives to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.
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Toews Unconstrained Income Fund
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s primary investment objective by investing in: (1) exchange traded funds and open-end investment companies (“Underlying Funds”) that primarily invest in or are otherwise exposed to domestic or foreign debt instruments, including developed or emerging market high-yield debt instruments (also known as “junk bonds”); (2) total return swaps and credit default swaps that use high yield debt instruments or high yield indexes as reference assets; (3) U.S. or foreign fixed-income securities, including developed or emerging market fixed income securities (of any rating and varying maturities), and structured notes; (4) preferred stocks; and (5) mortgage-related fixed income instruments of varying maturities (such as mortgage pass-through securities; collateralized mortgage obligations; mortgage-backed securities; asset-backed securities; senior, subordinated and junior subordinated mortgage notes and mortgage dollar rolls).
The Fund may also invest a portion of its assets in private placement offerings, including mortgage-related fixed income instruments, which may be illiquid. The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions, and when the adviser determines such conditions exist, the Fund will take a defensive position and/or be allocated 100% to U.S. Treasuries securities or short-term fixed income securities, U.S. or foreign cash or cash equivalents. The Fund may invest in US Treasury securities of any duration or maturity. The Fund may also invest in futures contracts on such US Treasury securities.
The Fund may invest in either U.S. or foreign securities or issuers, without limitation with respect to the amount or type of foreign security and these investments may include securities of issuers in developed or emerging markets.
The Fund may invest in both investment-grade fixed income securities and high yield fixed income securities (“junk bonds”). The Fund defines high-yield debt instruments as corporate bonds or other bonds or debt instruments that are generally rated lower than Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or lower than BBB- by S&P (below investment grade). Up to 100% of the Fund’s assets may be invested in instruments generally rated below Caa3 by Moody’s or CCC- by S&P or derivatives of such instruments. The Fund may invest in high yield bonds directly or through derivative instruments designed to replicate some or all of the features of an underlying portfolio of high yield bonds, such as credit default swaps. The Fund may invest in and/or short equity index futures contracts.
The Fund’s secondary objective is to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions, and when the adviser determines such conditions exist, the Fund may take a defensive position and could have a significant allocation to U.S. Treasuries or short-term fixed income securities, U.S. or foreign cash or cash equivalents. The Fund may invest in US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity. The Fund may invest in derivatives or futures contracts that derive the value from US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity.
The adviser also may use a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Fund. This indexing strategy involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the broad-based US and foreign stock indices and, with respect to the high-yield bond segments of the portfolio, the high-yield bond market as a whole.
The Fund may purchase call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. A put option is a contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell–or sell short–a specified amount of an underlying security at a pre-determined price within a specified time frame. A call option is a contract giving the option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset or instrument at a specified price within a specific time period. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts, and derivatives on equities and equity indices.
Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund’s adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing primarily in: (1) derivative instruments including but not limited to futures contracts on equity indices compromised of issuers of any capitalization, (2) fixed income securities and (3) cash equivalents. The Fund may also invest directly in stocks of U.S. issuers of any capitalization, foreign large cap stocks and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest primarily in common stock. For the purpose of the Fund, foreign large cap stocks are defined as stocks from the universe of the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Fixed-income securities and cash equivalents (such as US Treasury securities) may be of any duration or maturity. The Fund may also invest in futures contracts on such fixed-income securities and US Treasury securities. The adviser’s strategy allocates assets among stocks or equity index futures contracts representing varying capitalizations. The adviser anticipates the Fund’s assets will be allocated as follows, based upon an analysis of long-term historical returns and volatility of various asset classes:
Asset Class Allocation | Allocation Target | Allocation Range |
Small Cap Stocks | 25% | 0% to 50% |
Mid Cap Stocks | 25% | 0% to 40% |
Large Cap Stocks | 20% | 10% to 100% |
Foreign Large Cap Stocks | 30% | 0% to 50% |
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Generally, the defensive position for this Fund will be defined as stocks or other instruments that are representative of, low volatility stocks or instruments. However, there may be periods when the Fund will take a significant position in cash.
Each asset class will be allocated independently of the others. This means the Fund may not be allocated to each asset class at any one time and the Fund may maintain a position in one or more asset classes while being in a defensive position for one or more others. Based on the adviser’s proprietary algorithmic signal, the Fund could re-allocate its portfolio from 100% large cap stocks to the allocations indicated above.
Equity index futures contracts trade on margin. To gain exposure to an Equity index futures contract, a certain percentage of the Fund’s assets may be allocated to a futures broker as collateral. This collateral amount is much less than the notional exposure to the underlying index. The Fund may allocate the cash or securities not needed for collateral to fixed income ETFs or other fixed income securities and/or in an addition to fixed income derivatives. The Fund’s allocation to fixed income ETFs and/or other fixed income securities may be significant.
The Fund may hold equity index futures contracts and/or other derivatives. The Fund may invest in US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity. The Fund may invest in derivatives or futures contracts that derive the value from US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of any duration or length until maturity.
The Fund employs options strategies, The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on broad-based market and futures market indices. The Fund may sell short ETFs that primarily invest in equities including equity index ETFs as well as futures contracts, and derivatives on equities and equity indices.
The adviser primarily uses technical analysis of equity markets. The adviser monitors, the price movement and momentum, of equity markets in an effort to identify the proper weighting of the Fund’s portfolio. The adviser buys and sells securities and equity index futures to increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to broad- based indices or vary the allocation of asset class allocations. The adviser’s decision to buy or sell a Fund holding will be made based on current market conditions and the adviser’s determination of the appropriate exposure level to equity asset class. The Fund’s adviser may engage in active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.
Common Investment Strategies
Each Fund is a diversified series of Northern Lights Fund Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end investment management company. Each Fund employs hedging techniques and seeks to limit risk during unfavorable market conditions. Each Fund may invest in ETFs and Toews Tactical Income Fund and Toews Unconstrained Income Fund may invest in other open-end investment companies. In addition, each Fund may employ certain defensive techniques to avoid market exposure, when deemed prudent by the adviser.
The following investments and principal investment strategies are employed in varying degrees by each Fund (except as noted):
Index-Related Strategies: Toews Hedged Oceana Fund seeks exposure, either directly or through the use of derivatives to the securities or elements of a particular index as part of its strategies. The Toews Tactical Income Fund seeks to gain exposure, either directly or through the use of derivatives, to representative securities of the high-yield bond market, generally. Toews Hedged U.S. Fund and the Toews Hedged U.S. Opportunity Fund seek to invest in securities found in various indices of corresponding market capitalizations. None of the Funds are a pure index fund seeking full replication of a particular index, but rather, each Fund uses the referenced index or indices to gain exposure to, and as a barometer for, its particular investments and strategy, and to determine when to hedge or use defensive measures to guard against downside risk.
Stocks: The Funds may invest in stocks as a principal strategy (except for the Toews Tactical Income Fund) or investment companies that own stock in domestic and foreign equity securities, including common stocks and warrants. Common stocks, the most familiar type, represent an ownership interest in a corporation. Although equity securities have a history of long-term growth in value, their prices fluctuate based on changes in a company’s financial condition and on overall market and economic conditions. The stock segment includes domestic and foreign equity securities of all types. When selecting stock funds, the adviser considers both growth and anticipated dividend income, as well as strategic use for hedging purposes. Securities in the stock class may include common stocks, warrants, rights, depository receipts, securities of ETFs and open end investment companies, and other equity securities issued by companies of any size, located anywhere in the world.
Bonds: The Funds may invest in bonds (also generally referred to as fixed income securities), or ETFs and open end investment companies that invest in bonds, of domestic and foreign debt issuers. Bonds and other debt securities are used by issuers to borrow money from investors. The issuer pays the investor a fixed or variable rate of interest, and must repay the amount borrowed at maturity. The bond segment includes all varieties of domestic and foreign fixed-income securities. The adviser considers bond fund investments based on credit qualities, maturities, and coupon or dividend rates, and by seeking to take advantage of yield differentials
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between securities, as well as strategic use for hedging purposes. Securities in this class may include bonds, notes, adjustable-rate preferred stocks, convertible bonds, domestic and foreign government and government agency securities, zero coupon bonds, and other intermediate and long-term securities. These securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currency. The Fund may also invest in individual bonds and bond funds that respectively are or hold lower quality, high-yielding debt securities (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”). In general, bond prices rise when interest rates fall, and fall when interest rates rise. Bonds and other debt securities have varying degrees of quality and varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Longer-term bonds are generally more sensitive to interest rate changes than short-term bonds.
Foreign Investments: The Funds may purchase debt obligations issued or guaranteed by a foreign sovereign government or one of its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions, including a foreign state, province, or municipality or American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”). ADRs are dollar denominated securities issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that represent ownership interests in foreign companies. ADRs may be purchased through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and a depositary. A depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the deposited security. Holders of unsponsored ADRs generally bear all the costs of such facilities, and the depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting rights to the holders of such receipts in respect of the deposited securities. GDRs may be other than dollar denominated and may be issued in several countries.
Options: Each Fund may use options as part of its investment program. There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options. The seller (writer) of a call option which is covered (e.g., the writer holds the underlying security) assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below the purchase price of the underlying security less the premium received, and gives up the opportunity for gain on the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The seller of an uncovered call option assumes the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The securities necessary to satisfy the exercise of the call option may be unavailable for purchase except at much higher prices. Purchasing securities to satisfy the exercise of the call option can itself cause the price of the securities to rise further, sometimes by a significant amount, thereby exacerbating the loss. The buyer of a call option assumes the risk of losing its entire premium invested in the call option. The seller (writer) of a put option which is covered (e.g., the writer has a short position in the underlying security) assumes the risk of an increase in the market price of the underlying security above the sales price (in establishing the short position) of the underlying security plus the premium received, and gives up the opportunity for gain on the underlying security below the exercise price of the option. The seller of an uncovered put option assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below the exercise price of the option. The buyer of a put option assumes the risk of losing his entire premium invested in the put option.
Futures: Each Fund may trade in futures contracts (and related options) on securities indexes and other financial instruments, a practice which may involve substantial risks. The low margin or premiums normally required in such trading may provide a large amount of leverage, and a relatively small change in the price of a security or contract can produce a disproportionately larger profit or loss. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for futures contracts or options purchased or sold, and the Fund may be required to maintain a position until exercise or expiration, which could result in losses. In addition, the Fund may not be able to execute futures contract trades at favorable prices if trading volume in such contracts is low. Trading in commodity futures contracts and options are highly specialized activities that may entail greater than ordinary investment or trading risks.
Small Companies (Unconstrained Income, Hedged U.S. Opportunity, and Tactical Defensive Alpha Funds only): Some of the companies in which the Funds invest may be small capitalization companies. Small-cap stocks may offer greater opportunity for capital appreciation than the stocks of larger and more established companies; however, they also involve substantially greater risks of loss and price fluctuations. Small-cap companies carry additional risks because of the tendency of their earnings and revenues to be less predictable (and some companies may be experiencing significant losses), their share prices to be more volatile and their markets to be less liquid than companies with larger market capitalizations. Small-cap companies may be newly formed or in the early stages of development, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources, and may lack management depth. In addition, there may be less public information available about these companies. The shares of small-cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the future ability to sell these securities. Also, it may take a long time before a Fund realizes a gain, if any, on an investment in a small-cap company.
Underlying Funds (ETFs and Other Investment Companies): The Funds may invest in ETFs, open-end mutual funds and closed-end funds that are not affiliated with the Fund or the adviser. The Funds may also invest extensively in ETFs when this approach is more efficient than investing in individual fixed income securities, or to gain exposure to a particular sector or index. An ETF is a registered investment company that seeks to track the performance of a particular market index. These indices include not only broad-market indices, but more specific indices as well, including those relating to particular sectors, markets, regions or industries. An ETF is traded like a stock on a securities exchange and may be purchased and sold throughout the trading day based on its market price. The trading price of an ETF fluctuates in accordance with changes in market supply and demand.
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The Funds may invest in other investment companies, including ETFs and mutual funds - “Underlying Funds” that invest in common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock such as convertible preferred stock, convertible debentures, warrants, options and fixed income securities such as bonds. Many funds in which a Fund invests may not share the same investment goal and investment limitations as the Fund. A Fund may hold “no-load” mutual funds, which are sold and purchased without a sales charge. A Fund may also purchase “load” mutual funds, but only if the load, or sales commission, is waived for purchases or sales made by the Fund. In addition, when the adviser believes it is appropriate, a Fund may purchase mutual funds that charge a redemption fee of up to 2% for short-term sales, but not mutual funds that charge a sales load upon redemption. The Funds’ distributor does not receive Rule 12b-1 distribution fees generated from the purchase of Underlying Funds; however, it may receive shareholder servicing fees for the performance of certain administrative tasks.
Fixed Income Securities, including:
Certificates of Deposit or CDs: Time deposits, a financial product commonly offered by banks, thrift institutions, and credit unions. CDs are similar to savings accounts in that they are insured by the FDIC for banks or by the NCUA for credit unions. They are different from savings accounts in that the CD has a specific, fixed term (often three months, six months, or one to five years). It is intended that the CD be held until maturity, at which time the money may be withdrawn together with the accrued interest. In exchange for keeping the money on deposit for the agreed-on term, institutions usually grant higher interest rates than they do on accounts from which money may be withdrawn on demand, although this may not be the case in an inverted yield curve situation. Fixed rates are common, but some institutions offer CDs with various forms of variable rates. Some CDs are indexed to the stock market, bond market, or other indices.
Variable Rate Notes: The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a “Master Note”) permit the Funds to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between a Fund and the issuer. It permits daily changes in the amounts invested. A Fund, typically, has the right at any time to increase, up to the full amount stated in the note agreement, or to decrease the amount outstanding under the note. The issuer may prepay at any time and without penalty any part of or the full amount of the note. Because these notes are direct investment arrangements between the Fund and the issuer, it is not generally contemplated that they will be traded; moreover, there is currently no secondary market for them. Variable rate notes are subject to the Funds’ investment restriction on illiquid securities unless such notes can be put back to the issuer (redeemed) on demand within seven days.
Eurodollar Instruments: Bonds of corporate and government issuers that pay interest and principal in U.S. dollars but are issued in markets outside the United States, primarily in Europe. The Fund may also invest in Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit (“ECDs”) and Eurodollar Time Deposits (“ETDs”). ECDs are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by non-U.S. branches of domestic banks; ETDs are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in a non-U.S. branch of a U.S. bank or in a non-U.S. bank. These investments involve risks that are different from investments in securities issued by U.S. issuers, including potential unfavorable political and economic developments, non-U.S. withholding or other taxes, seizure of non-U.S. deposits, currency controls, interest limitations or other governmental restrictions which might affect payment of principal or interest.
Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated at or above investment grade (BBB/Baa or higher). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest.
Lower-Rated (Junk) Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated below investment grade (BB+/Ba1 or lower). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest.
Mortgage-Backed Securities: Securities backed by residential or commercial mortgages, including pass-through and collateralized mortgage obligations. Mortgage securities may be issued by the U.S. government or by private entities. For example, the Fund may invest in pools of mortgage loans, which are supported by (i) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury through instrumentalities such as General National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), (ii) the right of the issuer to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), (iii) only by the credit of the instrumentality issuing the obligation such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”).
U.S. Government Securities: High-quality debt securities that are direct obligations of the U.S. government, such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds. These securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States as to the timely repayment of principal and interest.
U.S. Government Agency Securities: High-quality debt securities issued by U.S. government sponsored-entities and federally related institutions, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Farm Credit Bank. These securities are not direct obligations of the U.S. government and are supported only by the credit of the entity that issues them.
U.S. Government Related Securities: Government-related securities and certificates issued by financial institutions or broker-dealers representing so-called “stripped” U.S. government securities (i.e., interest and principal components are offered separately), securities issued by or on behalf of any state of the United States, a political subdivision agency or instrumentality of such state, or certain other qualifying issuers (such as municipalities and issuers located in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam), the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax.
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Zero Coupon Securities: Debt securities that make no periodic interest payments but are sold at a deep discount from their face value. The bondholder does not receive interest payments, only the full face value at redemption on the specified maturity date. The owner of a zero-coupon bond owes income taxes on the interest that has accrued each year, even though the bondholder does not receive payment until maturity. Often these are stripped securities, which are offered as separate income or principal components of a debt instrument.
Temporary Investments
To respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, each Fund may invest 100% of its total assets, without limitation, in high-quality short-term debt securities and money market instruments. These short-term debt securities and money market instruments include shares of commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, U.S. Government securities, repurchase agreements and ETFs and other mutual funds that primarily invest in one or more of the foregoing instruments. While a Fund is in a defensive position, the opportunity to achieve its investment objective will be limited. Furthermore, to the extent that a Fund invests in money market mutual funds for its cash position, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund would bear its pro- rata portion of such money market funds’ advisory fees and operational fees. Each Fund may also invest a substantial portion of its assets in such instruments at any time to maintain liquidity or pending selection of investments in accordance with its policies.
Principal Investment Risks
There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Each Fund’s share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio securities. When you sell your Fund shares, they may be worth less than what you paid for them and, accordingly, you can lose money investing in the Funds.
The following chart summarizes the principal risks of each Fund. These risks could adversely affect the net asset value, total return and the value of a Fund and your investment. The risk descriptions below provide a more detailed explanation of the principal investment risks that correspond to the risks described in each Fund’s Summary section of this Prospectus.
Risks | Hedged Oceana |
Tactical Income |
Hedged U.S. | Hedged
U.S. Opportunity |
Unconstrained Income |
Tactical Defensive Alpha |
Allocation Risk | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Below-Investment Grade Securities | ● | ● | ||||
Common Stock Risk | ● | ● | ● | |||
Credit Default Swap | ● | ● | ||||
Credit Risk | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Derivatives | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Emerging Markets | ● | ● | ||||
ETF and Underlying Funds | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Fixed Income | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Foreign | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||
Futures | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
Hedging | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Interest Rate | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Investment Grade Corporate Bonds | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Issuer | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Large Cap Risk | ● | ● | ||||
Liquidity | ● | ● | ||||
Management | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Margin Risk | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
Market and Geopolitical Risk | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Mortgage-Backed | ● | |||||
Options | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Portfolio Turnover | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Preferred Stock | ● | |||||
Private Placement | ● | |||||
Short Sales | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Small-Cap and Mid-Cap | ● | ● | ||||
Tax Inefficiency | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Total Return Swap | ● | ● | ||||
U.S. Treasury | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
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Allocation Risk: The risk that if the Fund’s strategy for allocating assets among different assets classes does not work as intended, the Fund may not achieve its objective or may underperform other funds with the same or similar investment strategy.
Below-Investment Grade Securities Risk: High-yield, high-risk securities, commonly called “junk bonds,” are considered speculative. While generally providing greater income than investments in higher-quality securities, these lower-quality securities will involve greater risk of principal and income that higher-quality securities, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of the security. Like other fixed-income securities, the value of high-yield securities will also fluctuate as interest rates change. An investment grade security may be downgraded by the rating agencies subsequent to being purchased by the Fund. (also see “Credit Risk” below).
Common Stock Risk: The net asset value of the Fund will fluctuate based on changes in the value of the U.S. and/or foreign common stocks held by the Fund. Stock prices can fall rapidly in response to developments affecting a specific company or industry, or to changing economic, political or market conditions.
Credit Default Swap Risk: The Fund may invest in CDS which require the adviser to forecast, among other things, the likelihood of credit event for a securities issuer. Such forecasting is inherently difficult and entails investment risk. The use of CDS involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. There is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to eliminate its exposure under an outstanding CDS by entering into an offsetting swap, and the Fund may not assign a swap without the consent of the counterparty to it. In addition, each CDS exposes the Fund to counterparty risk and the adviser or a sub-adviser may determine to concentrate any or all of its CDS in a single counterparty or small group of counterparties. If a counterparty defaults, the Fund’s only recourse would be to pursue contractual remedies against the counterparty and the Fund may be unsuccessful in such pursuit. The Fund thus assumes the risk that it may be delayed in or prevented from obtaining payments owed to it pursuant to a CDS. In addition to counterparty risks, CDS are subject to credit risk on the underlying investment. If the Fund were the buyer of a CDS and no event of default occurred, the Fund would lose its entire investment. Similarly, if the Fund were the seller of a CDS and an event of default occurred, it would be required to pay its counterparty the value of the CDS, which may cause the Fund to incur a loss on the CDS transaction. If the Fund writes a credit default swap, it will cover the notarized value of such swap.
Credit Risk: Issuers of fixed-income securities may default on interest and principal payments due to the Fund. Generally, securities with lower debt ratings have speculative characteristics and have greater risk the issuer will default on its obligation. Fixed-income securities rated in the fourth classification by Moody’s (Baa) and S&P (BBB) (sometimes referred to as “junk bonds”) have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities. These securities can also be thinly traded or have restrictions on resale, making them difficult to sell at an acceptable price.
Derivatives Risk: The Fund may invest in derivatives for investment or hedging purposes. Derivatives are financial contracts whose value is based on the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index. The value of the Fund’s investment in derivatives may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. These transactions are subject to changes in the value of the underlying security on which such transactions are based. Even a small investment in derivative securities can have a significant impact on the Fund’s exposure to stock market values. The positive performance of swap agreements, futures and forward contracts, and therefore your investment, is wholly dependent upon an equal and offsetting loss.
Emerging Markets Risk: In addition to the risks generally associated with investing in securities of foreign companies, countries with emerging markets also may have relatively unstable governments, social and legal systems that do not protect shareholders, economies based on only a few industries, and securities markets that trade a small number of issues. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions.
ETF and Underlying Fund Risk: ETFs (and Underlying Funds with respect to the Toews Income Fund and Toews Unconstrained Income Fund) are subject to investment advisory fees and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities such as stocks and bonds. ETFs are listed on national stock exchanges and are traded like stocks listed on an exchange. ETF shares may trade at a discount or a premium in market price if there is a limited market in such shares. ETFs are also subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. ETFs may employ leverage, which magnifies the changes in the value of the ETFs. Finally, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings at the most optimal time, adversely affecting performance.
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The Funds invest in ETFs (and Underlying Funds with respect to the Toews Tactical Income Fund and Toews Unconstrained Income Fund). You will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the ETFs in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. Additional risks of investing in ETFs are described below:
Alternative Assets Risk: The Fund investments in ETFs in the “Alternative Asset” market segment may be more volatile than other Fund investments. The risks and volatility of commodity ETFs are linked to the economic and other risks that are specific to the commodity in which the ETF invests. ETFs that invest in real estate investment trusts (defined term not used) are subject to the risks inherent in real estate investing, such as property value fluctuations.
Emerging Markets Risk: In addition to the risks generally associated with investing in securities of foreign companies, countries with emerging markets also may have relatively unstable governments, social and legal systems that do not protect shareholders, economies based on only a few industries, and securities markets that trade a small number of issues.
ETF Strategy Risk: Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the ETF. These risks could include liquidity risk, sector risk, foreign and emerging market risk, as well as risks associated with fixed-income securities, real estate investments, and commodities.
Foreign Exposure Risk: Foreign markets can be more volatile than the U.S. market due to increased risks of adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments and can perform differently from the U.S. market. Although the Fund does not expect to invest in the securities of foreign companies directly, it may invest in ETFs which cause the Fund to be exposed to some degree to the risks associated with foreign markets.
Leverage Risk: The Fund has no control over the risks taken by the underlying ETFs in which it invests. The Fund also may invest in ETFs which seek results that correspond to a specific benchmark or other ETFs that amplify the exposure to a particular index or sector by 2 to 3 times. These types of investments can be a form of leverage and can result in significant losses to the Fund.
Net Asset Value and Market Price Risk: The market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that 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 basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF share trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value.
Tracking Risk: Investment in the Fund should be made with the understanding that the ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. In addition, the ETFs in which the Fund invests will incur expenses not incurred by their applicable indices. Certain securities comprising the indices tracked by the ETFs may, from time to time, temporarily be unavailable, which may further impede the ETFs’ ability to track their applicable indices.
Fixed Income Risk: When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular investment, possibly causing the Fund’s share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments.
Foreign Risk: The Fund could be subject to greater risks because the Fund’s performance may depend on issues other than the performance of a particular company or U.S. market sector. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a mutual fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. The value of foreign securities is also affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. There may also be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information. The value of foreign investments may be affected by changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding tax), changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad) or changed circumstances in dealings between nations. In addition, foreign brokerage commissions, custody fees and other costs of investing in foreign securities are generally higher than in the United States. Investments in foreign issues could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, armed conflict, confiscatory taxation, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations. These risks are generally greater in emerging foreign markets than in established foreign markets. As a result, the Fund may be exposed to greater risk and will be more dependent on the adviser’s ability to assess such risk than if the Fund invested solely in more developed countries.
Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. These currency movements may negatively impact the value of the Fund even when there is no change in the value of the security in the issuer’s home country.
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Foreign Currency Risk: To the extent the Fund invests in securities or Underlying Funds that hold securities that are denominated in foreign currencies, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar.
Futures Risk: The Fund’s use of futures contracts involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) leverage risk; (ii) correlation or tracking risk and (iii) liquidity risk. Because futures require only a small initial investment in the form of a deposit or margin, they involve a high degree of leverage. Accordingly, the fluctuation of the value of futures in relation to the underlying assets upon which they are based is magnified. Thus, the Fund may experience losses that exceed losses experienced by funds that do not use futures contracts. There may be imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of a futures contract and price movements of investments for which futures are used as a substitute, or which futures are intended to hedge. Lack of correlation (or tracking) may be due to factors unrelated to the value of the investments being hedged, such as speculative or other pressures on the markets in which these instruments are traded. Consequently, the effectiveness of futures as a security substitute or as a hedging vehicle will depend, in part, on the degree of correlation between price movements in the futures and price movements in underlying securities. While futures contracts are generally liquid instruments, under certain market conditions they may become illiquid. Futures exchanges may impose daily or intra-day price change limits and/or limit the volume of trading. Additionally, government regulation may further reduce liquidity through similar trading restrictions. As a result, the Fund may be unable to close out its futures contracts at a time which is advantageous. The successful use of futures depends upon a variety of factors, particularly the ability of the adviser to predict movements of the underlying securities markets, which requires different skills than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. There can be no assurance that any particular futures strategy adopted will succeed. The commitment of Fund assets to cover certain futures positions may impede the adviser’s ability to manage the Fund’s portfolio effectively.
Hedging Risk: When the adviser’s technical analysis indicates that the Fund is exposed to unfavorable market conditions, the Fund generally will be less than fully invested and the adviser may attempt to “hedge” with defensive positions and strategies including holding substantial positions in foreign or domestic cash and/or cash equivalents and futures and options on various emerging markets indexes.
Interest Rate Risk: When the Fund invests in bonds or in Underlying Funds that own bonds, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. When the Fund holds variable or floating rate securities, a decrease in market interest rates will adversely affect the income received from such securities and a decline in the value of the security.
Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds: Debt securities of industrial, utility, banking and other financial institutions that are rated at or above investment grade (BBB/Baa or higher). These securities are backed by the credit of the corporation issuing the fixed-income instrument as to the timely repayment of principal and interest.
Issuer Risk: Fund value might decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual company in the Fund’s portfolio. The value of an individual company can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of certain types of companies can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
Large Cap Risk: Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller capitalization companies. During different market cycles, the performance of large capitalization companies has trailed the overall performance of the broader securities markets.
Liquidity Risk: Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
Management Risk: The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the Adviser’s investment model. The models used by the adviser to determine or guide investment decisions may not achieve the objectives of the Fund. The Adviser’s assessment of the attractiveness and potential appreciation of particular investments or markets in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the Adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results.
Margin Risk: Certain derivatives require the Fund to make margin payments, a form of security deposit intended to protect against nonperformance of the derivative contract. The Fund may have to post additional margin if the value of the derivative position changes in a manner adverse to the Fund. Derivatives may be difficult to value, which may result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet additional margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a disadvantageous time.
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Market and Geopolitical Risk: The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate change and climate related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, international conflicts, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. It is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund. The COVID-19 global pandemic had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long any future impacts of the significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may impact your investment. Therefore, the Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates can have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. In times of severe market disruptions you could lose your entire investment.
Mortgage-Backed, Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Related Instruments Risk: Mortgaged-backed securities (“MBS”), asset-backed securities (“ABS”) and mortgage-related instruments are subject to certain risks. The default rate on underlying mortgage loans or asset loans may be higher than anticipated, potentially reducing payments to the Fund. Subordinated mortgage-related instruments are considered speculative, subject to liquidity risk and severe losses in the event of default by a borrower. Default rates are sensitive to overall economic conditions such as unemployment, wage levels and economic growth rates. MBS and mortgage-related instruments are susceptible to maturity risk because issuers of securities held by the Fund are able to prepay principal due on these securities, particularly during periods of declining interest rates. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. When interest rates decline, borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected. This can reduce the returns to the Fund because the Fund may have to reinvest that money at the lower prevailing interest rates. Prepayment risk as well as the risk that the structure of certain MBS and mortgage-related instruments may make their reaction to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, making their prices volatile. Generally, rising interest rates tend to be associated with longer MBS and mortgage-related instrument maturities because borrower prepayment rates tend to decline when rates rise. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, MBS and mortgage-related instruments may exhibit additional volatility, known as extension risk. ABS also are subject to maturity risk, although to a much smaller degree.
Options Risk: The Fund may lose the entire put option premium paid if the underlying security does not decrease in value at expiration. Put options may not be an effective hedge because they may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Purchased put options may decline in value due to changes in price of the underlying security, passage of time and changes in volatility.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: A higher portfolio turnover may result in higher transactional and brokerage costs associated with the turnover which may reduce the Fund’s return, unless the securities traded can be bought and sold without corresponding commission costs. Active trading of securities may also increase the Fund’s realized capital gains or losses, which may affect the taxes you pay as a Fund shareholder. Each Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may exceed 100% annually.
Preferred Stock Risk: The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments. Preferred stock prices tend to move more slowly upwards than common stock prices.
Private Placement Risks: The Fund may invest in private placement offerings of investment funds or unregistered securities, including mortgage-related fixed income instruments. Certain investment instruments and techniques that a private fund may use are speculative and involve a high degree of risk. Because of the speculative nature of a private fund’s investments and trading strategies, the Fund may suffer a significant or complete loss of its invested capital in one or more private funds. A shareholder will also bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying funds in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. In addition, interests in any private placement may also be illiquid.
Short Selling and Short Position Risk: The Fund’s long positions could decline in value at the same time that the value of short positions increase, thereby increasing the Fund’s overall potential for loss. The short positions may result in a loss if the price of the short position instruments rise and it costs more to replace the short positions. In contrast to the Fund’s long positions, for which the risk of loss is typically limited to the amount invested, the potential loss on short positions is potentially higher. However, the Fund will be in compliance with Section 18(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), to ensure that a Fund shareholder will not lose more than the amount invested in the Fund. Market factors may prevent the Fund from closing out a short position at the most desirable time or at a favorable price.
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Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Companies Risk: Direct investments in individual small and mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable than larger, more established organizations to adverse business or economic developments. In particular, small capitalization companies may have limited product lines, markets, and financial resources and may be dependent upon a relatively small management group.
Tax Inefficiency Risk: The adviser expects that most of the gains generated by the Fund will be categorized as short-term capital gains which will be subject to higher tax rates than long-term capital gains. Given the potential tax-inefficiency of the Fund, investors should consider investing through a tax-deferred account and carefully consider the tax consequences before investing.
Total Return Swap Risk: In a total return swap, the buyer receives a periodic return equal to the total return of a specified security, securities or index, for a specified period of time. In return, the buyer pays the counterparty a variable stream of payments, typically based upon short term interest rates, possibly plus or minus an agreed upon spread. Like a traditional investment in a debt security, the Fund could lose money by investing in an interest rate swap if interest rates change adversely. For example, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed rate of interest, the Fund may have to pay more money than it receives. Interest rate and total return swaps entered into in which payments are not netted may entail greater risk than a swap entered into a net basis. There is a risk that adverse price movements in an instrument can result in a loss substantially greater than the Fund’s initial investment in that instrument (in some cases, the potential loss is unlimited). If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. However, particularly in the case of privately-negotiated instruments, there is a risk that the counterparty will not perform its obligations, which could leave the Fund worse off than if it had not entered into the position. These instruments are subject to high levels of volatility, in some cases due to the high levels of leverage the Fund may achieve with them.
U.S. Treasury Risk: Although the Fund invests in short-term Treasury obligations, an investment in the Fund is subject to risk even if all securities in the Fund are paid in full at maturity. All money market instruments, including U.S. Treasury obligations, can change in value in response to changes in interest rates, and a major change in rates could cause the share price to change. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, an investment in the Fund is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. government or any other government agency.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure: A description of each Fund’s policies and regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is available in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information.
Cybersecurity: The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Funds and their service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and their service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. The Funds and their shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.
Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Funds’ business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Funds’ ability to calculate their NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund, the adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.
Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests; counterparties with which the Funds engage in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Funds’ shareholders); and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS |
Investment Adviser
Toews Corporation (“Toews” or the “adviser”), located at, 1750 Zion Road, Suite 201, Northfield, NJ 08225, serves as investment adviser to each Fund. Subject to the oversight of the Board of Trustees, Toews is responsible for the overall management of each Fund’s business affairs. Toews is responsible for selecting each Fund’s investments according to the Fund’s investment objective, polices, and restrictions. Toews was established in 1994 and serves as an investment adviser primarily for individual investors. As of April 30, 2024, it had approximately $940.6 million in assets under management.
Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, and Toews (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), each Fund pays the adviser, on a monthly basis, an annual advisory renewal fee based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets. A discussion regarding the basis for the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) renewal of the Investment Advisory Agreement for each Fund is available in the semi-annual shareholder report dated October 31, 2023.
Toews has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and to reimburse expenses, at least through August 31, 2025 to ensure that Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses (exclusive of any (i) front-end or contingent deferred loads, (ii) brokerage fees and commissions, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses, (iv) fees and expenses associated with instruments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example options and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), (vi) taxes, (vii) other fees related to underlying investments, (such as option fees and expenses or swap fees and expenses); or (vii) extraordinary expenses such as litigation (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees or contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the adviser) will not exceed the percentage indicated in the table below for each Fund’s average daily net assets.
FUND | ADVISORY FEE | EXPENSE CAP |
Toews Hedged Oceana Fund | 1.00% | 1.25% |
Toews Tactical Income Fund | 1.00% | 1.25% |
Toews Hedged U.S. Fund | 1.00% | 1.25% |
Toews Hedged U.S. Opportunity Fund | 1.00% | 1.25% |
Toews Unconstrained Income Fund | 1.00% | 1.25% |
Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund | 1.00% | 1.25% |
For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, Toews received a net advisory fee from each Fund in the amounts below (as a percentage of each Fund’s average daily net assets):
FUND | FEE RECEIVED |
Toews Hedged Oceana Fund | 0.76% |
Toews Tactical Income Fund | 1.00% |
Toews Hedged U.S. Fund | 0.88% |
Toews Hedged U.S. Opportunity Fund | 0.84% |
Toews Unconstrained Income Fund | 0.81% |
Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund | 0.91% |
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment from each Fund in future years on a rolling three year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed) if such recoupment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such expenses were waived, and (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of recoupment. Fee waiver and reimbursement arrangements can decrease the Fund’s expenses and boost its performance.
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Portfolio Managers
Phillip Toews, Randall Schroeder, Jason Graffius, and Charles Collins are Co-Portfolio Managers jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund.
Mr. Toews received a BS in Business and Economics from Bethel College in Newton, Kansas in 1986. From 1987 to 1994, Mr. Toews was a financial counselor at IDS/American Express and Dorset Financial Services. In 1994, Mr. Toews founded Toews and has served as its President and Chief Executive Officer since inception. Mr. Toews has served as a Co-Portfolio manager since inception for each Fund.
Mr. Graffius received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Rutgers University in Camden, NJ in 2002. He began working with Toews in October 2013. Mr. Graffius currently serves as its Chief Operating and Financial Officer overseeing the day to day operations, financial operations and researching investment opportunities. Prior to working with Toews, Mr. Graffius was a Vice President at BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. (2005-2013) where he worked on the Structured Finance Team, overseeing Collateralized Debt Obligations along with various Hedge Funds and Government Mandated Projects. He has also previously worked at JP Morgan. Mr. Graffius has served as a co-portfolio manager for the Funds since August 2014.
Mr. Schroeder received a BA from Bethel College in Newton, Kansas in 1988 and a MA from Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York in 1994. Mr. Schroeder has been associated with Toews since 1998 and has served as its Chief Operating Officer from 2006 to 2019 and as its Managing Director since 2020. Mr. Schroeder has served as a Co-Portfolio manager since inception for each Fund.
Mr. Collins received a BS in Finance from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA in 2002. Prior to joining Toews in May 2016, he was an equity derivatives broker at Tullett Prebon in Jersey City, NJ from 2013 to May 2016. In that role, his primary responsibility was providing investment banks and asset money managers access to liquidity in products such as index and single stock options, delta one, variance swaps, and cash. Prior to his experience as a derivatives broker, he was a floor trader and an independent member of the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Collins is Head of Trading and has served as a co-portfolio manager for the Funds since August 2017.
The Funds’ Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund shares.
NET ASSET VALUE |
The net asset value (“NAV”) and offering price (NAV plus any applicable sales charges) of each class of shares is determined as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the NYSE is open for business. NAV is computed by determining, on a per class basis, the aggregate market value of all assets of the Fund, less its liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding ((assets-liabilities)/number of shares = NAV). The NYSE is closed on weekends and 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. The NAV takes into account, on a per class basis, the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees, which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for a share class for a particular day is applicable to all applications for the purchase of shares, as well as all requests for the redemption of shares, received by the Fund (or an authorized broker or agent, or its authorized designee) before the close of trading on the NYSE on that day.
Generally, a Fund’s securities are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each security’s primary exchange. Securities traded or dealt in upon one or more securities exchanges (whether domestic or foreign) for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary exchange or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on such exchange. If market quotations are not readily available, securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined in good faith and evaluated as to the reliability of the fair value method used by the Board on a quarterly basis, in accordance with procedures approved by the Board. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers’ Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. Securities that are not traded or dealt in any securities exchange (whether domestic or foreign) and for which over-the-counter market quotations are readily available generally shall be valued at the last sale price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask price on such over-the- counter market. Debt securities not traded on an exchange may be valued at prices supplied by a pricing agent(s) based on broker or dealer supplied valuations or matrix pricing, a method of valuing securities by reference to the value of other securities with similar characteristics, such as rating, interest rate and maturity.
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If market quotations are not readily available, securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the “fair value” procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available. The Board has delegated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to execute these procedures. The Adviser may also enlist third party consultants such as an audit firm or financial officer of a security issuer on an as-needed basis to assist in determining a security-specific fair value. The Board reviews the execution of this process and the resultant fair value prices at least quarterly to assure the process produces reliable results.
Each Fund may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of the Fund’s securities. In addition, market prices for foreign securities are not determined at the same time of day as the NAV for a Fund. Each Fund may invest in foreign securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when you may not be able to buy or sell Fund shares. In computing the NAV, each Fund values foreign securities held by the Fund at the latest closing price on the exchange in which they are traded immediately prior to closing of the NYSE. Prices of foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current rates. If events materially affecting the value of a security in a Fund’s portfolio, particularly foreign securities, occur after the close of trading on a foreign market but before the Fund prices its shares, the securities will be valued at fair value. For example, if trading in a portfolio security is halted and does not resume before the Fund calculates its NAV, the adviser may need to price the security using the Fund’s fair value pricing guidelines. Without a fair value price, short-term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity and dilute the NAV of long-term investors. Fair valuation of the Fund’s portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that fair value pricing policies will prevent dilution of the Fund’s NAV by short term traders. The determination of fair value involves subjective judgments. As a result, using fair value to price a security may result in a price materially different from the prices used by other mutual funds to determine net asset value or the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the security.
With respect to any portion of a Fund’s assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies that are registered under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s NAV is calculated based upon the net asset values of the registered open-end management investment companies in which the Fund invests, and the prospectuses for these companies explain the circumstances under which those companies will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES |
Purchasing Shares
You may purchase shares of a Fund by sending a completed application form to the following address by either regular or overnight mail. The Funds may not be available for purchase in all states.
Via
Regular Mail: Toews Funds c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC P.O. Box 541150 Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022 1-877-558-6397 |
or
Overnight Mail: Toews Funds c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100 Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022 1-877-558-6397 |
Minimum and Additional Investment Amounts
The minimum initial investment to open an account for each Fund is $10,000 for regular accounts and for retirement plans (e.g., tax-deferred retirement programs, IRAs, etc.). The minimum initial investment may be waived for clients of the adviser. The minimum subsequent investment is $100. There is no minimum investment requirement when you are buying shares by reinvesting dividends and distributions from each Fund. The Fund or the adviser reserve the right to waive any investment minimum.
Each Fund, however, reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any application to purchase shares. Applications will not be accepted unless they are accompanied by a check drawn on a U.S. bank, savings and loan, or credit union in U.S. funds for the full amount of the shares to be purchased. After you open an account, you may purchase additional shares by sending a check together with written instructions stating the name(s) on the account and the account number, to the above address. Make all checks payable to the name of the particular Fund. The Funds will not accept payment in cash, cashier’s checks or money orders. Also, to prevent check fraud, the Funds will not accept third party checks, U.S. Treasury checks, credit card checks, or starter checks for the purchase of shares. Redemptions of Shares of the Fund purchased by check may be subject to a hold period until the check has been cleared by the issuing bank. To avoid such holding periods, Shares may be purchased through a broker or by wire, as described in this section.
Note: Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (“UFS”), each Fund’s transfer agent, will charge a $25 fee against a shareholder’s account, in addition to any loss sustained by a Fund, for any check returned to the transfer agent for insufficient funds or electronic payment that does not clear.
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Purchase by Wire
If you wish to wire money to make an investment in a Fund, please call the Fund at 1-877-558-6397 for wiring instructions and to notify the Fund that a wire transfer is coming. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds via wire. Each Fund normally will accept wired funds for investment on the day received if they are received by the Fund’s designated bank before the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Your bank may charge you a fee for wiring same-day funds.
Automated Clearing House Purchase
Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House (“ACH”). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions. You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the business day after the order is placed. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time. Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.
Purchase through Brokers
You may invest in a Fund through brokers or agents who have entered into selling agreements with the Fund’s distributor. These brokers and agents are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on behalf of the Fund. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or its designee receives the order. The broker or agent may set its own initial and subsequent investment minimums. You may be charged a fee if you use a broker or agent to buy or redeem shares of the Fund. Finally, various servicing agents use procedures and impose restrictions that may be in addition to, or different from those applicable to investors purchasing shares directly from the Fund. You should carefully read the program materials provided to you by your servicing agent.
Automatic Investment Plan
You may participate in a Fund’s Automatic Investment Plan, an investment plan that automatically takes money from your bank account and invests it in the Fund through the use of electronic funds transfers or automatic bank drafts. You may elect to make subsequent investments by transfers of a minimum of $100 on specified days of each month into your established Fund account. Please contact the Fund at 1-877-558-6397 for more information about the Fund’s Automatic Investment Plan.
Retirement Plans
You may purchase shares of a Fund for your individual retirement plans. Please call the Fund at 1-877-558-6397 the most current listing and appropriate disclosure documentation on how to open a retirement account.
Anti-Money Laundering Regulations
The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Funds, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you should supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. Mailing addresses containing a P.O. Box will not be accepted. This information will assist the Funds in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, a Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, a Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder’s identity. As required by law, a Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.
When Order is Processed
All shares will be purchased at the NAV per share next determined after a Fund receives your application or request in good order. All requests received in good order by the Fund before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on a day that the NYSE is open will be executed on that same day. Requests received after 4:00 p.m. will be processed on the next business day.
Good Order: When making a purchase request, make sure your request is in good order. “Good order” means your purchase request includes:
● the name of the Fund,
● the dollar amount of shares to be purchased,
● a completed purchase application or investment stub, and
● check payable to the applicable Fund. |
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REDEMPTIONS |
Each Fund typically expects that it will take up to three business days following the receipt of your redemption request to pay out redemption proceed by check or electronic transfer. Each Fund typically expects to pay redemptions from cash, cash equivalents, proceeds from the sale of Fund shares, any lines of credit, and then from the sale of portfolio securities. These redemption payment methods will be used in regular and stressed market conditions.
Written Redemption Requests: You will be entitled to redeem all or any portion of the shares credited to your accounts by submitting a written request for redemption to:
Via
Regular Mail: Toews Funds c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC P.O. Box 541150 Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022 1-877-558-6397 |
or
Overnight Mail: Toews Funds c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100 Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022 1-877-558-6397 |
Redeeming by Telephone: The telephone redemption privilege is automatically available to all new accounts. If you do not want the telephone redemption privilege, you must indicate this in the appropriate area on your account application or you must write to the Fund and instruct it to remove this privilege from your account. If you own an IRA, you will be asked whether or not the Fund should withhold federal income tax.
The proceeds can be sent by mail to the address designated on your account, wired directly to your existing account in any commercial bank or brokerage firm or electronic funds transferred to your existing bank account in the United States as designated on your application. To redeem by telephone, call 1-877-558-6397.
During periods of high market activity, you may encounter higher than usual wait times. Please allow sufficient time to ensure that you will be able to complete your telephone transaction prior to market close. Neither the Fund nor its transfer agent will be held liable if you are unable to place your trade due to high call volume.
Each Fund reserves the right to suspend the telephone redemption privileges with respect to your account if the name(s) or the address on the account has been changed within the previous 30 days. Neither the Funds, UFS, nor their respective affiliates will be liable for complying with telephone instructions they reasonably believe to be genuine or for any loss, damage, cost or expenses in acting on such telephone instructions and you will be required to bear the risk of any such loss. The Funds, UFS, or both, will employ reasonable procedures to determine that telephone instructions are genuine. If the Funds and/or UFS do not employ these procedures, they may be liable to you for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. These procedures may include, among others, requiring forms of personal identification prior to acting upon telephone instructions, providing written confirmation of the transactions and/or tape recording telephone instructions.
Redemptions by Wire/Electronic Funds Transfer
If you request your redemption by wire transfer, you will be required to pay a $15.00 wire transfer fee to UFS to cover costs associated with the transfer but UFS does not charge a fee when transferring redemption proceeds by electronic funds transfer. In addition, your bank may impose a charge for receiving wires.
Redemptions in Kind
Each Fund reserves the right to honor requests for redemption or repurchase orders by making payment in whole or in part in readily marketable securities (“redemption in kind”) on the amount of such a request made by a shareholder during any 90-day period that is large enough to affect operations (that is, the amount of any request that is greater than the lesser of 1) $250,000 or 2) 1% of the Fund’s assets at the beginning of the 90-day period). The securities will be chosen by the Fund and valued using the same procedures as used in calculating the Fund’s NAV. To the extent that doing so is reasonable and in the best interest of a Fund and its shareholders, redemptions in kind will be paid with a pro rata portion of the Fund’s portfolio securities. A shareholder may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities to cash.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If your individual account, IRA, or other qualified plan account has a current account value of at least $10,000, you may adopt a Systematic Withdrawal Plan to provide for monthly, quarterly or other periodic checks for any designated amount of $100 or more. If you wish to open a Systematic Withdrawal Plan, please indicate on your application or contact the Fund at 1-877-558-6397.
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When Redemptions are Sent
Once the Fund receives your redemption request in “good order” (as described below), it will issue a check based on the next determined NAV following your redemption request. If you purchase shares using a check and soon after request a redemption, redemption proceeds, which are payable at the next determined NAV following the receipt your redemption request in “good order”, as described below, will be withheld by the Fund until after the check has cleared. Redemptions may delayed in certain circumstances such as during SEC-declared market emergencies.
Good Order
Your redemption request will be processed if it is in “good order.” To be in good order, the following conditions must be satisfied:
● | the request should be in writing, unless redeeming by telephone, indicating the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed; |
● | the request must identify your account number; |
● | the request should be signed by you and any other person listed on the account, exactly as the shares are registered; |
● | if you request that the redemption proceeds to be sent to an address other than that of record, be paid to someone other; |
● | than the record owner(s), if the address was changed within the last 30 days, or if the proceeds of a requested; and |
● | redemption exceed $100,000, the signature(s) on the request must be medallion signature guaranteed by an eligible signature guarantor. |
When You Need Medallion Signature Guarantees
A medallion signature guarantee assures that a signature is genuine and protects you from unauthorized account transfers. You will need your signature guaranteed if:
● | you wish to change the bank or brokerage account that you have designated on your account, |
● | you request a redemption to be made payable to a person not on record with the Fund, |
● | you request that a redemption be mailed to an address other than that on record with the Fund, |
● | the proceeds of a requested redemption exceed $100,000, |
● | any redemption is transmitted to a bank other than the bank of record, or |
● | your address was changed within 30 days of your redemption request. |
Signatures may be guaranteed by any eligible guarantor institution (including banks, brokers and dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies, and savings associations) or by completing a supplemental telephone redemption authorization form. Contact the Funds to obtain this form. Further documentation will be required to change the designated account if shares are held by a corporation, fiduciary, or other organization. A notary public cannot guaranty signatures.
Retirement Plans
If you own an IRA or other retirement plan, you must indicate on your redemption request whether a Fund should withhold federal income tax. Unless you elect in your redemption request that you do not want to have federal tax withheld, the redemption will be subject to withholding.
Redeeming through Broker
If shares of a Fund are held by a broker-dealer, financial institution, or other servicing agent, you must contact that servicing agent to redeem shares of the Fund. The servicing agent may charge a fee for this service.
Low Balances
If at any time your account balance falls below $10,000, the Fund may notify you that, unless the account is brought up to the appropriate account minimum within 60 days of the notice, your account could be closed. After the notice period, the Fund may redeem all of your shares and close your account by sending you a check to the address of record. The account will not be closed if the account balance drops below the appropriate account minimum due to a decline in NAV.
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Inactive Accounts: If shareholder-initiated contact does not occur on your account within the timeframe specified by the law in your state of record, or if Fund mailings are returned as undeliverable during that timeframe, the assets of your account (shares and/or any uncashed checks) may be transferred to your last known recorded state of residence as unclaimed property, in accordance with specific state law.
NOTE: If you fail to initiate such contact, your property will be escheated to your last known state of residency after which you will need to claim the property from that state.
An account may be turned over as unclaimed property to the investor’s last known state of tax residence if the account is deemed “inactive” or “lost” during the time frame specified within the applicable state’s unclaimed property laws. Investors who are residents of the state of Texas may designate a representative to receive legislatively required unclaimed property due diligence notifications. A Texas Designation of Representative Form is available for making such an election.
EXCHANGES |
The exchange privilege is a convenient way to buy shares in each Fund in order to respond to changes in your investment goals or in market conditions. You may exchange your shares of one Fund for shares of another Fund at no cost to you and without paying any sales charge.
If you establish a new account by exchange, the exchanged shares must have a minimum value of $2,500. All subsequent exchanges must have a minimum value of $250 per Fund.
You may exchange shares either by telephone, if you have not canceled your telephone privilege, or in writing. Written requests for exchange must provide the following:
● | current Fund’s name, |
● | account names and numbers, |
● | name of the Fund you wish to exchange your shares into, |
● | the amount you wish to exchange, |
● | specify the shareholder privileges you wish to retain (e.g., Telephone Privileges), and |
● | signatures of all registered owners. |
To exchange shares by telephone, you should call 1-877-558-6397 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the Funds are open. We will process telephone requests made after 4:00 p.m. Eastern time at the close of business on the next business day. You should notify the Funds in writing of all shareholder service privileges you wish to continue in any new account opened by a telephone exchange request. Please note that we will only accept exchanges if your ownership registrations in both accounts are identical.
We will value your exchanged shares at their respective net asset value next determined after the receipt of the exchange request. We will not impose an initial sales charge, redemption fee or penalty on exchanges. An exchange transaction is a sale and a purchase of shares for federal income tax purposes and may result in a capital gain or loss.
Systematic Exchange Program
The Systematic Exchange Program allows you to make regular, systematic exchanges among like classes of shares from one Fund account into another Fund account. By setting up the program, you authorize the Fund and its agents to redeem a set dollar amount or number of shares from the first account and purchase shares of a second Fund.
To participate in the Systematic Exchange Program, you must have an initial account balance of $10,000 in the first account and at least $1,000 in the second account. Exchanges may be made on any day or days of your choice. If the amount remaining in the first account is less than the exchange amount you requested, then the remaining amount will be exchanged. At such time as the first account has a zero balance, your participation in the program will be terminated. You may also terminate the program by calling or writing the Fund. Once participation in the program has been terminated for any reason, to reinstate the program you must do so in writing; simply investing additional funds will not reinstate the program.
Limitation on Purchases, Redemptions and Exchanges
Purchases or sales of shares of the Funds and exchanges between Funds should not be used to try to take advantage of short-term swings in the market. Frequent purchase and sale transactions or exchanges create higher expenses for the Funds. Accordingly, the Funds reserve the right to limit or terminate the ability to purchase shares of the Funds or the exchange privilege for any shareholder making frequent purchases or sales or exchanges. The Funds may also modify or revoke the exchange privilege for all shareholders upon sixty days’ written notice.
52
TAX STATUS, DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS |
Any sale or exchange of a Fund’s shares may generate tax liability (unless you are a tax-exempt investor or your investment is in a qualified retirement account). When you redeem your shares you may realize a taxable gain or loss. This is measured by the difference between the proceeds of the sale and the tax basis for the shares you sold. (To aid in computing your tax basis, you generally should retain your account statements for the period that you hold shares in the Fund.)
Each Fund, except the Toews Tactical Income Fund, intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income at least annually and net capital gain annually, typically in December. The Toews Tactical Income Fund intends to make such distributions monthly. The distributions will be reinvested in shares of the Fund unless you elect to receive cash. Dividends from net investment income (including any excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) are taxable to investors as ordinary income, while distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are generally taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of your holding period for the shares. Any dividends or capital gain distributions you receive from a Fund will normally be taxable to you when made, regardless of whether you reinvest dividends or capital gain distributions or receive them in cash. Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November, or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year the Funds will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are generally exempt from federal income taxation.
Your redemptions, including exchanges, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them.
On the account application, you will be asked to certify that your social security number or taxpayer identification number is correct and that you are not subject to backup withholding for failing to report income to the IRS. If you are subject to backup withholding or you did not certify your taxpayer identification number, the IRS requires each Fund to withhold a percentage of any dividend, redemption or exchange proceeds. Each Fund reserves the right to reject any application that does not include a certified social security or taxpayer identification number. If you do not have a social security number, you should indicate on the purchase form that your application to obtain a number is pending. Each Fund is required to withhold taxes if a number is not delivered to the Fund within seven days.
The Funds may invest in complex securities and derivatives which may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Funds are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Funds and/or defer the Funds’ ability to recognize losses, and, in limited cases, subject the Funds to U.S. federal income tax on income from certain of its foreign securities. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to you by the Funds.
Each sale or exchange of shares of a Fund may be a taxable event. A sale may result in a capital gain or loss to you. For tax purposes, an exchange of your Fund shares for shares of a different Fund is the same as a sale. The gain or loss generally will be treated as short term if you held the shares 12 months or less, long term if you held the shares for longer. The Fund must report to the IRS and furnish to shareholders the cost basis information for shares purchased and sold. The Fund has chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders, which means this is the method the Fund will use to determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing NAVs, and the entire position is not sold at one time. Shareholders may, however, choose a method other than the Fund’s standing method at the time of their purchase or upon sale of covered shares. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about how cost basis reporting applies to them. Shareholders also should carefully review the cost basis information provided to them by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on their federal income tax returns.
This summary is not intended to be and should not be construed to be legal or tax advice to any current holder of a Fund’s shares. You should consult your own tax adviser to determine the tax consequences of owning the Fund’s shares.
53
MARKET TIMING |
The Funds discourage and do not accommodate market timing. Frequent trading into and out of a Fund can harm all Fund shareholders by disrupting the Fund’s investment strategies, increasing Fund expenses, decreasing tax efficiency, and diluting the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. The Funds are designed for long-term investors and are not intended for market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Accordingly, the Board has approved policies that seek to curb these disruptive activities while recognizing that shareholders may have a legitimate need to adjust their Fund investments as their financial needs or circumstances change.
The Funds reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase or exchange requests for any reason, particularly when a shareholder’s trading activity suggests that the shareholder may be engaged in market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Neither the Funds nor the adviser will be liable for any losses resulting from rejected purchase or exchange orders. The adviser may also bar an investor who has violated these policies (and the investor’s financial adviser) from opening new accounts with a Fund.
Although the Funds attempt to uniformly limit disruptive trading activities, some investors use a variety of strategies to hide their identities and their trading practices. There can be no guarantee that the Funds will be able to identify or limit these activities. Omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of a Fund. While each Fund will encourage financial intermediaries to apply the Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy to their customers who invest indirectly in the Fund, the Fund is limited in its ability to monitor the trading activity or enforce the Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy with respect to customers of financial intermediaries. For example, should it occur, a Fund may not be able to detect market timing that may be facilitated by financial intermediaries or made difficult to identify in the omnibus accounts used by those intermediaries for aggregated purchases and redemptions on behalf of all their customers. More specifically, unless the financial intermediaries have the ability to apply a Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy to their customers through such methods as implementing short-term trading limitations or restrictions and monitoring trading activity for what might be market timing, the Fund may not be able to determine whether trading by customers of financial intermediaries is contrary to the Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy. However, each Fund will ensure that financial intermediaries maintaining omnibus accounts on behalf of the Fund enter into an agreement with the Fund to provide shareholder transaction information, to the extent known to the financial intermediary, to the Fund upon request. If a Fund or its Transfer Agent or shareholder servicing agent suspects there is market timing activity in the account, the Fund will seek full cooperation from the service provider maintaining the account to identify the underlying participant. Upon instructions from the adviser, the service providers will take immediate action to stop any further short-term trading by such participants.
DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES |
Distributor: Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022, is the distributor (the “Distributor”) for the shares of the Funds. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. Shares of the Funds are offered on a continuous basis.
Fund Administrator and Fund Accountant: Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022, serves as fund administrator and fund accountant to the Funds.
Transfer Agent: Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022 serves as transfer agent to the Funds.
Custodian: Fifth Third Bank, 38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, OH, serves as Custodian for each Fund’s cash and securities. The Custodian does not assist in, and is not responsible for, investment decisions involving assets of the Funds.
Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries: The Distributor, its affiliates, and the Funds’ adviser and its affiliates may each at its own expense and out of its own legitimate profits, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of a Fund. Financial intermediaries include brokers, financial planners, banks, insurance companies, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators and others. These payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide shareholder or administrative services, or marketing support. Marketing support may include access to sales meetings, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives, inclusion of a Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs. These payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Distributor may, from time to time, provide promotional incentives, to certain investment firms. Such incentives may, at the Distributor’s discretion, be limited to investment firms who allow their individual selling representatives to participate in such additional commissions.
Householding: To reduce expenses, each Fund mails only one copy of the Prospectus and each annual and semi-annual report to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, please call the Funds at 1-877-558-6397 on days the Funds are open for business or contact your financial institution. A Fund will begin sending you individual copies thirty days after receiving your request.
54
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand each Fund’s financial performance for the period of the Fund’s operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The financial highlights for each of the Funds is presented below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information for the Funds has been derived from the financial statements audited by RSM US LLP, whose report, along with the Funds’ financial statements, are included in the Funds’ April 30, 2024 annual report, which is available upon request.
Toews Tactical Income Fund |
Selected data based on a share outstanding throughout each year. |
For the | For the | For the | For the | For the | ||||||||||||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | ||||||||||||||||
April 30, 2024 |
April 30, 2023 |
April 30, 2022 |
April 30, 2021 |
April 30, 2020 |
||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ | 10.03 | $ | 10.61 | $ | 11.10 | $ | 10.47 | $ | 10.96 | ||||||||||
ACTIVITY FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income(a) | 0.49 | 0.31 | 0.19 | 0.29 | 0.33 | |||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (0.11 | ) | (0.58 | ) | (0.45 | ) | 0.63 | (0.48 | ) | |||||||||||
Total from investment operations | 0.38 | (0.27 | ) | (0.26 | ) | 0.92 | (0.15 | ) | ||||||||||||
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
From net investment income | (0.50 | ) | (0.31 | ) | (0.23 | ) | (0.29 | ) | (0.34 | ) | ||||||||||
Total distributions | (0.50 | ) | (0.31 | ) | (0.23 | ) | (0.29 | ) | (0.34 | ) | ||||||||||
Net asset value, end of year | $ | 9.91 | $ | 10.03 | $ | 10.61 | $ | 11.10 | $ | 10.47 | ||||||||||
Total return(b) | 3.85 | % | (2.51 | )%(c) | (2.41 | )% | 8.90 | % | (1.41 | )% | ||||||||||
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of year (in 000’s) | $ | 483,579 | $ | 589,962 | $ | 661,269 | $ | 686,463 | $ | 611,707 | ||||||||||
Ratios to average net assets | ||||||||||||||||||||
Expenses, net of reimbursement(d) | 1.23 | %(f) | 1.21 | %(f) | 1.21 | % | 1.18 | % | 1.19 | % | ||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(d) | 1.23 | %(f) | 1.21 | %(f) | 1.21 | % | 1.18 | % | 1.19 | % | ||||||||||
Net investment income, net of reimbursement(d,e) | 4.96 | % | 3.06 | % | 1.74 | % | 2.65 | % | 3.03 | % | ||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 465 | % | 1026 | % | 790 | % | 797 | % | 1323 | % |
(a) | Per share amounts have been calculated using the average share method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period. | |
(b) | Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions if any. Had the adviser not absorbed or recaptured a portion of the expenses, total returns would have been lower or higher, respectively. | |
(c) | Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and, consequently, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net assets values and returns for shareholder transactions. | |
(d) | Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(e) | Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(f) | Includes interest expense. Excluding interest expense, the following ratios would have been: |
Expenses, net of reimbursement(d) | 1.23 | % | 1.21 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(d) | 1.23 | % | 1.21 | % |
55
Toews Hedged Oceana Fund |
Selected data based on a share outstanding throughout each year. |
For the | For the | For the | For the | For the | ||||||||||||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | ||||||||||||||||
April 30, 2024 |
April 30, 2023 |
April 30, 2022 |
April 30, 2021 |
April 30, 2020 |
||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ | 9.18 | $ | 8.94 | $ | 10.26 | $ | 8.67 | $ | 9.00 | ||||||||||
ACTIVITY FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.26 | 0.08 | (0.04 | ) | 0.01 | 0.09 | ||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.03 | (f) | 0.16 | (1.02 | ) | 1.61 | (0.31 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total from investment operations | 0.29 | 0.24 | (1.06 | ) | 1.62 | (0.22 | ) | |||||||||||||
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
From net investment income | (0.16 | ) | — | — | (0.03 | ) | (0.11 | ) | ||||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments | — | — | (0.26 | ) | — | — | ||||||||||||||
Total distributions | (0.16 | ) | — | (0.26 | ) | (0.03 | ) | (0.11 | ) | |||||||||||
Net asset value, end of year | $ | 9.31 | $ | 9.18 | $ | 8.94 | $ | 10.26 | $ | 8.67 | ||||||||||
Total return(b) | 3.27 | % | 2.68 | % | (10.43 | )% | 18.66 | % | (2.51) | % | ||||||||||
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of year (in 000’s) | $ | 38,834 | $ | 48,556 | $ | 65,239 | $ | 56,889 | $ | 28,688 | ||||||||||
Ratios to average net assets | ||||||||||||||||||||
Expenses, net of reimbursement(c) | 1.25 | %(e) | 1.25 | %(e) | 1.26 | %(e) | 1.26 | %(e) | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(c) | 1.49 | %(e) | 1.40 | %(e) | 1.36 | %(e) | 1.36 | %(e) | 1.46 | % | ||||||||||
Net investment Income (loss), net of reimbursement(c,d) | 2.80 | % | 0.88 | % | (0.40 | )% | 0.06 | % | 1.00 | % | ||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 138 | % | 259 | % | 433 | % | 421 | % | 514 | % |
(a) | Per share amounts have been calculated using the average share method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period. | |
(b) | Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions if any. Had the adviser not absorbed a portion of the expenses, total returns would have been lower. | |
(c) | Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(d) | Recognition of net investment income (loss) by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(e) | Includes interest expense. Excluding interest expense, the following ratios would have been: |
Expenses, net of reimbursement(c) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(c) | 1.49 | % | 1.40 | % | 1.35 | % | 1.35 | % |
(f) | Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments per share are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value per share for the period, and may not reconcile with aggregate gains/(losses) in the statement of operations due to the share transactions for the period. |
56
Toews Hedged U.S. Fund |
Selected data based on a share outstanding throughout each year. |
For the | For the | For the | For the | For the | ||||||||||||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | ||||||||||||||||
April 30, 2024 |
April 30, 2023 |
April 30, 2022 |
April 30, 2021 |
April 30, 2020 |
||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ | 12.54 | $ | 12.56 | $ | 15.00 | $ | 12.87 | $ | 11.96 | ||||||||||
ACTIVITY FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.44 | 0.12 | (0.05 | ) | 0.02 | 0.07 | ||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 1.04 | (0.14 | ) | (0.59 | ) | 3.41 | 0.99 | |||||||||||||
Total from investment operations | 1.48 | (0.02 | ) | (0.64 | ) | 3.43 | 1.06 | |||||||||||||
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
From net investment income | (0.48 | ) | — | — | (0.13 | ) | (0.15 | ) | ||||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments | — | — | (1.75 | ) | (1.17 | ) | — | |||||||||||||
From return of capital | — | — | (0.05 | ) | — | — | ||||||||||||||
Total distributions | (0.48 | ) | — | (1.80 | ) | (1.30 | ) | (0.15 | ) | |||||||||||
Net asset value, end of year | $ | 13.54 | $ | 12.54 | $ | 12.56 | $ | 15.00 | $ | 12.87 | ||||||||||
Total return(b) | 11.93 | % | (0.16 | )% | (5.10 | )% | 26.96 | % | 8.90 | % | ||||||||||
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of year (in 000’s) | $ | 72,550 | $ | 83,361 | $ | 124,788 | $ | 149,040 | $ | 96,709 | ||||||||||
Ratios to average net assets | ||||||||||||||||||||
Expenses, net of reimbursement(c) | 1.25 | %(e) | 1.25 | %(e) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(c) | 1.37 | %(e) | 1.33 | %(e) | 1.26 | % | 1.32 | % | 1.42 | % | ||||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net of reimbursement(c,d) | 3.31 | % | 1.02 | % | (0.35 | )% | 0.12 | % | 0.59 | % | ||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 3133 | % | 0 | % | 443 | % | 438 | % | 446 | % |
(a) | Per share amounts have been calculated using the average share method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period. | |
(b) | Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions if any. Had the adviser not absorbed a portion of the expenses, total returns would have been lower. | |
(c) | Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(d) | Recognition of net investment income (loss) by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(e) | Includes interest expense. Excluding interest expense, the following ratios would have been: |
Expenses, net of reimbursement(c) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(c) | 1.37 | % | 1.33 | % |
57
Toews Hedged U.S. Opportunity Fund |
Selected data based on a share outstanding throughout each year. |
For the | For the | For the | For the | For the | ||||||||||||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | ||||||||||||||||
April 30, 2024 |
April 30, 2023 |
April 30, 2022 |
April 30, 2021 |
April 30, 2020 |
||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ | 9.37 | $ | 10.39 | $ | 14.56 | $ | 10.18 | $ | 10.03 | ||||||||||
ACTIVITY FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.32 | 0.10 | (0.05 | ) | 0.01 | 0.10 | ||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.70 | (1.12 | ) | (2.17 | ) | 4.44 | 0.18 | |||||||||||||
Total from investment operations | 1.02 | (1.02 | ) | (2.22 | ) | 4.45 | 0.28 | |||||||||||||
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
From net investment income | (0.07 | ) | (0.00 | )(b) | (0.00 | )(b) | (0.07 | ) | (0.13 | ) | ||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments | — | — | (1.95 | ) | — | — | ||||||||||||||
Total distributions | (0.07 | ) | (0.00 | ) | (1.95 | ) | (0.07 | ) | (0.13 | ) | ||||||||||
Net asset value, end of year | $ | 10.32 | $ | 9.37 | $ | 10.39 | $ | 14.56 | $ | 10.18 | ||||||||||
Total return(c) | 10.90 | % | (9.80 | )% | (16.08 | )% | 43.82 | % | 2.78 | % | ||||||||||
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of year (in 000’s) | $ | 57,523 | $ | 62,491 | $ | 97,855 | $ | 97,972 | $ | 41,095 | ||||||||||
Ratios to average net assets | ||||||||||||||||||||
Expenses, net of reimbursement(d) | 1.25 | %(f) | 1.25 | %(f) | 1.26 | %(f) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(d) | 1.41 | %(f) | 1.34 | %(f) | 1.31 | %(f) | 1.28 | % | 1.40 | % | ||||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net of reimbursement(d,e) | 3.25 | % | 0.98 | % | (0.39 | )% | 0.05 | % | 1.00 | % | ||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 3059 | % | 0 | % | 433 | % | 429 | % | 515 | % |
(a) | Per share amounts have been calculated using the average share method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period. | |
(b) | Represents less than $0.01 per share. | |
(c) | Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions if any. Had the adviser not absorbed or recaptured a portion of the expenses, total returns would have been lower or higher, respectively. | |
(d) | Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(e) | Recognition of net investment income (loss) by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(f) | Includes interest expense. Excluding interest expense, the following ratios would have been: |
Expenses, net of reimbursement(d) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(d) | 1.41 | % | 1.34 | % | 1.30 | % |
58
Toews Unconstrained Income Fund |
Selected data based on a share outstanding throughout each year. |
For the | For the | For the | For the | For the | ||||||||||||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | ||||||||||||||||
April 30, 2024 |
April 30, 2023 |
April 30, 2022 |
April 30, 2021 |
April 30, 2020 |
||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ | 9.32 | $ | 9.60 | $ | 10.04 | $ | 9.69 | $ | 9.93 | ||||||||||
ACTIVITY FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income(a) | 0.39 | 0.21 | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.20 | |||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (0.18 | ) | (0.28 | ) | (0.42 | ) | 0.35 | (0.23 | ) | |||||||||||
Total from investment operations | 0.21 | (0.07 | ) | (0.27 | ) | 0.51 | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||||||
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
From net investment income | (0.39 | ) | (0.19 | ) | (0.17 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (0.21 | ) | ||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments | — | — | — | (0.00 | )(e) | — | ||||||||||||||
From return of capital | — | (0.02 | ) | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
Total distributions | (0.39 | ) | (0.21 | ) | (0.17 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (0.21 | ) | ||||||||||
Net asset value, end of year | $ | 9.14 | $ | 9.32 | $ | 9.60 | $ | 10.04 | $ | 9.69 | ||||||||||
Total return(b) | 2.32 | % | (0.68 | )% | (2.73 | )% | 5.27 | % | 0.30 | % | ||||||||||
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of year (in 000’s) | $ | 41,796 | $ | 54,444 | $ | 64,595 | $ | 65,700 | $ | 61,798 | ||||||||||
Ratios to average net assets | ||||||||||||||||||||
Expenses, net of reimbursement(c) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(c) | 1.44 | % | 1.38 | % | 1.33 | % | 1.33 | % | 1.33 | % | ||||||||||
Net investment income, net of reimbursement(c,d) | 4.21 | % | 2.21 | % | 1.51 | % | 1.56 | % | 2.00 | % | ||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 722 | % | 691 | % | 651 | % | 566 | % | 920 | % |
(a) | Per share amounts have been calculated using the average share method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period. | |
(b) | Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions if any. Had the adviser not absorbed a portion of the expenses, total returns would have been lower. | |
(c) | Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(d) | Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(e) | Per share amount represents less than $0.01 per share. |
59
Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund |
Selected data based on a share outstanding throughout each year. |
For the | For the | For the | For the | For the | ||||||||||||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | Year Ended | ||||||||||||||||
April 30, 2024 |
April 30, 2023 |
April 30, 2022 |
April 30, 2021 |
April 30, 2020 |
||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ | 9.51 | $ | 10.70 | $ | 14.39 | $ | 10.44 | $ | 11.63 | ||||||||||
ACTIVITY FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income(a) | 0.23 | 0.13 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.16 | |||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 0.41 | (1.22 | ) | (0.65 | ) | 4.45 | (0.48 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total from investment operations | 0.64 | (1.09 | ) | (0.63 | ) | 4.48 | (0.32 | ) | ||||||||||||
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS: | ||||||||||||||||||||
From net investment income | (0.25 | ) | (0.10 | ) | — | (0.07 | ) | (0.24 | ) | |||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments | — | — | (3.06 | ) | (0.46 | ) | (0.63 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total distributions | (0.25 | ) | (0.10 | ) | (3.06 | ) | (0.53 | ) | (0.87 | ) | ||||||||||
Net asset value, end of year | $ | 9.90 | $ | 9.51 | $ | 10.70 | $ | 14.39 | $ | 10.44 | ||||||||||
Total return(b) | 6.81 | % | (10.21 | )% | (5.46 | )% | 43.48 | % | (3.51 | )% | ||||||||||
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of year (in 000’s) | $ | 63,189 | $ | 108,318 | $ | 125,951 | $ | 137,789 | $ | 109,761 | ||||||||||
Ratios to average net assets | ||||||||||||||||||||
Expenses, net of reimbursement(c) | 1.25 | %(e) | 1.26 | % (e) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(c) | 1.34 | %(e) | 1.29 | %(e) | 1.24 | % | 1.23 | % | 1.26 | % | ||||||||||
Net investment Income, net of reimbursement(c,d) | 2.40 | % | 1.27 | % | 0.16 | % | 0.15 | % | 1.42 | % | ||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 669 | % | 610 | % | 1003 | % | 943 | % | 1080 | % |
(a) | Per share amounts have been calculated using the average share method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the period. | |
(b) | Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions if any. Had the adviser not absorbed a portion of the expenses, total returns would have been lower. | |
(c) | Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(d) | Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |
(e) | Includes interest expense. Excluding interest expense, the following ratios would have been: |
Expenses, net of reimbursement(c) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Expenses, before reimbursement(c) | 1.34 | % | 1.28 | % |
60
PRIVACY NOTICE
Northern Lights Fund Trust
Rev. April 2021
FACTS |
WHAT DOES NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? |
Why? | Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some, but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do. |
What? | The types of personal information we collect and share depends on the product or service that you have with us. This information can include: | ||
● | Social Security number and wire transfer instructions | ||
● | account transactions and transaction history | ||
● | investment experience and purchase history | ||
When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice. |
How? |
All financial companies need to share customers' personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Northern Lights Fund Trust chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing. |
Reasons we can share your personal information: | Does
Northern Lights Fund Trust share information? | Can you limit this sharing? |
For our everyday business purposes - such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus. |
YES |
NO |
For our marketing purposes - to offer our products and services to you. |
NO |
We don’t share |
For joint marketing with other financial companies. |
NO |
We don’t share |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes - information about your transactions and records. |
NO |
We don’t share |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes - information about your credit worthiness. |
NO |
We don’t share |
For nonaffiliates to market to you | NO | We don’t share |
QUESTIONS? | Call 1-631-490-4300 |
61
PRIVACY NOTICE
Northern Lights Fund Trust
What we do: | |||
How does Northern Lights Fund Trust protect my personal information? |
To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.
Our service providers are held accountable for adhering to strict policies and procedures to prevent any misuse of your nonpublic personal information. | ||
How does Northern Lights Fund Trust collect my personal information? |
We collect your personal information, for example, when you: | ||
● | open an account or deposit money | ||
● | direct us to buy securities or direct us to sell your securities | ||
● | seek advice about your investments | ||
We also collect your personal information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies. | |||
Why can’t I limit all sharing? |
Federal law gives you the right to limit only: | ||
● | sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness. | ||
● | affiliates from using your information to market to you. | ||
● | sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you. | ||
State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. | |||
Definitions | |||
Affiliates |
Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. | ||
● | Northern Lights Fund Trust does not share with our affiliates. | ||
Nonaffiliates |
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. | ||
● | Northern Lights Fund Trust does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. | ||
Joint marketing | A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you. | ||
● |
Northern Lights Fund Trust doesn’t jointly market. |
62
TOEWS FUNDS
Adviser |
Toews Corporation 1750 Zion Road, Suite 201 Northfield, New Jersey 08225
|
Distributor |
Northern Lights Distributors, LLC 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100 Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022
|
Legal Counsel |
Thompson Hine LLP 41 South High Street, Suite 1700 Columbus, Ohio 43215
|
Transfer Agent |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100 Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022
|
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
RSM US LLP 555 Seventeenth Street, Suite 1200 Denver, Colorado 80202
|
Custodian |
Fifth Third Bank 38 Fountain Square Plaza Cincinnati, Ohio 45263
|
Additional information about the Funds, including each Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, is included in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information dated August 28, 2024 (the “SAI”). The SAI is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference (i.e., legally made a part of this Prospectus). The SAI provides more details about each Fund’s policies and management. Additional information about each Fund’s investments is also available in the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders.
To obtain a free copy of the SAI or other information about the Funds, or to make shareholder inquiries about the Funds, please call 1-877-558-6397 or visit www.ToewsCorp.com. You may also write to:
Toews
Funds
c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC
4221 North 203rd Street, Suite
100
Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022
Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: [email protected].
Investment Company Act File #811-21720