ANNUAL REPORT
 
June 30, 2022











WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF | WBIF
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF | WBIG
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF | WBIL
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF | WBII
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF | WBIY
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF | WBIT





As permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, reports will be made available on www.wbietfs.com  and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.
 



 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Table of Contents
 


Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance
 
1
Performance Summaries
 
9
Portfolio Allocations
 
15
Schedules of Investments
 
16
Statements of Assets and Liabilities
 
23
Statements of Operations
 
25
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
 
27
Financial Highlights
 
29
Notes to Financial Statements
 
32
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
41
Trustees and Officers
 
42
Approval of Advisory Agreements and Board Considerations
 
45
Expense Examples
 
47
Federal Tax Information
 
49
Information About the Portfolio Holdings
 
50
Information About Proxy Voting
 
50
Information About the Funds’ Trustees
 
50
Frequency Distributions of Premiums and Discounts
 
50
















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Absolute Shares Trust
 
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance
 
June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


Dear Shareholder:

Thank you for reviewing this annual report for the period ended June 30, 2022. Annual reports help convey important information about fund returns, including market factors that affected the Funds’ performance during the reporting period. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact your financial advisor or WBI directly. You will find additional information, including our daily portfolio holdings, on the WBI ETFs website located at: www.wbietfs.com.
 
In our experience, the conditions that affect investments are consistently subject to the possibility of uncertainty and change. We believe that the appropriate approach to investing in a volatile world is one that is responsive to continually changing conditions and opportunities. We think that the process should be focused on managing risk as well as on pursuing return. It should be disciplined and have a track record that spans both good times and bad. In short, our opinion is that it should be just like the process we have used for our investment management clients for over 30 years, and continue to use to manage the WBI ETFs today. We believe that the consistent application of this disciplined approach will continue to be extremely valuable and attractive to both current and prospective shareholders.
 
Here at WBI, we believe preserving capital to unleash the powerful benefits of compounding is the most important element of a successful investment approach. We build outcome-oriented solutions for our clients. We don’t focus on beating the markets every minute of every day, but instead aim to grow capital consistently over time. Our strategies are designed to manage risk to capital, unleash the benefits of compounding, and grow capital efficiently through both good and bad market cycles.
 
We appreciate your continued faith in our approach and wish you and your families both health and peace as we all navigate through these extraordinary times.
 
Sincerely,
 
Steven Van Solkema, CFA
Don Schreiber, Jr.
Co-Portfolio Manager
Co-Portfolio Manager
President & Chief Investment Officer
Founder & Co-CEO



1


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
 
June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


Market Review
 
After two quarters of rising equity markets in the first half of 2021, the third quarter brought increased volatility and flat to negative returns across virtually all sectors. The S&P 500 Index squeezed out a minimal 0.23% gain during the third quarter with significant losses occurring in the month of September. The tech-heavy NASDAQ followed suit, ending the quarter down -0.38% with a -5.31% decline in September, but demonstrated relatively better performance in August. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended Q3 down -1.91%.
 
Following the trend seen during the second quarter of 2021, investors continued to rotate out of smaller capitalization companies and into large and mega-cap stocks during the first two months of Q3 2021. Once again, this was particularly noticeable for value and dividend-based stocks. However, a reversal of that trend began to emerge in September as large-cap growth and momentum stocks took a heavier beating while investors began to target undervalued companies with more upside once again.
 
Although mega-cap growth and technology stocks (like Meta Platforms, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google) still appeared to have some upside, they were more overvalued and primed for a correction than other market sectors. It appeared that cyclical and value assets would continue to outperform mega-cap growth and technology stocks on a relative basis throughout the ongoing recovery and reopening from the pandemic.
 
Following increased volatility in the third quarter, the last quarter of 2021 brought an unnerving amount of optimism in the markets especially considering sky-high inflation readings, a hawkish Federal Reserve (“Fed”) announcing moves to eliminate easy monetary policy from the past 10+ years, and concerns over the omicron Covid-19 variant surge. Virtually all sectors ended the year strong during the fourth quarter of 2021 and benefitted from a December “Santa Claus rally” once again.
 
However, after briefly touching record highs at the start of the year, markets gave investors a truly wild ride through the first quarter of 2022. Most indices chalked up their first quarterly loss in two years. Any positive sentiment that was carried into the new year got decimated by more sky-high inflation readings, clear indications that monetary policy must tighten faster than expected, and lingering concerns over additional Covid-19 variant surges. As if that wasn’t enough, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine brought a further surge in commodity prices along with huge spikes in market volatility as news and pictures of the horrors of a brutal war sent shockwaves around the globe. Almost every market sector suffered during the first quarter of 2022 as the Fed raised interest rates for the first time since 2018.
 
When the first half of 2022 eventually came to a close, things looked pretty bleak as the S&P 500 Index posted its worst first-half performance since 1970. Most indices were firmly in a bear market by the end of the Funds’ fiscal year. There were a few key, interrelated causes for this horrible second quarter. One was rocketing inflation, which led the Fed and other central banks to hike rates at a faster pace than previously expected. Specifically, in June, the Fed hiked rates by 75 basis points, which was the biggest increase since 1994. This led to the second cause, which was increasing fear that the economy would fall into a recession if it hadn’t already. Furthermore, lingering Covid-19 variant surges and the war in Ukraine helped further destroy any positive sentiment that was left.
 
Virtually every market sector suffered this final quarter of the Funds’ fiscal year. During the quarter itself, the S&P 500 suffered a high-to-low decline of -20% at its worst, but recovered somewhat to end down -20.58% through the first half of 2022. The tech-heavy NASDAQ fell further into its bear market and finished out the quarter down -29.51% for the first half of 2022.
 
Due to tighter monetary policy, inflation and fears about future economic growth, fixed income offered little protection for investors looking for cover. Fixed income traders continued to rapidly adjust to tighter monetary policy which sent yields – which move in the opposite direction of prices – soaring and led to more Treasury yield curve inversions where long-dated rates fall below short-dated rates. The Bloomberg US Aggregate Index, which includes a broad cross-section of U.S. fixed income assets overall, dropped -10.35% year to date. So, for the average investor who had passive exposure to the broad equity and fixed income markets in a “60/40” equity/fixed income portfolio blend, it seemed like losing -15% or more was almost unavoidable.
 
Investment Strategies
 
WBI’s general investment philosophy is based on our belief that protecting capital is essential to providing long-term portfolio growth or a consistent stream of income. We believe it is important to offer a variety of alternatives that investors can choose from as they address changing circumstances. In our view, the ability to adapt and evolve as risks and opportunities appear is the key to pursuing a stable outcome in an uncertain world. The goal of the WBI ETFs (or the “Funds”) is to provide consistent, attractive returns with less volatility and risk to capital than traditional approaches.
 
WBI ETFs include actively managed, passive (“smart-beta”) and trend-switch based portfolio strategies. Actively managed equity strategies include multifactor security selection models paired with our advanced dynamic trailing stop loss process to protect capital. Actively managed income strategies rely on a blend of quantitative models and tactical equity and fixed income allocation decisions.
 

2


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
 
June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


The passively managed smart-beta strategy is designed to provide an investment alternative for clients seeking returns based on multifactor security selection models in a portfolio that is generally fully invested and rebalances quarterly. The trend-switch strategy utilizes quantitative trend models to optimize risk and return for domestic stock and fixed income exposure.
 
With the exception of the passive index fund, the WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF, the strategies used in the management of the Funds do not attempt to replicate or track the performance of any index and differ significantly from the methods used to construct and maintain the indices that serve as their respective benchmarks. The three actively managed equity-focused funds (the “Active Equity Funds”) typically use proprietary processes to screen, rank, and purchase securities with particular attributes, and sell securities when certain thresholds are reached, while benchmark indices are unmanaged, and consist of a passive representation of all securities that meet the definition of the index constituents. In addition, each Active Equity Fund uses strategies intended to mitigate volatility and protect capital, and as a result these Funds will often have a significant allocation to cash equivalents. Therefore, while each Active Equity Fund’s performance includes the effect of an investment in cash equivalents from the proceeds of sales when certain thresholds are met, benchmark indices do not include an allocation to cash equivalents.
 
Similarly, the WBI Bull|Bear Global Income ETF (the “Active Income Fund”), as well as the WBI Bull|Bear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF (the “Trend Switch Fund”) do not attempt to replicate or track the performance of any index and differ significantly from the methods used to construct and maintain the index that serves as their respective benchmarks. The Trend Switch Fund aims to optimize risk and return by utilizing both a quantitative equity model (the “Equity Model”) to evaluate when conditions are deemed favorable for equity market exposure, and a quantitative bond model (the “Bond Model”) which is used to identify the credit quality and duration exposure that will be implemented in the Fund. The WBI Bull|Bear Global Income ETF strategy currently relies upon a combination of the Bond Model’s recommended exposure along with tactical investments in perceived lower risk and higher return opportunities in varying segments of the fixed income or equity markets. Similar to the Active Equity Funds, both the Active Income Fund and the Trend Switch Fund may also maintain significant allocations to cash equivalents for periods of time as strategies are used in an attempt to mitigate volatility and protect capital.
 
A distinguishing characteristic of cash equivalents is that their prices are extremely stable and not subject to the levels of price volatility generally exhibited by other investments. Therefore, in periods during which the prices of the securities represented in benchmark indices are falling, an allocation to cash equivalents may contribute to Fund performance that is superior to that of their benchmarks. In periods during which the prices of the securities represented in benchmark indices are rising, an allocation to cash equivalents in a Fund may cause its performance to trail that of its benchmark.
 
The WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF (the “Passive Index Fund”) is intended to track its underlying index, the Solactive Power Factor High Dividend GTR Index, and can reasonably be compared to the index in evaluating its performance.
 
Investment Results: WBI Bull|Bear Value 3000 ETF (WBIF)
 
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, the WBI Bull|Bear Value 3000 ETF (WBIF) returned -5.62% on a Net Asset Value (“NAV”) basis, and -5.88% based on market value, versus the -7.46% return of the Russell 3000 Value Total Return Index, the Fund’s benchmark.
 
Highlights:
 
 
Actively managed equity fund utilizing proprietary multifactor security selection models.
     
 
Seeks to manage risk to capital and provide attractive returns for long-term capital growth.
     
 
Proprietary dynamic trailing stop loss process is used to help identify sale candidates and manage downside risk.
     
 
Cash allocation is used as the primary risk mitigation tool, and the strategy can raise up to 100% cash.
     
 
As of June 30, 2022, the Fund held 17 securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent. Baker Hughes Co, General Dynamics Corp, International Business Machines Corp, Unum Group, and Johnson & Johnson were some of the largest positions in the Fund on this date.
     
 
Examples of securities that made positive contributions to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include Devon Energy Corp, AmerisourceBergen Corp, Abbvie Inc., Archer-Daniels-Midland Co, and BioNTech SE.
     
 
Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include Amazon.com Inc., Dow Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Blackstone Inc., and Kohls Corp.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in Energy, Health Care, and Consumer Staples sectors positively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.

3


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
 
June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology, and Utilities sectors negatively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
In general, the combination of temporary cash allocations during periods of higher market volatility and a value-based diversified equity portfolio that tactically focused on defensive sectors including energy company exposure in the last three quarters of the fiscal period helped the Fund capture a significant amount of any equity market upside, while attempting to protect investors from excessive downside risk during the bear market selloff.

Investment Results: WBI Bull|Bear Yield 3000 ETF (WBIG)
 
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, the WBI Bull|Bear Yield 3000 ETF (WBIG) returned -0.73% on a Net Asset Value (“NAV”) basis, and -0.86% based on market value, versus the -7.46% return of the Russell 3000 Value Total Return Index, the Fund’s benchmark.
 
Highlights:
 
 
Actively managed equity fund utilizing proprietary multifactor security selection models.
     
 
Seeks to manage risk to capital and provide attractive returns for long-term capital growth.
     
 
Proprietary dynamic trailing stop loss process is used to help identify sale candidates and manage downside risk.
     
 
Cash allocation is used as the primary risk mitigation tool, and the strategy can raise up to 100% cash.
     
 
As of June 30, 2022, the Fund held 20 securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent. General Mills Inc., Baker Hughes Co, General Dynamics Corp, International Business Machines Corp, and Molson Coors Beverage Co were some of the largest positions in the Fund on this date.
     
 
Examples of securities that made positive contributions to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include EOG Resources Inc., United States Steel Corp, BioNTech SE, Archer-Daniels-Midland Co, and AmerisourceBergen Corp.
     
 
Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Southern Copper Corp, Dow Inc., and LyondellBasell Industries.

 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in Energy, Health Care, and Consumer Staples sectors positively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in Financials, Utilities, and Information Technology sectors negatively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
In general, the combination of temporary cash allocations during periods of higher market volatility and a yield-based diversified equity portfolio that tactically focused on defensive sectors including energy company exposure in the last three quarters of the fiscal period helped the Fund capture a significant amount of any equity market upside, while attempting to protect investors from excessive downside risk during the bear market selloff.

Investment Results: WBI Bull|Bear Quality 3000 ETF (WBIL)
 
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, the WBI Bull|Bear Quality 3000 ETF (WBIL) returned -4.58% on a Net Asset Value (“NAV”) basis, and -4.76% based on market value, versus the -13.87% return of the Russell 3000 Total Return Index, the Fund’s benchmark.
 
Highlights:
 
 
Actively managed equity fund utilizing proprietary multifactor security selection models.
     
 
Seeks to manage risk to capital and provide attractive returns for long-term capital growth.
     
 
Proprietary dynamic trailing stop loss process is used to help identify sale candidates and manage downside risk.
     
 
Cash allocation is used as the primary risk mitigation tool, and the strategy can raise up to 100% cash.
     
 
As of June 30, 2022, the Fund held 18 securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent. General Mills Inc., General Dynamics Corp, International Business Machines Corp, Unum Group, and Johnson & Johnson were some of the largest positions in the Fund on this date.
     
 
Examples of securities that made positive contributions to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include EOG Resources Inc., Abbvie Inc., Devon Energy Corp, BioNTech SE, and Home Depot Inc.

4


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
 
June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


 
Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include Lennar Corp, Old Republic Intl Corp, Blackrock Inc., Visa Inc., and Louisiana-Pacific Corp.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in Energy, Consumer Staples, and Health Care sectors positively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in Consumer Discretionary, Materials, and Utilities sectors negatively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
In general, the combination of temporary cash allocations during periods of higher market volatility and a quality-based diversified equity portfolio that tactically focused on defensive sectors including energy company exposure in the last three quarters of the fiscal period helped the Fund capture a significant amount of any equity market upside, while attempting to protect investors from excessive downside risk during the bear market selloff.

Investment Results: WBI Bull|Bear Global Income ETF (WBII)
 
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, the WBI Bull|Bear Global Income ETF (WBII) returned -12.05% on a Net Asset Value (“NAV”) basis, and -11.93% based on market value, versus the -10.29% return of the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Total Return Index, the Fund’s benchmark.
 
Highlights:
 
 
Actively managed income fund utilizing quantitative bond models and tactical bond and equity allocation decisions.
     
 
Seeks to manage risk to capital and provide attractive returns for long-term capital growth.
     
 
Proprietary models are used to manage interest rate and credit quality risk in the portfolio.
     
 
Cash allocation can also be used to mitigate risk and the strategy can raise up to 100% cash.
     
 
As of June 30, 2022, the Fund held 7 securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent. The Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF, SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF, Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, and Diamondback Energy Inc. were some of the largest positions in the Fund on this date.
     
 
Examples of securities that made positive contributions to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include NRG Energy Inc., Merck & Co. Inc., Vanguard Long-Term Corp Bond ETF, Kraft Heinz Co, and Phillips 66.
     
 
Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include iShares Preferred & Income Securities ETF, SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF, Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF, Xtrackers USD High Yield Corp Bond ETF, and SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in the High Yield Corporate Bond and short duration U.S. Treasury Bill sectors positively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in the U.S. Treasury Bond and equities sectors negatively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
In general, quantitative models and tactical decisions used by the portfolio management team led to a significant allocation to High Yield Corporate Bond exposure throughout much of the fiscal period which, combined with more moderate exposure to U.S. Treasuries, Senior Leveraged Loans and equities, allowed the Fund generate income while still attempting to protect investors from excessive downside risk during a volatile bond market decline.

Investment Results: WBI Bull|Bear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF (WBIT)
 
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, the WBI Bull|Bear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF (WBIT) returned -9.66% on a Net Asset Value (“NAV”) basis, and -9.53% based on market value, versus the -13.87% of the Russell 3000 Total Return Index, the Fund’s benchmark.
 
Highlights:
 
 
Fund utilizes quantitative trend models to optimize risk and return for domestic stock and fixed income exposure.
     
 
Seeks to manage risk to capital and provide attractive returns for long-term capital growth.

5


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
 
June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


 
Proprietary quantitative equity model is used to evaluate when conditions are deemed favorable for equity market exposure. Proprietary quantitative bond model is used to identify the credit quality and duration exposure that will be implemented when equity market exposure is deemed unfavorable. The combination of these quantitative model signals “switch” the recommended exposure of the entire Fund accordingly.
     
 
As of June 30, 2022, the Fund held 3 securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent. The SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, and Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF were the largest positions in the Fund on this date.
     
 
Examples of securities that made positive contributions to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF, Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, iShares iBoxx Investment Grade Bond ETF, and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF.
     
 
Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include iShares Russell 3000 ETF, Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF, Schwab US Broad Market ETF, iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, and Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in the High Yield Corporate Bond sector positively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection decisions in the U.S. Treasury Bond sector negatively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
In general, the quantitative models used by the portfolio management team recommended equity market exposure throughout approximately 60% of the fiscal year period which helped the Fund capture any equity market upside while maintaining that exposure. However, the models recommended several switches out of equities and into high yield corporate bonds and U.S. Treasuries in an attempt to protect investors from excessive downside risk and volatility while still maximizing return potential and income. The lack of equity market exposure during certain periods of the fiscal year positively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark, which is an equity market index that suffered significant losses during the last two quarters of the fiscal year.

Investment Results: WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF (WBIY)
 
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, the WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF (WBIY) returned -1.40% on a Net Asset Value (“NAV”) basis, and -1.72% based on market value, versus the -7.46% return of the Russell 3000 Value Total Return Index, the Fund’s benchmark, and versus the -0.60% return of the Solactive Power FactorTM High Dividend GTR Index, the Fund’s underlying index.
 
 
Passively managed equity fund intended to track the Solactive Power Factor High Dividend Index.
     
 
The underlying index utilizes a multifactor security selection model that attempts to identify companies with high quality fundamentals that also generate high dividend income.
     
 
The composition of the underlying index is adjusted quarterly and screened monthly for dividend cuts or an overall negative outlook concerning a constituent’s dividend policy.
     
 
Trading activity in the Fund results primarily from changes to the holdings of this underlying index.
     
 
As of June 30, 2022, the Fund held 50 securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent. International Business Machines Corp, Gilead Sciences Inc., Phillips 66, Verizon Communications Inc., and Philip Morris International Inc., were some of the largest positions in the Fund on this date.
     
 
Examples of securities that made positive contributions to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include Chevron Corp, Abbvie Inc., Newmont Corp, Southern Co, and Interpublic Group Inc.
     
 
Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the fiscal period include Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp, Foot Locker Inc., Hanesbrands Inc., International Paper Co, and American Eagle Outfitters.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection in Financials, Communication Services, and Information Technology sectors positively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.
     
 
Asset allocation and security selection in Consumer Discretionary, Real Estate, and Consumer Staples sectors negatively affected Fund performance versus its benchmark during the period.

6


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
 
June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


 
In general, the underlying index, and therefore the Fund, were exposed to a diversified equity portfolio that contained a significant amount of small and mid-capitalization company exposure throughout the fiscal period. The Fund also maintained a large allocation to value based companies which exhibit quality fundamentals but appear to be undervalued. This helped the Fund capture a significant amount of any potential equity market upside, generate income, and outperform its benchmark during the fiscal period.


Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
 
Opinions expressed are those of WBI Investments, Inc. (“WBI”), the Funds’ investment sub-adviser, are subject to change, are not guaranteed, and should not be construed as recommendations or investment advice or a solicitation to purchase or sell securities referenced in the Investment Commentary.
 
Exchange traded fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. The Funds invest in emerging market and foreign securities which involve political, economic and currency risks, greater volatility and differences in accounting methods. These risks can be greater in emerging markets. The Funds invest in smaller and medium sized companies, which involve additional risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility. Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise. This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities. Investments by the Funds in lower-rated and non-rated securities present a greater risk of loss to principal and interest than higher-rated securities. Investments in mortgage-backed securities may involve additional risks, such as credit risk, prepayment risk, possible illiquidity and default, and susceptibility to adverse economic developments. Because the Funds invest in other exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), they are subject to additional risks that do not apply to conventional funds, including the risks that the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to its net asset value ("NAV"), an active secondary trading market may not develop or be maintained, or trading may be halted by the exchange in which they trade, which may impact a Fund’s ability to sell its shares. The Funds may invest in exchange-traded notes (“ETN”), which are subject to the credit risk of the issuer. Additional risks include volatility, lack of liquidity, and sensitivity to currencies, commodities markets, and interest rate changes. The Funds may invest in Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REIT”). Risks commonly associated with the direct ownership of real estate include fluctuations in the value of underlying properties, defaults by borrowers or tenants, changes in interest rates and risks related to general or local economic conditions. The Funds may invest in master limited partnerships (“MLP”), which are subject to certain risks inherent in the structure of MLPs, including complex tax structure risks, the limited ability for election or removal of management, limited voting rights, potential dependence on parent companies or sponsors for revenues to satisfy obligations, and potential conflicts of interest between partners, members and affiliates. The Funds may also use options and future contracts, which have the risk of unlimited losses of the underlying holdings due to unanticipated market movements, and failure to correctly predict the direction of securities prices, interest rates and currency exchange rates. The investment in options is not suitable for all investors. Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market.
 
An investment in money market funds is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. Although money market funds seek to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in these funds.
 
A stop loss order directs a brokerage firm to sell a specified security at the prevailing market price should that security’s price fall to or below a stipulated price. A stop limit order directs a brokerage firm to sell a specified security should that security’s price fall to or below a stipulated price, but only if the transaction can be executed at or above the limit price given as part of the order. The Funds use the Sub Advisor’s proprietary Dynamic Trailing Stop Loss System (“DTS”), which is designed to help control the risk to invested capital when investing in volatile securities and markets. The DTS is not a stop loss order or stop limit order placed with a brokerage firm, but an internal process for monitoring price movements. While the DTS may be used to initiate the process for selling a security, it does not assure that a particular execution price will be received.
 
Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change and should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. References to other funds should not be interpreted as an offer of these securities. For a complete list of each Fund’s holdings, please refer to the Schedule of Investments in this report.
 
Any tax or legal information provided is merely a summary of our understanding and interpretation of some of the current income tax regulations and is not exhaustive. Investors must consult their tax advisor or legal counsel for advice and information concerning their particular situation. Neither the Funds nor any of their representatives may give legal or tax advice.
 
This report must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.
 
WBI Exchange Traded Funds are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.
 

 
7


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
 
June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


Benchmark Definitions
 
Unless otherwise indicated, the source for index price and performance data used in the discussion of market conditions and market commentary is Bloomberg.
 
The Russell 3000 Total Return Index is a float-adjusted market-cap weighted index that includes 3,000 stocks and covers 98% of the U.S. equity investable universe.
 
The Russell 3000 Value Total Return Index uses the value characteristic book-to-price ratio to create a style index based upon the Russell 3000 that contains companies with lower predicted and historical growth rates.
 
The Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Total Return Index is calculated based on the U.S. dollar denominated, investment grade fixed-rate taxable bond market including treasury, government-related, corporate, MBS, ABS and CMBS debt, and includes the performance effect of income earned by securities in the index. Effective August 24, 2021, the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Total Return Index changed its name to Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Total Return Index.
 
The Solactive Power FactorTM High Dividend GTR Index is constructed by scoring each ordinary dividend paying, common stock constituent from the 3,000 largest U.S. companies both directly and relative to industry peers using the three Power Factors and ranking those securities in descending order according to their dividend indicated yield. The 50 companies with the largest dividend indicated yield are subsequently chosen as Index components.
 
Other Index Definitions
 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA or “The Dow”) is a price-weighted average of 30 of the largest blue-chip issues traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
 
The S&P 500 Index is a float-market-cap-weighted average of 500 large-cap U.S. companies in all major sectors.
 
The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on NASDAQ.
 
The Russell 1000 Index is a float-adjusted market-cap weighted index that includes the largest 1,000 stocks by market-cap of the Russell 3000 Index.
 
The Russell 2000 Index is a float-adjusted market-cap weighted index that includes the smallest 2,000 stocks by market-cap of the Russell 3000 Index.
 
The Russell 1000 Value Index uses the value characteristic book-to-price ratio to create a style index based upon the Russell 1000 that contains companies with lower predicted and historical growth rates.
 
The Russell 2000 Value Index uses the value characteristic book-to-price ratio to create a style index based upon the Russell 2000 that contains companies with lower predicted and historical growth rates.
 
Terms
 
Basis point: a unit of measure to describe the percentage change in the value of financial instruments or the rate change in an index or other benchmark. One basis point is equivalent to 0.01% (1/100th of a percent) or 0.0001 in decimal form.
 

8


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
Performance Summary (Unaudited)
 





     
Since
Average Annual Returns
   
Inception
Period Ended June 30, 2022
1 Year
5 Years
(8/25/14)
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF—NAV
(5.62)%
3.45%
3.10%
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF—Market
(5.88)%
3.34%
3.07%
Russell 3000 Value Total Return
(7.46)%
7.01%
7.12%

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment made on August 25, 2014, and is not intended to imply any future performance. The returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. The chart assumes reinvestment of capital gains and dividends.
 
The performance data quoted represents past performance and is not a guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For most recent month-end performance, please visit www.wbietfs.com.
 
Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (gross) is 1.36%. Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (net) is 1.25%. The Fund’s Sub-Advisor has contractually agreed to waive the fees and reimburse expenses of the Fund such that total annual operating expenses are limited to 1.25% of average net assets until at least October 31, 2022. (Actual expenses can be referenced in the Financial Highlights section later in this report.)
 

9


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
 
Performance Summary (Unaudited)
 





     
Since
Average Annual Returns
   
Inception
Period Ended June 30, 2022
1 Year
5 Years
(8/25/14)
WBI BullBear Yield 3000—NAV
(0.73)%
4.14%
1.89%
WBI BullBear Yield 3000—Market
(0.86)%
4.07%
1.87%
Russell 3000 Value Total Return
(7.46)%
7.01%
7.12%

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment made on August 25, 2014, and is not intended to imply any future performance. The returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. The chart assumes reinvestment of capital gains and dividends.
 
The performance data quoted represents past performance and is not a guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For most recent month-end performance, please visit www.wbietfs.com.
 
Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (gross) is 1.27%. Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (net) is 1.25%. The Fund’s Sub-Advisor has contractually agreed to waive the fees and reimburse expenses of the Fund such that total annual operating expenses are limited to 1.25% of average net assets until at least October 31, 2022. (Actual expenses can be referenced in the Financial Highlights section later in this report.)
 

10


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
 
Performance Summary (Unaudited)
 





     
Since
Average Annual Returns
   
Inception
Period Ended June 30, 2022
1 Year
5 Years
(8/25/14)
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF—NAV
  (4.58)%
  3.49%
  2.53%
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF—Market
  (4.76)%
  3.41%
  2.51%
Russell 3000 Total Return
(13.87)%
10.60%
10.00%

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment made on August 25, 2014, and is not intended to imply any future performance. The returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. The chart assumes reinvestment of capital gains and dividends.
 
The performance data quoted represents past performance and is not a guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For most recent month-end performance, please visit www.wbietfs.com.
 
Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (gross) is 1.31%. Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (net) is 1.25%. The Fund’s Sub-Advisor has contractually agreed to waive the fees and reimburse expenses of the Fund such that total annual operating expenses are limited to 1.25% of average net assets until at least October 31, 2022. (Actual expenses can be referenced in the Financial Highlights section later in this report.)
 

11


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
 
Performance Summary (Unaudited)
 





     
Since
Average Annual Returns
   
Inception
Period Ended June 30, 2022
1 Year
5 Years
(8/25/14)
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF—NAV
(12.05)%
(0.15)%
0.61%
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF—Market
(11.93)%
(0.18)%
0.61%
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
(10.29)%
0.88%
1.43%

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment made on August 25, 2014, and is not intended to imply any future performance. The returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. The chart assumes reinvestment of capital gains and dividends.
 
The performance data quoted represents past performance and is not a guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For most recent month-end performance, please visit www.wbietfs.com.
 
Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (gross) is 1.45% including Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund’s Sub-Advisor has contractually agreed to waive the fees and reimburse expenses of the Fund such that total annual operating expenses are limited to 1.25% of average net assets until at least October 31, 2022. (Actual expenses can be referenced in the Financial Highlights section later in this report.)
 

12


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
 
Performance Summary (Unaudited)
 





     
Since
Average Annual Returns
   
Inception
Period Ended June 30, 2022
1 Year
5 Years
(12/19/16)
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF—NAV
(1.40)%
6.93%
5.93%
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF—Market
(1.72)%
6.79%
5.90%
Russell 3000 Value Index
(7.46)%
7.01%
6.98%
Solactive Power Factor® High Dividend Index
(0.60)%
8.02%
7.02%

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment made on December 19, 2016, and is not intended to imply any future performance. The returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. The chart assumes reinvestment of capital gains and dividends.
 
The performance data quoted represents past performance and is not a guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For most recent month-end performance, please visit www.wbietfs.com.
 
Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (gross) is 0.98%. Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual operating expense (net) is 0.70%. The Fund’s Sub-Advisor has contractually agreed to waive the fees and reimburse expenses of the Fund such that total annual operating expenses are limited to 1.25% of average net assets until at least October 31, 2022. (Actual expenses can be referenced in the Financial Highlights section later in this report.)
 

13


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
 
Performance Summary (Unaudited)
 





     
Since
Average Annual Returns
   
Inception
Period Ended June 30, 2022
 
1 Year
(5/28/19)
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF —NAV
 
  (9.66)%
  0.61%
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF —Market
 
  (9.53)%
  0.62%
Russell 3000 Total Return
 
(13.87)%
11.26%

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment made on May 28, 2019, and is not intended to imply any future performance. The returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. The chart assumes reinvestment of capital gains and dividends.
 
The performance data quoted represents past performance and is not a guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For most recent month-end performance, please visit www.wbietfs.com.
 
Per the Prospectus dated 10/31/2021, the Fund’s annual expense ratio operating expense (gross) is 0.88%. (Actual expenses can be referenced in the Financial Highlights section later in this report.)
 

14


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Portfolio Allocations
 

As of June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
 
Percentage of
Industry Group
Net Assets
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology
 
  & Life Sciences
20.1%
Energy
8.8%
Software & Services
8.5%
Health Care Equipment
 
  & Services
8.3%
Insurance
5.4%
Capital Goods
4.7%
Transportation
4.0%
Telecommunication Services
3.1%
Short-Term Investments
 
  and Other Assets and Liabilities
37.1%
TOTAL
100.0%
   
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
 
 
Percentage of
Industry Group
Net Assets
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology
 
  & Life Sciences
20.0%
Food, Beverage & Tobacco
9.4%
Energy
8.8%
Software & Services
8.4%
Health Care Equipment
 
  & Services
8.2%
Capital Goods
4.8%
Consumer Services
4.1%
Transportation
4.0%
Insurance
3.0%
Media & Entertainment
0.4%
Telecommunication Services
0.1%
Short-Term Investments
 
  and Other Assets and Liabilities
28.8%
TOTAL
100.0%
   
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
 
 
Percentage of
Industry Group
Net Assets
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology
 
  & Life Sciences
20.0%
Health Care Equipment
 
  & Services
8.3%
Software & Services
5.9%
Retailing
5.0%
Capital Goods
4.7%
Food, Beverage & Tobacco
4.7%
Insurance
4.4%
Energy
4.0%
Transportation
4.0%
Media & Entertainment
0.4%
Commercial &
 
  Professional Services
0.1%
Short-Term Investments
 
  and Other Assets and Liabilities
38.5%
TOTAL
100.0%
   
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
 
 
Percentage of
Industry Group
Net Assets
Exchange Traded Funds
47.8%
Energy
2.7%
Short-Term Investments
 
  and Other Assets and Liabilities
49.5%
TOTAL
100.0%
   
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
 
 
Percentage of
Industry Group
Net Assets
Energy
12.3%
Telecommunication Services
10.3%
Materials
10.1%
Retailing
10.1%
Software & Services
9.0%
Food, Beverage & Tobacco
6.6%
Banks
6.4%
Consumer Durables & Apparel
6.0%
Insurance
5.9%
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology
 
  & Life Sciences
5.6%
Diversified Financials
4.7%
Food & Staples Retailing
4.6%
Capital Goods
2.9%
Media & Entertainment
1.3%
Consumer Services
1.2%
Transportation
1.0%
Utilities
0.8%
Short-Term Investments
 
  and Other Assets and Liabilities
1.2%
TOTAL
100.0%
   
WBI BullBear Trend Switch
 
  US 3000 Total Return ETF
 
 
Percentage of
Industry Group
Net Assets
Exchange Traded Funds
99.1%
Short-Term Investments
 
  and Other Assets and Liabilities
0.9%
TOTAL
100.0%

15


   
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
Schedule of Investments
 
June 30, 2022
 


Shares/
         
Amount
 
Security Description
 
Value
 
COMMON STOCKS — 62.9%
     
       
Capital Goods — 4.7%
     
 
9,059
 
General Dynamics Corp.
 
$
2,004,304
 
         
Energy — 8.8%
       
 
70,348
 
Baker Hughes Co. +
   
2,030,947
 
 
19,950
 
Exxon Mobil Corp.
   
1,708,518
 
           
3,739,465
 
Health Care Equipment & Services — 8.3%
       
 
3,764
 
Humana, Inc.
   
1,761,816
 
 
3,415
 
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
   
1,754,046
 
           
3,515,862
 
Insurance — 5.4%
       
 
1,128
 
Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.
   
164,970
 
 
1,806
 
Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.
   
211,826
 
 
55,751
 
Unum Group +
   
1,896,649
 
           
2,273,445
 
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences — 20.1%
       
 
11,226
 
AbbVie, Inc. +
   
1,719,374
 
 
22,355
 
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
   
1,721,335
 
 
10,139
 
Johnson & Johnson
   
1,799,774
 
 
19,632
 
Merck & Company, Inc.
   
1,789,849
 
 
28,628
 
Pfizer, Inc.
   
1,500,966
 
           
8,531,298
 
Software & Services — 8.5%
       
 
7,830
 
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
   
1,644,613
 
 
13,886
 
International Business Machines Corp. +
   
1,960,565
 
           
3,605,178
 
Telecommunication Services — 3.1%
       
 
119,085
 
Lumen Technologies, Inc.
   
1,299,217
 
         
Transportation — 4.0%
       
 
58,941
 
CSX Corp.
   
1,712,825
 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
(Cost $26,237,948)
   
26,681,594
 
               
               
SHORT TERM INVESTMENT — 38.4%
       
 
16,311,146
 
U.S. Bank Money Market
       
     
  Deposit Account, 0.60%
   
16,311,146
 
TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENT
       
(Cost $16,311,146)
   
16,311,146
 
               
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING — 8.2%
       
 
3,480,083
 
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets
       
     
  Portfolio, LLC, 1.61% (a)(b)
   
3,480,083
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING
       
(Cost $3,480,083)
   
3,480,083
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 109.5%
       
(Cost $46,029,177)
   
46,472,823
 
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (9.5)%
   
(3,970,118
)
NET ASSETS — 100.0%
 
$
42,502,705
 
_________
+
All or portion of this security is on loan as of June 30, 2022. Total value of securities on loan is $3,360,055.
(a)
The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield as of June 30, 2022.
(b)
Privately offered liquidity fund.

The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®) was developed by and/or is the exclusive property of MSCI, Inc. and Standard & Poor Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). GICS is a service mark of MSCI and S&P and has been licensed for use by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

16


   
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
 
Schedule of Investments
 
June 30, 2022
 


Shares/
         
Amount
 
Security Description
 
Value
 
COMMON STOCKS — 71.2%
     
       
Capital Goods — 4.8%
     
 
8,170
 
General Dynamics Corp.
 
$
1,807,613
 
 
233
 
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.
   
50,752
 
           
1,858,365
 
Consumer Services — 4.1%
       
 
44,416
 
H&R Block, Inc. +
   
1,568,773
 
         
Energy — 8.8%
       
 
63,362
 
Baker Hughes Co. +
   
1,829,261
 
 
17,992
 
Exxon Mobil Corp.
   
1,540,835
 
           
3,370,096
 
Food, Beverage & Tobacco — 9.4%
       
 
24,685
 
General Mills, Inc.
   
1,862,483
 
 
31,798
 
Molson Coors Brewing Co.
   
1,733,309
 
           
3,595,792
 
Health Care Equipment & Services — 8.2%
       
 
3,378
 
Humana, Inc.
   
1,581,141
 
 
3,075
 
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
   
1,579,412
 
           
3,160,553
 
Insurance — 3.0%
       
 
4,159
 
Everest Re Group, LTD. — ADR (a)
   
1,165,684
 
         
Media & Entertainment — 0.4%
       
 
819
 
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. — Class A
   
133,399
 
         
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences — 20.0%
       
 
10,096
 
AbbVie, Inc.
   
1,546,303
 
 
20,027
 
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
   
1,542,079
 
 
9,104
 
Johnson & Johnson
   
1,616,051
 
 
17,588
 
Merck & Company, Inc.
   
1,603,498
 
 
25,974
 
Pfizer, Inc.
   
1,361,817
 
           
7,669,748
 
Software & Services — 8.4%
       
 
7,051
 
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
   
1,480,992
 
 
12,464
 
International Business Machines Corp.
   
1,759,792
 
           
3,240,784
 
Telecommunication Services — 0.1%
       
 
3,250
 
Lumen Technologies, Inc.
   
35,457
 
         
Transportation — 4.0%
       
 
52,926
 
CSX Corp.
   
1,538,030
 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
(Cost $26,632,004)
   
27,336,681
 
               
SHORT TERM INVESTMENT — 29.5%
       
 
11,348,542
 
U.S. Bank Money Market
       
     
  Deposit Account, 0.60%
   
11,348,542
 
TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENT
       
(Cost $11,348,542)
   
11,348,542
 
               
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING — 7.4%
       
 
2,836,777
 
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets
       
     
  Portfolio, LLC, 1.61% (b)(c)
   
2,836,777
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING
       
(Cost $2,836,777)
   
2,836,777
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 108.1%
       
(Cost $40,817,323)
   
41,522,000
 
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (8.1)%
   
(3,105,684
)
NET ASSETS — 100.0%
 
$
38,416,316
 
_________
ADR
American Depository Receipt
+
All or portion of this security is on loan as of June 30, 2022. Total value of securities on loan is $2,748,560.
(a)
Foreign issued security. Foreign concentration is as follows: Bermuda: 3.03%.
(b)
The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield as of June 30, 2022.
(c)
Privately offered liquidity fund.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

17


   
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
 
Schedule of Investments
 
June 30, 2022
 


Shares/
         
Amount
 
Security Description
 
Value
 
COMMON STOCKS — 61.5%
     
       
Capital Goods — 4.7%
     
 
7,843
 
General Dynamics Corp.
 
$
1,735,264
 
         
Commercial & Professional Services — 0.1%
       
 
952
 
KBR, Inc.
   
46,067
 
         
Energy — 4.0%
       
 
17,205
 
Exxon Mobil Corp.
   
1,473,436
 
         
Food, Beverage & Tobacco — 4.7%
       
 
23,041
 
General Mills, Inc. +
   
1,738,443
 
         
Health Care Equipment & Services — 8.3%
       
 
3,236
 
Humana, Inc.
   
1,514,674
 
 
2,949
 
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
   
1,514,695
 
           
3,029,369
 
Insurance — 4.4%
       
 
47,367
 
Unum Group +
   
1,611,425
 
         
Media & Entertainment — 0.4%
       
 
834
 
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. — Class A
   
135,842
 
         
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences — 20.0%
       
 
9,682
 
AbbVie, Inc. +
   
1,482,895
 
 
19,219
 
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
   
1,479,863
 
 
8,729
 
Johnson & Johnson
   
1,549,485
 
 
16,878
 
Merck & Co., Inc.
   
1,538,767
 
 
24,907
 
Pfizer, Inc.
   
1,305,874
 
           
7,356,884
 
Retailing — 5.0%
       
 
9,053
 
LKQ Corp.
   
444,412
 
 
13,204
 
Penske Automotive Group, Inc.
   
1,382,327
 
           
1,826,739
 
Software & Services — 5.9%
       
 
2,112
 
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
   
443,604
 
 
12,250
 
International Business Machines Corp. +
   
1,729,578
 
           
2,173,182
 
Transportation — 4.0%
       
 
50,744
 
CSX Corp.
   
1,474,621
 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
(Cost $22,398,074)
   
22,601,272
 
               
SHORT TERM INVESTMENT — 39.1%
       
 
14,387,081
 
U.S. Bank Money Market
       
     
  Deposit Account, 0.60%
   
14,387,081
 
TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENT
       
(Cost $14,387,081)
   
14,387,081
 
               
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING — 13.2%
       
 
4,847,204
 
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets
       
     
  Portfolio, LLC, 1.61% (a)(b)
   
4,847,204
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING
       
(Cost $4,847,204)
   
4,847,204
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 113.8%
       
(Cost $41,632,359)
   
41,835,557
 
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (13.8)%
   
(5,077,689
)
NET ASSETS — 100.0%
 
$
36,757,868
 
_________
+
All or portion of this security is on loan as of June 30, 2022. Total value of securities on loan is $4,722,960.
(a)
The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield as of June 30, 2022.
(b)
Privately offered liquidity fund.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

18


   
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
 
Schedule of Investments
 
June 30, 2022
 

 
Shares/
         
Amount
 
Security Description
 
Value
 
COMMON STOCKS — 2.7%
     
       
Energy — 2.7%
     
 
1,535
 
Chevron Corp.
 
$
222,237
 
 
5,518
 
Diamondback Energy, Inc.
   
668,505
 
 
6,433
 
Halliburton Company +
   
201,739
 
           
1,092,481
 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
(Cost $1,346,128)
   
1,092,481
 
               
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS — 47.8%
       
 
18,053
 
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF +
   
2,073,748
 
 
185,113
 
Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF
   
9,105,710
 
 
125,357
 
SPDR Portfolio
       
     
  Long Term Treasury ETF +
   
4,145,556
 
 
59,090
 
Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF
   
4,145,754
 
TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
       
(Cost $19,200,811)
   
19,470,768
 
               
SHORT TERM INVESTMENT — 49.6%
       
 
20,197,072
 
U.S. Bank Money Market
       
     
  Deposit Account, 0.60%
   
20,197,072
 
TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENT
       
(Cost $20,197,072)
   
20,197,072
 
               
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING — 10.7%
       
 
4,340,751
 
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets
       
     
  Portfolio, LLC, 1.61% (a)(b)
   
4,340,751
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING
       
(Cost $4,340,751)
   
4,340,751
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 110.8%
       
(Cost $45,084,762)
   
45,101,072
 
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (10.8)%
   
(4,389,981
)
NET ASSETS — 100.0%
 
$
40,711,091
 
_________
+
All or portion of this security is on loan as of June 30, 2022. Total value of securities on loan is $4,248,378.
(a)
The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield as of June 30, 2022.
(b)
Privately offered liquidity fund.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

19


   
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
 
Schedule of Investments
 
June 30, 2022
 


Shares
 
Security Description
 
Value
 
COMMON STOCKS — 98.8%
     
       
Banks — 6.4%
     
 
6,329
 
First Financial Bancorp +
 
$
122,783
 
 
18,862
 
First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.
   
718,831
 
 
57,820
 
FNB Corp.
   
627,925
 
 
22,495
 
Fulton Financial Corp.
   
325,053
 
 
15,766
 
Hope Bancorp, Inc.
   
218,201
 
 
144,867
 
New York Community Bancorp, Inc. +
   
1,322,636
 
 
6,833
 
Provident Financial Services, Inc. +
   
152,102
 
 
31,422
 
Umpqua Holdings Corp.
   
526,947
 
           
4,014,478
 
Capital Goods — 2.9%
       
 
13,799
 
3M Company
   
1,785,729
 
         
Consumer Durables & Apparel — 6.0%
       
 
128,295
 
Hanesbrands, Inc. +
   
1,320,156
 
 
11,447
 
Kontoor Brands, Inc. +
   
381,986
 
 
92,653
 
Newell Brands, Inc. +
   
1,764,113
 
 
1,958
 
Whirlpool Corp. +
   
303,236
 
           
3,769,491
 
Consumer Services — 1.2%
       
 
8,609
 
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. +
   
718,765
 
         
Diversified Financials — 4.7%
       
 
11,565
 
Artisan Partners Asset
       
     
  Management, Inc. — Class A +
   
411,367
 
 
63,726
 
Franklin Resources, Inc. +
   
1,485,453
 
 
10,369
 
Moelis & Co.
   
408,020
 
 
45,930
 
Navient Corp.
   
642,561
 
           
2,947,401
 
Energy — 12.3%
       
 
0,436
 
Hess Midstream LP +
   
572,208
 
 
172,754
 
Kinder Morgan, Inc.
   
2,895,357
 
 
41,051
 
Phillips 66
   
3,365,772
 
 
82,744
 
Plains GP Holdings LP — Class A
   
853,918
 
           
7,687,255
 
Food & Staples Retailing — 4.6%
       
 
75,052
 
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
   
2,844,471
 
         
Food, Beverage & Tobacco — 6.6%
       
 
31,253
 
Philip Morris International, Inc.
   
3,085,921
 
 
26,336
 
The Kraft Heinz Co. +
   
1,004,455
 
           
4,090,376
 
Insurance — 5.9%
       
 
18,947
 
Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
   
700,281
 
 
4,013
 
Mercury General Corp.
   
177,776
 
 
31,637
 
Old Republic International Corp.
   
707,403
 
 
9,500
 
Principal Financial Group, Inc. +
   
634,505
 
 
7,088
 
Prudential  Financial, Inc.
   
678,180
 
 
22,997
 
Unum Group
   
782,358
 
           
3,680,503
 
Materials — 10.1%
       
 
49,962
 
Dow, Inc.
   
2,578,539
 
 
24,803
 
International Paper Co.
   
1,037,509
 
 
30,399
 
LyondellBasell Industries
       
     
  N.V. — Class A — ADR (c)
   
2,658,697
 
           
6,274,745
 
Media & Entertainment — 1.3%
       
 
12,405
 
Omnicom Group, Inc. +
   
789,082
 
         
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences — 5.6%
       
 
56,604
 
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
   
3,498,693
 
         
Retailing — 10.1%
       
 
148,499
 
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. +
   
1,660,219
 
 
25,706
 
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. +
   
288,164
 
 
43,965
 
Camping World
       
     
  Holdings, Inc. — Class A +
   
949,204
 
 
92,518
 
Foot Locker, Inc. +
   
2,336,079
 
 
7,537
 
Franchise Group, Inc. +
   
264,323
 
 
22,678
 
Guess?, Inc. +
   
386,660
 
 
22,618
 
Rent-A-Center, Inc. +
   
439,920
 
           
6,324,569
 
Software & Services — 9.0%
       
 
28,075
 
International Business Machines Corp. +
   
3,963,909
 
 
98,835
 
Western Union Co. +
   
1,627,812
 
           
5,591,721
 
Telecommunication Services — 10.3%
       
 
281,658
 
Lumen Technologies, Inc. +
   
3,072,889
 
 
65,380
 
Verizon Communications, Inc.
   
3,318,035
 
           
6,390,924
 
Transportation — 1.0%
       
 
6,278
 
Eagle Bulk Shipping, Inc. — ADR+ (a)
   
325,703
 
 
17,064
 
Genco Shipping &
       
     
  Trading LTD. — ADR+ (a)
   
329,676
 
           
655,379
 
Utilities — 0.8%
       
 
13,628
 
Clearway Energy, Inc.
   
474,800
 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
(Cost $68,588,205)
   
61,538,382
 


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

20


   
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
 
Schedule of Investments (concluded)
 
June 30, 2022
 


Shares/
         
Amount
 
Security Description
 
Value
 
SHORT TERM INVESTMENT — 1.2%
     
 
760,220
 
U.S. Bank Money Market
     
     
  Deposit Account, 0.60%
 
$
760,220
 
TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENT
       
(Cost $760,220)
   
760,220
 
               
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING — 31.3%
       
 
19,534,969
 
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets
       
     
  Portfolio, LLC, 1.61% (b)(c)
   
19,534,969
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING
       
(Cost $19,534,969)
   
19,534,969
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 131.3%
       
(Cost $88,883,394)
   
81,833,571
 
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (31.3)%
   
(19,500,765
)
NET ASSETS — 100.0%
 
$
62,332,806
 
________
ADR
American Depository Receipt
+
All or portion of this security is on loan as of June 30, 2022. Total value of securities on loan is $18,773,081.
(a)
Foreign issued security. Foreign concentration is as follows: Netherlands: 4.27%, Marshall Island: 1.05%.
(b)
The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield as of June 30, 2022.
(c)
Privately offered liquidity fund.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

21


   
Absolute Shares Trust
 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
 
Schedule of Investments
 
June 30, 2022
 


Shares/
         
Amount
 
Security Description
 
Value
 
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS — 99.1%
     
 
58,423
 
iShares 20+ Year
     
     
  Treasury Bond ETF +
 
$
6,711,050
 
 
244,732
 
SPDR Portfolio
       
     
  Long Term Treasury ETF
   
8,093,287
 
 
115,386
 
Vanguard
       
     
  Long-Term Treasury ETF +
   
8,095,482
 
TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
       
(Cost $22,078,870)
   
22,899,819
 
               
SHORT TERM INVESTMENT — 1.0%
       
 
221,625
 
U.S. Bank Money Market
       
     
  Deposit Account, 0.60%
   
221,625
 
TOTAL SHORT TERM INVESTMENT
       
(Cost $221,625)
   
221,625
 
               
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING — 31.7%
       
 
7,334,364
 
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets
       
     
  Portfolio, LLC, 1.61% (a)(b)
   
7,334,364
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH
       
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING
       
(Cost $7,334,364)
   
7,334,364
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 131.8%
       
(Cost $29,634,859)
   
30,455,808
 
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (31.8)%
   
(7,342,525
)
NET ASSETS — 100.0%
 
$
23,113,283
 
_________
+
All or portion of this security is on loan as of June 30, 2022. Total value of securities on loan is $7,246,886.
(a)
The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield as of June 30, 2022.
(b)
Privately offered liquidity fund.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

22


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Statements of Assets and Liabilities
 

June 30, 2022

                     
WBI BullBear
 
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
   
Global
 
   
Value 3000 ETF
   
Yield 3000 ETF
   
Quality 3000 ETF
   
Income ETF
 
ASSETS
                       
Investments in securities, at value *+ (Note 2)
 
$
46,472,823
   
$
41,522,000
   
$
41,835,557
   
$
45,101,072
 
Receivable for investments sold
   
     
     
137,965
     
 
Dividends and interest receivable
   
41,996
     
40,893
     
47,310
     
5,712
 
Prepaid expenses and other assets
   
9,870
     
9,901
     
9,902
     
10,249
 
Securities lending income receivable
   
142
     
142
     
132
     
2,781
 
Total Assets
   
46,524,831
     
41,572,936
     
42,030,866
     
45,119,814
 
                                 
LIABILITIES
                               
Payables
                               
Collateral received for securities loaned (Note 7)
   
3,480,083
     
2,836,777
     
4,847,204
     
4,340,751
 
Investments purchased
   
469,662
     
251,976
     
359,228
     
 
Audit fees
   
24,527
     
24,527
     
24,526
     
23,614
 
Administration and fund accounting fees
   
22,706
     
22,682
     
22,771
     
22,426
 
Management fees
   
19,106
     
14,697
     
13,382
     
15,815
 
Accrued other expenses
   
2,834
     
2,836
     
2,821
     
2,935
 
Chief Compliance Officer fee
   
1,217
     
1,216
     
1,216
     
1,216
 
Custody fees
   
1,190
     
1,108
     
1,038
     
1,161
 
Legal fees
   
788
     
788
     
799
     
792
 
Directors fees
   
13
     
13
     
13
     
13
 
Total Liabilities
   
4,022,126
     
3,156,620
     
5,272,998
     
4,408,723
 
NET ASSETS
 
$
42,502,705
   
$
38,416,316
   
$
36,757,868
   
$
40,711,091
 
                                 
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:
                               
Paid-in capital
 
$
59,830,368
   
$
95,815,172
   
$
64,497,065
   
$
56,371,312
 
Total accumulated deficit
   
(17,327,663
)
   
(57,398,856
)
   
(27,739,197
)
   
(15,660,221
)
Net Assets
 
$
42,502,705
   
$
38,416,316
   
$
36,757,868
   
$
40,711,091
 
*Cost
                               
Investments in securities
 
$
46,029,177
   
$
40,817,323
   
$
41,632,359
   
$
45,084,762
 
Net Asset Value (unlimited shares authorized):
                               
Net Assets
 
$
42,502,705
   
$
38,416,316
   
$
36,757,868
   
$
40,711,091
 
Shares Outstanding^
   
1,438,315
     
1,480,183
     
1,277,182
     
1,900,000
 
Net Asset Value, Offering and Redemption Price per Share
 
$
29.55
   
$
25.95
   
$
28.78
   
$
21.43
 
^
No Par Value
+
Including securities on loan of $3,360,055, $2,748,560, $4,722,960, and $4,248,378 respectively.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

23


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (concluded)
 

June 30, 2022

         
WBI BullBear
 
   
WBI Power
   
Trend Switch
 
   
Factor® High
   
US 3000 Total
 
   
Dividend ETF
   
Return ETF
 
ASSETS
           
Investments in securities, at value *+ (Note 2)
 
$
81,833,571
   
$
30,455,808
 
Dividends and interest receivable
   
82,038
     
157
 
Prepaid expenses and other assets
   
9,075
     
 
Securities lending income receivable
   
8,352
     
2,949
 
Total Assets
   
81,933,036
     
30,458,914
 
                 
LIABILITIES
               
Payables
               
Collateral received for securities loaned (Note 7)
   
19,534,969
     
7,334,364
 
Audit fees
   
23,615
     
 
Administration and fund accounting fees
   
22,899
     
 
Management fees
   
11,411
     
10,397
 
Accrued other expenses
   
3,492
     
 
Custody fees
   
1,822
     
 
Chief Compliance Officer fee
   
1,217
     
 
Legal fees
   
792
     
857
 
Directors fees
   
13
     
13
 
Total Liabilities
   
19,600,230
     
7,345,631
 
NET ASSETS
 
$
62,332,806
   
$
23,113,283
 
                 
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:
               
Paid-in capital
 
$
73,608,869
   
$
28,286,139
 
Total accumulated deficit
   
(11,276,063
)
   
(5,172,856
)
Net Assets
 
$
62,332,806
   
$
23,113,283
 
*Cost
               
Investments in securities
 
$
88,883,394
   
$
29,634,859
 
Net Asset Value (unlimited shares authorized):
               
Net Assets
 
$
62,332,806
   
$
23,113,283
 
Shares Outstanding^
   
2,400,000
     
1,275,000
 
Net Asset Value, Offering and Redemption Price per Share
 
$
25.97
   
$
18.13
 
^
No Par Value
+
Including securities on loan of $18,773,081, and $7,246,886 respectively.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

24


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Statements of Operations
 

For the Year Ended June 30, 2022

                     
WBI BullBear
 
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
   
Global
 
   
Value 3000 ETF
   
Yield 3000 ETF
   
Quality 3000 ETF
   
Income ETF
 
INVESTMENT INCOME
                       
Income:
                       
Dividends+
 
$
1,045,029
   
$
1,164,183
   
$
958,242
   
$
1,706,125
 
Interest
   
11,267
     
8,892
     
9,844
     
7,247
 
Securities lending income (Note 7)
   
3,597
     
4,662
     
3,271
     
56,738
 
Total Investment Income
   
1,059,893
     
1,177,737
     
971,357
     
1,770,110
 
                                 
Expenses:
                               
Management fees (Note 3)
   
412,022
     
373,149
     
362,182
     
423,440
 
Administration, fund accounting and custodian fees (Note 6)
   
139,266
     
139,085
     
139,357
     
137,029
 
Professional fees
   
62,229
     
62,229
     
62,229
     
61,404
 
Insurance expenses
   
18,441
     
18,441
     
18,441
     
19,092
 
Director’s fees and expenses
   
18,343
     
18,343
     
18,343
     
18,343
 
Exchange fees
   
8,198
     
8,105
     
8,105
     
8,289
 
Shareholder reporting expenses
   
3,332
     
3,425
     
3,641
     
3,704
 
Miscellaneous expenses
   
6,060
     
6,059
     
6,060
     
6,117
 
Total Expenses
   
667,891
     
628,836
     
618,358
     
677,418
 
Less: Fees (Waived)/Recouped
   
(61,975
)
   
(80,088
)
   
(85,736
)
   
(57,457
)
Net Expenses
   
605,916
     
548,748
     
532,622
     
619,961
 
Net Investment Income
   
453,977
     
628,989
     
438,735
     
1,150,149
 
                                 
REALIZED & UNREALIZED GAIN ON INVESTMENTS
                               
Net realized gain (loss) on:
                               
Investments in securities
   
(1,498,281
)
   
778,032
     
(249,778
)
   
(5,318,980
)
Net change in unrealized depreciation of:
                               
Investments in securities
   
(1,540,311
)
   
(1,588,211
)
   
(1,954,650
)
   
(1,732,647
)
Net realized and unrealized loss on investments
   
(3,038,592
)
   
(810,179
)
   
(2,204,428
)
   
(7,051,627
)
NET DECREASE IN NET ASSETS
                               
  RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS
 
$
(2,584,615
)
 
$
(181,190
)
 
$
(1,765,693
)
 
$
(5,901,478
)
+
Net of withholding taxes of $752, $987, $1,148, and $0 respectively.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

25


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Statements of Operations (concluded)
 

For the Year Ended June 30, 2022

         
WBI BullBear
 
   
WBI Power
   
Trend Switch
 
   
Factor® High
   
US 3000 Total
 
   
Dividend ETF
   
Return ETF
 
INVESTMENT INCOME
           
Dividends+
 
$
3,154,023
   
$
645,780
 
Interest
   
448
     
191
 
Securities lending income (Note 7)
   
38,341
     
18,520
 
Total Investment Income
   
3,192,812
     
664,491
 
                 
Expenses:
               
Management fees (Note 3)
   
361,071
     
182,701
 
Administration, fund accounting and custodian fees (Note 6)
   
141,583
     
 
Professional fees
   
61,404
     
2,500
 
Insurance expenses
   
19,092
     
 
Director’s fees and expenses
   
18,343
     
18,343
 
Exchange fees
   
6,283
     
 
Shareholder reporting expenses
   
5,727
     
 
Miscellaneous expenses
   
6,004
     
 
Total Expenses
   
619,507
     
203,544
 
Less: Fees (Waived)/Recouped
   
(159,961
)
   
 
Net Expenses
   
459,546
     
203,544
 
Net Investment Income
   
2,733,266
     
460,947
 
                 
REALIZED & UNREALIZED GAIN ON INVESTMENTS
               
Net realized gain (loss) on:
               
Investments in securities
   
8,496,837
     
(2,304,066
)
Net change in unrealized depreciation of:
               
Investments in securities
   
(12,032,347
)
   
(564,385
)
Net realized and unrealized loss on investments
   
(3,535,510
)
   
(2,868,451
)
NET DECREASE IN NET ASSETS
               
  RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS
 
$
(802,244
)
 
$
(2,407,504
)
+
Net of withholding taxes of $0 and $0, respectively.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

26


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
 


   
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
   
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
 
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS:
                       
OPERATIONS
                       
Net investment income
 
$
453,977
   
$
724,224
   
$
628,989
   
$
875,769
 
Net realized gain (loss) on investments
   
(1,498,281
)
   
8,002,798
     
778,032
     
7,963,136
 
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
                               
  of investments
   
(1,540,311
)
   
716,494
     
(1,588,211
)
   
596,299
 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
                               
  resulting from operations
   
(2,584,615
)
   
9,443,516
     
(181,190
)
   
9,435,204
 
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
                               
Net distributions to shareholders
   
(686,698
)
   
(581,210
)
   
(890,827
)
   
(827,211
)
Total distributions to shareholders
   
(686,698
)
   
(581,210
)
   
(890,827
)
   
(827,211
)
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
                               
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
                               
  from capital share transactions
   
(7,823,085
)
   
1,516,665
     
(7,989,090
)
   
(20,377,660
)
Total increase (decrease) in net assets
 
$
(11,094,398
)
 
$
10,378,971
   
$
(9,061,107
)
 
$
(11,769,667
)
NET ASSETS
                               
Beginning of Year
 
$
53,597,103
   
$
43,218,132
   
$
47,477,423
   
$
59,247,090
 
End of Year
 
$
42,502,705
   
$
53,597,103
   
$
38,416,316
   
$
47,477,423
 
                                 
                                 
   
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
 
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS:
                               
OPERATIONS
                               
Net investment income
 
$
438,735
   
$
206,816
   
$
1,150,149
   
$
2,058,564
 
Net realized gain (loss) on investments
   
(249,778
)
   
6,968,780
     
(5,318,980
)
   
2,460,324
 
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
                               
  of investments
   
(1,954,650
)
   
823,939
     
(1,732,647
)
   
1,210,676
 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
                               
  resulting from operations
   
(1,765,693
)
   
7,999,535
     
(5,901,478
)
   
5,729,564
 
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
                               
Net distributions to shareholders
   
(824,798
)
   
(101,423
)
   
(1,151,329
)
   
(2,031,404
)
Total distributions to shareholders
   
(824,798
)
   
(101,423
)
   
(1,151,329
)
   
(2,031,404
)
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
                               
Net decrease in net assets
                               
  from capital share transactions
   
(6,058,735
)
   
(16,625,190
)
   
(7,069,140
)
   
(17,136,175
)
Total decrease in net assets
 
$
(8,649,226
)
 
$
(8,727,078
)
 
$
(14,121,947
)
 
$
(13,438,014
)
NET ASSETS
                               
Beginning of Year
 
$
45,407,094
   
$
54,134,172
   
$
54,833,038
   
$
68,271,053
 
End of Year
 
$
36,757,868
   
$
45,407,094
   
$
40,711,091
   
$
54,833,038
 


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

27


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Statements of Changes in Net Assets (concluded)
 


               
WBI BullBear Trend Switch
 
   
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
US 3000 Total Return ETF
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Period Ended
 
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
 
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS:
                       
OPERATIONS
                       
Net investment income
 
$
2,733,266
   
$
2,324,293
   
$
460,947
   
$
895,331
 
Net realized gain (loss) on investments
   
8,496,837
     
10,512,040
     
(2,304,066
)
   
3,090,476
 
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
                               
  of investments
   
(12,032,347
)
   
6,832,069
     
(564,385
)
   
2,765,312
 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
                               
  resulting from operations
   
(802,244
)
   
19,668,402
     
(2,407,504
)
   
6,751,119
 
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
                               
Net distributions to shareholders
   
(2,666,669
)
   
(2,233,944
)
   
(461,326
)
   
(869,319
)
Total distributions to shareholders
   
(2,666,669
)
   
(2,233,944
)
   
(461,326
)
   
(869,319
)
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
                               
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
                               
  from capital share transactions
   
1,344,496
     
4,820,810
     
(3,071,403
)
   
(12,108,760
)
Total increase (decrease) in net assets
 
$
(2,124,417
)
 
$
22,255,268
   
$
(5,940,233
)
 
$
(6,226,960
)
NET ASSETS
                               
Beginning of Year
 
$
64,457,223
   
$
42,201,952
   
$
29,053,516
   
$
35,280,476
 
End of Year
 
$
62,332,806
   
$
64,457,223
   
$
23,113,283
   
$
29,053,516
 


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

28


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Financial Highlights
 

For capital share outstanding throughout each year

   
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2022
   
2021
   
2020
   
2019
   
2018
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year
 
$
31.75
   
$
25.60
   
$
27.19
   
$
28.19
   
$
26.20
 
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:
                                       
Net investment income1
   
0.29
     
0.49
     
0.07
     
0.32
     
0.18
 
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized)2
   
(2.06
)
   
6.05
     
(1.54
)
   
(0.99
)
   
2.00
 
Total from investment operations
   
(1.77
)
   
6.54
     
(1.47
)
   
(0.67
)
   
2.18
 
Less Distributions:
                                       
Distributions from net investment income
   
(0.43
)
   
(0.39
)
   
(0.12
)
   
(0.33
)
   
(0.19
)
Total Distributions
   
(0.43
)
   
(0.39
)
   
(0.12
)
   
(0.33
)
   
(0.19
)
Net asset value, end of year
 
$
29.55
   
$
31.75
   
$
25.60
   
$
27.19
   
$
28.19
 
Market price, end of year
 
$
29.48
   
$
31.77
   
$
25.61
   
$
27.16
   
$
28.17
 
Net Assets Total Return3
   
-5.62
%
   
25.59
%
   
-5.40
%
   
-2.53
%
   
8.40
%
                                         
Supplemental Data:
                                       
Net assets, end of year (000’s)
 
$
42,503
   
$
53,597
   
$
43,218
   
$
50,297
   
$
64,843
 
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
                                       
Expenses before fees (waived)/recouped
   
1.38
%
   
1.36
%
   
1.25
%
   
1.18
%
   
1.05
%
Expenses after fees (waived)/recouped
   
1.25
%
   
1.25
%
   
1.25
%
   
1.18
%
   
1.05
%
Net investment income to average net assets
   
0.94
%
   
1.71
%
   
0.27
%
   
1.11
%
   
0.64
%
Portfolio turnover rate4
   
845
%
   
800
%
   
894
%
   
567
%
   
527
%
                                         
                                         
   
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2022
   
2021
   
2020
   
2019
   
2018
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year
 
$
26.67
   
$
22.53
   
$
24.02
   
$
25.87
   
$
22.89
 
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:
                                       
Net investment income1
   
0.39
     
0.41
     
0.21
     
0.51
     
0.25
 
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized)2
   
(0.57
)
   
4.13
     
(1.46
)
   
(1.84
)
   
2.98
 
Total from investment operations
   
(0.18
)
   
4.54
     
(1.25
)
   
(1.33
)
   
3.23
 
Less Distributions:
                                       
Distributions from net investment income
   
(0.54
)
   
(0.40
)
   
(0.21
)
   
(0.52
)
   
(0.25
)
Tax return of capital to shareholders
   
     
     
(0.03
)
   
     
 
Total Distributions
   
(0.54
)
   
(0.40
)
   
(0.24
)
   
(0.52
)
   
(0.25
)
Net asset value, end of year
 
$
25.95
   
$
26.67
   
$
22.53
   
$
24.02
   
$
25.87
 
Market price, end of year
 
$
25.92
   
$
26.68
   
$
22.52
   
$
23.96
   
$
25.83
 
Net Assets Total Return3
   
-0.73
%
   
20.36
%
   
-5.22
%
   
-5.22
%
   
14.14
%
                                         
Supplemental Data:
                                       
Net assets, end of year (000’s)
 
$
38,416
   
$
47,477
   
$
59,247
   
$
74,472
   
$
82,779
 
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
                                       
Expenses before fees (waived)/recouped
   
1.43
%
   
1.27
%
   
1.14
%
   
1.04
%
   
1.04
%
Expenses after fees (waived)/recouped
   
1.25
%
   
1.25
%
   
1.14
%
   
1.04
%
   
1.04
%
Net investment income to average net assets
   
1.44
%
   
1.68
%
   
0.88
%
   
2.04
%
   
0.99
%
Portfolio turnover rate4
   
824
%
   
820
%
   
895
%
   
610
%
   
491
%
1
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year.
2
The amount for a share outstanding throughout the period may not be in accordance with the aggregate net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment for the period because of the timing of capital share transactions in relation to fluctuating market values of the Funds’ underlying securities.
3
Net asset value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, and the redemption on the last day of the period. Net asset value total return includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and as such, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset value and returns for shareholder transactions.
4
Excludes securities received or delivered as a result of processing capital share transactions in creation units.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

29


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Financial Highlights (continued)
 

For capital share outstanding throughout each year

   
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2022
   
2021
   
2020
   
2019
   
2018
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year
 
$
30.74
   
$
26.06
   
$
27.20
   
$
26.07
   
$
25.25
 
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:
                                       
Net investment income1
   
0.32
     
0.12
     
0.07
     
0.20
     
0.23
 
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized)2
   
(1.68
)
   
4.62
     
(1.10
)
   
1.13
     
0.81
 
Total from investment operations
   
(1.36
)
   
4.74
     
(1.03
)
   
1.33
     
1.04
 
Less Distributions:
                                       
Distributions from net investment income
   
(0.60
)
   
(0.06
)
   
(0.09
)
   
(0.20
)
   
(0.22
)
Tax return of capital to shareholders
   
     
     
(0.02
)
   
     
 
Total Distributions
   
(0.60
)
   
(0.06
)
   
(0.11
)
   
(0.20
)
   
(0.22
)
Net asset value, end of year
 
$
28.78
   
$
30.74
   
$
26.06
   
$
27.20
   
$
26.07
 
Market price, end of year
 
$
28.73
   
$
30.75
   
$
26.07
   
$
27.18
   
$
26.10
 
Net Assets Total Return3
   
-4.58
%
   
18.21
%
   
-3.79
%
   
5.08
%
   
4.11
%
                                         
Supplemental Data:
                                       
Net assets, end of year (000’s)
 
$
36,758
   
$
45,407
   
$
54,134
   
$
61,202
   
$
59,955
 
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
                                       
Expenses before fees (waived)/recouped
   
1.45
%
   
1.31
%
   
1.23
%
   
1.21
%
   
1.07
%
Expenses after fees (waived)/recouped
   
1.25
%
   
1.25
%
   
1.23
%
   
1.21
%
   
1.07
%
Net investment income to average net assets
   
1.04
%
   
0.43
%
   
0.27
%
   
0.74
%
   
0.86
%
Portfolio turnover rate4
   
899
%
   
838
%
   
886
%
   
477
%
   
553
%
                                         
                                         
   
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2022
   
2021
   
2020
   
2019
   
2018
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year
 
$
24.92
   
$
23.54
   
$
25.24
   
$
23.86
   
$
25.35
 
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:
                                       
Net investment income1
   
0.55
     
0.84
     
1.00
     
0.87
     
0.68
 
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized)2
   
(3.49
)
   
1.36
     
(1.72
)
   
1.40
     
(1.47
)
Total from investment operations
   
(2.94
)
   
2.20
     
(0.72
)
   
2.27
     
(0.79
)
Less Distributions:
                                       
Distributions from net investment income
   
(0.55
)
   
(0.82
)
   
(0.98
)
   
(0.89
)
   
(0.70
)
Total Distributions
   
(0.55
)
   
(0.82
)
   
(0.98
)
   
(0.89
)
   
(0.70
)
Net asset value, end of year
 
$
21.43
   
$
24.92
   
$
23.54
   
$
25.24
   
$
23.86
 
Market price, end of year
 
$
21.42
   
$
24.88
   
$
23.53
   
$
25.20
   
$
23.83
 
Net Assets Total Return3
   
-12.05
%
   
9.48
%
   
-2.97
%
   
9.75
%
   
-3.20
%
                                         
Supplemental Data:
                                       
Net assets, end of year (000’s)
   
40,711
     
54,833
     
68,271
     
136,288
     
96,626
 
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
                                       
Expenses before fees (waived)/recouped
   
1.36
%
   
1.20
%
   
1.03
%
   
0.99
%
   
1.02
%
Expenses after fees (waived)/recouped
   
1.24
%
   
1.20
%
   
1.03
%
   
0.99
%
   
1.02
%
Net investment income to average net assets
   
2.31
%
   
3.42
%
   
4.02
%
   
3.60
%
   
2.71
%
Portfolio turnover rate4
   
793
%
   
331
%
   
1116
%
   
686
%
   
551
%
1
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year.
2
The amount for a share outstanding throughout the period may not be in accordance with the aggregate net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment for the period because of the timing of capital share transactions in relation to fluctuating market values of the Funds’ underlying securities.
3
Net asset value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, and the redemption on the last day of the period. Net asset value total return includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and as such, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset value and returns for shareholder transactions.
4
Excludes securities received or delivered as a result of processing capital share transactions in creation units.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

30


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Financial Highlights (concluded)
 

For capital share outstanding throughout each period/year

   
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2022
   
2021
   
2020
   
2019
   
2018
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year
 
$
27.43
   
$
18.76
   
$
24.56
   
$
26.87
   
$
24.22
 
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:
                                       
Net investment income1
   
1.16
     
1.10
     
1.12
     
1.12
     
1.21
 
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized)2
   
(1.49
)
   
8.65
     
(5.76
)
   
(2.08
)
   
3.19
 
Total from investment operations
   
(0.33
)
   
9.75
     
(4.64
)
   
(0.96
)
   
4.40
 
Less Distributions:
                                       
Distributions from net investment income
   
(1.13
)
   
(1.08
)
   
(1.16
)
   
(1.13
)
   
(1.15
)
Distributions from net realized gain
   
     
     
     
(0.22
)
   
(0.60
)
Total Distributions
   
(1.13
)
   
(1.08
)
   
(1.16
)
   
(1.35
)
   
(1.75
)
Net asset value, end of year
 
$
25.97
   
$
27.43
   
$
18.76
   
$
24.56
   
$
26.87
 
Market price, end of year
 
$
25.92
   
$
27.48
   
$
18.75
   
$
24.53
   
$
26.87
 
Net Assets Total Return3
   
-1.40
%
   
53.09
%
   
-19.24
%
   
-3.25
%
   
18.51
%
                                         
Supplemental Data:
                                       
Net assets, end of year (000’s)
 
$
62,333
   
$
64,457
   
$
42,202
   
$
103,160
   
$
52,402
 
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
                                       
Expenses before fees (waived)/recouped
   
0.94
%
   
0.98
%
   
0.77
%
   
0.70
%
   
0.85
%
Expenses after fees (waived)/recouped
   
0.70
%
   
0.70
%
   
0.70
%
   
0.70
%
   
0.70
%
Net investment income to average net assets
   
4.16
%
   
4.73
%
   
4.83
%
   
4.46
%
   
4.73
%
Portfolio turnover rate6
   
183
%
   
191
%
   
196
%
   
163
%
   
171
%
                                         
                                         
           
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
 
           
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Period Ended
 
           
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
           
2022
   
2021
   
2020
   
20197

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period/Year
         
$
20.39
   
$
17.00
   
$
20.67
   
$
20.00
 
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:
                                       
Net investment income1
           
0.34
     
0.56
     
0.98
     
0.02
 
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized)2
           
(2.27
)
   
3.41
     
(3.25
)
   
0.67
 
Total from investment operations
           
(1.93
)
   
3.97
     
(2.27
)
   
0.69
 
Less Distributions:
                                       
Distributions from net investment income
           
(0.33
)
   
(0.58
)
   
(0.95
)
   
(0.02
)
Distributions from net realized gain
           
     
     
(0.45
)
   
 
Total Distributions
           
(0.33
)
   
(0.58
)
   
(1.40
)
   
(0.02
)
Net asset value, end of period/year
         
$
18.13
   
$
20.39
   
$
17.00
   
$
20.67
 
Market price, end of period/year
         
$
18.13
   
$
20.37
   
$
17.04
   
$
20.69
 
Net Assets Total Return3
           
-9.66
%
   
23.42
%
   
-11.65
%
   
3.45
%4
                                         
Supplemental Data:
                                       
Net assets, end of period/year (000’s)
         
$
23,113
   
$
29,054
   
$
35,280
   
$
47,030
 
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
                                       
Expenses before fees (waived)/recouped
           
0.72
%
   
0.72
%
   
0.70
%
   
0.66
%5
Expenses after fees (waived)/recouped
           
0.72
%
   
0.72
%
   
0.70
%
   
0.66
%5
Net investment income to average net assets
           
1.64
%
   
2.89
%
   
5.02
%
   
1.07
%5
Portfolio turnover rate6
           
873
%
   
99
%
   
1393
%
   
126
%4
1
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period/year.
2
The amount for a share outstanding throughout the period may not be in accordance with the aggregate net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment for the period because of the timing of capital share transactions in relation to fluctuating market values of the Funds’ underlying securities.
3
Net asset value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, and the redemption on the last day of the period. Net asset value total return includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and as such, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset value and returns for shareholder transactions.
4
Not annualized.
5
Annualized.  The ratios to average net assets shown for the WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF were amended to be annualized after the issuance of the June 30, 2019 annual report.
6
Excludes securities received or delivered as a result of processing capital share transactions in creation units.
7
Fund commenced operations on May 28, 2019. The information presented is for the period from May 28, 2019 to June 30, 2019.


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

31


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements
 
June 30, 2022
 

 
NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION
 
Absolute Shares Trust (the “Trust”) was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on November 7, 2013 and is authorized to have multiple segregated series or portfolios. The Trust is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). The Trust currently consists of the following six separate investment portfolios (each, a “Fund” or, individually and, together, the “Funds”):
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
 
Each Fund is classified as diversified for purposes of the 1940 Act.
 
The Funds’ investment advisor, Millington Securities, Inc. (“Advisor” or “Affiliated Broker Dealer”), has selected its affiliate, WBI Investments, Inc. (“Sub-Advisor”), to act as Sub-Advisor. Both the Advisor and Sub-Advisor are registered as investment advisors with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). During the fiscal year, the Advisor was also registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC and was a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). On December 31, 2021, the Advisor filed a Form BD-W, withdrawing membership as a broker-dealer with FINRA and ceased all broker-dealer business activity at that time. Although the Advisor continues to be registered as an investment advisor with the SEC, it was no longer an Affiliated Broker Dealer beginning January 1, 2022. The Board of Trustees (the “Board” and each member a “Trustee”) supervises the conduct of the Funds.
 
The end of the reporting period for the Funds is June 30, 2022, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 for all funds (the “current fiscal period”).
 
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Funds. The financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and are stated in U.S. dollars. The Funds are investment companies and accordingly follow the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 Financial Services – Investment Companies.
 
The preparation of the financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets, liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at June 30, 2022. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
 
A. Valuation. All equity securities, including domestic common stocks, preferred stocks, exchange traded funds and exchange traded notes, that are traded on a national securities exchange, except those listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, Nasdaq Select Market and Nasdaq Capital Market (collectively “Nasdaq”) are valued at the last reported sale price on the exchange on which the security is principally traded. Securities traded on Nasdaq are valued at the Nasdaq Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). If, on a particular day, an exchange-traded or Nasdaq security does not trade, then the mean between the most recent quoted bid and asked prices is used. All equity securities that are not traded on a listed exchange are valued at the last sale price in the over-the-counter market. If a non-exchange traded security does not trade on a particular day, then the mean between the last quoted closing bid and asked price is used.
 
Investments in mutual funds, including money market funds, are valued at their net asset value (“NAV”) per share.
 
Shares in privately offered liquidity funds are valued at their NAV per share.
 
Short-term securities that have maturities of less than 60 days at the time of purchase are valued at amortized cost, which, when combined with accrued interest, approximates fair value.
 
Securities for which quotations are not readily available are valued by the Trust’s valuation committee based on the valuation procedures adopted by the Board (the “Valuation Procedures”) and information it receives from the Sub-Advisor and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”). When a security is “fair valued”, consideration is given to the facts and circumstances relevant to the particular situation, including a review of various factors set forth in the Valuation Procedures. The use of fair value pricing by the Funds may cause the NAV of their shares to differ significantly from the NAV that would be calculated without regard to such considerations.
 
As described above, the Funds utilize various methods to measure the fair value of their investments on a recurring basis. U.S. GAAP establishes a hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuations methods. The three levels of inputs are:
 
Level 1 — Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Funds have the ability to access.
 

32


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
 
June 30, 2022
 


Level 2 — Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.
 
Level 3 — Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available; including the Funds’ Valuation Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments. The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets, and other characteristics particular to the security. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.
 
The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
 
The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Funds’ investments as of the end of the current fiscal period:
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
                       
Assets^
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
 
$
26,681,594
   
$
   
$
   
$
26,681,594
 
Short-Term Investments
   
16,311,146
     
     
     
16,311,146
 
Investments Purchased With Proceeds From Securities Lending
   
     
3,480,083
             
3,480,083
 
Total Investments in Securities, at value
 
$
42,992,740
   
$
3,480,083
   
$
   
$
46,472,823
 
                                 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
                               
Assets^
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
 
$
27,336,681
   
$
   
$
   
$
27,336,681
 
Short-Term Investments
   
11,348,542
     
     
     
11,348,542
 
Investments Purchased With Proceeds From Securities Lending
   
     
2,836,777
     
     
2,836,777
 
Total Investments in Securities, at value
 
$
38,685,223
   
$
2,836,777
   
$
   
$
41,522,000
 
                                 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
                               
Assets^
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
 
$
22,601,272
   
$
   
$
   
$
22,601,272
 
Short-Term Investments
   
14,387,081
     
     
     
14,387,081
 
Investments Purchased With Proceeds From Securities Lending
   
     
4,847,204
             
4,847,204
 
Total Investments in Securities, at value
 
$
36,988,353
   
$
4,847,204
   
$
   
$
41,835,557
 
                                 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
                               
Assets^
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
 
$
1,092,481
   
$
   
$
   
$
1,092,481
 
Exchange Traded Funds
   
19,470,768
     
     
     
19,470,768
 
Short-Term Investments
   
20,197,072
     
     
     
20,197,072
 
Investments Purchased With Proceeds From Securities Lending
   
     
4,340,751
             
4,340,751
 
Total Investments in Securities, at value
 
$
40,760,321
   
$
4,340,751
   
$
   
$
45,101,072
 
                                 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
                               
Assets^
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
 
$
61,538,382
   
$
   
$
   
$
61,538,382
 
Short-Term Investments
   
760,220
     
     
     
760,220
 
Investments Purchased With Proceeds From Securities Lending
   
     
19,534,969
     
     
19,534,969
 
Total Investments in Securities, at value
 
$
62,298,602
   
$
19,534,969
   
$
   
$
81,833,571
 
                                 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
                               
Assets^
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Exchange Traded Funds
 
$
22,899,819
   
$
   
$
   
$
22,899,819
 
Short-Term Investments
   
221,625
     
     
     
221,625
 
Investments Purchased With Proceeds From Securities Lending
   
     
7,334,364
     
     
7,334,364
 
Total Investments in Securities, at value
 
$
23,121,444
   
$
7,334,364
   
$
   
$
30,455,808
 

^  See Schedules of Investments for breakout of investments by industry group classification.
 
As of the end of the reporting period, the Funds did not recognize any transfers to or from Level 3.
 

33


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
 
June 30, 2022
 


B. Certain Risks. Some risks apply to all Funds, while others are specific to the investment strategy of certain Funds. Each Fund may be subject to other risks in addition to these identified risks. This section discusses certain common principal risks encountered by the Funds. The shares of the Funds are referred to herein as “Fund Shares” or “Shares”.
 
ETF and Other Investment Companies Risk — When a Fund invests in another ETF or other investment company (e.g., mutual fund, closed-end fund, business development company), it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of such investment company’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees. The risk of owning an ETF or other investment company generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities and other assets held by the ETF or other investment company. A Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs and other exchange-listed investment companies. Additionally, a Fund will be indirectly exposed to the risks of the portfolio assets held by an ETF or other investment company, including but not limited to those of ETNs, equity options, derivatives, currencies, index, leverage, and replication management.
 
Market Risk — Either the stock market as a whole or the value of a Fund asset or an investment held by an exchange-traded product (“ETP”) in which a Fund invests may go down, resulting in a decrease in the NAV of the Fund or its Shares or a decrease in the market price of the Shares. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, trade and tariff disputes, epidemics, pandemics or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant and protracted impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s net asset value.
 
Equity Securities Risk — Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. If a Fund or an ETP holds common stock equivalents of any given issuer, the Fund or ETP will generally be exposed to greater risk than if the Fund or ETP held preferred stocks and debt obligations of such issuer.
 
Foreign and Emerging Market Securities Risk — Foreign investments may carry risks associated with investing outside the United States, such as currency fluctuation, economic or financial instability, lack of timely or reliable financial information, or unfavorable political or legal developments. Foreign securities can be more volatile than domestic (U.S.) securities. Securities markets of other countries are generally smaller than U.S. securities markets. Many foreign securities may also be less liquid than U.S. securities, which could affect the Funds’ investments. Investments in emerging markets may have more risk because the markets are less developed and less liquid as well as being subject to increased economic, political, regulatory, or other uncertainties. Also, as foreign and emerging markets decline, investors tend to exit these markets in unison.
 
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value — The NAV of the Shares will fluctuate with changes in market value of the Funds’ holdings.
 
Shares are Not Individually Redeemable — Shares are only redeemable by the Funds at NAV if they are tendered in large blocks known as “Creation Units” which are expected to be worth in excess of $1 million each. Only Authorized Participants (“APs”) may engage in such creation and redemption transactions directly with the Funds. Individual Shares may be sold on a stock exchange at their current market prices, which may be less, more, or equal to their NAV. There can be no assurance that an active trading market will be maintained for the Shares.
 
C. Federal Income Taxes. The Funds’ policy is to comply with the provisions of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of their net investment income and net capital gains to shareholders. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required. The Funds plan to file U.S. Federal and various state and local tax returns.
 
Each Fund recognizes the tax benefits of uncertain tax positions only when the position is more likely than not to be sustained. Management has analyzed each Fund’s uncertain tax positions and concluded that no liability for unrecognized tax benefits should be recorded related to uncertain tax positions. Management is not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will change materially in the next 12 months. Income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP. These timing differences are primarily due to differing book and tax treatments for in-kind transactions, losses deferred due to wash sales, and passive foreign investment company adjustments, if any.
 
D. Security Transactions and Investment Income. Investment securities transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Gains and losses realized on sales of securities are determined on a specific identification basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date, net of any foreign taxes withheld at source. Interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends have been provided for in accordance with the Funds’ understanding of the applicable tax rules and regulations. Premiums and discounts are amortized/accreted using the effective interest method over the lives of the respective debt instruments.
 
E. Distributions to Shareholders. Distributions to shareholders from net investment income are declared and paid by WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF, WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF, WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF, and WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF, on a quarterly basis. Distributions to shareholders from net investment income are declared and paid by WBI
 

34


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
 
June 30, 2022
 


BullBear Yield 3000 ETF and WBI BullBear Global Income ETF on a monthly basis. Distributions from net realized gains on securities are normally declared and paid by all Funds on an annual basis. Distributions are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
 
F. Share Valuation. The NAV per share of each Fund is calculated by dividing the sum of the value of the securities held by the Fund, plus cash and other assets, minus all liabilities (including estimated accrued expenses) by the total number of shares outstanding for the Fund, rounded to the nearest cent. The Funds’ shares will not be priced on the days on which the NYSE ARCA, Inc., the exchange where the Funds’ shares are listed, is closed for trading. The offering and redemption price per share for each Fund is equal to the Fund’s NAV per share.
 
G. Guarantees and Indemnifications. The Funds’ officers and trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities that may arise out of the performance of their duties to the Funds. Additionally, in the normal course of business the Funds enter into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses. Each Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be against the Fund that have not yet occurred.
 
H. Reclassification of Capital Accounts. U.S. GAAP requires that certain components of net assets relating to permanent differences be reclassified between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. For the year ended June 30, 2022, the following table shows the reclassifications made:
 
 
Distributable Earnings
     
 
(Accumulated Deficit)
 
Paid In Capital
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
$
(399,903
)
 
$
399,903
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
   
(296,245
)
   
296,245
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
(161,777
)
   
161,777
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
(86,654
)
   
86,654
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
(111,549
)
   
111,549
 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
   
(18,577
)
   
18,577
 

During the year ended June 30, 2022, the Funds realized capital gains resulting from in-kind redemptions, in which shareholders exchanged Fund Shares for securities held by a Fund rather than for cash. Because the gains are not taxable to the Funds, and are not distributed to shareholders, they have been reclassified from accumulated net realized gains/losses to paid-in capital. The following table shows the impact to each Fund:
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
$
394,090
         
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
   
310,124
         
WBI BullBear Quality 1000 ETF
   
167,720
         
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
99,957
         
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
113,948
         
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
   
57,088
         

I. Expenses.  Expenses directly attributable to the Fund are charged directly to the Fund, while expenses which are attributable to the Fund and other investment companies advised by the Adviser are allocated among the respective investment companies, including the Fund, based either upon relative average net assets or evenly among the Funds.
 
J. Subsequent Events. In preparing these financial statements, the Advisor has evaluated events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through the date the financial statements were available to be issued. There were no events or transactions that occurred during the period subsequent to June 30, 2022 that materially impacted that amounts or disclosures in the Funds financial statements.
 
K. New Accounting Pronouncements and Other Matters. In December 2020, the SEC adopted a new rule providing a framework for fund valuation practices (“Rule 2a-5”). Rule 2a-5 establishes requirements for determining fair value in good faith for purposes of the 1940 Act. Rule 2a-5 will permit fund boards to designate certain parties to perform fair value determinations, subject to board oversight and certain other conditions. Rule 2a-5 also defines when market quotations are “readily available” for purposes of the 1940 Act and the threshold for determining whether a fund must fair value a security. In connection with Rule 2a-5, the SEC also adopted related recordkeeping requirements and is rescinding previously issued guidance, including with respect to the role of a board in determining fair value and the accounting and auditing of fund investments. The Funds will be required to comply with the rules by September 8, 2022. Management is currently assessing the potential impact of the new rules on the Funds’ financial statements.
 
NOTE 3 — MANAGEMENT FEE
 
Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Advisor, the Advisor serves as the investment advisor, makes investment decisions for each Fund, and manages the investment portfolios of the Funds, subject to the supervision of and policies of the Board. Under the Advisory Agreement for the Funds the Advisor may retain an investment sub-advisor for the Funds, subject to approval by the Board and Fund shareholders. Under a sub-advisory agreement, (“Sub-Advisory Agreement”) the Sub-Advisor serves as the investment sub-advisor and is responsible for the day to day management of the Funds, subject to the supervision of the Advisor and the Board. For the services the Sub-Advisor provides to each Fund, the

35


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
 
June 30, 2022
 


Sub-Advisor receives a fee that is equal to 0.85% per year of the average daily net assets (calculated daily and paid monthly) of WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF, WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF, WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF, and WBI Global Income ETF. For the services the Sub-Adviser provides to WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF, the Sub-Advisor receives a fee that is equal to 0.55% per year of average daily net assets, which is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Advisor is paid 0.04% of each Fund’s average daily net assets (calculated daily and paid monthly) from the management fees collected by the Sub-Advisor.
 
Separately, under the Advisory Agreement, for the WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF, the Advisor has agreed to pay or will cause its affiliated Sub-Advisor to pay, all of the expenses of the Funds, except for: the fee payment under the Advisory Agreement, payments under each Fund’s 12b-1 plan, brokerage expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest (including borrowing costs and dividend expenses on securities sold short), compensation and expenses of the independent Trustees (including independent Trustee counsel fees), litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation to which the Trust or a Fund may be a party and indemnification of the Trustees and officers with respect thereto). For the services the Sub-Advisor provides to the Fund, the Sub-Advisor receives a fee that is equal to 0.65% per year of the average daily net assets of the Fund which is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Advisor is paid 0.04% of the Funds’ average daily net assets (calculated daily and paid monthly) from the management fees collected by the Sub-Advisor.
 
NOTE 4 — PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
 
Pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Advisor determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by the Funds and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute the Funds’ portfolio transactions. During the period of the fiscal year when the Advisor was still acting in its capacity as a registered broker-dealer (the “Affiliated Broker Dealer”), the Sub-Advisor typically determined to execute portfolio transactions through the Affiliated Broker Dealer. During that part of the fiscal period, the Affiliated Broker Dealer did not receive any explicit brokerage commissions paid by the Funds. However, the Affiliated Broker Dealer did receive compensation in connection with Fund portfolio transactions in the form of payment for order flow (“PFOF”). PFOF is compensation that the Affiliated Broker Dealer received for routing orders to certain market destinations. The PFOF paid by market centers to the Affiliated Broker Dealer impacted the “net” transaction prices ultimately received by customers of the Affiliated Broker Dealer, including the Sub-Advisor and the Funds, as the market centers utilized by the Affiliated Broker Dealer would generally adjust execution prices to account for the PFOF arrangements (higher for purchases, lower for sales). During that period, the Affiliated Broker Dealer received the following monetary payments which were paid, at the same level, by all market centers that received orders routed by the Affiliated Broker Dealer: $0.0125 per share for all equity security executions and $0.0150 per share for all exchange traded product (“ETP”) executions, subject to certain limited exceptions.
 
During the fiscal year, the Affiliated Broker Dealer ceased all broker-dealer operations on December 31, 2021, as described in NOTE 1 above. Subsequently, for the remainder of the fiscal year, the Sub-Advisor utilized non-affiliated broker dealers to execute portfolio transactions for the Funds. Currently, these non-affiliated broker dealers charge an explicit commission for these transactions, a portion of which is designated towards “soft dollar credits” that can be used to provide the Sub-Advisor with certain research and brokerage services as described in the safe harbor provisions under Section 28(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. During this period, the Funds paid $0.025 per share in explicit commission to these non-affiliated broker dealers for their execution services, of which $0.0125 per share was designated by the non-affiliated broker dealers to a pool of soft dollar credits for use by the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor participates in commission sharing arrangements (“CSAs”) that are consistent with the requirements of Section 28(e). Research and brokerage services furnished through CSAs may be used by the Sub-Advisor in servicing any or all of the firm’s clients and will be used for client accounts other than those that pay commissions to the broker-dealer providing the research or brokerage services.
 
NOTE 5 — EXPENSE LIMITATION AND REIMBURSEMENT
 
The Sub-Advisor has entered into an Expense Limitation Agreement (an “Agreement”) with the Trust to waive the fees and reimburse expenses of each Fund until at least October 31, 2023 (the “Expiration Date”) so that the total operating expenses (exclusive of interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees, dividend payments on short sales, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with U.S. GAAP, other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business, and amounts, if any, payable pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and organizational costs (the “Operating Expenses”) of WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF is limited to 0.70% and each of the remaining Funds is limited to 1.25% of average net assets (the “Expense Cap”). The Sub-Advisor may discontinue its obligations under the Agreements at any time in its sole discretion after the Expiration Date. The Funds have agreed to repay the amounts borne by the Sub-Advisor under the Agreements within the three year period after the Sub-Advisor bears the expense, when and if requested by the Sub-Advisor, to the extent the Operating Expenses of the Funds are less than the lower of the Expense Cap and any expense limitation agreement then in effect with respect to the Operating Expenses. The repayment may not raise the level of Operating Expenses of the Funds in the month of repayment to exceed the Expense Cap.
 

36


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
 
June 30, 2022
 


The following table shows the remaining waived and/or reimbursed expenses subject to potential recovery during the current fiscal period. The Sub-Advisor may recapture a portion of the unreimbursed amounts no later than the dates stated:
 
   
Expiration
 
   
June 30, 2023
   
June 30, 2024
   
June 30, 2025
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
$
   
$
48,759
   
$
61,975
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
   
     
10,011
     
80,088
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
     
29,355
     
85,736
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
     
     
57,457
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
55,416
     
135,307
     
159,961
 

The Funds must pay their current ordinary operating expense before the Sub-Advisor is entitled to any reimbursement of fees and/or expenses. Any such reimbursement is also contingent upon the Board of Trustees’ review and approval.
 
NOTE 6 — COMPLIANCE AND ADMINISTRATION SERVICING AGREEMENTS
 
The Trust has entered into an agreement with Foreside Compliance Services, LLC (“Foreside”), whereby Foreside agrees to provide a Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), as described in Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act.
 
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Administrator”) serves as the independent administrator and U.S. Bank National Association (the “Custodian”) serves as the custodian to the Funds. Under the Fund Administration Servicing, Fund Accounting Servicing, and Transfer Agent Servicing Agreements, the Administrator is responsible for keeping financial books and records of the Funds and generally managing the administrative affairs and transfer agency services.
 
NOTE 7 — SECURITIES LENDING
 
The Funds may lend up to 331⁄3% of the value of the securities in their portfolios to brokers, dealers and financial institutions (but not individuals) under terms of participation in a securities lending program administered by U.S. Bank N.A. (“the Custodian” and “Securities Lending Agent”). The securities lending agreement requires that loans are collateralized at all times in an amount equal to at least 102% of the value of any loaned securities at the time of the loan, plus accrued interest, except in the case of loans of foreign securities which are denominated and payable in U.S. dollars and shall be collateralized in the amount equal to 105% of the value of any loaned securities at the time of the loan plus accrued interest. The Funds receive compensation in the form of fees and earn interest on the cash collateral. The amount of fees depends on a number of factors including the type of security and length of the loan. The Funds continue to receive interest payments or dividends on the securities loaned during the borrowing period. Gain or loss in the fair value of securities loaned that may occur during the term of the loan will be for the account of the Funds. The Funds have the right under the terms of the securities lending agreement to recall the securities from the borrower on demand. During the current fiscal period, Funds had loaned securities that were collateralized by cash equivalents. The cash collateral is invested by the Custodian in accordance with approved investment guidelines. Those guidelines require the cash collateral to be invested in readily marketable, high quality, short-term obligations; however, such investments are subject to risk of payment delays or default on the part of the issuer or counterparty or otherwise may not generate sufficient interest to support the costs associated with securities lending. A Fund could also experience delays in recovering its securities and possible loss of income or value if the borrower fails to return the borrowed securities, although the Fund is indemnified from this risk by contract with the Securities Lending Agent.
 
At period end, the value of the securities on loan and payable for collateral due to broker were as follows:
 
Fund
Value of Securities on Loan
Collateral Received*
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
$
3,360,055
   
$
3,480,083
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
   
2,748,560
     
2,836,777
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
4,722,960
     
4,847,204
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
4,248,378
     
4,340,751
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
18,773,081
     
19,534,969
 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
   
7,246,886
     
7,334,364
 
________
 
*
The cash collateral received was invested in the Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio as shown on the Schedule of Investments,a short-term investment portfolio with an overnight and continuous maturity.

Fees and interest income earned on collateral investments and recognized by the Funds during the current fiscal year, was as follows:
 
Fees and Interest Income Earned
 
Fund
Fees and Interest Income Earned
       
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
$
3,597
         
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
   
4,662
         
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
3,271
         
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
56,738
         
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
38,341
         
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
   
18,520
         



37


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
 
June 30, 2022
 


Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. The Funds are subject to various netting arrangements, which govern the terms of certain transactions with counterparties. The arrangements allow the Funds to close out and net their total exposure to counterparty in the event of a default with respect to all transactions governed under a single agreement with a counterparty. The following is a summary of the arrangements subject to offsetting during the current fiscal period.
 
           
Gross Amounts
   
Net Amounts
             
      
Value of
   
Offset in the
   
Presented in the
             
      
Securities
   
Statement of
   
Statement of
   
Collateral
   
Net
 
Fund
Description
 
on Loan
   
Assets & Liabilities
   
Assets & Liabilities
   
Received
   
Amount
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
Securities Lending
 
$
3,360,055
   
$
   
$
3,360,055
   
$
3,360,055
   
$
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
Securities Lending
   
2,748,560
     
     
2,748,560
     
2,748,560
     
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
Securities Lending
   
4,722,960
     
     
4,722,960
     
4,722,960
     
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
Securities Lending
   
4,248,378
     
     
4,248,378
     
4,248,378
     
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
Securities Lending
   
18,773,081
     
     
18,773,081
     
18,773,081
     
 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch
                                         
  US 3000 Total Return ETF
Securities Lending
   
7,246,886
     
     
7,246,886
     
7,246,886
     
 
 
NOTE 8 — TAX INFORMATION
 
The tax character of distributions declared by the Funds was as follows:
 
 
Year/Period Ended June 30, 2022
   
Year/Period Ended June 30, 2021
 
 
Ordinary
   
Long Term
   
Return of
   
Ordinary
   
Long Term
   
Return of
 
Fund
Income
   
Capital Gain
   
Capital
   
Income
   
Capital Gain
   
Capital
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
$
686,698
   
$
   
$
   
$
581,210
   
$
   
$
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
 
890,827
     
     
     
827,211
     
     
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
 
824,798
     
     
     
101,423
     
     
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
 
1,151,329
     
     
     
2,031,404
     
     
 
WBI PowerFactor High Dividend ETF
 
2,666,669
     
     
     
2,233,944
     
     
 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF1
 
461,326
     
     
     
869,319
     
     
 

The Fund designated as long-term capital gain dividend, pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 852(b)(3), the amount necessary to reduce the earnings and profits of the Fund related to net capital gain to zero for the tax year ended June 30, 2022.
 
As of June 30, 2022, the components of accumulated earnings (losses) for income tax purposes were as follows:
 
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
 
   
Value 3000 ETF
   
Yield 3000 ETF
   
Quality 3000 ETF
   
Global Income ETF
 
Cost of investments
 
$
46,029,177
   
$
40,817,323
   
$
41,632,359
   
$
45,569,064
 
Gross tax unrealized appreciation
   
743,543
     
940,333
     
470,115
     
313,013
 
Gross tax unrealized depreciation
   
(299,897
)
   
(235,655
)
   
(266,917
)
   
(781,006
)
Net tax unrealized appreciation
   
443,646
     
704,678
     
203,198
     
(467,993
)
                               
           
WBI BullBear
                 
   
WBI Power
   
Trend Switch
                 
   
Factor High
   
US 3000 Total
                 
   
Dividend ETF
   
Return ETF
                 
Cost of investments
 
$
89,000,246
   
$
29,777,690
                 
Gross tax unrealized appreciation
   
1,435,011
     
820,949
                 
Gross tax unrealized depreciation
   
(8,601,686
)
   
(142,831
)
               
Net tax unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
   
(7,166,675
)
   
678,118
                 

The components of distributable earnings (losses) for federal income tax purposes as of June 30, 2022 were as follows:
 
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
   
WBI BullBear
 
   
Value 3000 ETF
   
Yield 3000 ETF
   
Quality 3000 ETF
   
Global Income ETF
 
Net tax unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
 
$
443,646
   
$
704,678
   
$
203,198
   
$
(467,993
)
Undistributed ordinary income
   
210,725
     
304,680
     
176,110
     
30,868
 
Undistributed long term gain (loss)
   
     
     
     
 
Total distributable earnings
   
210,725
     
304,680
     
176,110
     
30,868
 
Other accumulated gain (loss)
   
(17,982,034
)
   
(58,408,214
)
   
(28,118,505
)
   
(15,223,096
)
Total accumulated gain (loss)
 
$
(17,327,663
)
 
$
(57,398,856
)
 
$
(27,739,197
)
 
$
(15,660,221
)

38


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
 
June 30, 2022
 


         
WBI BullBear
                 
   
WBI Power
   
Trend Switch
                 
   
Factor High
   
US 3000 Total
                 
   
Dividend ETF
   
Return ETF
                 
Net tax unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
 
$
(7,166,675
)
 
$
678,118
                 
Undistributed ordinary income
   
256,127
     
25,633
                 
Undistributed long term gain (loss)
   
     
                 
Total distributable earnings
   
256,127
     
25,633
                 
Other accumulated gain (loss)
   
(4,365,515
)
   
(5,876,607
)
               
Total accumulated gain (loss)
 
$
(11,276,063
)
 
$
(5,172,856
)
               

Net capital losses incurred after October 31, 2021, and within the taxable year are deemed to arise on the first business day of each Fund’s next taxable year.
 
As of June 30, 2022, the Funds had the following short-term and long-term capital loss carryforwards available for federal income tax purposes, with an indefinite expiration:
 
   
Short-Term
   
Long-Term
   
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF+
   
17,982,034
     
   
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF+
   
58,408,214
     
   
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF+
   
28,118,505
     
   
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
15,223,096
     
   
WBI PowerFactor High Dividend ETF
   
     
4,365,515
   
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
   
5,876,607
     
   

+
Annual limitation may apply to a portion of the losses under IRC 382.

At June 30, 2022, the following funds deferred, on a tax basis, late year losses of:
 
   
Capital
   
Ordinary
   
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
   
     
   
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
   
     
   
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
     
   
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
     
   
WBI PowerFactor High Dividend ETF
   
     
   
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
   
     
   
 
NOTE 9 — PURCHASES AND SALES OF SECURITIES
 
During the current fiscal period, purchases and sales of securities by the Funds, excluding short-term securities and in-kind transactions, were as follows:
 
Fund
 
Purchases
   
Sales
   
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
$
345,099,643
   
$
361,830,440
   
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
   
303,315,826
     
315,055,761
   
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
308,621,146
     
324,295,285
   
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
361,811,735
     
381,896,309
   
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
117,357,969
     
117,387,344
   
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
   
241,852,765
     
241,869,957
   

During the current fiscal period, the values of the in-kind security transactions were as follows:
 
Fund
 
Subscriptions
   
Redemptions
   
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
 
$
   
$
6,999,303
   
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
   
     
7,208,695
   
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
     
4,454,683
   
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
   
     
6,523,112
   
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
2,742,601
     
1,430,001
   
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
   
     
3,037,665
   

During the current fiscal period, there were no purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities.
 
NOTE 10 — SHARE TRANSACTIONS
 
The Funds each currently offer one class of shares, which has no front-end sales load, no deferred sales charge, and no redemption fee. The Funds may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest, with no par value. All shares of each Fund have equal rights and privileges as the other shares of such Fund.
 

39


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Notes to Financial Statements (concluded)
 
June 30, 2022
 


The Trust has entered into an agreement with NYSE Group, Inc. to list the Funds’ (“Shares”) on NYSE Arca, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of NYSE Group, Inc. Market prices for the Shares may be different from their NAV. The Funds will issue and redeem Shares on a continuous basis at NAV only in large blocks of Shares, typically 50,000 Shares, called “Creation Units.” Each Fund’s typical creation unit size is as follows:
 
Fund
Creation Unit
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
50,000
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
50,000
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
50,000
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
50,000
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
50,000
 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
25,000
 

Creation Units will be issued and redeemed principally in-kind, however, the Trust reserves the right to offer a cash option for creations and redemptions of Shares. Once created, Shares generally will trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of a Fund. Shares of a Fund may only be purchased or redeemed by certain financial institutions (“Authorized Participants”). An Authorized Participant is either (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or (ii) a Depository Trust Corporation participant and, in each case, must have executed a participant agreement with Foreside Fund Services, LLC, the Funds’ distributor (the “Distributor”). Most retail investors will not qualify as Authorized Participants or have the resources to buy and sell whole Creation Units. Therefore, they will be unable to purchase or redeem the Shares directly from a Fund. Rather, most retail investors will purchase Shares in the secondary market with the assistance of a broker and will be subject to customary brokerage commissions or fees.
 
Transactions in each Fund’s shares were as follows:
 
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
   
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
 
 
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
 
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
 
 
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
 
Shares Sold
   
$
   
450,000
   
$
13,741,370
   
   
$
   
600,000
   
$
15,370,200
 
Shares Redeemed
(250,000
)
   
(7,823,085
)
 
(450,000
)
   
(12,224,705
)
 
(300,000
)
   
(7,989,090
)
 
(1,450,000
)
   
(35,747,860
)
 
(250,000
)
 
$
(7,823,085
)
 
   
$
1,516,665
   
(300,000
)
 
$
(7,989,090
)
 
(850,000
)
 
$
(20,377,660
)
Beginning Shares
1,688,315
           
1,688,315
           
1,780,183
           
2,630,183
         
Ending Shares
1,438,315
           
1,688,315
           
1,480,183
           
1,780,183
         
           
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
   
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
 
 
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
 
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
 
 
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
 
Shares Sold
   
$
   
450,000
   
$
13,158,315
   
   
$
   
50,000
   
$
1,237,430
 
Shares Redeemed
(200,000
)
   
(6,058,735
)
 
(1,050,001
)
   
(29,783,505
)
 
(300,000
)
   
(7,069,140
)
 
(750,000
)
   
(18,373,605
)
 
(200,000
)
 
$
(6,058,735
)
 
(600,001
)
 
$
(16,625,190
)
 
(300,000
)
 
$
(7,069,140
)
 
(700,000
)
 
$
(17,136,175
)
Beginning Shares
1,477,182
           
2,077,183
           
2,200,000
           
2,900,000
         
Ending Shares
1,277,182
           
1,477,182
           
1,900,000
           
2,200,000
         
           
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
   
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
 
 
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
 
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
   
June 30, 2022
   
June 30, 2021
 
 
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
 
Shares Sold
100,000
   
$
2,795,926
   
700,000
   
$
18,438,840
   
   
$
   
150,000
   
$
2,941,075
 
Shares Redeemed
(50,000
)
   
(1,451,430
)
 
(600,000
)
   
(13,618,030
)
 
(150,000
)
   
(3,071,403
)
 
(800,000
)
   
(15,049,835
)
 
50,000
   
$
1,344,496
   
100,000
   
$
4,820,810
   
(150,000
)
 
$
(3,071,403
)
 
(650,000
)
 
$
(12,108,760
)
Beginning Shares
2,350,000
           
2,250,000
           
1,425,000
           
2,075,000
         
Ending Shares
2,400,000
           
2,350,000
           
1,275,000
           
1,425,000
         


40


 
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 


To the Shareholders and Board of Trustees Absolute Shares Trust:
 
Opinion on the Financial Statements
 
We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF, WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF, WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF, WBI BullBear Global Income ETF, WBI Power Factor High Dividend ETF and WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF, six funds constituting Absolute Shares Trust (the “Trust”), including the schedules of investments, as of June 30, 2022, the related statements of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended, and the related notes (collectively, the financial statements) and the financial highlights for each of the years or periods in the five-year period then ended. In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each fund constituting Absolute Shares Trust as of June 30, 2022, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the years or periods in the five-year period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
 
Basis for Opinion
 
These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Trust's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Trust in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
 
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements and financial highlights, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights. Such procedures also included confirmation of securities owned as of June 30, 2022, by correspondence with custodians and brokers. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements and financial highlights. We believe that our audits a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
 
 

We have served as the Trust’s auditor since 2014.
 
New York, New York
August 26, 2022

41


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Trustees and Officers
 
(Unaudited)
 


       
Number of
 
       
Portfolios
Other
       
in Fund
Directorships
 
Position(s)
Term of Office
 
Complex
Held by
 
Held
and Length of
Principal Occupation(s)
Overseen by
Trustee During
Name and Year of Birth(1)
with Trust
Time Served(2)
During Past 5 Years
Trustee(3)
Past 5 Years
Independent Trustees:
         
Jude T. Depko
Trustee
Since
Technical Consultant,
6
None
1946
 
June 2014
Michael Baker Jr., Inc.
   
     
(consulting) (2009 to present).
   
           
John A. Flanagan
Trustee
Since
Chief Financial Officer and
6
None
1946
 
June 2014
Treasurer, ETF Managers Trust
   
     
(investment company) (2015 to
   
     
present); Principal Financial
   
     
Officer, ETF Managers Capital,
   
     
LLC (commodity pool operator)
   
     
(2014 to present); President,
   
     
John A. Flanagan CPA, LLC
   
     
(accounting services)
   
     
(2010 to present).
   
           
Andrew Putterman
Trustee
Since
Principal, 1812 Park, LLC
6
Independent Board
1959
 
June 2014
(financial consulting) (2014 to
 
Member of Steben
     
present); Advisory Board Member,
 
Select Multi-Strategy
     
Silver Lane Advisors (2016 to
 
Fund (2018 to
     
present); Advisory Board Member,
 
present); Independent
     
Vestigo Ventures 1 GP, LLC (2016
 
Board Member of
     
to present); Managing Director, B+
 
Steben Select
     
Institutional Services, LLC
 
Managed Futures
     
(2014 to present).
 
Strategy Fund (2018
         
to present);
         
Independent Board
         
Member of Steben
         
Alternative
         
Investment Funds
         
(2018 to present)


42


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Trustees and Officers (continued)
 
(Unaudited)
 


       
Number of
 
       
Portfolios
Other
       
in Fund
Directorships
 
Position(s)
Term of Office
 
Complex
Held by
 
Held
and Length of
Principal Occupation(s)
Overseen by
Trustee During
Name and Year of Birth(1)
with Trust
Time Served(2)
During Past 5 Years
Trustee(3)
Past 5 Years
Interested Trustees:
         
           
Don Schreiber, Jr.
Trustee,
Since
Co-Chief Executive Officer,
6
None
1955(4)
President and
November 2013
Director, Treasurer and Co-Portfolio
   
 
Principal
 
Manager, WBI Investments, Inc.
   
 
Executive
 
(registered investment advisor)
   
 
Officer
 
(1984 to present); Chief Executive
   
     
Officer, Treasurer, Director
   
     
Millington Securities, Inc. (registered
   
     
investment advisor) (2013 to present);
   
     
Chief Executive Officer, Vice
   
     
President, Director and Treasurer,
   
     
WBI Trading, Inc. (financial services)
   
     
(2011 to present); Co-Chief Executive
   
     
Officer, Vice President, Director and
   
     
Treasurer, Hartshorne Group, Inc.
   
     
(wealth management services)
   
     
(2008 to present); Managing Member,
   
     
Secretary, Treasurer, and Chief
   
     
Visionary Officer, CyborgTech, LLC
   
     
(2019 to present).
   
           
Matthew Schreiber
         
1980(4)
Trustee
Since June 2014
Co-Chief Executive Officer of WBI
6
None
     
Investments, Inc. (2019 to present);
   
     
Chief Investment Strategist of WBI
   
     
Investments, Inc. (2017 to Present),
   
     
Chief Executive Officer of
   
     
CyborgTech, LLC (2019 to present);
   
     
Co-Chief Executive Officer,
   
     
Hartshorne Group, Inc. (wealth
   
     
management service)
   
     
(April 2022-present).
   

43


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Trustees and Officers (concluded)
 
(Unaudited)
 


 
Position(s)
Term of Office
 
 
Held
and Length
 
Name and Year of Birth(1)
with Trust
of Time Served(2)
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
Other Officers:
     
       
Ann Schreiber
Secretary
Since
President, CyborgTech, LLC (2019 to present); Chief Marketing
1984(5)
 
June 2014
Officer, WBI Investments, Inc. (2015 to present); Secretary, WBI
     
Trading, Inc. (2012 to present); Secretary, Millington Securities, Inc.
     
(2013 to present); Secretary, Hartshorne Group, Inc. (2012 to present);
     
Corporate Secretary, WBI Investments, Inc. (2012 to present); Project
     
Manager, Advisor Toolbox, Inc. (2008 to present).
       
Steven Van Solkema
Treasurer &
Since
President, WBI Investments Inc. (2020 to present); Chief Investment
1970
Principal
November 2015
Officer and Co-Portfolio Manager, WBI Investments, Inc. (2019 to
 
Financial
 
present); Chief Quantitative Officer, CyborgTech, LLC (2019 to present);
 
Officer
 
Chief Operating Officer, Millington Securities, Inc. (2014 to 2019);
     
Chief Compliance Officer, Millington Securities, Inc. (2014 to 2018).
       
Scott F. Kreitz
Assistant
Since
Chief Operating Officer, WBI Investments, Inc. (2020 to present);
1973
Treasurer
March 2019
Chief Operating Officer, Millington Securities, Inc. (2019 to present);
     
Chief Operating Officer, CyborgTech LLC (2019 to present); Vice
     
President of Operations, Millington Securities, Inc. (2018 to 2019);
     
Associate Director, Model Risk Governance, RBC Capital Markets
     
(2016 to 2018);
       
Kevin Murphy
Chief Legal
Since
Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel, WBI Investments, Inc.
1974
Officer
February 2021
(2020 to present); Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel,
     
Hartshorne Group, Inc. (2020 to present); Chief Compliance Officer
     
and General Counsel, Millington Securities, Inc. (2020 to present);
     
Principal KBM Consulting Services (2019 –2020); Chief Compliance
     
Officer and Head of Legal, Robeco Institutional Asset Management US,
     
Inc. (2018 –2019); Chief Compliance Officer, Itau USA Asset
     
Management Inc. (2014 –2018).
       
Rodney L. Ruehle
Chief
Since
Director, Foreside Fund Officer Services, LLC (formerly Foreside
1968
Compliance
November 2017
Compliance Services, LLC) (financial services) (2016 to present).
 
Officer
   
       
Alison Johnson
Assistant
Since
Chief of Staff, WBI Investments Inc. (2020 to present); Human
1980
Secretary
September 2020
Resources Manager, WBI Investments Inc. (2015 to 2020).
       
Misty Marlowe
Assistant
Since
Director, Wealth Management Services, Hartshorne Group, Inc.
1965
Secretary
September 2020
(2016 to present)

(1)
The address of each Trustee or officer is c/o Absolute Shares Trust, 331 Newman Springs Road, Suite 143, Red Bank, New Jersey 07701.
(2)
Trustees and Officers serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified.
(3)
The Funds are part of a “Fund Complex” as defined in the 1940 Act. The Fund Complex includes all open-end funds (including all of their portfolios) advised by the Advisor or the Sub-Advisor and any funds that have an investment advisor that is an affiliated person of the Advisor. As of the date of this SAI, the Fund Complex consists of 6 Funds of the Trust.
(4)
Don Schreiber Jr. and Matthew Schreiber are each an “interested person” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) because of their affiliations with the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor.  Don Schreiber, Jr. is the father of Matthew Schreiber.
(5)
Ann Schreiber is the daughter of Don Schreiber, Jr., and the sister of Matthew Schreiber.


44


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Approval of Advisory Agreements and Board Considerations
 
(Unaudited)
 


The Board (the members of which are referred to as “Trustees”) of the Trust met in-person on June 13, 2022 to consider whether to renew: (1) the investment advisory agreements (collectively, the “Advisory Agreement”) between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Advisor, and (2) the investment sub-advisory agreements (collectively, the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”) between the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor.
 
The Board considered renewing the Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement and the engagement of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor separately, although the advisers are affiliates.
 
In accordance with Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), the Board requested, reviewed and considered materials furnished by the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor relevant to the Board’s consideration of whether to renew the Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement. In connection with considering whether to renew the Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”), met in executive session with counsel to the Trust, who provided assistance and advice. The consideration of renewing the Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement was conducted by both the full Board and the Independent Trustees, who also voted separately.
 
During their review and consideration, the Board and the Independent Trustees focused on and analyzed the factors they deemed relevant, including, but not limited to: (1) the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by each of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor; (2) the investment advice and performance of each of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor; (3) the fees of the services provided and profits realized by each of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor from their relationships with the Trust; (4) the expenses of the Funds and the extent to which economies of scale have been realized and are expected to reduce Fund expenses; (5) any benefits derived or to be derived by each of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor from the relationship with the Trust; and (6) potential conflicts of interest and associated compliance regimes adopted by the Advisor and Sub-Advisor.
 
In reviewing such factors, the Board relied on certain information, including (1) copies of the Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Advisory Agreement and the Expense Limitation Agreement; (2) information describing the Advisor, the Sub-Advisor and the services provided thereby; (3) information regarding the compliance programs of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor; (4) copies of the Forms ADV for the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor; and (5) memoranda and guidance from K&L Gates LLP on the fiduciary responsibilities of trustees, including Independent Trustees, in considering advisory and distribution agreements under the 1940 Act. In addition, as part of the Advisor and Sub-Advisor’s responses to submitted questions, the Board was provided with data and information comparing the advisory fees and expenses of the Funds with expenses and performance of other exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) with similar investment objectives and policies. The Trustees also considered their personal experiences as Trustees and participants in the ETF and mutual fund industry, as applicable.
 
In particular, the Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, considered and discussed the following with respect to the Funds:
 
1.  The nature, extent and quality of the facilities and services provided by each of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor. The Board received information on and considered the division of responsibility of services provided by the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor, including the fact that portfolio management would continue to be conducted by the Sub-Advisor. In addition to the Sub-Advisor’s performance managing the Funds, the Board reviewed the experience and resources that the Sub-Advisor had in managing strategies similar to those utilized by the Funds, including information regarding the education and experience of management and investment personnel.
 
The Board determined that the Funds would continue to benefit from the services and resources available from the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor, with respect to their responsibilities under the Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements. In particular, they noted the extensive experience of the Sub-Advisor’s management personnel in developing and administering strategies utilized by the Funds, as well as the performance history of the Sub-Advisor since its inception. The Board also noted the compliance regimes of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor and their effectiveness.
 
2.  The advisory fees paid by and overall expenses of the Funds. The Board considered comprehensive data and information comparing the advisory fees and expense ratios (taking into consideration the Expense Limitation Agreement) of the Funds. The Board acknowledged that the Funds were distinct in ways from their peer group of ETFs. Nevertheless, the Sub-Advisor’s peer group analysis and methodology had not substantially changed from the prior year. The Board determined that the advisory fees charged and overall expenses of the Funds were competitive and in line with the related universe of funds. The Advisor and Sub-Advisor also presented the Board with several “fall-out” benefits the Advisor or the Sub-Advisor derive from its relationship to the Trust and the Funds, such as the Sub-Advisor’s offering of the Funds to help expand the Sub-Advisor’s distribution channels for its other investment products. In light of the nature, quality, and extent of services provided by the Advisor and Sub-Advisor and the costs incurred by the Advisor and Sub-Advisor in rendering those services, and taking into account the “fall-out” benefits inured, the Board concluded that the level of fees paid to the Advisor and Sub-Advisor with respect to each Fund were fair and reasonable.
 
3.  Brokerage and portfolio transactions. The Board was presented with materials and a thorough discussion of the brokerage practices of the Advisor and Sub-Advisor. Additionally, the Board considered information relating to the Advisor’s cessation on December 31, 2021, of its broker-dealer business through which the Advisor had executed commission-free trades on behalf of the Funds and received payments for order flow from market makers whereby the trades were intended to mitigate negative pricing impacts from Fund trading activity on the market for a security through what is often characterized as “high touch” brokerage practices as contrasted with “low touch” or automated brokered trading. The Board reviewed with the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor the practices and policies of the Advisor and Sub-Advisor for best execution and broker selection followed since January 1, 2022 and expected to be utilized for the coming year. The Board reviewed information about the Sub-Adviser’s institution of commissions-based, high touch brokerage practices, which contemplate the Sub-Advisor, with assistance from the Advisor, closely monitoring
 

45


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Approval of Advisory Agreements and Board Considerations (concluded)
 
(Unaudited)
 


executing broker trading activities to avoid adverse market pricing impacts of such trading (e.g., a Fund selling against itself or buying against itself). The Board also discussed and considered the Sub-Advisor’s receipt of soft dollar credits from executing brokers. The Independent Trustees determined that the brokerage policies of both the Advisor and Sub-Advisor would benefit the Funds.
 
4.  Financial condition of each of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor. After considering information relating to the financial condition of the Advisor and Sub-Advisor, as well as the fees and operating costs relating to the management of the Funds, the Board determined that each of the Advisor and Sub-Advisor continue to be capable of providing services to the Funds. In this determination, the Board considered the existence of the Expense Limitation Agreement (including the level of the expense limit for each Fund), the unitary fee arrangement applicable to WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF: (NYSE Arca: WBIT), and the impact of such fees on the profitability of the Advisor and Sub-Advisor.
 
Specifically, with respect to the WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF, the Board noted that the Advisor and Sub-Advisor would continue charging a unitary advisory fee. Under the unitary fee structure, the Advisor and Sub-Advisor, and not the WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF, would be responsible for paying almost all of the expenses necessary to service the WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF and that the Advisor and Sub-Advisor would bear the risk of these expenses increasing.
 
5.  Possible conflicts of interest. The Board considered the experience and ability of the advisory personnel assigned to the Funds, soft-dollar arrangements and the brokerage policies of the Advisor and Subadvisor (including a discussion of the execution policies of the Advisor and Subadvisor), and the substance and administration of the Codes of Ethics of the Trust, the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor. The Board determined that the compliance policies of the Trust, Advisor and Sub-Advisor were each reasonably designed to monitor for and prevent violations of the federal securities laws and breaches of fiduciary duties.
 
6.  Effect of the Funds’ growth and size on its investment performance and expenses. The Board considered information relating to the year- over-year trading of the Funds. It determined that the expense ratios of the Funds were well suited in light of expectations for continued asset accumulation and projected growth.
 
Based on the foregoing and such other matters as were deemed relevant, and while no single factor was determinative in the decision, all of the Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, concluded that the advisory fee rates and total expense ratios are reasonable in relation to the services provided by the Advisor to the Funds, as well as the costs incurred and the benefits gained by the Advisor in providing such services. The Board also found the investment advisory fees paid to the Advisor to be reasonable in comparison to the fees charged by advisers to other comparable funds of similar size. Based on these and other considerations, the Board, in the exercise of its reasonable judgment, determined that the fees and expenses proposed for each Fund were fair and reasonable. As a result, all of the Board members, including the Independent Trustees, approved the Advisory Agreement.
 
With respect to the Sub-Advisor and based on the foregoing analysis and such other matters as were deemed relevant, and while no single factor was determinative in the decision, all of the Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, concluded that the sub-advisory fee rates and total expense ratios are reasonable in relation to the services provided by the Sub-Advisor to the Funds, as well as the costs incurred and the benefits gained by the Sub-Advisor in providing such services. Based on these and other considerations, the Board, in the exercise of its reasonable judgment, determined that the fees and expenses proposed for each Fund were fair and reasonable. As a result, all of the Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, approved the Sub-Advisory Agreement.
 

46


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Expense Examples
 
For the Period Ended June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


As a shareholder you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including brokerage commissions on purchases and sales of Fund shares, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Fund expenses.  This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other funds.  The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period (January 1, 2022 – June 30, 2022).
 
 
Actual Expenses
 
The first line of the table provides information about actual account values based on actual returns and actual expenses.  You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.  Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then, multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.
 
 
Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes
 
The second line of the table provides information about hypothetical account values based on a hypothetical return and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return.  The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds.  To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.  Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as brokerage commissions paid on purchases and sales of Fund shares.  Therefore, the second line of the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds.  If these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.
 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
     
 
Beginning
Ending
 
 
Account Value
Account Value
Expenses Paid
 
January 1, 2022
June 30, 2022
During the Period^
Actual
$1,000.00
$   958.70
$6.14
Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,018.52
$6.33
       
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
     
 
Beginning
Ending
 
 
Account Value
Account Value
Expenses Paid
 
January 1, 2022
June 30, 2022
During the Period^
Actual
$1,000.00
$   977.80
$6.21
Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,018.52
$6.34
       
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
     
 
Beginning
Ending
 
 
Account Value
Account Value
Expenses Paid
 
January 1, 2022
June 30, 2022
During the Period^
Actual
$1,000.00
$   928.80
$6.06
Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,018.51
$6.34
       
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
     
 
Beginning
Ending
 
 
Account Value
Account Value
Expenses Paid
 
January 1, 2022
June 30, 2022
During the Period^
Actual
$1,000.00
$   866.80
$5.87
Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,018.50
$6.35


47


Absolute Shares Trust
 
 
Expense Examples (concluded)
 
 
For the Period Ended June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)
 


WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
     
 
Beginning
Ending
 
 
Account Value
Account Value
Expenses Paid
 
January 1, 2022
June 30, 2022
During the Period^
Actual
$1,000.00
$   944.60
$3.43
Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,021.27
$3.57
       
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
     
 
Beginning
Ending
 
 
Account Value
Account Value
Expenses Paid
 
January 1, 2022
June 30, 2022
During the Period^
Actual
$1,000.00
$   850.80
$3.30
Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,021.23
$3.61
_________
 
^
The dollar amounts shown as expenses paid during the period are equal to the annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value during the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, multiplied by 181/365 to reflect the one-half year period.







48


  
Absolute Shares Trust
 
Federal Tax Information
 
(Unaudited)
 


QUALIFIED DIVIDEND INCOME/DIVIDENDS RECEIVED DEDUCTION
 
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, certain dividends paid by the Funds may be subject to a maximum tax rate of 15%, as provided for by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.
 
The percentage of dividends declared from ordinary income designated as qualified dividend income was as follows:
 
BullBear Value 3000 ETF
77.30%
BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
89.08%
BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
74.74%
BullBear Global Income ETF
11.65%
Power Factor High Dividend ETF
100.00%
BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
35.27%

For corporate shareholders, the percent of ordinary income distributions qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 was as follows:
 
BullBear Value 1000 ETF
77.30%
BullBear Yield 1000 ETF
89.08%
BullBear Quality 1000 ETF
74.60%
BullBear Global Income ETF
11.65%
Power Factor High Dividend ETF
100.00%
BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
0.74%

The Percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions that are designated as short-term capital gain distributions under Internal Revenue Section 871(k)(2)(C) for each Fund were as follows (unaudited).
 
BullBear Value 3000 ETF
0.00%
BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
0.00%
BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
0.00%
BullBear Global Income ETF
0.00%
Power Factor High Dividend ETF
0.00%
BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
0.00%





49


Absolute Shares Trust
 

 
Information About the Portfolio Holdings
(Unaudited)
 
The Trust files its complete schedules of portfolio holdings for its first and third fiscal quarters with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on Part F of Form N-PORT. Furthermore, you may obtain Part F of Form N-PORT on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Funds’ portfolio holdings are updated daily and posted on its website at www.wbietfs.com.
 
 
Information About Proxy Voting
(Unaudited)
 
A description of the policies and procedures the Trust uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is provided in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).  The SAI is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free at (800) 772-5810, by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by accessing the Funds’ website at www.wbietfs.com.
 
When available, information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the period ending June 30 will be available by calling toll-free at (800) 772-5810 or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
 
 
Information About the Funds’ Trustees
(Unaudited)
 
The SAI includes additional information about the Trustees and is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll free at (800) 772-5810, or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by accessing the Fund’s website at www.wbietfs.com.
 
 
Frequency Distributions of Premiums and Discounts
(Unaudited)
 
Information regarding how often shares of the Funds trade on an exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Funds is available, without charge, on the Funds’ website at www.wbietfs.com.
 






50











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Absolute Shares Trust
 



Advisor
Millington Securities
331 Newman Springs Road Suite 143
Red Bank, New Jersey  07701

Sub-Advisor
WBI Investments, Inc
331 Newman Springs Road Suite 143
Red Bank, New Jersey  07701

Index Provider (WBIY only)
Solactive AG
Guiollettstraβe 54
60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Distributor
Foreside Fund Services, LLC
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, Maine  04101

Custodian
U.S. Bank National Association
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53212

Administrator and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53202

Securities Lending Agent
U.S. Bank, National Association
Securities Lending
800 Nicolet Mall
Minneapolis, Minnesota  55402-7020

Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
KPMG LLP
51 John F. Kennedy Parkway
Short Hills, New Jersey  07078

Legal Counsel
K&L Gates LLP
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York  10022





 
WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF
WBIF
 
 
WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF
WBIG
 
 
WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF
WBIL
 
 
WBI BullBear Global Income ETF
WBII
 
 
WBI Power Factor® High Dividend ETF
WBIY
 
 
WBI BullBear Trend Switch US 3000 Total Return ETF
WBIT