ck0001540305-20221031
PROSPECTUS
AAM S&P 500 HIGH DIVIDEND VALUE
ETF
(SPDV)
AAM S&P EMERGING MARKETS HIGH DIVIDEND VALUE
ETF
(EEMD)
AAM S&P DEVELOPED MARKETS HIGH DIVIDEND VALUE
ETF
(DMDV)
AAM LOW DURATION PREFERRED AND INCOME SECURITIES
ETF
(PFLD)
AAM BAHL & GAYNOR SMALL/MID CAP INCOME GROWTH
ETF
(SMIG)
AAM TRANSFORMERS ETF
(TRFM)
Listed
on NYSE Arca, Inc.
February 28,
2023
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved
of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
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AAM
S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF |
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AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF |
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AAM
Transformers ETF |
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Temporary
Defensive Positions |
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AAM
S&P 500 HIGH DIVIDEND VALUE ETF |
Investment Objective
The AAM S&P 500 High
Dividend Value ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the total return performance,
before fees and expenses, of the S&P 500 Dividend and Free Cash Flow Yield
Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The
following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold,
and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You
may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial
intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example
below.
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Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses
that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment) |
Management
Fees |
0.29% |
Distribution
and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other
Expenses |
0.00% |
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.29% |
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Expense Example
This Example is
intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of
investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of
your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses
remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher
or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1
Year |
3
Years |
5
Years |
10
Years |
$30 |
$93 |
$163 |
$368 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction
costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over”
its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction
costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account.
These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the
Example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended
October 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 68% of the average value of its
portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The
Fund uses a “passive management” (or indexing) approach to track the total
return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index.
S&P
500 Dividend and Free Cash Flow Yield Index
The
Index is a rules-based, equal-weighted index that is designed to provide
exposure to the constituents of the S&P 500® Index that exhibit both high
dividend yield and sustainable dividend distribution characteristics, while
maintaining diversified sector exposure. The Index was developed in 2017 by
S&P Dow Jones Indices, a division of S&P Global. The S&P 500 Index
consists of approximately 500 leading U.S.-listed companies representing
approximately 80% of the U.S. equity market capitalization, and may include real
estate investment trusts (“REITs”).
Construction
of the Index begins with the universe of equity securities that are included in
the S&P 500 Index. For each equity security in the S&P 500 Index, the
security’s dividend yield and free-cash-flow yield (i.e.,
a company’s cash flow from operations less capital expenditures divided by its
market capitalization) are adjusted to account for outliers. If a security’s
dividend yield or free-cash-flow yield is in the top or bottom 2.5% of the
S&P 500 Index, the dividend yield or free-cash-flow yield, as applicable,
for such security is replaced with the dividend yield or free-cash-flow yield of
the security nearest to such top or bottom 2.5% threshold. The universe is then
screened to keep only equity securities with a positive indicated annual
dividend yield (i.e.,
yield based on a company’s most recent dividend amount) and free-cash-flow
yield. The remaining securities are referred to as the “Selection Pool”.
For
each security in the Selection Pool, the security’s dividend yield and
free-cash-flow yield are then scored using a statistical normalization model
(i.e.,
a tool to compare how close each yield is to the average yield for the Selection
Pool) to assign a dividend yield score and free-cash-flow yield score from zero
to one for each company. The equity securities in the Selection Pool are then
ranked by the product of their dividend yield score and free-cash-flow yield
score, and the top five scoring securities are selected from each sector
(collectively, the “Index Constituents”). The Index uses Standard & Poor’s
Global Industry Classification Standards to define companies within one of the
following sectors: consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials,
health care,
industrials,
information technology, materials, real estate, communication services, and
utilities. Fewer than five securities may be selected if there are fewer than
five securities in the Selection Pool for a given sector.
The
Index is reconstituted (i.e.,
Index Constituents are added or deleted and weights are reset to equal-weight)
semi-annually after the close of the last business day in January and July. At
the time of each reconstitution of the Index, Index Constituents are added or
deleted based on company data as of the last business day of December and June,
respectively, and the Index Constituents are equally-weighted based on closing
prices as of five business days prior to the last business day of the
reconstitution month. If an Index Constituent is removed from the S&P 500
Index, such security will simultaneously be removed from the Index. Additions to
the Index Constituents only take place during the semi-annual reconstitutions.
The
Fund’s Investment Strategy
The
Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment
objective, meaning the Fund generally will invest in all of the component
securities of the Index in approximately the same proportion as in the
Index. However, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning
it may invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return, and
other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return, and other
characteristics of the Index as a whole, when the Fund’s sub-adviser believes it
is in the best interests of the Fund (e.g.,
when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs,
an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid,
or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations that apply to the Fund but
not to the Index).
The
Fund may invest in securities or other investments not included in the Index,
but which the Fund’s sub-adviser believes will help the Fund track the Index.
For example, the Fund may invest in securities that are not components of the
Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index (such
as reconstitutions, additions, and deletions).
To
the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets)
in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the
Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the
Index.
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of
the Fund’s net assets, plus borrowings for investment purposes, will be invested
in equity securities that (i) are included in the S&P 500 Index and (ii)
have had a positive indicated annual dividend yield within the past
year.
Principal Investment Risks
The
principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal
risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks
and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a
“principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it
appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could
lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or
all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share
(“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its
objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see
the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the
Funds.”
•Concentration
Risk.
The
Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to
the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the
Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in
securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
•Equity
Market Risk.
The
equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden,
unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur
because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting
specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common
stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities,
such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders
generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. In addition,
local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health
issues, recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant
negative impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global
pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses
taken by many governments, including closing borders, restricting international
and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar
restrictions, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on
markets worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the
normal business operations of companies around the world and the impact of such
disruptions is hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic
regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such
events could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio
securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading
markets.
•ETF
Risks.
The
Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the
following risks:
◦Authorized
Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration
Risk. The
Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized
Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market
makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of
the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and
possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become
unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step
forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or
liquidity
providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities
and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs
of Buying or Selling Shares.
Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions
imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may
significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be
advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares
May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As
with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market
prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate
the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than
the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to
supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is
heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and
periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary
market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant.
◦Trading. Although
Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be
traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that
Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed
market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of
the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid
than Shares, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the
Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
•High
Dividend Investing Risk.
Companies with a high yield or payout ratio may reduce their dividend or stop
paying dividends entirely while they are included in the Index. Such events
could lower the price or yield of such company’s equity securities.
Additionally, equity securities with a high yield or payout ratio may
underperform other securities in certain market conditions.
•Market
Risk.
The
trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response
to a variety of factors. The Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate
significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor
could lose money over short or long periods of time.
•Passive
Investment Risk.
The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of
an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security,
industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the
selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution
or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index
methodology.
•REIT
Investment Risk. Investments
in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may
trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other
securities. REITs may be affected by changes in the value of their underlying
properties or mortgages or by defaults by their borrowers or tenants.
Furthermore, these entities depend upon specialized management skills, have
limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in
financing a limited number of projects. In addition, the performance of a U.S.
REIT may be affected by changes in the tax laws or by its failure to qualify for
tax-free pass-through of income.
•Tracking
Error Risk.
As
with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and the Index may differ from
each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating
expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition,
the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times
or may hold securities not included in the Index.
Performance
The following
performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the
Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for calendar
years ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average annual
returns for the 1-year, 5-year, and since inception periods compare with those
of a broad measure of market performance and the Index. The Fund’s past performance,
before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the
future. Updated performance information is available on the
Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Calendar Year Total Returns
During the period of time shown
in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return
was 18.53% for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 and the
lowest quarterly return was
-33.03% for the quarter ended March 31,
2020.
Average
Annual Total Returns
For
the Periods Ended December 31, 2022
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AAM
S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF |
1
Year |
| 5
Years |
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Since
Inception
(11/28/17) |
Return Before
Taxes |
-2.22% |
| 6.08% |
| 6.88% |
Return After Taxes on
Distributions |
-3.08% |
| 5.12% |
| 5.91% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and
Sale of Fund Shares |
-0.73% |
| 4.59% |
| 5.23% |
S&P
500 Dividend and Free Cash Flow Yield Index (reflects no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-1.92% |
| 6.43% |
| 7.23% |
S&P
500® Index (reflects
no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-18.11% |
| 9.42% |
| 9.67% |
After-tax returns are
calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax
rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact
of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns
depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax
returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Shares through
tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or
other tax-advantaged accounts. In certain cases, the figure
representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares” may be
higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax
return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an
assumed tax deduction that benefits the
investor.
Portfolio
Management
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Adviser |
Advisors
Asset Management, Inc. (“AAM” or the “Adviser”) |
Sub-Adviser |
Vident
Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”) |
Portfolio
Managers |
Austin
Wen, CFA, Portfolio Manager for VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the
Fund since November 2017, and Rafael Zayas, CFA, SVP, Head of Portfolio
Management and Trading for VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund
since June 2020. |
Purchase
and Sale of Shares
Shares
are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in
the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because
Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price
greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The
Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation
Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The
Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of
securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors
may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer
is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is
willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the
secondary market (the “bid-ask
spread”).
Recent information about the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and
discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at
www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Tax
Information
Fund
distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend
income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA
or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through
tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from
those accounts.
Financial
Intermediary Compensation
If
you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary
(such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their
affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund,
including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries
more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for
other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives
related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict
of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend
the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in
increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s
website for more information.
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AAM
S&P EMERGING MARKETS HIGH DIVIDEND VALUE
ETF |
Investment Objective
The AAM S&P Emerging
Markets High Dividend Value ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the total return
performance, before fees and expenses, of the S&P Emerging Markets Dividend
and Free Cash Flow Yield Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The
following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold,
and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You
may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial
intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example
below.
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Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses
that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment) |
Management
Fees |
0.49% |
Distribution
and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other
Expenses |
0.00% |
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.49% |
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Expense Example
This Example is
intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of
investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of
your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses
remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher
or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1
Year |
3
Years |
5
Years |
10
Years |
$50 |
$157 |
$274 |
$616 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction
costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over”
its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction
costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account.
These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the
Example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended
October 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 123% of the average value of its
portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The
Fund uses a “passive management” (or indexing) approach to track the total
return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index.
S&P
Emerging Markets Dividend and Free Cash Flow Yield Index
The
Index is a rules-based, equal-weighted index that is designed to provide
exposure to the constituents of the S&P Emerging Plus LargeMidCap Index that
exhibit both high dividend yield and sustainable dividend distribution
characteristics, while maintaining diversified sector exposure. The Index was
developed in 2017 by S&P Dow Jones Indices, a division of S&P Global.
The S&P Emerging Plus LargeMidCap Index is designed to measure the
performance of large- and mid-capitalization securities in emerging markets. The
S&P Emerging Plus LargeMidCap Index is comprised of equity securities,
including common stock and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), that are
listed in Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece,
Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, the
Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea,
Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (collectively, the
“Emerging Markets”).
Construction
of the Index begins with the universe of equity securities that are included in
the S&P Emerging Plus LargeMidCap Index, have a minimum float-adjusted
market capitalization of US$300 million, and have a median daily traded value of
at least US$1 million. For each equity security in the S&P Emerging
Plus LargeMidCap Index, the security’s dividend yield and free-cash-flow yield
(i.e.,
a company’s cash flow from operations less capital expenditures divided by its
market capitalization) are then adjusted to account for outliers. If a
security’s dividend yield or free-cash-flow yield is in the top or bottom 2.5%
of the S&P Emerging Plus LargeMidCap Index, the dividend yield or
free-cash-flow yield, as applicable, for such security is replaced with the
dividend yield or free-cash-flow yield of the security nearest to such top or
bottom 2.5% threshold. The universe is then screened to keep only equity
securities with a positive realized dividend yield (i.e.,
yield based on the total dividends paid for the most recent 12-month period) and
free-cash-flow yield. The remaining securities are referred to as the “Selection
Pool”.
For
each security in the Selection Pool, the security’s dividend yield and
free-cash-flow yield are then scored using a statistical normalization model
(i.e.,
a tool to compare how close each yield is to the average yield for the Selection
Pool) to assign a dividend
yield
score and free-cash-flow yield score from zero to one for each company. The
equity securities in the Selection Pool are then ranked by the product of their
dividend yield score and free-cash-flow yield score, and the top five scoring
securities are selected from each sector (collectively, the “Index
Constituents”). The Index uses Standard & Poor’s Global Industry
Classification Standards to define companies within one of the following
sectors: consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, health
care, industrials, information technology, materials, real estate, communication
services, and utilities. Fewer than five securities may be selected if there are
fewer than five securities in the Selection Pool for a given sector.
The
Index is reconstituted (i.e.,
Index Constituents are added or deleted and weights are reset to equal-weight)
semi-annually after the close of the last business day in January and July. At
the time of each reconstitution of the Index, Index Constituents are added or
deleted based on company data as of the last business day of December and June,
respectively, and the Index Constituents are equally-weighted based on closing
prices as of five business days prior to the last business day of the
reconstitution month. If an Index Constituent is removed from the S&P
Emerging Plus LargeMidCap Index, such security will simultaneously be removed
from the Index. Additions to the Index Constituents only take place during the
semi-annual reconstitutions. If multiple share classes of a single company
qualify for inclusion in the Index, only the share class with the highest
liquidity, measured by median daily value traded, is selected. As of
December 31, 2022, the Index included significant exposure to companies in
China, Taiwan, and Turkey.
The
Fund’s Investment Strategy
The
Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment
objective, meaning the Fund generally will invest in all of the component
securities of the Index in approximately the same proportion as in the
Index. However, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning
it may invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return, and
other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return, and other
characteristics of the Index as a whole, when the Fund’s sub-adviser believes it
is in the best interests of the Fund (e.g.,
when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs,
an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid,
or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations that apply to the Fund but
not to the Index).
The
Fund generally may invest in securities or other investments not included in the
Index, but which the Fund’s sub-adviser believes will help the Fund track the
Index. For example, the Fund may invest in securities that are not components of
the Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index
(such as reconstitutions, additions, and deletions).
To
the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets)
in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the
Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the
Index.
Under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets, plus borrowings for
investment purposes, will be invested in equity securities that (i) are tied
economically to Emerging Markets countries and (ii) have had a positive realized
annual dividend yield within the past year.
Principal Investment Risks
The
principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal
risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks
and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a
“principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it
appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could
lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or
all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share
(“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its
objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see
the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the
Funds.”
•Capital
Controls and Sanctions Risk.
Economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest
rates, political events, military action and other conditions may, without prior
warning, lead to foreign government intervention (including intervention by the
U.S. government with respect to foreign governments, economic sectors, foreign
companies and related securities and interests) and the imposition of capital
controls and/or sanctions, which may also include retaliatory actions of one
government against another government, such as seizure of assets. Capital
controls and/or sanctions include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the
ability to transfer currency, securities or other assets. Capital controls
and/or sanctions may also impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or
otherwise transfer securities or currency, negatively impact the value and/or
liquidity of such instruments, adversely affect the trading market and price for
Shares, and cause the Fund to decline in value.
•Concentration
Risk.
The
Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to
the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the
Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in
securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
•Currency
Exchange Rate Risk.
The Fund invests primarily in investments denominated in non-U.S. currencies or
in securities that provide exposure to such currencies. Changes in currency
exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the
value of the Fund’s
investment and the value of your Shares. Currency exchange rates can be very
volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an
investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning and you may lose
money.
•Emerging
Markets Risk.
The Fund invests primarily in companies organized in emerging market nations.
Investments in securities and instruments traded in developing or emerging
markets, or that provide exposure to such securities or markets, can involve
additional risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions not
associated with investments in U.S. securities and instruments or investments in
more developed international markets. Such conditions may impact the ability of
the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities, adversely affect the
trading market and price for Shares and cause the Fund to decline in value. Less
information may be available about companies in emerging markets than in
developed markets because such emerging markets companies may not be subject to
accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards or to other regulatory
practices required by U.S. companies. Additionally, limitations on the
availability of financial and business information about companies in emerging
markets may affect the Index Provider’s ability to accurately determine the
companies that meet the Index’s criteria.
•Equity
Market Risk.
The
equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden,
unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur
because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting
specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common
stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities,
such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders
generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. In addition,
local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health
issues, recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant
negative impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global
pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses
taken by many governments, including closing borders, restricting international
and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar
restrictions, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on
markets worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the
normal business operations of companies around the world and the impact of such
disruptions is hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic
regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such
events could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio
securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading
markets.
•ETF
Risks.
The
Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the
following risks:
◦Authorized
Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration
Risk. The
Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized
Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market
makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of
the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and
possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become
unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step
forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity
providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities
and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs
of Buying or Selling Shares.
Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions
imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may
significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be
advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares
May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As
with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market
prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate
the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than
the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to
supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is
heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and
periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary
market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. Because
securities held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the
Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience
premiums and discounts greater than those of domestic ETFs.
◦Trading. Although
Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be
traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that
Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed
market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of
the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid
than Shares, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the
Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
•Foreign
Markets Risk.
Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present
with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S.
securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations
or to political or economic instability. Investments in non-U.S. securities also
may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional
trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. These and other factors
can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than
other types of investments.
•Geographic
Investment Risk.
To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the
securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be
impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region.
◦Risks
of Investing in China. Investments
in Chinese issuers subject the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be
subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability.
China is a developing market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility
from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the past 25 years,
the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices
and is expanding the sphere of private ownership of property in China. However,
Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and
pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly
available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social
unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military
conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in
China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency
convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. Export
growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth.
Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs
or other trade barriers, or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key
trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. China is
also vulnerable economically to the impact of a public health crisis, which
could depress consumer demand, reduce economic output, and potentially lead to
market closures, travel restrictions, and quarantines, all of which would
negatively impact China’s economy and could affect the economies of its trading
partners.
◦Risks
of Investing in Taiwan. Investments
in Taiwanese issuers may subject the Fund to risks specific to Taiwan. Taiwan is
a small island state with few raw material resources and limited land area and
is reliant on imports for its commodity needs. Any fluctuations or shortages in
the commodity markets could have a negative impact on the Taiwanese economy.
Also, continued labor outsourcing may adversely affect the Taiwanese economy.
Taiwan’s economy is intricately linked with economies of Asian countries that
have experienced over-extensions of credit, frequent and pronounced currency
fluctuations, currency devaluations, currency repatriation, rising unemployment
and fluctuations in inflation. The Taiwanese economy is dependent on the
economies of Japan and China, as well as the United States, and negative changes
in their economies or a reduction in purchases by any of them of Taiwanese
products and services would likely have an adverse impact on the Taiwanese
economy. Taiwan’s geographic proximity to China and Taiwan’s history of
political contention with China have resulted in ongoing tensions with China,
including the risk of war with China. These tensions may materially affect the
Taiwanese economy and securities markets.
◦Risks
of Investing in Turkey. There
are legal, regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risks specific
to Turkey. Among other things, the Turkish economy is heavily dependent on
relationships with certain key trading partners, including European Union
countries, China and Russia, and changes in the price or demand for Turkish
exports may have an adverse impact on the Turkish economy. The Turkish economy
has certain other significant economic weaknesses, such as its relatively high
current account deficit, which may contribute to prolonged periods of recession
or lower Turkey’s sovereign debt rating. Turkey has historically experienced
acts of terrorism and strained relations related to border disputes and other
geopolitical events with certain neighboring countries. Turkey may be subject to
considerable social and political instability, in part due to the influence
asserted by its military over the national government. Unanticipated or sudden
political or social developments may cause uncertainty in the Turkish stock or
currency market and, as a result, adversely affect the Fund’s investments. In
addition, the earthquakes that struck Turkey in February 2023 could adversely
affect the economy or the business operations of the companies located there,
causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in, or which are exposed to,
Turkey.
•Geopolitical
Risk.
Some countries and regions in which the Fund invests have experienced security
concerns, war or threats of war and aggression, terrorism, economic uncertainty,
natural and environmental disasters and/or systemic market dislocations that
have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility
and may have adverse long-term effects on the U.S. and world economies and
markets generally, each of which may negatively impact the Fund’s
investments.
•High
Dividend Investing Risk.
Companies with a high yield or payout ratio may reduce their dividend or stop
paying dividends entirely while they are included in the Index. Such events
could lower the price or yield of such company’s equity securities.
Additionally, equity securities with a high yield or payout ratio may
underperform other securities in certain market conditions.
•Market
Risk.
The
trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response
to a variety of factors. The Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate
significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor
could lose money over short or long periods of time.
•Passive
Investment Risk.
The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of
an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security,
industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the
selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution
or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index
methodology.
•Portfolio
Turnover Risk. The
Fund may trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio
in connection with each rebalance and reconstitution of its Index. A high
portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the
Fund’s expenses. Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for
investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
•REIT
Investment Risk. Investments
in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may
trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other
securities. REITs may be affected by changes in the value of their underlying
properties or mortgages or by defaults by their borrowers or tenants.
Furthermore, these entities depend upon specialized management skills, have
limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in
financing a limited number of projects. In addition, the performance of a REIT
may be affected by changes in the tax laws or by its failure to qualify for
tax-free pass-through of income.
•Smaller
Companies Risk. The
equity securities of smaller companies have historically been subject to greater
investment risk than securities of larger companies. The prices of equity
securities of smaller companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than
the prices of equity securities of larger companies.
•Tracking
Error Risk.
As
with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and the Index may differ from
each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating
expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition,
the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times
or may hold securities not included in the Index.
Performance
The following
performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the
Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for calendar
years ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average annual
returns for the 1-year, 5-year, and since inception periods compare with those
of a broad measure of market performance and the Index. The Fund’s past performance,
before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the
future. Updated performance information is available on the
Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Calendar Year Total Returns
During the period of time shown
in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return
was 25.51% for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 and
the lowest quarterly return was
-30.76% for the quarter ended March 31,
2020.
Average
Annual Total Returns
For
the Periods Ended December 31, 2022
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AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF |
1
Year |
| 5
Years |
|
Since
Inception
(11/28/17) |
Return Before
Taxes |
-11.54% |
| -2.25% |
| -1.34% |
Return After Taxes on
Distributions |
-12.92% |
| -3.32% |
| -2.40% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and
Sale of Fund Shares |
-5.65% |
| -1.46% |
| -0.76% |
S&P
Emerging Markets Dividend and Free Cash Flow Yield Index
(reflects no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-11.03% |
| -1.48% |
| -0.59% |
S&P
Emerging Plus LargeMidCap® Index
(reflects
no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-19.65% |
| -0.97% |
| -0.70% |
After-tax returns are
calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax
rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact
of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns
depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax
returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Shares through
tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or
other tax-advantaged accounts. In certain cases, the figure
representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares” may be
higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax
return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an
assumed tax deduction that benefits the
investor.
Portfolio
Management
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Adviser |
Advisors
Asset Management, Inc. (“AAM” or the “Adviser”) |
Sub-Adviser |
Vident
Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”) |
Portfolio
Managers |
Austin
Wen, CFA, Portfolio Manager for VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the
Fund since November 2017, and Rafael Zayas, CFA, SVP, Head of Portfolio
Management and Trading for VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund
since June 2020. |
Purchase
and Sale of Shares
Shares
are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in
the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because
Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price
greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The
Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation
Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The
Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of
securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors
may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer
is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is
willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the
secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund,
including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is
available on the Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Tax
Information
Fund
distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend
income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA
or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through
tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from
those accounts.
Financial
Intermediary Compensation
If
you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary
(such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their
affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund,
including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries
more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for
other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives
related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict
of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend
the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in
increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s
website for more information.
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AAM
S&P DEVELOPED MARKETS HIGH DIVIDEND VALUE
ETF |
Investment Objective
The AAM S&P Developed
Markets High Dividend Value ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the total return
performance, before fees and expenses, of the S&P Developed Ex-U.S. Dividend
and Free Cash Flow Yield Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The
following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold,
and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You
may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial
intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example
below.
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Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses
that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment) |
| |
Management
Fees |
0.39% |
Distribution
and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other
Expenses |
0.00% |
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.39% |
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Expense Example
This Example is
intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of
investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of
your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses
remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher
or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1
Year |
3
Years |
5
Years |
10
Years |
$40 |
$125 |
$219 |
$493 |
Portfolio Turnover
The
Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells
securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are
held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund
operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
For the fiscal year ended October 31,
2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 100% of the average value of its
portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The
Fund uses a “passive management” (or indexing) approach to track the total
return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index.
S&P
Developed Ex-U.S. Dividend and Free Cash Flow Yield Index
The
Index is a rules-based, equal-weighted index that is designed to provide
exposure to the constituents of the S&P Developed BMI Ex-U.S. & Korea
LargeMidCap Index (the “BMI Index”) that exhibit both high dividend yield and
sustainable dividend distribution characteristics, while maintaining diversified
sector exposure. The Index was developed in 2018 by S&P Dow Jones Indices, a
division of S&P Global. The BMI Index is a comprehensive benchmark including
stocks from developed markets excluding the United States and Korea. The BMI
Index is comprised of equity securities, including common stock and real estate
investment trusts (“REITs”), that are listed in Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (collectively, the “Developed
ex-U.S. & Korea Markets”).
Construction
of the Index begins with the universe of equity securities that are included in
the BMI Index, have a minimum float-adjusted market capitalization of US$1
billion, and have a median daily traded value of at least US$5 million. For
each equity security in the BMI Index, the security’s dividend yield and
free-cash-flow yield (i.e.,
a company’s cash flow from operations less capital expenditures divided by its
market capitalization) are then adjusted to account for outliers. If a
security’s dividend yield or free-cash-flow yield is in the top or bottom 2.5%
of the BMI Index, the dividend yield or free-cash-flow yield, as applicable, for
such security is replaced with the dividend yield or free-cash-flow yield of the
security nearest to such top or bottom 2.5% threshold. The universe is then
screened to keep only equity securities with a positive realized dividend yield
(i.e.,
yield based on the total dividends paid for the most recent 12-month period) and
free-cash-flow yield. These remaining securities are referred to as the
“Selection Pool”.
For
each security in the Selection Pool, the security’s dividend yield and
free-cash-flow yield are then scored using a statistical normalization model
(i.e.,
a tool to compare how close each yield is to the average yield for the Selection
Pool) to assign a dividend yield score and free-cash-flow yield score from zero
to one for each company. The equity securities in the Selection Pool are then
ranked by the product of their dividend yield score and free-cash-flow yield
score, and the top five scoring securities are selected from each of the eleven
sectors for a total of 55 securities (collectively, the “Index Constituents”).
The Index uses Standard & Poor’s Global Industry Classification Standards to
define companies within one of the following sectors: communication services,
consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, health care,
industrials, information technology, materials, real estate, and utilities.
Fewer than five securities may be selected if there are fewer than five
securities in the Selection Pool for a given sector. At the time of each
reconstitution of the Index, up to 25% of the Index’s weight (i.e.,
13 stocks) may be from any individual country.
The
Index is reconstituted (i.e.,
Index Constituents are added or deleted and weights are reset to equal-weight)
semi-annually after the close of the third business day in January and July. At
the time of each reconstitution of the Index, Index Constituents are added or
deleted based on company data as of the last business day of December and June,
respectively, and the Index Constituents are equally-weighted based on closing
prices as of five business days prior to the last business day of the
reconstitution month. If an Index Constituent is removed from the BMI Index,
such security will simultaneously be removed from the Index. Additions to the
Index Constituents only take place during the semi-annual reconstitutions. If
multiple share classes of a single company qualify for inclusion in the Index,
only the share class with the highest liquidity, measured by median daily value
traded, is selected. As of December 31, 2022, the Index included
significant exposure to companies in Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, and
Germany.
The
Fund’s Investment Strategy
The
Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment
objective, meaning the Fund generally will invest in all of the component
securities of the Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Index.
However, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning it may
invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return, and other
characteristics closely resemble the risk, return, and other characteristics of
the Index as a whole, when the Fund’s sub-adviser believes it is in the best
interests of the Fund (e.g.,
when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs,
an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid,
or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations that apply to the Fund but
not to the Index).
The
Fund generally may invest in securities or other investments not included in the
Index, but which the Fund’s sub-adviser believes will help the Fund track the
Index. For example, the Fund may invest in securities that are not components of
the Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index
(such as reconstitutions, additions, and deletions).
To
the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets)
in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the
Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the
Index.
Under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets, plus borrowings for
investment purposes, will be invested in equity securities that (i) are traded
principally on an exchange in a Developed ex-U.S. & Korea Markets country
and (ii) have had a positive realized annual dividend yield within the past
year.
Principal Investment Risks
The
principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal
risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks
and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a
“principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it
appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could
lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or
all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share
(“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its
objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see
the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the
Funds.”
•Concentration
Risk.
The
Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to
the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the
Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in
securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
•Currency
Exchange Rate Risk.
The Fund invests primarily in investments denominated in non-U.S. currencies or
in securities that provide exposure to such currencies. Changes in currency
exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the
value of the Fund’s
investment and the value of your Shares. Currency exchange rates can be very
volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an
investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning and you may lose
money.
•Equity
Market Risk.
The
equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden,
unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur
because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting
specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common
stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities,
such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders
generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. In addition,
local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine,
acts
of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues,
recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant negative
impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global pandemic caused
by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses taken by many
governments, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic
travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, has
had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on markets worldwide.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the normal business
operations of companies around the world and the impact of such disruptions is
hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries,
sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could
adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or
other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading
markets.
•ETF
Risks.
The
Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the
following risks:
◦Authorized
Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration
Risk. The
Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized
Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market
makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of
the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and
possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become
unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step
forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity
providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities
and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs
of Buying or Selling Shares.
Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions
imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may
significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be
advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares
May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As
with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market
prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate
the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than
the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to
supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is
heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and
periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary
market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. Because
securities held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the
Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience
premiums and discounts greater than those of domestic ETFs.
◦Trading. Although
Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be
traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that
Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed
market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of
the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid
than Shares, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the
Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
•Foreign
Markets Risk.
Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present
with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S.
securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations
or to political or economic instability. Investments in non-U.S. securities also
may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional
trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. These and other factors
can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than
other types of investments.
•Geographic
Investment Risk.
To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the
securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be
impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region.
◦Risks
Related to Investing in Australia. The
Australian economy is heavily dependent on the price and demand for commodities
and natural resources as well as its exports from the agricultural and mining
sectors. Declines in the demand for such products may have an adverse impact on
the Fund’s returns. Australia is also dependent on trading with key trading
partners. The Fund is susceptible to loss due to adverse market, political,
regulatory, and other events affecting Australia. These events may in turn
adversely affect the trading market and price for Fund shares and cause the Fund
to decline in value.
◦Risks
Related to Investing in Europe.
The economies and markets of European countries are often closely connected and
interdependent, and events in one country in Europe can have an adverse impact
on other European countries. The Fund makes investments in securities of issuers
that are domiciled in, or have significant operations in, member countries of
the European Union (“EU”) that are subject to economic and monetary controls
that can adversely affect the Fund’s investments. The European financial markets
have experienced volatility and adverse trends in recent years and these events
have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to
significantly affect other European countries. Decreasing imports or exports,
changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate
of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its
sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a
significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and their
trading partners, including some or all of the European countries in which the
Fund invests. Acts of war in Europe, including Russia’s large-scale military
invasion of Ukraine, and the resulting sanctions by and against European nations
could also have a severe adverse effect on both European and global economies,
which in turn could affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
The
United Kingdom (“UK”) formally exited from the EU on January 31, 2020 (known as
“Brexit”), and effective December 31, 2020, the UK ended a transition period
during which it continued to abide by the EU’s rules and the UK’s trade
relationships with the EU were generally unchanged. Following this transition
period, the impact on the UK and European economies and the broader global
economy could be significant, resulting in negative impacts, such as increased
volatility and illiquidity, and potentially lower economic growth of markets in
the UK, Europe and globally, which may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s
investments.
◦Risk
Related to Investing in Germany. Investments
in German issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political,
currency, security, and economic risks specific to Germany. Recently, new
concerns have emerged in relation to the economic health of the EU, which have
led to downward pressure on the earnings of certain financial institutions,
including German financial services companies. Germany has an export dependent
economy and therefore relies heavily on trade with key trading partners,
including the Netherlands, China, the U.S., the UK, France, Italy and other
European countries. Germany is dependent on the economies of these other
countries, and any change in the price or demand for German exports may have an
adverse impact on its economy.
◦Risks
Related to Investing in Japan.
The Japanese economy may be subject to considerable degrees of economic,
political and social instability, which could have a negative impact on Japanese
securities. While the Japanese economy has recently emerged from a prolonged
economic downturn, Japan’s economic growth rate may remain relatively low in the
future. In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of natural disasters, such as
earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons and tsunamis. Additionally, decreasing U.S.
imports, new trade regulations, changes in the U.S. dollar exchange rates, a
recession in the United States or continued increases in foreclosure rates may
have an adverse impact on the economy of Japan. Japan also has few natural
resources, and any fluctuation or shortage in the commodity markets could have a
negative impact on Japanese securities.
◦Risks
Related to Investing in the United Kingdom.
The Fund is subject to certain risks specifically associated with investments in
the securities of United Kingdom issuers. Investments in issuers located in the
United Kingdom may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security
and economic risk specific to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom has one of
the largest economies in Europe and is heavily dependent on trade with the
European Union (“EU”), and to a lesser extent the United States and China. As a
result, the economy of the United Kingdom may be impacted by changes to the
economic health of EU member countries, the United States and China. In 2016,
the United Kingdom voted via referendum to leave the EU (“Brexit”). After years
of negotiations between the United Kingdom and the EU, a withdrawal agreement
was reached whereby the United Kingdom formally left the EU. The precise impact
on the United Kingdom’s economy as a result of its departure from the EU depends
to a large degree on its ability to conclude favorable trade deals with the EU
and other countries, including the United States, China, India and Japan. While
new trade deals may boost economic growth, such growth may not be able to offset
the increased costs of trade with the EU resulting from the United Kingdom’s
loss of its membership in the EU single market. Certain sectors within the
United Kingdom’s economy may be particularly affected by Brexit, including the
automotive, chemicals, financial services and professional
services.
•High
Dividend Investing Risk.
Companies with a high yield or payout ratio may reduce their dividend or stop
paying dividends entirely while they are included in the Index. Such events
could lower the price or yield of such company’s equity securities.
Additionally, equity securities with a high yield or payout ratio may
underperform other securities in certain market conditions.
•Market
Capitalization Risk. The
securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared
to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of
economic expansion. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more
vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than
securities of large-capitalization companies. The securities of
mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to
greater and more unpredictable price changes than large capitalization stocks or
the stock market as a whole.
•Market
Risk.
The
trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response
to a variety of factors. The Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate
significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor
could lose money over short or long periods of time.
•Passive
Investment Risk.
The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of
an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security,
industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the
selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution
or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index
methodology.
•REIT
Investment Risk. Investments
in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may
trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other
securities. REITs may be affected by changes in the value of their underlying
properties or mortgages or by defaults by their borrowers or tenants.
Furthermore, these entities depend upon specialized management skills, have
limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in
financing a limited number of projects. In addition, the performance of a REIT
may be affected by changes in the tax laws or by its failure to qualify for
tax-free pass-through of income.
•Tracking
Error Risk.
As
with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and the Index may differ from
each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating
expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition,
the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times
or may hold securities not included in the Index.
Performance
The following
performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the
Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for calendar
years ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average annual
returns for the 1-year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad
measure of market performance and the Index. The Fund’s past performance,
before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the
future. Updated performance information is available on the
Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Calendar Year Total
Returns
During the period of time shown
in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return
was 18.82% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022
and the lowest quarterly return was
-33.11% for the quarter ended March 31,
2020.
Average
Annual Total Returns
For
the Periods Ended December 31, 2022
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AAM
S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF |
1
Year |
|
Since
Inception
(11/27/18) |
Return Before
Taxes |
-8.00% |
| 0.16% |
Return After Taxes on
Distributions |
-8.64% |
| -0.59% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and
Sale of Fund Shares |
-3.34% |
| 0.52% |
S&P
Developed Ex-U.S. Dividend and Free Cash Flow Yield Index
(reflects no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-7.85% |
| 0.53% |
S&P
Developed BMI Ex-U.S. & Korea LargeMidcap Index
(reflects
no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-14.84% |
| 4.78% |
After-tax returns are
calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax
rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact
of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns
depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax
returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Shares through
tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or
other tax-advantaged accounts. In certain cases, the figure
representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares” may be
higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax
return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an
assumed tax deduction that benefits the
investor.
Portfolio
Management
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Adviser |
Advisors
Asset Management, Inc. (“AAM” or the “Adviser”) |
Sub-Adviser |
Vident
Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”) |
Portfolio
Managers |
Austin
Wen, CFA, Portfolio Manager for VIA, and Rafael Zayas, CFA, SVP, Head of
Portfolio Management and Trading for VIA, have been portfolio managers of
the Fund since June 2020. |
Purchase
and Sale of Shares
Shares
are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in
the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because
Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price
greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The
Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation
Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The
Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of
securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors
may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer
is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is
willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the
secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund,
including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is
available on the Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Tax
Information
Fund
distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend
income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA
or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through
tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from
those accounts.
Financial
Intermediary Compensation
If
you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary
(such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their
affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund,
including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries
more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for
other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives
related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict
of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend
the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in
increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s
website for more information.
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AAM
LOW DURATION PREFERRED AND INCOME SECURITIES
ETF |
Investment Objective
The AAM Low Duration Preferred
and Income Securities ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the total return
performance, before fees and expenses, of the ICE 0-5 Year Duration
Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index (the
“Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The
following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold,
and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You
may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial
intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example
below.
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Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses
that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment) |
Management
Fees |
0.45% |
Distribution
and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other
Expenses |
0.00% |
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.45% |
| |
Expense Example
This Example is
intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of
investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of
your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses
remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher
or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1
Year |
3
Years |
5
Years |
10
Years |
$46 |
$144 |
$252 |
$567 |
Portfolio Turnover
The
Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells
securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are
held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund
operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
For
the fiscal year ended October 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate
was 154% of the average value of its
portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The
Fund uses a “passive management” (or indexing) approach to track the total
return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index.
ICE
0-5 Year Duration Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index
The
Index measures the performance of exchange-listed, U.S. dollar-denominated
preferred securities and hybrid securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange
(“NYSE”) or NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”) with an option-adjusted duration of
less than five years. The Index was developed by ICE Data Indices, LLC (“IDI”),
the Fund’s index provider (the “Index Provider”) and an affiliate of the NYSE.
Duration
is a measure of a security’s price sensitivity to changes in yields or interest
rates and a lower duration indicates less sensitivity to interest
rates. For example, the price of a security with a three-year duration
would be expected to drop by approximately 3% in response to a 1% increase in
interest rates. A security’s “option-adjusted duration” is a measure of its
sensitivity to changes in interest rates, while factoring in the call features
associated with such security.
Preferred
stock generally refers to a unit of ownership in a company (like common stock)
that has preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and in the
event of a company’s liquidation. Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks are
generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Preferred stock in the
Index includes U.S.-listed preferred stock and American Depositary Receipts
(“ADRs”) representing preferred stock issued by non-U.S. companies.
“Hybrid”
securities are those that have characteristics of both equity and fixed income
securities. Hybrid securities typically have preference over an issuer’s common
stock with respect to the payment of dividends and in the event of a company’s
liquidation and are issued and traded in a similar manner to traditional
preferred stock. Holders of hybrid securities may be eligible to receive fixed,
periodic payments from the issuer of a hybrid security, although the issuer may
have the right to defer such payments or extend the
hybrid
security’s maturity date. Preferred stocks and hybrid securities generally are
issued with a fixed par value and pay dividends based on a percentage of that
par value at a fixed or variable rate.
Additionally,
preferred stocks and hybrid securities often have a liquidation value that
generally equals the original purchase price of such security at the date of
issuance. The Index may include many different categories of preferred stock and
hybrid securities, such as floating and fixed rate preferreds, fixed-to-floating
rate securities, callable preferreds, convertible preferreds, cumulative and
non-cumulative preferreds, certain capital securities, preferred real estate
investment trusts (“REITs”) or hybrid REITs, trust preferreds or various other
preferred stock and hybrid securities. The Index may include preferred and
hybrid securities of any quality, including high-yield securities (also known as
junk bonds), and securities that are not rated by any rating agencies. The Index
uses a market capitalization weighted methodology subject to certain constraints
and is rebalanced monthly.
At
the time of each monthly rebalance and reconstitution of the Index, the Index
includes issuances of preferred stocks and notes with at least $100 million face
amount outstanding and hybrid securities with at least $250 million face amount
outstanding that meet minimum price, liquidity, trading volume, maturity, and
other requirements, as applicable, as determined by the Index methodology. To be
eligible for inclusion in the Index, corporate hybrid debt must have at least 18
months to final maturity at the time of issuance. Additionally, to qualify for
inclusion in the Index a security must be priced at no more than 105% of its
face value. Once included in the Index, a security remains eligible for
inclusion so long as its option-adjusted duration is less than six years.
The
Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies and includes
preferred stocks of non-U.S. issuers. As of December 31, 2022, a significant
portion of the Index was represented by securities of companies in the real
estate and financials service sectors. Also as of December 31, 2022, the Index
was comprised of 177 components and had an effective duration of
1.64 years.
The
Index uses a market capitalization weighted methodology subject to certain
constraints, including a maximum allocation of 4.75% to any individual issuer.
The Index is rebalanced on the last calendar day of each month, based on closing
prices as of three business days prior to the last business day of the month.
The
Fund’s Investment Strategy
The
Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment
objective, meaning the Fund generally will invest in all of the component
securities of the Index in approximately the same proportion as in the Index.
However, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning it may
invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return and other
characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of
the Index as a whole, when the Fund’s sub-adviser believes it is in the best
interests of the Fund (e.g., when replicating the Index involves practical
difficulties or substantial costs, an Index constituent becomes temporarily
illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or
limitations that apply to the Fund but not to the Index).
The
Fund generally may invest in securities or other investments not included in the
Index, but which the Fund’s sub-adviser believes will help the Fund track the
Index. For example, the Fund may invest in securities that are not components of
the Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index
(such as reconstitutions, additions and deletions).
To
the extent the Index concentrates (i.e.,
holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular
industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its
investments to approximately the same extent as the
Index.
Under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets, plus borrowings for
investment purposes, will be invested in preferred and income
securities.
Principal Investment Risks
The
principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal
risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks
and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a
“principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it
appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could
lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or
all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share
(“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its
objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see
the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the
Funds.”
•Call
Risk.
During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable security held
by the Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, and the
Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a
decline in the Fund’s income.
•Cash
Redemption Risk.
The Fund’s investment strategy may require it to redeem shares for cash or to
otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. The Fund may be
required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to
distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital
gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a
result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if
the in-kind redemption process was used.
•Concentration
Risk.
The
Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to
the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the
Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in
securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
•Credit
Risk.
Debt issuers and other counterparties may not honor their obligations or may
have their debt downgraded by ratings agencies. Changes in an issuer’s credit
rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also
adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer.
•Depositary
Receipt Risk.
Depositary Receipts involve risks similar to those associated with investments
in foreign securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of
other countries and changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies.
Depositary Receipts listed on U.S. exchanges are issued by banks or trust
companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are
paid out on the underlying foreign shares (“Underlying Shares”). When the Fund
invests in Depositary Receipts as a substitute for an investment directly in the
Underlying Shares, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the Depositary Receipts
may not provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the Underlying
Shares.
•Dividend-Paying
Securities Risk.
There is no guarantee that issuers of the securities held by the Fund will
declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will either remain at
current levels or increase over time.
•Equity
Market Risk. Equity
securities, including preferred stocks, and hybrid securities that have equity
characteristics may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long
periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect
securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries,
sectors or companies in which the Fund invests. Preferred stocks and hybrid
securities generally are subject to more risks than debt securities because
stockholders’ claims are subordinated to those of holders of debt securities
upon the bankruptcy of the issuer. In addition, local, regional or global events
such as war, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public
health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant negative
impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global pandemic caused
by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses taken by many
governments, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic
travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, has
had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on markets worldwide.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the normal business
operations of companies around the world and the impact of such disruptions is
hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries,
sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could
adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or
other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading markets.
•Extension
Risk.
During periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations will be paid
off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those
securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income and
potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments.
•ETF
Risks.
The
Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the
following risks:
◦Authorized
Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration
Risk. The
Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized
Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market
makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of
the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and
possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become
unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step
forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity
providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities
and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs
of Buying or Selling Shares.
Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions
imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may
significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be
advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares
May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As
with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market
prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate
the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than
the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to
supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is
heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and
periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary
market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant.
◦Trading. Although
Shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be
traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that
Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed
market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of
the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid
than Shares, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the
Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
•Foreign
Markets Risk. Investments
in ADRs that provide exposure to non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that
may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, the value
of non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of decline due to foreign currency
fluctuations or to political or economic instability. Investments in ADRs also
may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be indirectly subject to
additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. These and
other factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially
less liquid than other types of investments.
•High-Yield
Securities Risk.
High-yield securities (also known as “junk bonds”) carry a greater degree of
risk and are considered speculative by the major credit rating agencies.
High-yield securities may be issued by companies that are restructuring, are
smaller and less creditworthy, or are more highly indebted than other companies.
This means that they may have more difficulty making scheduled payments of
principal and interest. Changes in the value of high-yield securities are
influenced more by changes in the financial and business position of the issuing
company than by changes in interest rates when compared to investment grade
securities. High-yield securities have greater volatility because there is less
certainty that principal and interest payments will be made as scheduled. The
Fund’s investments in high-yield securities expose it to a substantial degree of
credit risk. These investments are considered speculative under traditional
investment standards. Prices of high-yield securities will rise and fall
primarily in response to actual or perceived changes in the issuer's financial
health, although changes in market interest rates also will affect prices.
High-yield securities may experience reduced liquidity and sudden and
substantial decreases in price.
•Hybrid
Securities Risk.
Hybrid securities are subject to the risks of equity securities and debt
securities. The claims of holders of hybrid securities of an issuer are
generally subordinated to those of holders of traditional debt securities in
bankruptcy, and thus hybrid securities may be more volatile and subject to
greater risk than traditional debt securities, and may in certain circumstances
even be more volatile than traditional equity securities. At the same time,
hybrid securities may not fully participate in gains of their issuer and thus
potential returns of such securities are generally more limited than traditional
equity securities, which would participate in such gains.
•Interest
Rate Risk.
Generally, the value of fixed income securities, as well as hybrid securities
with fixed income characteristics, will change inversely with changes in
interest rates. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed
income securities and such hybrid securities to decline. Conversely, as interest
rates fall, the market value of fixed income securities and such hybrid
securities tend to increase. This risk will be greater for long-term securities
than for short-term securities.
•Issuer-Specific
Risk.
Issuer-specific events, including changes in the financial condition of an
issuer, can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.
•Market
Capitalization Risk. The
securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared
to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of
economic expansion. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more
vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than
securities of large-capitalization companies. The securities of
small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject
to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization
stocks or the stock market as a whole.
•Market
Risk.
The trading prices of preferred stocks and hybrid securities and other
instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. The Fund’s NAV and
market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors.
As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.
•Passive
Investment Risk.
The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of
an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security,
industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the
selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution
or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology.
•Portfolio
Turnover Risk. The
Fund may trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio
in connection with each rebalance and reconstitution of its Index. A high
portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the
Fund’s expenses. Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for
investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
•Preferred
Securities Risk.
Preferred stocks are subject to the risks of equity securities generally and
also risks associated with fixed income securities, such as interest rate risk.
A company’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company
makes required payments to creditors. As a result, the value of a company’s
preferred stock will react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or
perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred
stock may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common
stock, and generally has limited or no voting rights. In addition, preferred
stock is subject to the risks that a company may defer or not pay dividends,
and, in certain situations, may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it
to common stock.
•Prepayment
Risk.
This is the risk that a borrower will prepay some or the entire principal owed
to the Fund. If that happens, the Fund may have to replace the security by
investing the proceeds in a security with a lower yield. This could reduce the
share price and income distributions of the Fund.
•REIT
Investment Risk. Investments
in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may
trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other
securities. REITs may be affected by changes in the value of their underlying
properties or mortgages or by defaults by their borrowers or tenants.
Furthermore, these entities depend upon specialized management skills, have
limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in
financing a limited number of projects. In addition, the performance of a REIT
may be affected by changes in the tax laws or by its failure to qualify for
tax-free pass-through of income.
•Sector
Risk.
To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the
economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that
significantly affect those sectors.
◦Financial
Sector Risk. Companies
in the financial sector may be significantly affected by changes in interest
rates, government regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and
government debt, the availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the
housing and sub-prime mortgage crisis. This sector has experienced significant
losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements
and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the
sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and
technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this
sector and have caused significant losses.
•Tracking
Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance
of the Fund and the Index may vary somewhat for a variety of reasons. For
example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not
incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the
securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the
Index.
Performance
The following
performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the
Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for the most
recent calendar year ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Fund’s
average annual returns for the 1-year and since inception periods compare with
those of a broad measure of market performance and the Index. The Fund’s past performance,
before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the
future. Updated performance information is available on the
Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Calendar Year Total
Returns
During the period of time shown
in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return
was 10.75% for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and the
lowest quarterly return was
-14.62% for the quarter ended March 31,
2020.
Average
Annual Total Returns
For
the Periods Ended December 31,
2022
|
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| |
AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF |
1
Year |
|
Since
Inception
(11/19/19) |
Return Before
Taxes |
-13.24% |
| -1.13% |
Return After Taxes on
Distributions |
-14.55% |
| -2.61% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and
Sale of Fund Shares |
-7.20% |
| -1.09% |
ICE 0-5 Year Duration
Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index
(reflects no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes)
|
-12.97% |
| -0.76% |
ICE
Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index
(reflects
no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-18.08% |
| -0.82% |
After-tax returns are
calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax
rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact
of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns
depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax
returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Shares through
tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or
other tax-advantaged accounts. In certain cases, the figure
representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares” may be
higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax
return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an
assumed tax deduction that benefits the
investor.
Portfolio
Management
|
|
|
|
| |
Adviser |
Advisors
Asset Management, Inc. (“AAM” or the “Adviser”) |
Sub-Adviser |
Vident
Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”) |
Portfolio
Managers |
Austin
Wen, CFA, Portfolio Manager for VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the
Fund since November 2019, and Jeff Kernagis, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager
for VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since June
2022. |
Purchase
and Sale of Shares
Shares
are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in
the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because
Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price
greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The
Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation
Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The
Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of
securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors
may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer
is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is
willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the
secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund,
including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is
available on the Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Tax
Information
Fund
distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend
income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA
or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through
tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from
those accounts.
Financial
Intermediary Compensation
If
you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary
(such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their
affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund,
including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries
more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for
other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives
related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict
of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend
the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in
increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s
website for more information.
|
| |
AAM
BAHL & GAYNOR SMALL/MID CAP INCOME GROWTH ETF
|
Investment Objective
The AAM Bahl & Gaynor
Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF (the “Fund”) seeks current and growing dividend
income, downside protection, and long-term capital
appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The
following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold,
and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You
may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial
intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example
below.
|
|
|
|
| |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses
that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment) |
Management
Fees |
0.60% |
Distribution
and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other
Expenses |
0.00% |
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.60% |
| |
Expense Example
This Example is
intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of
investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of
your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses
remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher
or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
1
Year |
3
Years |
5
Years |
10
Years |
$61 |
$192 |
$335 |
$750 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction
costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over”
its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction
costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account.
These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the
Example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended
October 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 31% of the average value of its
portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The
Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that invests in
U.S.-listed equity securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies. Under
normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus
any borrowings for investment purposes) in small- and mid-capitalization
companies. The Fund defines a small- or mid-capitalization company as an issuer
whose market capitalization at the time of purchase is between $200 million and
the market capitalization of the largest company in the Russell 2500 Index (as
of December 31,
2022,
$20.4 billion). The equity securities held by the Fund must be listed on a U.S.
exchange and may include common stocks of U.S. companies, American Depositary
Receipts (“ADRs”) (i.e.,
receipts evidencing ownership of foreign equity securities), and real estate
investment trusts (“REITs”).
In
selecting securities, Bahl & Gaynor, Inc., the Fund’s sub-adviser (the
“Sub-Adviser”), employs a bottom‑up approach that considers, among other
factors, a company’s historical earnings and dividends growth, as well as its
balance sheet and cash flow generation, competitive position, and prospects for
future cash flow and dividend growth. Weightings of individual sectors are based
on the Sub-Adviser’s assessment of company fundamentals, valuations, and overall
economic conditions. The Sub-Adviser targets companies that, in its judgement,
have high-quality business models, strong competitive advantages, reasonable
valuations, and sound capital allocation policies or approaches. The Sub-Adviser
believes that the securities identified using such strategies have the potential
to provide improved downside protection relative to the broader equity
market.
The
Sub-Adviser generally sells a security when, in its opinion one or more of the
following occurs, among other reasons: 1) the security’s dividend is reduced to
what the Sub-Adviser believes is an unacceptable amount per share, 2) the
Sub-Adviser believes the company’s fundamentals deteriorate, 3) the Sub-Adviser
believes the company’s stock has become a greater weight of the Fund’s portfolio
than desired due to market appreciation or other factors, or 4) the Sub-Adviser
identifies a more attractive investment opportunity for the
Fund.
Principal Investment Risks
The
principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal
risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks
and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a
“principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it
appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could
lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or
all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share
(“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its
objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see
the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the
Fund.”
•Depositary
Receipt Risk.
Depositary
Receipts involve risks similar to those associated with investments in foreign
securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of other
countries and changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies. Depositary
Receipts listed on U.S. exchanges are issued by banks or trust companies and
entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the
underlying foreign shares (“Underlying Shares”). When the Fund invests in
Depositary Receipts as a substitute for an investment directly in the Underlying
Shares, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the Depositary Receipts may not
provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the Underlying Shares.
•Dividend-Paying
Securities Risk.
There is no guarantee that issuers of the securities held by the Fund will
declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will either remain at
current levels or increase over time.
•Equity
Market Risk.
The
equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden,
unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur
because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting
specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common
stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities,
such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders
generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. In addition,
local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health
issues, recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant
negative impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global
pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses
taken by many governments, including closing borders, restricting international
and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar
restrictions, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on
markets worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the
normal business operations of companies around the world and the impact of such
disruptions is hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic
regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such
events could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio
securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading
markets.
•ETF
Risks.
The
Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the
following risks:
◦Authorized
Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration
Risk. The
Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized
Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market
makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of
the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and
possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become
unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step
forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity
providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities
and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs
of Buying or Selling Shares.
Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions
imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may
significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be
advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares
May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As
with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market
prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate
the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than
the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to
supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is
heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and
periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary
market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant.
◦Trading. Although
Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be
traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that
Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed
market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of
the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid
than Shares, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the
Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
•Foreign
Markets Risk.
Investments
in ADRs that provide exposure to non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that
may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, the value
of non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of decline due to foreign currency
fluctuations or to political or economic instability. Investments in ADRs also
may be subject to withholding or
other
taxes and may be indirectly subject to additional trading, settlement,
custodial, and operational risks. These and other factors can make investments
in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of
investments.
•Limited
Operating History Risk.
The
Fund is a recently organized investment company with a limited operating
history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or
history on which to base their investment decision.
•Management
Risk. The
Fund is actively managed and may not meet its investment objective based on the
Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund.
•Market
Capitalization Risk. The
securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to
adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of
large-capitalization companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies
generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more
unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock
market as a whole.
•REIT
Investment Risk. Investments
in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may
trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other
securities. REITs may be affected by changes in the value of their underlying
properties or mortgages or by defaults by their borrowers or tenants.
Furthermore, these entities depend upon specialized management skills, have
limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in
financing a limited number of projects. In addition, the performance of a REIT
may be affected by changes in the tax laws or by its failure to qualify for
tax-free pass-through of income.
•Sector
Risk. To
the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy,
its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly
affect those sectors. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in
the following sectors and, therefore, the performance of the Fund could be
negatively impacted by events affecting each of these sectors.
◦Financial
Sector Risk. This
sector can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, government
regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and government debt, the
availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the housing and sub-prime
mortgage crisis. Insurance companies, in particular, may be significantly
affected by changes in interest rates, catastrophic events, price and market
competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government
regulation or tax law and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact
on their profitability. This sector has experienced significant losses in the
recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent
or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a
whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology
malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and
have caused significant losses.
◦Industrial
Sector Risk. The
industrial sector can be significantly affected by, among other things,
worldwide economic growth, supply and demand for specific products and services,
rapid technological developments, international political and economic
developments, environmental issues, tariffs and trade barriers, and tax and
governmental regulatory policies. As the demand for, or prices of, industrials
increase, the value of the Fund’s investments generally would be expected to
also increase. Conversely, declines in the demand for, or prices of, industrials
generally would be expected to contribute to declines in the value of such
securities. Such declines may occur quickly and without warning and may
negatively impact the value of the Fund and your investment.
◦Information
Technology Sector Risk. Market
or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies
that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on
the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information
technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is
particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid
product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically
and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower
production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that
rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned
companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information
technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property
rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect
profitability.
Performance
The following
performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the
Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for the
calendar year ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average
annual returns for the 1-year and since inception periods compared with those of
a broad measure of market performance. The Fund’s past performance,
before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the
future. Updated performance information is also available on the
Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Calendar Year Total
Return
During the period of time shown
in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return
was 9.39% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, and
the lowest quarterly return was
-9.05% for the quarter ended March 31,
2022.
Average
Annual Total Returns
For
the Period Ended December 31,
2022
|
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|
|
| |
AAM
Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF |
1
Year |
|
Since
Inception
(8/25/2021) |
Return Before
Taxes |
-11.74% |
| -5.57% |
Return After Taxes on
Distributions |
-12.15% |
| -5.98% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and
Sale of Fund Shares |
-6.65% |
| -4.22% |
Russell
2500 Total Return Index
(reflects no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-18.37% |
| -12.97% |
After-tax returns are
calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax
rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact
of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns
depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax
returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Shares through
tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or
other tax-advantaged accounts. In certain cases, the figure
representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares” may be
higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax
return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an
assumed tax deduction that benefits the
investor.
Portfolio
Management
|
|
|
|
| |
Adviser |
Advisors
Asset Management, Inc. (“AAM” or the “Adviser”) |
Sub-Adviser |
Bahl
& Gaynor, Inc. (“Bahl & Gaynor” or the
“Sub-Adviser”) |
Portfolio
Managers |
Scott
D. Rodes, CFA, CIC, Vice President and Principal of Bahl & Gaynor, and
Robert S. Groenke, President, CEO and Principal of Bahl & Gaynor, are
jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the
Fund and have served as portfolio managers since the Fund’s inception in
2021. |
Purchase
and Sale of Shares
Shares
are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in
the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because
Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price
greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The
Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation
Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The
Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of
securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors
may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer
is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is
willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the
secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund,
including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is
available on the Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Tax
Information
Fund
distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend
income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA
or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through
tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from
those accounts.
Financial
Intermediary Compensation
If
you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary
(such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their
affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund,
including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries
more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for
other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives
related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict
of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend
the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in
increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s
website for more information.
Investment Objective
The AAM Transformers ETF (the
“Fund”) seeks to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses,
of the Pence Transformers Index (the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The
following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold,
and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You
may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial
intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example
below.
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Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses
that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment) |
Management
Fees |
0.49% |
Distribution
and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other
Expenses |
0.00% |
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.49% |
| |
Expense Example
This Example is
intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of
investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of
your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses
remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher
or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1
Year |
3
Years |
5
Years |
10
Years |
$50 |
$157 |
$274 |
$616 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction
costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over”
its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction
costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account.
These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the
Example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal period July 11, 2022
(commencement of operations) through October 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio
turnover rate was 27% of the average value of its
portfolio.
Principal Investment
Strategy
The
Fund uses a “passive management” (or indexing) approach to track the total
return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index.
Pence
Transformers Index
The
Index is a rules-based index that measures the performance of U.S.-listed common
equity securities, including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) for foreign
securities, of companies poised to benefit from a significant disruption and/or
transformation of consumer behavior and technological innovation. Examples of
significant disruptions and/or transformation of consumer behavior and
technological innovation include, but are not limited to, (i) advancements in
autonomous driving capabilities and electric vehicle technology disrupting the
automobile manufacturers and trucking sub-industries; (ii) changes in consumer
behavior shifting retail sales from brick and mortar businesses to digital
channels transforming the internet and digital marketing retail sub-industry;
(iii) recent developments in cellular data speeds and improvements in mobile
technologies disrupting the interactive media and services sub-industry; and
(iv) new technologies that provide carbon offsets for existing business models
or the development of greener alternatives to existing energy production
transforming the renewable electricity producers sub-industry.
Securities
eligible for inclusion in the Index must be classified in one of the following
sub-industries of the Global Industry Classification Standard
(“GICS”):
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Sub-Industries |
Aerospace
& Defense |
Electronic
Components |
IT
Consulting & Other Services |
Alternative
Carriers |
Electronic
Equipment & Instruments |
Oil
& Gas Refining & Marketing |
Application
Software |
Heavy
Electrical Equipment |
Renewable
Electricity Producers |
Automobile
Manufacturers |
Hotels,
Resorts & Cruise Lines |
Semiconductor
Equipment |
Communications
Equipment |
Industrial
Machinery |
Semiconductors |
Consumer
Electronics |
Interactive
Home Entertainment |
Specialty
Chemicals |
Copper |
Interactive
Media & Services |
Systems
Software |
Data
Processing & Outsourced Services |
Internet
& Direct Marketing Retail |
Technology
Hardware, Storage & Peripherals |
Electrical
Components & Equipment |
Internet
Services & Infrastructure |
Trucking |
Companies
are screened from the universe of eligible securities based on descriptions of a
company in regulatory filings (e.g.,
financial statements, annual reports), investor presentations, analyst reports,
and industry-specific publications. In seeking companies that are expected to
have market dominance, the Index analyzes the following quantitative factors
that, in the opinion of Pence Capital Management, LLC (the “Index Provider”),
provide an indication of a significant disruption and/or transformation of
consumer behavior and technological innovation: research and development
(“R&D”) spending as a percentage of sales, projected sales, and projected
sales growth. The screening of the Index is performed by the Index Provider, and
the Index was developed in 2021 by the Index Provider.
To
be included in the Index, a company must have (i) a minimum float-adjusted
market capitalization of $2 billion, (ii) a minimum liquidity threshold of an
average daily traded value of $2 million over a three-month period, and (iii) a
consensus analyst rating above 3.0. Broker-dealers issue ratings based on an
analyst’s measure of a stock’s expected performance in a given time period,
where a rating of 5.0 is the strongest ranking (e.g.,
buy) and 1.0 is the weakest ranking (e.g.,
sell). A consensus rating is the average of all brokers’ recommendations which
have updated their recommendation in a given time period. To be eligible for
inclusion in the Index, there must be at least five analysts making a
recommendation for the company (except for ADRs and newly-listed securities). An
ADR may be included in the Index with fewer than five analysts’ ratings, if the
underlying security for which the ADR is based on has at least five analysts
making a recommendation for the company. Newly-listed securities may also be
included in the Index with fewer than five analysts’ ratings (i.e.,
a company that is post-IPO but may not have wide analyst coverage due to IPO
lock-up periods) if a company is in one of the specified industries, has a
minimum market capitalization over $2 billion, and has projected revenue over
$200 million.
The
Index is reconstituted (i.e.,
Index constituents are added or deleted and weightings within each category are
reset to equal-weight) after the close of business on the third Friday of March,
June, September, and December. At the time of each reconstitution of the Index,
Index constituents are added or deleted based on company data as of the last
business day of February, May, August, and November, respectively, and the Index
constituents are equally weighted within the following categories based on
closing prices as of ten business days prior to the reconstitution
date.
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Category
1 (20% weight) |
U.S.-based
companies with over $100 billion market capitalization |
Category
2 (30% weight) |
U.S.-based
companies with $20 billion to $100 billion market
capitalization |
Category
3 (25% weight) |
U.S.-based
companies with $2 billion to $20 billion market
capitalization |
Category
4 (15% weight) |
international
companies with over $30 billion market capitalization |
Category
5 (10% weight) |
international
companies with $2 billion to $30 billion market
capitalization |
The
aggregate weight of U.S.-based companies (companies in Categories 1, 2, and 3)
is capped at 75%. If the Index does not identify any companies in one or more of
those categories, the excess weight will be equally distributed to the remaining
category or categories (e.g.,
if there are no Category 2 companies identified, then Category 1 would be
weighted at 35% and Category 3 would be weighted at 40%). If the Index does not
identify any U.S.-based companies, then Category 4 would be weighted at 60% and
Category 5 would be weighted at 40%.
The
remaining 25% of the Index is made up of international companies (Categories 4
and 5). If the Index does not identify any companies in either category, the
excess weight will be distributed to the other category (e.g.,
if there are no Category 4 companies identified, then Category 5 would be
weighted 25%). If the Index does not identify any international companies, the
excess weight will be equally distributed among Categories 1, 2 and 3
(e.g.,
Category 1 would be weighted 28.3%, Category 2 would be weighted 38.3%, and
Category 3 would be weighted 33.4%).
As
of December 31, 2022, there were 180 companies in the Index, with a market
capitalization ranging from $1.8 billion to $2.06 trillion. The Index consists
only of mid- and large-capitalization companies greater than $2 billion at the
time of each reconstruction.
The
Fund’s Investment Strategy
The
Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment
objective, meaning the Fund will generally invest in all of the component
securities of the Index in the same approximate proportions as in the
Index. However, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning
it may invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return, and
other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return, and other
characteristics of the Index as a whole, when the Fund’s sub-adviser believes it
is in the best interests of the Fund (e.g.,
when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs,
an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid,
or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations that apply to the Fund but
not to the Index).
The
Fund generally may invest in securities or other investments not included in the
Index, but which the Fund’s sub-adviser believes will help the Fund track the
Index. For example, the Fund may invest in securities that are not components of
the Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index
(such as reconstitutions, additions, and deletions).
To
the extent the Index concentrates (i.e.,
holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular
industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its
investments to approximately the same extent as the Index. As of December 31,
2022, the Index was concentrated in the software industry and had significant
exposure to the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, as well
as the Information Technology sector, more
generally.
Principal Investment Risks
The
principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal
risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks
and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a
“principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it
appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could
lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or
all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share
(“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its
objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see
the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the
Fund.”
•Concentration
Risk. The
Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to
the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the
Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in
securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
◦Software
Companies Risk. The
software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition,
aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence.
Companies in the software industry are subject to significant competitive
pressures, such as aggressive pricing, new market entrants, competition for
market share, short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological
developments and the potential for limited earnings and/or falling profit
margins. These companies also face the risks that new services, equipment or
technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become
obsolete rapidly.
◦Semiconductor
Companies Risk. Semiconductor
companies are subject to the cyclical nature of the semiconductor and
semiconductor equipment industry, and, as a result, their securities’ prices may
fluctuate significantly and rapidly. In addition, the companies in the
semiconductor and semiconductor equipment industry are subject to the risks of
rapid obsolescence of products; substantial capital equipment expenditures;
improper functioning of internal processes and information technology systems;
changes in industry standards or regulations; inability to meet customer demand;
unreliability of manufacturers and subcontractors to manufacture, assemble, and
test companies’ products; and disruptions in companies’ activities such as
acquisitions, divestitures, strategic investments and partnerships. The research
and development efforts of these companies are focused on a limited number of
new technologies and products. Any delay in the development or discontinuation
of these technologies or products by companies in the industry, or their failure
to achieve market acceptance, may compromise the competitive position of
companies. These companies depend on intellectual property rights and may be
adversely affected by loss or impairment of these rights.
•Depositary
Receipt Risk.
Depositary
Receipts involve risks similar to those associated with investments in foreign
securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of other
countries and changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies. Depositary
Receipts listed on U.S. exchanges are issued by banks or trust companies and
entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the
underlying foreign shares (“Underlying Shares”). When the Fund invests in
Depositary Receipts as a substitute for an investment directly in the Underlying
Shares, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the Depositary Receipts may not
provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the Underlying Shares.
•Equity
Market Risk.
The
equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden,
unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur
because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting
specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common
stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities,
such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders
generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. In addition,
local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine,
acts
of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues,
recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant negative
impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global pandemic caused
by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses taken by many
governments, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic
travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, has
had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on markets worldwide.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the normal business
operations of companies around the world and the impact of such disruptions is
hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries,
sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could
adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or
other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading
markets.
•ETF
Risks.
The
Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the
following risks:
◦Authorized
Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration
Risk. The
Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized
Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market
makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of
the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and
possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become
unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step
forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity
providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities
and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs
of Buying or Selling Shares.
Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions
imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may
significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be
advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares
May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As
with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market
prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate
the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than
the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to
supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is
heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and
periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary
market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant.
◦Trading. Although
Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be
traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that
Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed
market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of
the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid
than Shares, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the
Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
•Foreign
Markets Risk. Investments
in ADRs that provide exposure to non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that
may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, the value
of non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of decline due to foreign currency
fluctuations or to political or economic instability. Investments in ADRs also
may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be indirectly subject to
additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. These and
other factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially
less liquid than other types of investments.
•Index
Provider Risk.
There is no assurance that the Index Provider, or any agents that act on its
behalf, will compile the Index accurately, or that the Index will be determined,
maintained, constructed, reconstituted, rebalanced, composed, calculated or
disseminated accurately. The Adviser relies upon the Index Provider and its
agents to compile, determine, maintain, construct, reconstitute, rebalance,
compose, calculate (or arrange for an agent to calculate), and disseminate the
Index accurately. Any losses or costs associated with errors made by the Index
Provider or its agents generally will be borne by the Fund and its
shareholders.
•Limited
Operating History Risk.
The
Fund is a recently organized investment company with a limited operating
history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or
history on which to base their investment decision.
•Market
Capitalization Risk.
◦Large-Capitalization
Investing.
The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature
compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during
times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable
to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology
and consumer tastes.
◦Mid-Capitalization
Investing.
The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse
issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of
large-capitalization companies. The securities of mid-capitalization companies
generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more
unpredictable price changes than large capitalization stocks or the stock market
as a whole.
•Models
and Data Risk. The
composition of the Index is heavily dependent on proprietary quantitative models
as well as information and data supplied by third parties (“Models and
Data”).
When
Models and Data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in
reliance thereon may lead to securities being included in or excluded from the
Index that would have been excluded or included had the Models and Data been
correct and complete. If the composition of the Index reflects such errors, the
Fund’s portfolio can be expected to reflect the errors, too.
•Passive
Investment Risk.
The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of
an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security,
industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the
selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution
or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology.
•Sector
Risk.
To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the
economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that
significantly affect those sectors.
◦Information
Technology Sector Risk. Market
or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies
that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on
the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information
technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is
particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid
product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically
and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower
production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that
rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned
companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information
technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property
rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect
profitability.
•Tracking
Error Risk.
As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and the Index may vary
somewhat for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating
expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition,
the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times
or may hold securities not included in the Index. The Fund may use a
representative sampling strategy to achieve its investment objective, if the
Fund’s Sub-Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund, which
generally can be expected to produce a greater non-correlation
risk.
Performance
Performance information for the Fund is not
included because the Fund did not have a full calendar year of performance prior
to the date of this Prospectus. In the future, performance
information for the Fund will be presented in this section. Updated performance
information is available on the Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Portfolio
Management
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Adviser |
Advisors
Asset Management, Inc. (“AAM” or the “Adviser”) |
Sub-Adviser |
Vident
Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”) |
Portfolio
Managers |
Austin
Wen, CFA, Portfolio Manager for VIA, and Rafael Zayas, CFA, SVP, Head of
Portfolio Management and Trading for VIA, have been portfolio managers of
the Fund since its inception in 2022. |
Purchase
and Sale of Shares
Shares
are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in
the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because
Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price
greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The
Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation
Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The
Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of
securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors
may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer
is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is
willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the
secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund,
including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is
available on the Fund’s website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
Tax
Information
Fund
distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend
income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an
individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged account.
Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed
later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Financial
Intermediary Compensation
If
you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary
(such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their
affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund,
including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries
more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for
other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives
related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict
of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend
the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in
increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s
website for more information.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INDEXES
S&P
500 Dividend and Free Cash Flow Yield Index, S&P Emerging Markets Dividend
and Free Cash Flow Yield Index, and S&P Developed Ex-U.S. Dividend and Free
Cash Flow Yield Index (each, an “S&P Index”)
The
Adviser has licensed each S&P Index for use by the applicable Fund from
S&P Opco, LLC, such Funds’ index provider and a subsidiary of S&P Dow
Jones Indices LLC, a division of S&P Global. Each S&P Index is
calculated by an independent third-party calculation agent that is not
affiliated with the applicable Fund, Adviser, Sub-Adviser, distributor, or any
of their affiliates.
ICE
0-5 Year Duration Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index (the
“ICE Index”)
The
Adviser has licensed the ICE Index from IDI for use by the AAM Low Duration
Preferred and Income Securities ETF. The ICE Index is calculated by an
independent third-party calculation agent that is not affiliated with the
applicable Fund, Adviser, Sub-Adviser, distributor, or any of their affiliates.
IDI provides information to the Fund about the ICE Index constituents and does
not provide investment advice with respect to the desirability of investing in,
purchasing, or selling securities.
Pence
Transformers Index (the “Transformers Index”)
The
Adviser has licensed the Transformers Index from Pence Capital Management, LLC
for use by the AAM Transformers ETF. The Index is calculated by an independent
third-party calculation agent that is not affiliated with the Fund, Adviser,
Sub-Adviser, distributor, or any of their affiliates. The Index Provider
provides information to the Fund about the Index constituents and does not
provide investment advice with respect to the desirability of investing in,
purchasing, or selling securities.
To
be included in the Transformers Index, a company must have a minimum
float-adjusted market capitalization of $2 billion; meet the minimum liquidity
threshold of an average daily traded value of $2 million over a three-month
period; have a consensus analyst rating above a 3.0; and meet the following
criteria according to the Index Provider’s review of a company’s regulatory
filings:
•Projected
sales greater than $200 million during the next two fiscal years;
•Projected
research and development and capital expenditures greater than 3% of net sales
during the next two fiscal years; and
•Projected
sales growth greater than zero during the next two fiscal years.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
Investment
Objectives
Each
Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment
policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon written notice to
shareholders.
Principal
Investment Strategies
Each
Fund, except the AAM Transformers ETF, has adopted a policy to comply with Rule
35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). Such policies
have been adopted as non-fundamental investment policies and may be changed
without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders. With
respect to the policies below, the Funds define “equity securities” to mean
common and preferred stocks, rights, warrants, depositary receipts, equity
interests in REITs, and master limited partnerships. With respect to the
policies below, the AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF defines
“preferred and income” to mean preferred stocks (including ADRs representing
foreign preferred stocks) and securities that distributed income (e.g.,
dividends or interest) during the past 12 months, and the AAM Bahl & Gaynor
Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF defines a small- or mid-capitalization company
as an issuer whose market capitalization at the time of purchase is between $200
million and the market capitalization of the largest company in the Russell 2500
Index.
Under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of the net assets, plus borrowings for
investment purposes, of the AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF will be
invested in equity securities that (i) are included in the S&P 500 Index and
(ii) have had a positive indicated annual dividend yield within the past year.
Under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of the net assets, plus borrowings for
investment purposes, of the AAM S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF
will be invested in equity securities that (i) are tied economically to Emerging
Markets countries and (ii) have had a positive realized annual dividend yield
within the past year.
Under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of the net assets, plus borrowings for
investment purposes, of the AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value
ETF will be invested in equity securities that (i) are traded principally on an
exchange in a Developed ex-U.S. & Korea Markets country and (ii) have had a
positive realized annual dividend yield within the past year.
Under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of the net assets, plus borrowings for
investment purposes, of the AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF
will be invested in preferred and income securities.
Under
normal circumstances, at least 80% of the net assets, plus any borrowings for
investment purposes, of the AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth
ETF will be invested in small- and mid-capitalization companies.
Temporary
Defensive Positions (AAM
Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF only)
When
the Sub-Adviser believes that current market, economic, political or other
conditions are unsuitable and would impair the pursuit of the Fund’s investment
objectives, the Fund may invest some or all of its assets in cash or cash
equivalents, including but not limited to obligations of the U.S. government,
money market fund shares, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and/or
bankers acceptances, as well as other interest bearing or discount obligations
or debt instruments that carry an investment grade rating by a national rating
agency. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not
achieve its investment objectives.
Principal
Investment Risks
This
section provides additional information regarding the principal risks described
in each Fund Summary. As in each Fund Summary, the principal risks below are
presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and
comparing them with other funds. Each risk described below is considered a
“principal risk” of investing in the applicable Fund, regardless of the order in
which it appears. Each of the factors below could have a negative impact on the
applicable Fund’s performance and trading prices.
•Call
Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only). During
periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by the Fund
may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, which may result in
the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a
decline in the Fund’s income.
•Capital
Controls and Sanctions Risk (AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF only).
Economic
conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates,
political events, military action and other conditions, may, without prior
warning, lead to government intervention (including intervention by the U.S.
government with respect to foreign governments, economic sectors, foreign
companies and related securities and interests) and the imposition of capital
controls and/or sanctions, which may also include retaliatory actions of one
government against another government, such as seizure of assets. Capital
controls and/or sanctions include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the
ability to transfer currency, securities or other assets. Levies may be placed
on profits repatriated by foreign entities (such as the Fund). Capital controls
and/or sanctions may also impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or
otherwise transfer securities or currency, negatively impact the value and/or
liquidity of such instruments, adversely affect the trading market and price for
Shares, and cause the Fund to decline in value.
•Cash
Redemption Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only).
When
the Fund’s investment strategy requires it to redeem Shares for cash or to
otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds, it may be required to
sell or unwind portfolio investments in order to obtain the cash needed to
distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital
gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind
(i.e.,
distribute securities as payment of redemption proceeds). As a result, the Fund
may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind
redemption process was used.
•Concentration
Risk (All
Funds other than AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth
ETF).
Each
Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to
the extent that the Fund’s Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of
the Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that
invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
◦Software
Companies Risk (AAM Transformers ETF only). The
software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition,
aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence.
Companies in the software industry are subject to significant competitive
pressures, such as aggressive pricing, new market entrants, competition for
market share, short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological
developments and the potential for limited earnings and/or falling profit
margins. These companies also face the risks that new services, equipment or
technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become
obsolete rapidly. These factors can affect the profitability of these companies
and, as a result, the value of their securities. Also, patent protection is
integral to the success of many companies in this industry, and profitability
can be affected materially by, among other things, the cost of obtaining (or
failing to obtain) patent approvals, the cost of litigating patent infringement
and the loss of patent protection for products (which significantly increases
pricing pressures and can materially reduce profitability with respect to such
products). In addition, many software companies have limited operating
histories. Prices of these companies’ securities historically have been more
volatile than other securities, especially over the short term.
◦Semiconductor
Companies Risk (AAM Transformers ETF only). Semiconductor
companies are subject to the cyclical nature of the semiconductor and
semiconductor equipment industry, and, as a result, their securities’ prices may
fluctuate significantly and rapidly. In addition, the companies in the
semiconductor and semiconductor equipment industry subject to the risks of rapid
obsolescence of products; substantial capital equipment expenditures; improper
functioning of internal processes and information technology systems; changes in
industry standards or regulations; inability to meet customer demand;
unreliability of manufacturers and subcontractors to manufacture, assemble, and
test companies’ products; and disruptions in companies’ activities such as
acquisitions, divestitures, strategic investments and partnerships. The research
and development efforts of these companies are focused on a limited number of
new technologies and products. Any delay in the development or discontinuation
of these technologies or products by
companies
in the industry, or their failure to achieve market acceptance, may compromise
the competitive position of companies. These companies depend on intellectual
property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of these
rights.
•Credit
Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only). Credit
risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of debt instruments or the
counterparty to a derivatives contract, repurchase agreement or loan of
portfolio securities will be unable or unwilling to make its timely interest
and/or principal payments or to otherwise honor its obligations. Debt
instruments are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, which may be
reflected in their credit ratings. There is the chance that the Fund’s portfolio
holdings will have their credit ratings downgraded or will default (i.e.,
fail to make scheduled interest or principal payments), potentially reducing the
Fund’s income level or share price.
•Currency
Exchange Rate Risk (AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF and AAM S&P Developed
Markets High Dividend Value ETF only). Changes
in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will
affect the value of the Fund’s investments and the value of your Shares. Because
the Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the U.S. dollar value
of your investment in the Fund may go down if the value of the local currency of
the non-U.S. markets in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S.
dollar. This is true even if the local currency value of securities in the
Fund’s holdings goes up. Conversely, the dollar value of your investment in the
Fund may go up if the value of the local currency appreciates against the U.S.
dollar. The value of the U.S. dollar measured against other currencies is
influenced by a variety of factors. These factors include: national debt levels
and trade deficits, changes in balances of payments and trade, domestic and
foreign interest and inflation rates, global or regional political, economic or
financial events, monetary policies of governments, actual or potential
government intervention, and global energy prices. Political instability, the
possibility of government intervention and restrictive or opaque business and
investment policies may also reduce the value of a country’s currency.
Government monetary policies and the buying or selling of currency by a
country’s government may also influence exchange rates. Currency exchange rates
can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the
value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning, and
you may lose money.
•Depositary
Receipt Risk
(AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, AAM Bahl & Gaynor
Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF, and AAM Transformers ETF only).
Each of the AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF and the AAM
Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF may hold the securities of
non-U.S. companies in the form of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and
Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). The AAM Transformers ETF may hold the
securities of non-U.S. companies in the form of ADRs. ADRs are negotiable
certificates issued by a U.S. financial institution that represent a specified
number of shares in a foreign stock and trade on a U.S. national securities
exchange, such as the NYSE. Sponsored ADRs are issued with the support of the
issuer of the foreign stock underlying the ADRs and carry all of the rights of
common shares, including voting rights. GDRs are similar to ADRs but may be
issued in bearer form and are typically offered for sale globally and held by a
foreign branch of an international bank. The underlying issuers of certain
depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary
receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to
the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with
respect to the deposited securities. Issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts
are not contractually obligated to disclose material information in the U.S.
and, therefore, such information may not correlate to the market value of the
unsponsored depositary receipt. The underlying securities of the ADRs and GDRs
in a Fund’s portfolio are usually denominated or quoted in currencies other than
the U.S. Dollar. As a result, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may
affect the value of a Fund’s portfolio. In addition, because the underlying
securities of ADRs and GDRs trade on foreign exchanges at times when the U.S.
markets are not open for trading, the value of the securities underlying the
ADRs and GDRs may change materially at times when the U.S. markets are not open
for trading, regardless of whether there is an active U.S. market for
Shares.
•Dividend-Paying
Securities Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF and AAM Bahl & Gaynor
Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF only).
There is no guarantee that issuers of the securities held by the Fund will
declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will either remain at
current levels or increase over time. The Fund may also underperform similar
funds that invest without considering a company’s dividend payments. Companies
that pay dividends historically may not participate in a broad market advance to
the same extent as other companies that do not pay dividends. Such companies may
also be sensitive to a sharp rise in interest rates or an economic downturn that
leads to the elimination or reduction of dividend payments to
investors.
•Emerging
Markets Risk (AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF only).
Investments in securities and instruments traded in developing or emerging
markets, or that provide exposure to such securities or markets, can involve
additional risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions not
associated with investments in U.S. securities and instruments. For example,
developing and emerging markets may be subject to (i) greater market
volatility, (ii) lower trading volume and liquidity, (iii) greater
social, political and economic uncertainty, (iv) governmental controls on
foreign investments and limitations on repatriation of invested capital,
(v) lower disclosure, corporate governance, auditing and financial
reporting standards, (vi) fewer protections of property rights,
(vii) fewer investor rights and limited legal or practical remedies
available to investors against emerging market companies,
(viii) restrictions on the transfer of securities or currency, and
(ix) settlement and
trading
practices that differ from those in U.S. markets. Each of these factors may
impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities,
adversely affect the trading market and price for Shares and cause the Fund to
decline in value. In addition, investors in emerging market companies may have
limited rights relative to investors in U.S. companies. Investors may also have
limited avenues of recourse against emerging market companies in the form of
shareholder claims, such as class action lawsuits and fraud claims, which may be
difficult or impossible to pursue in emerging markets as a matter of law or
practicality.
•Equity
Market Risk.
Equity securities, including common stocks and preferred stocks, and hybrid
securities that have equity characteristics 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. These investor
perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including:
expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies;
inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or
regional political, economic, public health, and banking crises.
Beginning
in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around
the world experienced extreme and, in many cases, unprecedented volatility and
severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel
coronavirus. The pandemic resulted in a wide range of social and economic
disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of
large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic
or international travel, and supply chain disruptions affecting the United
States and many other countries. Some sectors of the economy and individual
issuers have experienced particularly large losses as a result of these
disruptions, and such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or
reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S.
government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support
the domestic economy and financial markets. Many countries, including the U.S.,
are subject to few restrictions related to the spread of COVID-19. It is unknown
how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will
reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial
markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the
pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the
future could adversely affect Fund performance.
◦(All
Funds other than AAM Low Duration Preferred, Income Securities ETF, and AAM Bahl
& Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF).
If you held common stock, or common stock equivalents, of any given issuer, you
would generally be exposed to greater risk than if you held preferred stocks and
debt obligations of the issuer because common stockholders, or holders of
equivalent interests, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from
issuers in comparison with the rights of preferred stockholders, bondholders,
and other creditors of such issuers.
◦(AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF
only).
Preferred stocks and hybrid securities generally are subject to more risks than
debt securities because stockholders’ claims are subordinated to those of
holders of debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.
•ETF
Risks.
Each
Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, is exposed to the
following risks:
◦APs,
Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk.
The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In
addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity
providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events
occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face
delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process
creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these
services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or
significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step
forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs
of Buying or Selling Shares.
Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage
commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker.
Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant
proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts
of Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of
the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy Shares
(the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Shares
(the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as
the “spread” or “bid-ask spread.” The bid-ask spread varies over time for Shares
based on trading volume and market liquidity, and the spread is generally lower
if Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Shares
have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small
investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund, and/or increased market
volatility may cause increased bid-ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or
selling Shares, including bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may
significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be
advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares
May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV.
As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at
market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will
approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares
is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day
(discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market
volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of
steep market declines. The market price of Fund shares during the trading day,
like the price of any exchange-
traded
security, includes a “bid-ask” spread charged by the exchange specialist, market
makers or other participants that trade the Fund shares. In times of severe
market disruption, the bid-ask spread can increase significantly. At those
times, Fund shares are most likely to be traded at a discount to NAV, and the
discount is likely to be greatest when the price of Fund shares is falling
fastest, which may be the time that you most want to sell your Fund shares. The
Adviser believes that, under normal market conditions, large market price
discounts or premiums to NAV will not be sustained because of arbitrage
opportunities. Because securities held by the AAM S&P Emerging Markets High
Dividend Value ETF and AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF
trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when such Funds’ primary listing
exchange is open, these Funds are likely to experience premiums and discounts
greater than those of domestic ETFs.
◦Trading.
Although Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or
traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can
be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be
maintained. Trading in Shares may be halted due to market conditions or for
reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable.
In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts
caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker”
rules, which temporarily halt trading on the Exchange when a decline in the
S&P 500®
Index during a single day reaches certain thresholds (e.g.,
7%, 13%, and 20%). Additional rules applicable to the Exchange may halt trading
in Shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the
market price of Shares. There can be no assurance that Shares will trade with
any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the
liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying
portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares, and this
could lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the
underlying value of those Shares.
•Extension
Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only). During
periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations will be paid off
substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those
securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income and
potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments.
•Foreign
Markets Risk (All
Funds other than AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF).
Investments
in non-U.S. companies or investments in depositary receipts that provide
exposure to non-U.S. companies involve certain risks that may not be present
with investments in U.S. companies. For example, investments in non-U.S.
securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations
or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly
available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may be
subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor
protection standards than U.S. issuers. Investments in non-U.S. securities may
be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional
trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. With respect to certain
countries, there is the possibility of government intervention and expropriation
or nationalization of assets. Because legal systems differ, there is also the
possibility that it will be difficult to obtain or enforce legal judgments in
certain countries. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when a Fund does
not price its Shares, the value of the securities in a Fund’s portfolio may
change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s
Shares. Conversely, Shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed.
Each of these factors can make investments in a Fund more volatile and
potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
•Geographic
Investment Risk
(AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF and AAM S&P Developed
Markets High Dividend Value ETF only).
To
the extent that a Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the
securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be
impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region. For example,
political and economic conditions and changes in regulatory, tax, or economic
policy in a country could significantly affect the market in that country and in
surrounding or related countries and have a negative impact on a Fund’s
performance. Currency developments or restrictions, political and social
instability, and changing economic conditions have resulted in significant
market volatility.
◦Risks
of Investing in Australia (AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF
only). The
economy of Australia is heavily dependent on the price and the demand for
commodities and natural resources as well as its exports from the energy,
agricultural and mining sectors. As a result, the Australian economy is
susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity markets. Conditions that weaken
demand for Australian products worldwide could have a negative impact on the
Australian economy as a whole. Australia is also increasingly dependent on the
economies of its key trading partners, including China, the United States, and
Japan.
◦Risks
of Investing in China (AAM S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF
only). The
Chinese economy is subject to a considerable degree of economic, political and
social instability:
▪Political
and Social Risk: The
Chinese government is authoritarian and has periodically used force to suppress
civil dissent. Disparities of wealth and the pace of economic liberalization may
lead to social turmoil, violence and labor unrest. In addition, China continues
to experience disagreements related to integration with Hong Kong and religious
and nationalist disputes in Tibet and Xinjiang. There is also a greater risk in
China than in many other countries of currency fluctuations, currency
convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation as a
result of internal social
unrest
or conflicts with other countries. Unanticipated political or social
developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. China’s
growing income inequality and worsening environmental conditions also are
factors that may affect the Chinese economy. China is also vulnerable
economically to the impact of a public health crisis, which could depress
consumer demand, reduce economic output, and potentially lead to market
closures, travel restrictions, and quarantines, all of which would negatively
impact China’s economy and could affect the economies of its trading
partners.
▪Government
Control and Regulations:
The Chinese government has implemented significant economic reforms in order to
liberalize trade policy, promote foreign investment in the economy, reduce
government control of the economy and develop market mechanisms. There can be no
assurance these reforms will continue or that they will be effective. Despite
recent reform and privatizations, significant regulation of investment and
industry is still pervasive, and the Chinese government may restrict foreign
ownership of Chinese corporations and/or repatriate assets. Chinese markets
generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies
that may be connected to governmental influence, a lack of publicly-available
information and/or political and social instability.
▪Economic
Risk:
The Chinese economy has grown rapidly during the past several years and there is
no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. In fact, the Chinese
economy may experience a significant slowdown as a result of, among other
things, a deterioration in global demand for Chinese exports, as well as
contraction in spending on domestic goods by Chinese consumers. In addition,
China may experience substantial rates of inflation or economic recessions,
which would have a negative effect on the economy and securities market. Delays
in enterprise restructuring, slow development of well-functioning financial
markets and widespread corruption have also hindered performance of the Chinese
economy. China continues to receive substantial pressure from trading partners
to liberalize official currency exchange rates. Chinese companies are subject to
the risk that the U.S. government or other governments may sanction Chinese
issuers or otherwise prohibit U.S. persons or funds from investing in certain
Chinese issuers and a lack of transparency with respect to economic activity and
transactions in China. Recent developments in relations between the United
States and China have heightened concerns of increased tariffs and restrictions
on trade between the two countries. It is unclear whether further tariffs and
sanctions may be imposed or other escalating actions may be taken in the future.
▪Expropriation
Risk: The
Chinese government maintains a major role in economic policymaking, and
investing in China involves risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization,
confiscation of assets and property, or the imposition of restrictions on
foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested.
▪Hong
Kong Political Risk:
Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997 as a Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of the PRC under the principle of “one country, two
systems.” Although China is obligated to maintain the current capitalist
economic and social system of Hong Kong through June 30, 2047, the
continuation of economic and social freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong is dependent
on the government of China. Any attempt by China to tighten its control over
Hong Kong’s political, economic, legal or social policies may result in an
adverse effect on Hong Kong’s markets. In addition, the Hong Kong dollar trades
at a fixed exchange rate in relation to (or, is “pegged” to) the U.S. dollar,
which has contributed to the growth and stability of the Hong Kong economy.
However, it is uncertain how long the currency peg will continue or what effect
the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system would have on the Hong
Kong economy. Because the Fund’s NAV is denominated in U.S. dollars, the
establishment of an alternative exchange rate system could result in a decline
in the Fund’s NAV.
◦Risks
Related to Investing in Europe (AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend
Value ETF only).
The economies of Europe are highly dependent on each other, both as key trading
partners and as in many cases as fellow members maintaining the euro. Reduction
in trading activity among European countries may cause an adverse impact on each
nation’s individual economies. European countries that are part of the Economic
and Monetary Union of the EU are required to comply with restrictions on
inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels, and fiscal and monetary
controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe.
Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on
trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of
default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and recessions in an EU
member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU
member countries and their trading partners. Recent market events affecting
several of the EU member countries have adversely affected the sovereign debt
issued by those countries, and ultimately may lead to a decline in the value of
the euro. A significant decline in the value of the euro may produce
unpredictable effects on trade and commerce generally and could lead to
increased volatility in financial markets worldwide. Acts of war in Europe,
including Russia’s large-scale military invasion of Ukraine, and the resulting
sanctions by and against European nations could also have a severe adverse
effect on both European and global economies, which in turn could affect the
value of the Fund’s investments.
The
United Kingdom (“UK”) formally exited from the EU on January 31, 2020 (known as
“Brexit”), and effective December 31, 2020, the UK ended a transition period
during which it continued to abide by the EU’s rules and the UK’s trade
relationships
with the EU were generally unchanged. Following this transition period, the
impact on the UK and European economies and the broader global economy could be
significant, resulting in negative impacts, such as increased volatility and
illiquidity, potentially lower economic growth on markets in the UK, Europe, and
globally, and changes in legal and regulatory regimes to which certain Fund
assets are or become subject, any of which may adversely affect the value of
Fund investments.
The
effects of Brexit will depend, in part, on agreements the UK negotiates to
retain access to EU markets, including, but not limited to, current trade and
finance agreements. Brexit could lead to legal and tax uncertainty and
potentially divergent national laws and regulations, as the UK determines which
EU laws to replace or replicate. The extent of the impact of the withdrawal
negotiations in the UK and in global markets, as well as any associated adverse
consequences, remain unclear, and the uncertainty may have a significant
negative effect on the value of a Fund investments. If one or more other
countries were to exit the EU or abandon the use of the euro as a currency, the
value of investments tied to those countries or the euro could decline
significantly and unpredictably.
Russia’s
large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 has led to various
countries imposing economic sanctions on certain Russian individuals and Russian
corporate and banking entities. A number of jurisdictions have also instituted
broader sanctions on Russia, including banning Russia from global payments
systems that facilitate cross-border payments. In response, the government of
Russia has imposed capital controls to restrict movements of capital entering
and exiting the country. As a result, the value and liquidity of Russian
securities and the Russian currency have experienced significant declines.
Further, as of the date of this Prospectus, the Russian securities markets
effectively remain closed for trading by foreign investors and have not been
open to foreign investors since February 28, 2022. Russia’s military incursion
and resulting sanctions could have a severe adverse effect on both regional and
global economies, which in turn could affect the value of the Fund’s
investments.
◦Risk
of Investing in Germany (AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF
only). Investment
in German issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political,
currency, security, and economic risks specific to Germany. Recently, new
concerns have emerged in relation to the economic health of the EU. These
concerns have led to downward pressure on the earnings of certain financial
institutions, including German financial services companies. Secessionist
movements, such as the Catalan movement in Spain and the independence movement
in Scotland, may have an adverse effect on the EU economy and, in turn, the
German economy. The German economy is dependent to a significant extent on the
economies of certain key trading partners, including the Netherlands, China, the
U.S., the UK, France, Italy and other European countries. Reduction in spending
on German products and services, or changes in any of the economies may have an
adverse impact on the German economy. In addition, heavy regulation of labor,
energy and product markets in Germany may have an adverse impact on German
issuers. Such regulations may negatively impact economic growth or cause
prolonged periods of recession.
◦Risks
Related to Investing in Japan (AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value
ETF only). The
Japanese economy may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political
and social instability, which could have a negative impact on Japanese
securities. While the Japanese economy has recently emerged from a prolonged
economic downturn, Japan’s economic growth rate may remain relatively low in the
future. In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of natural disasters, such as
earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons and tsunamis. Additionally, decreasing U.S.
imports, new trade regulations, changes in the U.S. dollar exchange rates, a
recession in the United States or continued increases in foreclosure rates may
have an adverse impact on the economy of Japan. Japan also has few natural
resources, and any fluctuation or shortage in the commodity markets could have a
negative impact on Japanese securities.
◦Risks
of Investing in Taiwan
(AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF
only).
Investments in Taiwanese issuers may subject the Fund to risks specific to
Taiwan. Taiwan is a small island state with few raw material resources and
limited land area and is reliant on imports for its commodity needs. Any
fluctuations or shortages in the commodity markets could have a negative impact
on the Taiwanese economy. Also, continued labor outsourcing may adversely affect
the Taiwanese economy. Taiwan’s economy is intricately linked with economies of
Asian countries that have experienced over-extensions of credit, frequent and
pronounced currency fluctuations, currency devaluations, currency repatriation,
rising unemployment and fluctuations in inflation. The Taiwanese economy is
dependent on the economies of Japan and China, as well as the United States, and
negative changes in their economies or a reduction in purchases by any of them
of Taiwanese products and services would likely have an adverse impact on the
Taiwanese economy. Taiwan’s geographic proximity to China and Taiwan’s history
of political contention with China have resulted in ongoing tensions with China,
including the risk of war with China. These tensions may materially affect the
Taiwanese economy and securities markets.
◦Risks
of Investing in Turkey (AAM S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF
only).
There are legal, regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risks
specific to Turkey. Among other things, the Turkish economy is heavily dependent
on relationships with certain key trading partners, including European Union
countries, China and Russia, and changes in the price or demand for Turkish
exports may have an adverse impact on the Turkish economy. The Turkish
economy
has certain other significant economic weaknesses, such as its relatively high
current account deficit, which may contribute to prolonged periods of recession
or lower Turkey’s sovereign debt rating. Turkey has historically experienced
acts of terrorism and strained relations related to border disputes and other
geopolitical events with certain neighboring countries. Turkey may be subject to
considerable social and political instability, in part due to the influence
asserted by its military over the national government. Unanticipated or sudden
political or social developments may cause uncertainty in the Turkish stock or
currency market and, as a result, adversely affect a Fund’s investments. In
addition, the earthquakes that struck Turkey in February 2023 could adversely
effect the economy or the business operations of the companies located there,
causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in, or which are exposed to,
Turkey.
◦Risks
of Investing in the United Kingdom (AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend
Value ETF only).
The Fund may invest significantly in the securities of UK issuers. The United
Kingdom’s economy relies heavily on the export of both goods and services to EU
member countries, and to a lesser extent the United States and China. The United
Kingdom has one of the largest economies in Europe and is heavily dependent on
trade with EU member countries. Trade between the United Kingdom and the EU is
highly integrated through supply chains and trade in services, as well as
through multinational companies. As a result, the economy of the United Kingdom
may be impacted by changes to the economic health of EU member countries, the
United States and China. In 2016, the United Kingdom voted via referendum to
leave the EU. After years of negotiations between the United Kingdom and the EU,
a withdrawal agreement was reached whereby the United Kingdom formally left the
EU. The precise impact on the United Kingdom’s economy as a result of its
departure from the EU depends to a large degree on its ability to conclude
favorable trade deals with the EU and other countries, including the United
States, China, India and Japan. While new trade deals may boost economic growth,
such growth may not be able to offset the increased costs of trade with the EU
resulting from the United Kingdom’s loss of its membership in the EU single
market. Certain sectors within the United Kingdom’s economy may be particularly
affected by Brexit, including the automotive, chemicals, financial services and
professional services. A particularly contentious element of the United
Kingdom’s negotiated withdrawal from the EU was the treatment of Northern
Ireland (which is part of the United Kingdom) following the United Kingdom’s
departure. Under the terms of the withdrawal agreement, Northern Ireland would
maintain regulatory alignment with the EU (essentially creating a customs border
in the Irish Sea) to maintain an open border with the Republic of Ireland (an EU
member state) while safeguarding the rules of the EU single market. The ultimate
effects of this arrangement on Northern Ireland’s economy remain to be
seen.
•Geopolitical
Risk
(AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF only). Some
countries and regions in which the Fund invests have experienced security
concerns, war or threats of war and aggression, terrorism, economic uncertainty,
natural and environmental disasters and/or systemic market dislocations that
have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility
and may have adverse long-term effects on the U.S. and world economies and
markets generally. Such geopolitical and other events may also disrupt
securities markets and, during such market disruptions, the Fund’s exposure to
the other risks described herein will likely increase. Each of the foregoing may
negatively impact the Fund’s investments.
•High
Dividend Investing Risk (All
Funds other than AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF and AAM
Transformers ETF).
Companies with a high yield or payout ratio may reduce their dividend or stop
paying dividends entirely while they are included in the Index. Such events
could lower the price or yield of such company’s equity securities.
Additionally, equity securities with a high yield or payout ratio may
underperform other securities in certain market conditions.
•High-Yield
Securities Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only). Below
investment grade instruments are commonly referred to as “junk” or high-yield
instruments and are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the
issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Lower grade instruments
may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is likely that a
prolonged or deepening economic recession could adversely affect the ability of
the issuers of such instruments to repay principal and pay interest thereon,
increase the incidence of default for such instruments and severely disrupt the
market value of such instruments.
Lower
grade instruments, though higher yielding, are characterized by higher risk.
They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to
greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated
instruments. The retail secondary market for lower grade instruments may be less
liquid than that for higher rated instruments. Adverse publicity and investor
perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the
value and liquidity of these high-yield securities. Adverse conditions could
make it difficult at times for the Fund to sell certain instruments or could
result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Because of
the substantial risks associated with investments in lower grade instruments,
investors could lose money on their investment in the Fund, both in the
short-term and the long-term.
The
Fund’s investments in distressed and defaulted securities may be considered
speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing
in junk bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the
distressed securities and the principal may also be at risk. These securities
may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of
investment, requiring the Fund to incur additional costs.
•Hybrid
Securities Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only).
Hybrid securities are subject to the risks of equity securities and debt
securities. The claims of holders of hybrid securities of an issuer are
generally subordinated to those of holders of traditional debt securities in
bankruptcy, and thus hybrid securities may be more volatile and subject to
greater risk than traditional debt securities, and may in certain circumstances
even be more volatile than traditional equity securities. At the same time,
hybrid securities may not fully participate in gains of their issuer and thus
potential returns of such securities are generally more limited than traditional
equity securities, which would participate in such gains.
•Index
Provider Risk (AAM
Transformers ETF only). There
is no assurance that the Index Provider, or any agents that act on its behalf,
will compile the Index accurately, or that the Index will be determined,
maintained, constructed, reconstituted, rebalanced, composed, calculated or
disseminated accurately. The Adviser relies upon the Index Provider and its
agents to compile, determine, maintain, construct, reconstitute, rebalance,
compose, calculate (or arrange for an agent to calculate), and disseminate the
Index accurately. Any losses or costs associated with errors made by the Index
Provider or its agents generally will be borne by the Fund and its
shareholders.
•Interest
Rate Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only).
Generally, the value of fixed income securities, as well as hybrid securities
with fixed income characteristics, will change inversely with changes in
interest rates. As interest rates rise, the value of fixed income securities and
such hybrid securities held by the Fund is likely to decrease. Conversely, as
interest rates fall, the market value of fixed income securities and such hybrid
securities tend to increase. Securities with longer durations tend to be more
sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than
securities with shorter durations. For example, the price of a bond with a
three-year duration would be expected to drop by approximately 3% in response to
a 1% increase in interest rates. To the extent the Fund invests a substantial
portion of its assets in fixed income securities and hybrid securities with
longer-term durations, rising interest rates may cause the value of the Fund’s
investments to decline significantly.
•Issuer-Specific
Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only). Changes
in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific
economic or political conditions that affect a particular type of security or
issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions can affect a
security’s or instrument’s value. The value of securities of smaller, less
well-known issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers.
Issuer-specific events can have a negative impact on the value of the
Fund.
•Limited
Operating History Risk (AAM
Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF and AAM Transformers ETF
only).
Each Fund is a recently organized investment company with a limited operating
history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or
history on which to base their investment decision.
•Management
Risk (AAM
Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF only). The
Fund is actively managed and may not meet its investment objective based on the
Bahl & Gaynor’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for
the Fund.
•Market
Capitalization Risk.
◦Large-Capitalization
Investing (All Funds other than Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth
ETF).
The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature
compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during
times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable
to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology
and consumer tastes.
◦Mid-Capitalization
Investing
(All
Funds other than the AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF). The
securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse
issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of
large-capitalization companies, but they may also be subject to slower growth
than small-capitalization companies during times of economic expansion. The
securities of mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and
are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than large
capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole, but they may also be
nimbler and more responsive to new challenges than large-capitalization
companies. Some mid-capitalization companies have limited product lines,
markets, financial resources, and management personnel and tend to concentrate
on fewer geographical markets relative to large-capitalization
companies.
◦Small-Capitalization
Investing (AAM Low Duration Preferred, Income Securities ETF and AAM Bahl &
Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF only). The
securities of small-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse
issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of
larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small-capitalization
companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more
unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock
market as a whole. Some small capitalization companies have limited product
lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate
on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There
is typically less publicly available information concerning
smaller-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies.
Small-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in
interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.
•Market
Risk (All
Funds other than AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF and AAM
Transformers ETF).
The
trading prices of equity securities, preferred stocks, debt securities and other
instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include
events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as
political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact
specific issuers. A Fund’s NAV and market price, like security and commodity
prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other
factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of
time.
•Models
and Data Risk (AAM
Transformers ETF only). When
Models and Data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in
reliance thereon may lead to securities being included in or excluded from the
Index that would have been excluded or included had the Models and Data been
correct and complete. If the composition of the Index reflects such errors, the
Fund’s portfolio can be expected to reflect the errors, too.
•Passive
Investment Risk (All
Funds other than AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth
ETF).
Each Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, its Index
regardless of their investment merit. Each Fund does not attempt to outperform
its Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, a
Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market
segments relating to its Index. The returns from the types of securities in
which a Fund invests may underperform returns from the various general
securities markets or different asset classes. This may cause a Fund to
underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes.
Different types of securities (for example, large-, mid- and
small-capitalization stocks) tend to go through cycles of doing better – or
worse – than the general securities markets. In the past, these periods have
lasted for as long as several years.
•Portfolio
Turnover Risk (AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF and AAM Low Duration Preferred
and Income Securities ETF only). Each
Fund may trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio
in connection with each rebalance and reconstitution of the Index. A high
portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase a Fund’s
expenses.
Frequent
trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in a Fund due to
an increase in short-term capital gains.
•Preferred
Securities Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only).
Preferred stocks are subject to the risks of equity securities generally and
also risks associated with fixed income securities, such as interest rate risk.
A company’s preferred stock, which may pay fixed or variable rates of return,
generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to
creditors, including vendors, depositors, counterparties, holders of its bonds
and other fixed income securities. As a result, the value of a company’s
preferred stock will react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or
perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred
stock may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common
stock, and generally has limited or no voting rights. In addition, preferred
stock is subject to the risks that a company may defer or not pay dividends,
and, in certain situations, may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it
to common stock. To the extent that the Fund invests a substantial portion of
its assets in convertible preferred stocks, declining common stock values may
also cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decline.
•Prepayment
Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF only).
This
is the risk that a borrower will prepay some or the entire principal owed to the
Fund. If that happens, the Fund may have to replace the security by investing
the proceeds in a security with a lower yield. This could reduce the share price
and income distributions of the Fund.
•REIT
Investment Risk (All
Funds other than AAM Transformers ETF). Investments
in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may
trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other
securities. In addition, to the extent the Fund holds interests in REITs, it is
expected that investors in the Fund will bear two layers of asset-based
management fees and expenses (directly at the Fund level and indirectly at the
REIT level). The risks of investing in REITs include certain risks associated
with the direct ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in
general. These include risks related to general, regional and local economic
conditions; fluctuations in interest rates and property tax rates; shifts in
zoning laws, environmental regulations and other governmental action such as the
exercise of eminent domain; cash flow dependency; increased operating expenses;
lack of availability of mortgage funds; losses due to natural disasters;
overbuilding; losses due to casualty or condemnation; changes in property values
and rental rates; and other factors.
In
addition to these risks, residential/diversified REITs and commercial equity
REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned
by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit
extended. Further, REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may
not be diversified. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency,
defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, REITs could possibly
fail to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment available to REITs under the
U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or to maintain
their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund expects that dividends received from a
REIT and distributed to Fund shareholders generally will be taxable to the
shareholder as ordinary income. The above factors may also adversely affect a
borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the
event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in
enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs
associated with protecting investments.
•Sector
Risk (AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, AAM Bahl & Gaynor
Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF, and AAM Transformers ETF only).
Each
Fund’s investing approach may result in an emphasis on certain sectors or
sub-sectors of the market at any given time. To the extent a Fund invests more
heavily in one sector or sub-sector of the market, it thereby presents a more
concentrated risk and its performance will be especially sensitive to
developments that significantly affect those sectors or sub-sectors. In
addition, the value of a Fund’s shares may change at different rates compared to
the value of shares of a fund with investments in a more diversified mix of
sectors and industries. An individual sector or sub-sector of the market may
have above-average performance during particular periods but may also move up
and down more than the broader market. The several industries that constitute a
sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory
events. A Fund’s performance could also be affected if the sectors or
sub-sectors do not perform as expected. Alternatively, the lack of exposure to
one or more sectors or sub-sectors may adversely affect performance.
◦Financial
Sector Risk (AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF and AAM Bahl
& Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF only). This
sector can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, government
regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and government debt, the
availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the housing and sub-prime
mortgage crisis. Insurance companies, in particular, may be significantly
affected by changes in interest rates, catastrophic events, price and market
competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government
regulation or tax law and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact
on their profitability. This sector has experienced significant losses in the
recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent
or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a
whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology
malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and
have caused significant losses.
◦Industrial
Sector Risk (AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF only).
The
industrial sector can be significantly affected by, among other things,
worldwide economic growth, supply and demand for specific products and services,
rapid technological developments, international political and economic
developments, environmental issues, tariffs and trade barriers, and tax and
governmental regulatory policies. As the demand for, or prices of, industrials
increase, the value of the Fund’s investments generally would be expected to
also increase. Conversely, declines in the demand for, or prices of, industrials
generally would be expected to contribute to declines in the value of such
securities. Such declines may occur quickly and without warning and may
negatively impact the value of the Fund and your investment.
◦Information
Technology Sector Risk (AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF
and AAM Transformers ETF only).
Market
or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies
that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on
the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information
technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is
particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid
product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically
and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower
production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that
rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned
companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information
technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property
rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.
Additionally, companies in the technology sector may face dramatic and often
unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of
qualified personnel.
•Tracking
Error Risk (All
Funds other than AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth
ETF).
As
with all index funds, the performance of each Fund and its respective Index may
differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Funds incur
operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by an Index. In
addition, the Funds may not be fully invested in the securities of their
respective Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.
A Fund may use a representative sampling strategy to achieve its investment
objective, if the Fund’s Sub-Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the
Fund, which generally can be expected to produce a greater non-correlation
risk.
PORTFOLIO
HOLDINGS INFORMATION
Information
about each Fund’s daily portfolio holdings is available at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
A complete description of the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the
disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement
of Additional Information (“SAI”).
MANAGEMENT
Investment
Adviser
Advisors
Asset Management, Inc. (“AAM” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser
and has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of
the Funds. AAM also arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund
administration, distribution and all other services necessary for the Funds to
operate. AAM provides oversight of each Sub-Adviser, monitoring of each
Sub-Adviser’s buying and selling of securities for the Fund(s), and review of
each Sub-Adviser’s performance. For
the
services it provides to the Funds, each Fund pays AAM a unified management fee,
which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate based on the
applicable Fund’s average daily net assets as set forth in the table
below.
|
|
|
|
| |
Name
of Fund |
Management
Fee |
AAM
S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF |
0.29% |
AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF |
0.49% |
AAM
S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF |
0.39% |
AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF |
0.45% |
AAM
Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF |
0.60% |
AAM
Transformers ETF |
0.49% |
On
February 1, 2023, AAM underwent a change in control that automatically
terminated the previous investment advisory agreement with respect to the Funds.
As of the date of this Prospectus, with respect to the AAM S&P 500 High
Dividend Value ETF, the AAM S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF,
the AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, and the AAM Low
Duration Preferred Income Securities ETF, AAM continues to serve as investment
adviser to these Funds pursuant to an Interim Investment Advisory Agreement. The
Funds’ Board of Trustees has also approved a New Investment Advisory Agreement
with AAM, which will become effective pending shareholder approval. The terms
and compensation payable to AAM under the Interim Investment Advisory Agreement
and the New Investment Advisory Agreement (together, the “Advisory Agreements”)
are materially identical to those of the previous investment advisory agreement,
except with respect to the agreement’s effective date, termination date, and
certain terms identified under Rule 15a-4(b)(2) of the 1940 Act.
With
respect to the AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF and the AAM
Transformers ETF, shareholders of these Funds approved a New Investment Advisory
Agreement at a special meeting held on January 19, 2023.
AAM
has agreed to pay all expenses of the Funds, except for: the unified management
fee paid to AAM, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends, and other
expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other
expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and
other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred
tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution (12b‑1) fees and
expenses. AAM, in turn, compensates the Sub-Advisers from the management fee it
receives.
AAM
shall not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for anything done or omitted
by it, except acts or omissions
arising
out of the Adviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of its duties under the Advisory Agreements or its reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreements or for any
losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding, or sale of any
security.
AAM’s
headquarters is located at 18925 Base Camp Road, Suite 203, Monument, Colorado
80132. AAM is a registered broker dealer, member FINRA and SIPC, and SEC
registered investment adviser. AAM provides portfolio supervisory and evaluation
services to AAM-sponsored unit investment trusts registered under the 1940 Act
and provides investment advisory services to separately managed accounts, mutual
funds, and the Funds.
The
basis for the Board’s approval of the Interim Investment Advisory Agreement, as
well as the New Investment Advisory Agreement, will be available in the Funds’
Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ending April 30, 2023. The
basis for the Funds’ Board of Trustees (the “Board”) approval of the previous
investment advisory agreement for each Fund is available in the Funds’
Annual
Report
to Shareholders for the period ended October 31,
2022.
Sub-Advisers
Vident
Investment Advisory, LLC
The
Adviser has retained Vident Investment Advisory, LLC to serve as sub-adviser for
AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, AAM S&P Emerging Markets High
Dividend Value ETF, AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, and AAM Transformers ETF
(collectively, the “Funds”). VIA is responsible for the day-to-day management of
the Funds. VIA is an SEC registered investment adviser. Its principal office is
located at 1125 Sanctuary Parkway, Suite 515, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009. VIA was
formed in 2014 and provides investment advisory services to ETFs, including the
Funds.
As
a result of AAM’s change in control and the automatic termination of the
previous investment advisory agreement with respect to the Funds, the
sub-advisory agreement between AAM and VIA automatically terminated. With
respect to the AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, the AAM S&P Emerging
Markets High Dividend Value ETF, the AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend
Value ETF, and the AAM Low Duration Preferred Income Securities ETF, VIA
continues to serve as sub-adviser pursuant to an Interim Investment Sub-Advisory
Agreement. The Funds’ Board of Trustees has also approved a New Investment
Sub-Advisory Agreement with respect to the Funds between the Adviser and VIA,
which will become effective pending shareholder approval. The terms and
compensation payable to VIA under the Interim Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement
and the New Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement are materially identical to those
of the previous investment sub-advisory agreement, except with respect to the
agreement’s effective date and termination date.
With
respect to the AAM Transformers ETF, shareholders approved a New Investment
Sub-Advisory Agreement between AAM and VIA at a special meeting held on January
19, 2023.
The
Sub-Adviser is responsible for trading portfolio securities for the Funds,
including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions or
in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of the Indexes, subject to
the supervision of the Adviser and the Board. For its services, the Sub-Adviser
is paid a fee by the Adviser, which fee is calculated daily and paid monthly, at
an annual rate based on the average daily net assets of each Fund, and subject
to a minimum annual fee as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Name
of Fund |
Sub-Advisory
Fee |
Minimum
Annual Fee |
AAM
S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF |
0.04%
on the first $250 million;
0.03%
on the next $250 million; and
0.02%
on net assets in excess of $500 million |
$12,000 |
AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF |
0.06%
on the first $250 million;
0.05%
on the next $250 million; and
0.04%
on net assets in excess of $500 million |
$25,000 |
AAM
S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF |
0.05%
on the first $250 million in net assets; 0.04% on the next $250 million
in net assets; and 0.03% on net assets in excess of $500
million |
$18,000 |
AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF |
0.04%
on the first $250 million; 0.03% on the next $250 million; and 0.02%
on net assets in excess of $500 million |
$20,000 |
AAM
Transformers ETF |
0.055%
on the first $250 million;
0.045%
on the next $250 million; and
0.035%
on net assets in excess of $500 million |
$30,000 |
The
basis for the Board’s approval of the Interim Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement,
as well as the New Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement, will be available in the
Funds’ Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ending April 30, 2023.
The basis for the Board’s approval of the previous sub-advisory agreement for
each Fund is available in the Funds’ Annual
Report
to Shareholders for the fiscal period ended October 31,
2022.
Bahl
& Gaynor, Inc.
The
Adviser has retained Bahl & Gaynor, Inc. to serve as sub-adviser for the AAM
Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF (the “Fund”). Bahl &
Gaynor is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Bahl &
Gaynor is a registered investment adviser. Its principal office is located at
255 East Fifth Street, Suite 2700, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Bahl & Gaynor was
formed in 1990 and provides investment advisory services to institutional
clients, high net worth individuals, mutual funds, and the Fund. The Sub-Adviser
is responsible for trading portfolio securities for the Fund, including
selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions, subject to
the supervision of the Adviser and the Board.
As
a result of AAM’s change in control and the automatic termination of the
previous investment advisory agreement with respect to the Fund, the
sub-advisory agreement between AAM and Bahl & Gaynor automatically
terminated. The Fund’s shareholders approved a New Investment Sub-Advisory
Agreement between AAM and Bahl & Gaynor at a special meeting held on January
19, 2023.
For
its services, the Sub-Adviser is paid a fee by the Adviser, which fee is
calculated daily and paid monthly. With respect to net assets of the Fund
excluding shares of the Fund held in accounts where the Sub-Adviser has an
investment management agreement directly with the owner of the account (the
“B&G Account Assets”), the Sub-Adviser is paid a fee by the Adviser at an
annual rate based on the average daily net assets of the Fund of 0.23% on the
first $300 million of net assets and 0.28% on net assets in excess of $300
million. With respect to the B&G Account Assets, in lieu of the foregoing
sub-advisory fee, the Sub-Adviser is paid a fee by the Adviser equal to (a)
0.60% (the management fee rate paid by the Fund to the Adviser) multiplied by
the average net asset value of the B&G Account Assets, minus (b) the
Fund’s total administration, accounting, transfer agency, custody, distributor,
and Rule 24f-2 costs, fees, or expenses paid by the Adviser pursuant to the
Advisory Agreement (collectively, the “Fund Expenses”), plus (c) the
Fund
Expenses calculated as if the Fund’s average daily net asset value was reduced
by the average net asset value of the B&G Account Assets.
The
basis for the Board’s approval of the New Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement for
the Fund is available in the Fund’s Annual
Report
to Shareholders for the period ended October 31,
2022.
Manager
of Managers Structure
The
Funds and the Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC permitting the
Adviser (subject to certain conditions and the approval of the Board) to change
or select sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. The relief also
permits the Adviser to materially amend the terms of agreements with a
sub-adviser (including an increase in the fee paid by the Adviser to the
sub-adviser (and not paid by the applicable Fund)) or to continue the employment
of a sub-adviser after an event that would otherwise cause the automatic
termination of services with Board approval, but without shareholder approval.
Shareholders will be notified of any sub-adviser changes.
Portfolio
Managers
AAM
S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, AAM S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend
Value ETF, AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, AAM Low
Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, and AAM Transformers
ETF
The
AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, AAM S&P Emerging Markets High
Dividend Value ETF, AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, and AAM Transformers ETF
(collectively, the “Funds”) are managed by VIA’s portfolio management team. The
individual members of the team responsible for the day-today management of the
Funds’ portfolio are listed below.
Austin
Wen, CFA, is a portfolio manager for each Fund. Mr. Wen has been a Portfolio
Manager of the Sub-Adviser since 2016 and has eight years of investment
management experience. His focus at VIA is on portfolio management and trading,
risk monitoring and investment analysis. Previously, he was an analyst for
Vident Financial beginning in 2014, working on the development and review of
investment solutions. He began his career in 2011 as a State Examiner for the
Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. Mr. Wen obtained a BA in Finance from
the University of Georgia and holds the CFA designation.
Rafael
Zayas, CFA, is a Portfolio Manager for AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF,
AAM S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF, AAM S&P Developed
Markets High Dividend Value ETF, and AAM Transformers ETF. Mr. Zayas has over 15
years of trading and portfolio management experience in global equity products
and ETFs. He is SVP, Head of Portfolio Management and Trading. Mr. Zayas
specializes in managing and trading of developed, emerging, and frontier market
portfolios. Prior to joining VIA in 2017, he was a Portfolio Manager at Russell
Investments for over $5 billion in quantitative strategies across global
markets, including emerging, developed, and frontier markets and listed
alternatives. Before that, he was an equity Portfolio Manager at BNY Mellon
Asset Management, where he was responsible for $150 million in internationally
listed global equity ETFs and assisted in managing $3 billion of global ETF
assets. Mr. Zayas holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University.
He also holds the CFA designation.
Jeff
Kernagis, CFA, is a Portfolio Manager for the AAM Low Duration Preferred and
Income Securities ETF. Mr. Kernagis has 32 years of investment experience. Prior
to joining VIA in 2022, Mr. Kernagis was a Senior Vice President at Northern
Trust Asset Management. Before that, Mr. Kernagis spent almost 14 years at
Invesco/PowerShares, whereas Senior Portfolio Manager he directed the fixed
income ETF PM team and helped grow assets to $40 billion in bond ETFs globally.
Mr. Kernagis was also a PM at Claymore (Guggenheim) Securities where he managed
both equity ETFs and bond Unit Investment Trusts. In addition, he was a senior
bond trader at Mid-States (Alloya) Corporate Federal Credit Union. Prior to
working in investment management, Mr. Kernagis held institutional derivative
sales positions at ABN Amro, Bear Stearns, and Prudential Securities. Mr.
Kernagis earned a BBA degree from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from
DePaul University. He also holds the CFA designation.
The
Funds’ SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’
compensation structure, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and
the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of Shares of each Fund.
AAM
Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF
The
below individuals are the AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth
ETF’s (the “Fund”) Portfolio Managers and are jointly and primarily responsible
for day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio.
Scott
D. Rodes, CFA, CIC is Vice President, Principal, and Portfolio Manager of Bahl
& Gaynor. Mr. Rodes is responsible for portfolio management, investment
research, and client service. Prior to joining Bahl & Gaynor in 2001, Mr.
Rodes was a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager for Northern Trust in
Chicago. Prior to joining Northern Trust in 1998, Mr. Rodes was a research
analyst for Waddell & Reed in Kansas City. From 1989 through 1997, Mr. Rodes
was an Assistant Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager for Fifth Third
Bank in Cincinnati. Mr. Rodes earned an M.B.A. from Xavier University and a
B.E.M.E. from Vanderbilt University.
Robert
S. Groenke is President, CEO, Principal, and Portfolio Manager of Bahl &
Gaynor. Mr. Groenke is responsible for portfolio management, investment
research, and client service. Prior to joining Bahl & Gaynor in 2019, Mr.
Groenke was Vice President and Research Analyst with Franklin Templeton
Investments. Prior to joining Franklin Templeton in 2012, he served as Private
Equity Associate with Industrial Growth Partners. Prior to joining Industrial
Growth Partners in 2008, Mr. Groenke worked as an Investment Banking Analyst
within the Technology Group at Thomas Wiesel Partners in New York. Mr. Groenke
earned an M.B.A, with honors, from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from the
University of Michigan.
The
Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’
compensation structure, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and
the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of Shares.
HOW
TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
Each
Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may
acquire Shares directly from a Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for
redemption directly to a Fund, at NAV. APs must be a member or participant of a
clearing agency registered with the SEC and must execute a Participant Agreement
that has been agreed to by the Distributor (defined below), and that
has
been accepted by a Fund’s transfer agent, with respect to purchases and
redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary
market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.
Most
investors buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers.
Shares are listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange and can be
bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded
securities.
When
buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage
commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the
bid and the offer price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip
(purchase and sale) transaction. In addition, because secondary market
transactions occur at market prices, you may pay more than NAV when you buy
Shares and receive less than NAV when you sell those Shares.
Book
Entry
Shares
are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued.
The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all
outstanding Shares.
Investors
owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its
participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. DTC’s
participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies,
clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly
maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you
are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have
Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of
Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely
upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same
as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book entry or
“street name” through your brokerage account.
Share
Trading Prices on the Exchange (all
Funds other than AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF and AAM
Transformers ETF)
Trading
prices of Shares on the Exchange may differ from the applicable Fund’s daily
NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors
may affect the trading prices of Shares. To provide additional information
regarding the indicative value of Shares, the Exchange or a market data vendor
disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the
Consolidated Tape Association, or other widely disseminated means an updated
“intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for Shares as calculated by an information
provider or market data vendor. The Funds are not involved in or responsible for
any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and make no
representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs. If the calculation of
the IIV is based on the basket of Deposit Securities and/or a designated amount
of U.S. cash, such IIV may not represent the best possible valuation of a Fund’s
portfolio because the basket of Deposit Securities does not necessarily reflect
the precise composition of the current Fund portfolios at a particular point in
time and does not include a reduction for the fees, operating expenses, or
transaction costs incurred by the Fund. The IIV should not be viewed as a
“real-time” update of a Fund’s NAV because the IIV may not be calculated in the
same manner as the NAV, which is computed only once a day, typically at the end
of the business day. The IIV is generally determined by using both current
market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may
trade in the Deposit Securities.
Frequent
Purchases and Redemptions of Shares
The
Funds impose no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of
Shares. In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board
evaluated the risks of market timing activities by Fund shareholders. Purchases
and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem
Shares directly with a Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help
keep Share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Funds accommodate
frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also
determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase
tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization
of capital gains. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases
and redemptions, the Funds employ fair value pricing and may impose transaction
fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and
other costs incurred by a Fund in effecting trades. In addition, the Funds and
the Adviser reserve the right to reject any purchase order at any
time.
Determination
of NAV
Each
Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the
NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, each day the NYSE is open for
business. Each NAV for a Fund is calculated by dividing the applicable Fund’s
net assets by its Shares outstanding.
In
calculating its NAV, each Fund generally values its assets on the basis of
market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a
pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. The values of
non-U.S. dollar denominated securities are converted to U.S. dollars using
foreign currency exchange rates generally determined as of 4:00 p.m., London
time. If such information is not available for a security held by a Fund or is
determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates
under guidelines established by the Board (as described below).
Fair
Value Pricing
The
Adviser has been designated by the Board as the valuation designee for the Funds
pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. In its capacity as valuation designee,
the Adviser has adopted procedures and methodologies to fair value Fund
securities whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be
unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) a security has
been de-listed or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) a security’s
primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) a
security’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv)
a security’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of
the security’s primary trading market. The Board has appointed the Adviser as
each Fund’s valuation designee to perform all fair valuations of the Funds’
portfolio investments, subject to the Board’s oversight. Accordingly, the
Adviser has established procedures for its fair valuation of each Fund’s
portfolio investments. Generally, when fair valuing a security held by a Fund,
the Adviser will take into account all reasonably available information that may
be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental
analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s
business, recent trades or offers of the security, general and/or specific
market conditions and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value
the security. Fair value determinations are made in good faith and in accordance
with the fair value methodologies established by the Adviser. Due to the
subjective and variable nature of determining the fair value of a security or
other investment, there can be no assurance that the Adviser’s fair value will
match or closely correlate to any market quotation that subsequently becomes
available or the price quoted or published by other sources. In addition, a Fund
may not be able to obtain the fair value assigned to the security upon the sale
of such security.
Delivery
of Shareholder Documents – Householding
Householding
is an option available to certain investors of the Funds. Householding is a
method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which
a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who
share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different
names. Householding for the Funds is available through certain broker-dealers.
If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy
of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your
broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change
your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.
Investments
by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1)
of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the
securities of other investment companies, including Shares. Registered
investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set
forth in section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in
Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, including that such investment companies enter
into an agreement with a Fund.
DIVIDENDS,
DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES
Dividends
and Distributions
Each
Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, and distribute any net realized
capital gains to its shareholders at least annually. Each Fund will declare and
pay capital gain distributions, if any, in cash. Distributions in cash may be
reinvested automatically in additional whole Shares only if the broker through
whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Your broker is
responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to
you.
Taxes
The
following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax
considerations generally applicable to investments in the Funds. Your investment
in a Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about
the tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including the possible
application of foreign, state, and local tax laws. This summary does not apply
to Shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plans, which are generally not
subject to current tax. Transactions relating to Shares held in such accounts
may, however, be taxable at some time in the future. This summary is based on
current tax laws, which may change.
Each
Fund has elected and intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated
investment company (“RIC”). If a Fund meets certain minimum distribution
requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains
from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, a Fund’s
failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would
result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation
and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to
shareholders.
Unless
your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged
account, such as an IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences
when a Fund makes distributions, when you sell your Shares listed on the
Exchange, and when you purchase or redeem Creation Units (APs only).
Taxes
on Distributions
Each
Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net
investment income and net capital gains. For federal income tax purposes,
distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or
qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are
determined by how long a Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather
than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Shares. Sales of assets held by
a Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and
losses, and sales of assets held by a Fund for one year or less generally result
in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of a Fund’s net capital
gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital
losses) that are reported by such Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain
Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains, which for non-corporate
shareholders are subject to tax at reduced rates of up to 20% (lower rates apply
to individuals in lower tax brackets). Distributions of short-term capital gain
will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and distributions are
generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in
additional Shares.
Distributions
reported by a Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to
non-corporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains,
provided holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend
income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or
certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession
or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In
addition, dividends that the Fund receives in respect of stock of certain
foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily
tradable on an established U.S. securities market. Corporate shareholders may be
entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they
receive from a Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from
U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. Since the AAM S&P
Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF and AAM S&P Developed Markets High
Dividend Value ETF invest primarily in securities of non-U.S. issuers, it is not
expected that a significant portion of the dividends received from these Funds
will qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations. Dividends
received by a Fund from a REIT may be treated as qualified dividend income
generally only to the extent so reported by such REIT, however, dividends
received by a Fund from a REIT are generally not treated as qualified dividend
income.
Shortly
after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the amount and
character of any distributions received from a Fund.
U.S.
individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% tax
on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest,
dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gains
distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% tax
also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of
certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
In
general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in
which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be
treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally
taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by a Fund before your
investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your
Shares).
You
may wish to avoid investing in a Fund shortly before a dividend or other
distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable even though
it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment.
If
a Fund’s distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the
distributions made for a taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of
capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be
taxable, but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis in Shares and result in a
higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the Shares are sold. After a
shareholder’s basis in Shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess
of earnings and profits in respect of those Shares will be treated as gain from
the sale of the Shares.
If
you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a
foreign entity, distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to you by
a Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%,
unless a lower treaty rate applies. Gains from the sale or other disposition of
Shares by non-U.S. shareholders generally are not subject to U.S. taxation,
unless you are a nonresident alien individual who is physically present in the
U.S. for 183 days or more per year. A Fund may, under certain circumstances,
report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a
“short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this
30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Different
tax consequences may result if you are a foreign shareholder engaged in a trade
or business within the United States or if a tax treaty applies.
Each
Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder
owns Shares) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a
percentage (currently 24%) of the taxable distributions and sale proceeds paid
to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer
identification number, who has underreported dividend or interest income, or who
fails to certify that the shareholder is not subject to such
withholding.
Taxes
When Shares are Sold on the Exchange
Provided
that a shareholder holds Shares as capital assets, any capital gain or loss
realized upon a sale of Shares generally is treated as a long-term capital gain
or loss if Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term
capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for one year or less. However, any
capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as
long-term capital loss to the extent of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect
to such Shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent
Shares of a Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends,
within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the
disposition of Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.
The
cost basis of Shares of a Fund acquired by purchase will generally be based on
the amount paid for the Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other
applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the
selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of
the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the
broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect
to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your
account.
Taxes
on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units
An
AP having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax
purposes who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally recognizes a gain
or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the value of
the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanging AP’s aggregate
basis in the securities delivered, plus the amount of any cash paid for the
Creation Units. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally
recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP’s
basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the
securities received, plus any cash received for such Creation Units. The
Internal Revenue Service may assert, however, that a loss that is realized upon
an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under
the rules governing “wash sales” (for an AP who does not mark-to-market its
holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic
position. APs exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with
respect to whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss might be
deductible.
Each
Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery
of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. Such Fund may
sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption
proceeds. This may cause such Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital
gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied
the redemption in-kind. As a result, such Fund may be less tax efficient if it
includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of
Creation Units.
Taxation
of REIT Investments
The
AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, AAM S&P Emerging Markets High
Dividend Value ETF, AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, AAM
Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, and AAM Bahl & Gaynor
Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF
may
invest in REITs. “Qualified REIT dividends” (i.e.,
ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT
dividends designated as qualified dividend income eligible for capital gain tax
rates) are eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. This
deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6%
(37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Distributions by a Fund to
its shareholders that are attributable to qualified REIT dividends received by
such Fund and which the Fund properly reports as “section 199A dividends,” are
treated as “qualified REIT dividends” in the hands of non-corporate
shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend
only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC
shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the
shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related
payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related
property. A Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section
199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.
REITs
in which a Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information
to a Fund until after the time that such Fund issues a tax reporting statement.
As a result, a Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and
character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting
statement. When such reclassification is necessary, a Fund (or a financial
intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares) will
send you a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified
information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on
this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax
reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.
Foreign
Investments by the Funds
Interest
and other income received by a Fund with respect to foreign securities may give
rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax
conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or
eliminate such taxes. If as of the close of a taxable year more than 50% of the
value of a Fund’s assets consists of certain foreign stock or securities, each
such Fund will be eligible to elect to “pass through” to investors the amount of
foreign income and similar taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by such Fund
during that taxable year. This means that investors would be considered to have
received as additional income their
respective
Shares of such foreign taxes, but may be entitled to either a corresponding tax
deduction in calculating taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a
credit in calculating federal income tax. If a Fund does not so elect, each such
Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain foreign taxes incurred by
such Fund. A Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which
a shareholder owns Shares) will notify you if it makes such an election and
provide you with the information necessary to reflect foreign taxes paid on your
income tax return.
The
foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current
federal tax law of an investment in each Fund. It is not a substitute for
personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund
distributions and sales of Shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the
potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares
under
all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled
“Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI.
DISTRIBUTION
The
Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside
Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group), is a broker-dealer registered with the
SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis
and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role
in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities that are purchased or
sold by the Funds. The Distributor’s principal address is 111 East Kilbourn
Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
The
Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule
12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, each Fund is authorized
to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for
certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.
No
Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no plans to
impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the
future, because the fees are paid out of Fund assets, over time these fees will
increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other
types of sales charges.
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT
INFORMATION
Information
regarding how often Shares are traded on the Exchange at a price above
(i.e.,
at a premium) or below (i.e.,
at a discount) the NAV per Share is available, free of charge, on the Funds’
website at www.aamlive.com/ETF.
ADDITIONAL
NOTICES
Shares
are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no
representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Shares or
any member of the public regarding the ability of the Funds to track the total
return performance of their respective Index or the ability of the Indexes
identified herein to track the performance of their constituent securities. The
Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination
of the compilation or the calculation of the Indexes, nor in the determination
of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the Shares to be issued, nor in
the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Shares are
redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the Shares
in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the Shares.
The
Exchange does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Indexes
or the data included therein. The Exchange makes no warranty, express or
implied, as to results to be obtained by the Funds, owners of the Shares, or any
other person or entity from the use of the Indexes or the data included therein.
The Exchange makes no express or implied warranties, and hereby expressly
disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
with respect to the Indexes or the data included therein. Without limiting any
of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost
profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if
notified of the possibility thereof.
The
Adviser, each Sub-Adviser, the Exchange, and each Fund make no representation or
warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the
public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the
Fund particularly
or
the ability of an Index to track general stock market performance. The Funds,
the Adviser, and the Sub-Advisers do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness,
or performance of an Index or the data included therein and shall have no
liability in connection with the Index or Index calculation. The Index
Calculation Agent maintains and calculates the Index used by each Fund. The
Index Calculation Agent shall have no liability for any errors or omissions in
calculating an Index.
Each
S&P Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a division of
S&P Global, or its affiliates (“SPDJI”), and has been licensed for use by
the Adviser. Standard & Poor’s®, S&P®, and S&P 500® are registered
trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”); Dow
Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow
Jones”); and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and
sublicensed for certain purposes by the Adviser. It is not possible to invest
directly in an index. The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by
SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively,
“S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P Dow Jones Indices makes no representation
or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Funds or any member of the
public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the
Funds particularly. Past performance of an index is not an indication or
guarantee of future results. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship
to
the Adviser with respect to each Index is the licensing of each Index and
certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones
Indices and/or its licensors. Each Index is determined, composed and calculated
by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to the Adviser or the Funds. S&P
Dow Jones Indices has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the
owners of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating
each Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices is not responsible for and has not
participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of shares of the
Funds or the timing of the issuance or sale of shares of the Funds or in the
determination or calculation of the equation by which shares of the Funds are to
be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be. S&P Dow
Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the
administration, marketing or trading of the Funds. There is no assurance that
investment products based on each Index will accurately track index performance
or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an
investment or tax advisor. A tax advisor should be consulted to evaluate the
impact of any tax-exempt securities on portfolios and the tax consequences of
making any particular investment decision. Inclusion of a security within an
index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold
such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.
S&P
DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR
THE COMPLETENESS OF EACH S&P INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY
COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
(INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES
INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS,
OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY
OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY
THE ADVISER, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF
EACH S&P INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING
ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE
LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR
GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES,
WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD
PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES
INDICES AND THE ADVISER, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES
INDICES.
Source
ICE Data Indices, LLC (“ICE Data”), is used with permission. “ICESM/®”
is a service/trade mark of ICE Data Indices, LLC or its affiliates and has been
licensed, along with the ICE 0-5 Year Duration Exchange-Listed Preferred &
Hybrid Securities Index (“Index”) for use by the Adviser in connection with the
Fund. Neither the Adviser, ETF Series Solutions (the “Trust”), nor the Fund, as
applicable, is sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by ICE Data Indices, LLC,
its affiliates or its Third Party Suppliers (“ICE Data and its Suppliers”). ICE
Data and its Suppliers make no representations or warranties regarding the
advisability of investing in securities generally, in the Fund particularly, the
Trust or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance. ICE
Data’s only relationship to the Adviser is the licensing of certain trademarks
and trade names and the Index or components thereof. The Index is determined,
composed and calculated by ICE Data without regard to the Adviser or the Fund or
its holders. ICE Data has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the
holders of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating
the Index. ICE Data is not responsible for and has not participated in the
determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the Fund to be
issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund
is to be priced, sold, purchased, or redeemed. Except for certain custom index
calculation services, all information provided by ICE Data is general in nature
and not tailored to the needs of the Adviser or any other person, entity or
group of persons. ICE Data has no obligation or liability in connection with the
administration, marketing, or trading of the Fund. ICE Data is not an investment
advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by ICE
Data to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment
advice.
ICE
DATA AND ITS SUPPLIERS DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS,
EXPRESS AND/OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE, INCLUDING THE INDICES, INDEX DATA AND ANY
INFORMATION INCLUDED IN, RELATED TO, OR DERIVED THEREFROM (“INDEX DATA”). ICE
DATA AND ITS SUPPLIERS SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY WITH
RESPECT TO THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES AND
THE INDEX DATA, WHICH ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS AND YOUR USE IS AT YOUR
OWN RISK.
FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
The
financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Fund’s
financial performance for each Fund’s five most recent fiscal years (or the life
of the Fund, if shorter). Certain information reflects financial results for a
single Share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an
investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a Fund (assuming
reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been
audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Funds’ independent registered public
accounting firm, whose report, along with the Funds’ financial statements, is
included in the Funds’ annual report, which is available upon
request.
AAM
S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF
FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
For
a capital share outstanding throughout the year/period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Year
Ended October 31, |
|
Period
Ended
October
31,
2018(1) |
|
| 2022 |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 |
| |
Net
asset value, beginning of year/period |
$ |
29.90 |
|
| $ |
21.14 |
|
| $ |
26.54 |
|
| $ |
25.83 |
|
| $ |
25.00 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
INCOME
(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Net
investment income (loss)(2) |
1.07 |
|
| 0.91 |
|
| 0.95 |
|
| 0.97 |
|
| 0.75 |
| |
Net
realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(1.44) |
|
| 8.79 |
|
| (5.28) |
|
| 0.64 |
|
| 0.76 |
| |
Total
from investment operations |
(0.37) |
|
| 9.70 |
|
| (4.33) |
|
| 1.61 |
|
| 1.51 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
DISTRIBUTIONS
TO SHAREHOLDERS: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Distributions
from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Net
investment income |
(1.08) |
|
| (0.94) |
|
| (1.07) |
|
| (0.90) |
|
| (0.68) |
| |
Total
distributions to shareholders |
(1.08) |
|
| (0.94) |
|
| (1.07) |
|
| (0.90) |
|
| (0.68) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
CAPITAL
SHARE TRANSACTIONS: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Transaction
fees |
— |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
|
— |
|
0.00 |
|
(3) |
Net
asset value, end of year/period |
$ |
28.45 |
|
| $ |
29.90 |
|
| $ |
21.14 |
|
| $ |
26.54 |
|
| $ |
25.83 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Total
return |
-1.37 |
% |
| 46.23 |
% |
| -16.47 |
% |
| 6.44 |
% |
| 5.98 |
% |
(4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
SUPPLEMENTAL
DATA: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Net
assets at end of year/period (000’s) |
$ |
67,568 |
|
| $ |
45,600 |
|
| $ |
23,788 |
|
| $ |
37,150 |
|
| $ |
19,370 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
RATIOS
TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Expenses
to average net assets |
0.29 |
% |
| 0.29 |
% |
| 0.29 |
% |
| 0.29 |
% |
| 0.29 |
% |
(5) |
Net
investment income (loss) to average net assets |
3.57 |
% |
| 3.19 |
% |
| 4.06 |
% |
| 3.78 |
% |
| 3.05 |
% |
(5) |
Portfolio
turnover rate(6) |
68 |
% |
| 69 |
% |
| 84 |
% |
| 42 |
% |
| 38 |
% |
(4) |
|
|
|
|
| |
(1) |
Commencement
of operations on November 28, 2017. |
(2) |
Calculated
based on average shares outstanding during the period. |
(3) |
Less
than $0.005. |
(4) |
Not
annualized. |
(5) |
Annualized |
(6) |
Excludes
the impact of in-kind transactions. |
AAM
S&P Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF
FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
For
a capital share outstanding throughout the year/period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Year
Ended October 31, |
|
Period
Ended
October
31,
2018(1) |
|
| 2022 |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 |
| |
Net
asset value, beginning of year/period |
$ |
22.07 |
|
| $ |
17.49 |
|
| $ |
21.39 |
|
| $ |
21.75 |
|
| $ |
25.00 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
INCOME
(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Net
investment income (loss)(2) |
1.47 |
|
| 1.32 |
|
| 0.93 |
|
| 1.01 |
|
| 1.13 |
| |
Net
realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(6.74) |
|
(3) |
4.36 |
|
| (3.57) |
|
| (0.51) |
|
| (3.55) |
| |
Total
from investment operations |
(5.27) |
|
| 5.68 |
|
| (2.64) |
|
| 0.50 |
|
| (2.42) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
DISTRIBUTIONS
TO SHAREHOLDERS: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Distributions
from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |