Investment Company Act File No. 811-22148
PowerShares Actively Managed
Exchange-Traded Fund Trust
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dated February 29, 2016
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the prospectuses dated February 29, 2016 for the PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (the “Trust”), relating to the series of the Trust listed below (each a “Fund” and, collectively the “Funds”), as such may be revised from time to time (the “Prospectuses”).
Fund |
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange |
Ticker | ||
PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund | NYSE Arca, Inc. | PSR | ||
PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio | NYSE Arca, Inc. | CHNA | ||
PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio | The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC | LALT | ||
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio | NYSE Arca, Inc. | PHDG |
Effective as of the close of the market on March 18, 2016, the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio will cease trading and liquidate thereafter.
Capitalized terms used in this SAI that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectuses, unless otherwise noted. A copy of each Prospectus may be obtained without charge by writing to the Trust’s Distributor, Invesco Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1000, Houston, Texas 77046-1173, or by calling toll free 800.983.0903. The audited financial statements for the Funds contained in the Trust’s 2015 Annual Report and the related report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated herein by reference in the section “Financial Statements.” No other portions of the Trust’s Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein.
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUNDS
The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on November 6, 2007 and is authorized to have multiple series or portfolios. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Trust consists of four series. Each Fund (except as indicated below) is “non-diversified,” and as such, each such Fund’s investments are not required to meet certain diversification requirements under the 1940 Act. The PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio is classified as “diversified” for purposes of the 1940 Act. The shares of the Funds are referred to herein as “Shares.”
PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund seeks high total return through growth of capital and current income. PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio seeks to achieve positive total returns in rising or falling markets that are not directly correlated to broad equity or fixed income market returns. PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation. PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio seeks a positive total return that has a low correlation to the broader securities markets. An investment in a Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (the “Adviser”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd., manages the Funds.
The Adviser has entered into an investment sub-advisory agreement with an affiliate to serve as investment sub-adviser to the PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund and the PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio. The affiliated sub-adviser, Invesco Advisers, Inc. (“Invesco” or the “Sub-Adviser”), is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”). The Sub-Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd.
Each Fund issues and redeems Shares at net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of 50,000 Shares (each, a “Creation Unit” or a “Creation Unit Aggregation”), except for the PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio, which issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in aggregations of 100,000 Shares.
PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund issues and redeems Creation Units principally in exchange for a basket of securities (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of an amount of cash (the “Cash Component”), plus a transaction fee. The Fund reserves the right to permit or require Creation Units to be issued and redeemed for cash.
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio issues and redeems Creation Units partially in exchange for Deposit Securities together with the Cash Component and partially for cash calculated based on the NAV per Share, multiplied by the number of Shares representing a Creation Unit (“Deposit Cash”), plus certain transaction fees; however, the Fund also reserves the right to permit or require Creation Units to be issued and redeemed in exchange principally for Deposit Cash, or principally for the Deposit Securities and Cash Component.
PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio issue and redeem Creation Units principally for Deposit Cash plus certain transaction fees; however, each Fund also reserves the right to permit or require Creation Units to be issued or redeemed in exchange for Deposit Securities and a Cash Component.
To the extent that a Fund issues or redeems Creation Units in exchange for Deposit Securities, it may issue Shares in advance of receipt of such Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash at least equal to 105% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. To offset the added brokerage and other transaction costs a Fund incurs with using cash to purchase the requisite Deposit Securities, during each instance of cash creations or redemptions, the Funds may impose transaction fees that generally are higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. For more information, see the section below titled “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations.”
Each Fund’s Shares are listed and trade throughout the day on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”), except for the PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio, which Shares are listed and trade throughout the day on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (“NASDAQ” and, collectively with NYSE Arca, the “Exchanges”). Shares trade on the Exchanges at market prices that may be below, at or above NAV. In the event of the liquidation of a Fund, the Trust may decrease the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.
There can be no assurance that a Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of its Shares. Each Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of a Fund from listing if (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of a Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the Shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days; or (ii) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. An Exchange will remove the Shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.
As in the case of other stocks traded on an Exchange, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
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The Trust reserves the right to adjust the price levels of the Shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of a Fund.
In order to provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares of a Fund, each Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for each Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RESTRICTIONS
Investment Strategies
Unlike conventional exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), the Funds are “actively managed” and do not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. The Funds seek to achieve their respective investment objectives by investing in securities included in their respective investment universe.
Additionally, during times of adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, each Fund may depart temporarily from its principal investment strategies (such as by maintaining a significant uninvested cash position) for defensive purposes. Doing so could help a Fund avoid losses, but may mean lost investment opportunities. During these periods, such Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund
The PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in securities of companies that are principally engaged in the U.S. real estate industry and included within the FTSE NAREIT All Equity REITs Index. The Fund considers a company to be principally engaged in the U.S. real estate industry if it: (i) derives 50% of its revenues or profits from the ownership, leasing, construction, financing or sale of U.S. real estate; or (ii) has at least 50% of the value of its assets invested in U.S. real estate. The Fund plans to invest principally in equity REITs, which pool investors’ funds for investments primarily in real estate properties or real estate-related loans (such as mortgages). The Fund also may invest in real estate operating companies (“REOCs”) and securities of other companies principally engaged in the U.S. real estate industry.
The PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund structures and selects its investments primarily from a universe of securities that are included within the FTSE NAREIT All Equity REITs Index at the time of purchase. In constructing the portfolio, the Sub-Adviser analyzes quantitative and statistical metrics to identify attractively priced securities. The Sub-Adviser will consider selling or reducing a security position if: (i) the relative attractiveness of a security falls below desired levels: (ii) its quantitative risk/return profile changes significantly: or (iii) a more attractive investment opportunity is identified. The Sub-Adviser generally conducts the security and portfolio evaluation process monthly.
PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio
The PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by providing exposure to the China “A-Shares” market using a quantitative, rules-based investment strategy. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests in a combination of (i) futures contracts (the “Futures”) on the FTSE China A50 Index (the “China Benchmark”); (ii) ETFs that provide exposure to the largest companies within the China A-Shares market, including ETFs organized outside of the U.S. (“Underlying ETFs”); and (iii) A-Shares, to the extent permissible under Chinese law. The Fund expects to invest its remaining assets in U.S. Government securities, money market instruments, cash and cash equivalent securities (i.e., corporate commercial paper) to collateralize its investments in the Futures or for other purposes. The Fund does not intend to use leverage. The Fund is actively managed by the Adviser and is not obligated to invest in the instruments included in the China Benchmark or to track the performance of the China Benchmark or of any index. Although the Fund seeks to exceed the performance of the China Benchmark, there can be no assurance that the Fund will do so at any time.
The China Benchmark is comprised of China’s domestic market A-Shares, which are securities issued by companies that are incorporated in mainland China and that trade in Renminbi on the Shanghai Stock Exchange or the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The China Benchmark includes the A-Share securities of the largest 50 A-Share companies (as determined by market capitalization) listed on those two exchanges.
Because it currently cannot invest in A-Shares directly, the Fund invests primarily in futures contracts on the China Benchmark that provide exposure to the China A-Shares market. These futures contracts are listed on the Singapore Exchange. By investing in the Futures, the Fund has no direct ownership of the A-Shares of the companies included in the China Benchmark, but the Fund gains exposure to the performance of those companies.
The Fund invests in the Futures as a significant part of its investment strategy. Generally, futures contracts are a type of derivative whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate, or index. The Fund’s use of futures contracts are underpinned by investments in short-term, high quality U.S. Treasury Securities, money market instruments, cash, and cash equivalent securities. The Futures are used to simulate full investment in China A-Share securities.
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Due to strict controls imposed by the Chinese government, the Fund currently cannot invest directly in A Shares, which are available only to domestic Chinese investors and a limited pool of foreign investors, including foreign investors who have been approved as a Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (“QFII”) by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”) and have obtained a QFII license and a quota. The Adviser has received a QFII license, but has not received a QFII quota for the Fund to invest directly in A-Shares. There are no assurances that such a quota will be granted, or that, if granted, would permit the Fund to purchase A-Shares in an amount necessary to provide sufficient A-Shares exposure.
The Adviser continually monitors the Fund’s holdings. If, in the future, the Adviser concludes that direct investments in China A-Shares is not prudent, the market for the Futures presents liquidity constraints, or the Fund is unable to obtain sufficient exposure to the China A-Shares market, then the Adviser may propose changes to the Fund’s investment strategies to the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Trust that it believes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders, including changing the Fund’s investment strategy to invest in other eligible equity securities of Chinese companies. These securities may include China “H Shares” and China “Red Chip” shares. Any such proposed change would be contingent on the SEC first approving a rule change submitted by NYSE Arca as it relates to the Fund. There can be no guarantee that the SEC would approve such a rule change.
PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio
The PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio is an actively managed ETF that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a combination of equity securities, financial futures contracts, forward currency contracts and other securities. The Sub-Adviser selects investments for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio with reference to the components of the Morgan Stanley Multi-Strategy Alternative Index (the “Benchmark”) through a quantitative process that seeks to exceed the Benchmark’s performance.
Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC (the “Benchmark Agent”) develops, maintains and sponsors the Benchmark, which includes a combination of quantitative, rules-based strategies (the “Benchmark Strategies”). The Fund follows the Benchmark Strategies while seeking to outperform the Benchmark. The Benchmark Strategies are designed to capture non-traditional risk premia across equities, rates, currencies and volatility markets. A “risk premium” is the economic concept that an investor should receive a premium (that is, a higher expected return) for bearing risk. In other words, risk premium refers to the return that is expected for assuming a particular market risk.
The Benchmark Strategies may be categorized into three types: (1) Quantitative/Stylistic Strategies, (2) Volatility Risk Premium Strategies, and (3) Carry Strategies. Quantitative/Stylistic Strategies consist of rules-based methodologies designed to identify undervalued stocks or currencies using relative valuation, fundamental analysis and publicly-available market information (such as regulatory filings regarding the equity holdings of institutional investment managers). A Quantitative or Stylistic Strategy may take a long/short position to generate market neutral returns. Volatility Risk Premium Strategies consist of rules-based investment methodologies designed to capture the difference between implied (i.e., expected) and realized (i.e., actual) volatility that is often observed in equity and currency options markets. The volatility risk premium can be seen as compensation to option sellers for taking on potential risk of losses during periods when realized volatility increases suddenly. In addition, the volatility premium reflects the supply/demand imbalance often present in each asset class. Carry Strategies consist of rules-based methodologies designed to capture the forward rate bias and term premium often observed in currency, interest rate and equity volatility markets. Forward rate bias is the tendency for the markets to overestimate the amount of future price changes that might actually occur; the actual price movements tend to be smaller than the expectations as measured by forward rates.
The Fund’s equity exposure may be obtained through direct investment in equity securities or through investment in other investment companies. The equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stocks of publicly-traded companies of any capitalization. As part of the investment process described above, under normal market conditions, the Fund may take both long and short positions in equity securities, other investment companies, and equity index futures.
Additionally, the Fund may take long and short positions in various currencies by investing in currency forward and/or futures contracts. The Fund also may purchase and sell interest rate futures, including Eurodollar interest rate futures or Euro Euribor interest rate futures, and Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index (“VIX Index”) futures contracts. The Fund makes significant use of financial futures contracts and forward contracts to gain exposure to various asset classes to generate returns, for hedging purposes (to offset risks associated with an investment, currency exposure, or market conditions), to adjust currency exposure, and to earn income and enhance returns. One or more of these instruments may have a leveraging effect on the Fund. This financial leverage occurs when the Fund’s market exposure exceeds the amounts actually invested. This leverage will vary over time and may at times be significant. However, any instance of financial leverage will be covered in accordance with guidance promulgated by the SEC and its staff. The Fund does not presently intend to borrow money for investment purposes, and will not be operated in a manner designed to seek to return a multiple of the performance of the Benchmark or any index. However, the Fund may engage in frequent and active trading of portfolio securities and other instruments to achieve its investment objective.
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The Fund also may have a substantial cash position due to margin and collateral requirements related to the Fund’s use of derivatives. The Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities, money market instruments, cash and cash equivalents (e.g., corporate commercial paper) to provide liquidity and to collateralize its investments in derivative instruments. The instruments in which the Fund may invest include: (i) short-term obligations issued by the U.S. Government; (ii) short term negotiable obligations of commercial banks, fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of U.S. and foreign banks and similar institutions; and (iii) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or “A-1+” or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s or, if unrated, of comparable quality, as determined by the Sub-Adviser.
In addition, the Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies (including money market funds) beyond the limits permitted under the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in a Commission exemptive order issued pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the 1940 Act.
The Fund may in the future seek to gain investment exposure through investments in a subsidiary organized in the Cayman Islands (the “Subsidiary”). The Subsidiary will be wholly-owned and controlled by the Fund. The Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary may not exceed 25% of the Fund’s total assets at each quarter end of the Fund’s fiscal year. The Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary is expected to provide the Fund with exposure to futures contracts returns within the limits of the federal tax requirements applicable to investment companies, such as the Fund. Except as noted, references to the investment strategies and risks of the Fund include the investment strategies and risks of the Subsidiary. The Fund does not presently intend to invest through the Subsidiary.
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio
The PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio seeks to achieve its investment objective by using a quantitative, rules based strategy to allocate its assets among components of the S&P 500® Dynamic VEQTOR Index (the “S&P 500 Benchmark”) in a combination of (i) equity securities contained in the S&P 500® Index and that are listed on a U.S. securities exchange, (ii) Chicago Board Options Exchange (“CBOE”) Volatility Index (“VIX Index”) related instruments, such as listed VIX Index futures contracts that reflect exposure to the S&P 500® VIX Short Term Futures Index (“VIX Futures Index”), and (iii) money market instruments, cash and cash equivalents. However, the Fund’s allocations among its investments may not correspond to those of the S&P 500 Benchmark. Rather than adhering to the S&P 500 Benchmark’s strategy allocation rules, the Adviser uses active management techniques in seeking to obtain returns that exceed the S&P 500 Benchmark by providing the Fund with higher or lower exposure to any component within the S&P 500 Benchmark at any time. In addition, the Fund may invest in other VIX Index related instruments, including ETFs and exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”) that are listed on a U.S. securities exchange and that provide exposure to the VIX Index (with VIX Index futures contracts, collectively, the “VIX Index Related Instruments”), and U.S. listed futures contracts that track the S&P 500® Index (“S&P 500 Futures”) and are listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (“CME”).
The S&P 500 Benchmark is comprised of up to three types of components: an equity component, represented by the S&P 500® Index; a volatility component, represented by the VIX Futures Index; and cash. In accordance with strategy allocation rules provided by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”), a greater portion of the S&P 500 Benchmark’s weight will be allocated to equity securities during periods of low volatility, and a greater portion of its weight will be allocated to the VIX Futures Index during periods of increased volatility. The VIX Futures Index measures the return from a long position in the VIX Index futures contracts traded on the CBOE. The S&P 500 Benchmark’s allocation to the VIX Futures Index serves as an implied volatility hedge, as volatility historically tends to correlate negatively to the performance of the U.S. equity markets (i.e., rapid declines in the performance of the U.S. equity markets generally are associated with particularly high volatility in such markets). “Implied volatility” is a measure of the expected volatility of the S&P 500® Index that is reflected in the value of the VIX Index. The VIX Index is a theoretical calculation and cannot be traded. The VIX Index measures the 30-day forward volatility of the S&P 500® Index as calculated based on the prices of certain put and call options on the S&P 500® Index.
Generally, futures contracts are a type of derivative whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate, or index. The Fund’s use of futures contracts is underpinned by investments in short-term, high quality U.S. Treasury Securities, money market instruments, cash, and cash equivalent securities (collectively, the “Collateral”). The Fund will invest in the Collateral to provide liquidity, to collateralize the Fund’s futures contracts investments or to protect the Fund during periods of heightened volatility when the Adviser believes that it is in the best interest of the Fund to do so.
The VIX Index is a theoretical calculation and cannot be traded. The VIX Index is a benchmark index designed to measure the market price of volatility in large cap U.S. stocks over 30 days in the future and is calculated based on the prices of certain put and call
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options on the S&P 500® Index. The VIX Index measures the premium paid by investors for certain options linked to the S&P 500® Index. During periods of market instability, the implied volatility of the S&P 500® Index typically increases and, consequently, the prices of options linked to the S&P 500® Index typically increase (assuming all other relevant factors remain constant or have negligible changes). This, in turn, causes the level of the VIX Index to increase. Because the level of the VIX Index may increase in times of uncertainty, the VIX Index is known as the “fear gauge” of the broad U.S. equities market. The VIX Index historically has had negative correlations to the S&P 500® Index.
Because the VIX Index is not a tangible item that can be purchased and sold directly, a futures contract on the VIX Index provides for the payment and receipt of cash based on the level of the VIX Index at settlement or liquidation of the contract. A futures contract provides for a specified settlement month in which the cash settlement is made or in which the underlying asset or financial instrument is to be delivered by the seller (whose position is therefore described as “short”) and acquired by the purchaser (whose position is therefore described as (“long”). There is no purchase price paid or received on the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Instead, an amount of cash or cash equivalents must be deposited with the broker as “initial margin.” This amount varies based on the requirements imposed by the exchange clearing houses, but may be lower than 5% of the notional value of the contract. This margin deposit provides collateral for the obligations of the parties to the futures contract.
Futures on the VIX Index were first launched for trading by the CBOE in 2004. VIX Index futures have expirations ranging from the near month consecutively out to the tenth month. Futures on the VIX Index provide investors the ability to invest in forward market volatility based on their view of the future direction or movement of the VIX Index. Investors who believe the implied volatility of the S&P 500® Index will increase may buy VIX Index futures, expecting that the VIX Index will rise. Conversely, investors who believe that the implied volatility of the S&P 500® Index will decline may sell VIX Index futures, expecting the VIX Index will fall.
Investment Restrictions
Each Fund has adopted as fundamental policies the investment restrictions numbered (1) through (7) below. Except as noted below, each Fund, as a fundamental policy, may not:
(1)(a) With respect to PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund, invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries, except that the Fund will invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in securities of companies that are principally engaged in the U.S. real estate industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
(b) With respect to PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
(c) With respect to PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio, invest more than 25% of the value of its net assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
(2)(a) With respect to each Fund except for PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio, borrow money, except that the Fund may (i) borrow money from banks for temporary or emergency purposes (but not for leverage or the purchase of investments) up to 10% of its total assets and (ii) make other investments or engage in other transactions permissible under the 1940 Act that may be deemed to involve a borrowing, to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
(b) With respect to PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio, borrow money, except the Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, (ii) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, or (iii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the 1940 Act.
(3) Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
(4) Make loans to other persons, except through (i) the purchase of debt securities permissible under the Fund’s investment policies, (ii) repurchase agreements or (iii) the lending of portfolio securities, provided that no such loan of portfolio securities may be made by the Fund if, as a result, the aggregate of such loans would exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets.
(5) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund (i) from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts or other derivative instruments, or (ii) from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
(6) Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prohibit the Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other instruments backed by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate activities).
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(7) Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
Except for restrictions (2), (4)(ii) and (iii) and (7), if a Fund adheres to a percentage restriction at the time of investment, a later increase in percentage resulting from a change in market value of the investment or the total assets, or the sale of a security out of the portfolio, will not constitute a violation of that restriction. With respect to restrictions (2), (4)(ii) and (iii) and (7), in the event that a Fund’s borrowings, repurchase agreements and loans of portfolio securities at any time exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed and collateral received), less the Fund’s liabilities (other than borrowings or loans) due to subsequent changes in the value of the Fund’s assets or otherwise, within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays), the Fund will take corrective action to reduce the amount of its borrowings, repurchase agreements and loans of portfolio securities to an extent that such borrowings, repurchase agreements and loans will not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed and collateral received) less the Fund’s liabilities (other than borrowings or loans).
The foregoing fundamental investment policies cannot be changed as to a Fund without approval by holders of a “majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities.” As defined in the 1940 Act, this means the vote of (i) 67% or more of the Fund’s Shares present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s Shares are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund’s Shares, whichever is less.
In addition to the foregoing fundamental investment policies, each Fund also is subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions and policies, which may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval. Each Fund may not:
(1) Sell securities short, unless the Fund owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short at no added cost, and provided that transactions in options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts or other derivative instruments are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.
(2) Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions; and provided that margin deposits in connection with futures contracts, options on futures contracts or other derivative instruments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin.
(3) Purchase securities of open-end or closed-end investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act, although the Fund may not acquire any securities of registered open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.
(4) Invest in direct interests in oil, gas or other mineral exploration programs or leases; however, the Fund may invest in the securities of issuers that engage in these activities.
(5) Invest in illiquid securities if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets would be invested in illiquid securities.
The investment objective of each Fund is a non-fundamental policy that can be changed by the Board without approval by shareholders upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
In accordance with the 1940 Act rules, PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund has adopted a policy to invest at least 80% of the value of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in real estate securities, and PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio has adopted a policy to invest in futures contracts and other securities in an amount that provides investment exposure of at least 80% of the value of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) to China A-Shares (each, an “80% investment policy”). Each 80% investment policy is non-fundamental. The Board of the Trust may change each Fund’s 80% investment policy without shareholder approval, upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
A discussion of each Fund’s investment policies and the risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the “Summary Information—Principal Investment Strategies” and “Summary Information—Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” sections for each Fund and the “Additional Information About the Funds’ Strategies and Risks” section of the Prospectuses. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, those sections of each Prospectus.
An investment in the Funds should be made with an understanding that the value of the Funds’ portfolio holdings may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the value of futures contracts or other instruments, the value of the Funds’ portfolio holdings or changes in the financial condition of the issuers of those portfolio holdings and other factors that affect the market, as applicable.
An investment in each Fund also should be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in futures contracts, securities and other assets, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Shares). The Funds’ portfolio holdings are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and investor emotions and perceptions change. 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 or banking crises.
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The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that dealers will make or maintain a market or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for a Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide. Because PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio issues and redeems Creation Units partially in-kind and partially for cash, and PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio issue and redeem Creation Units principally for cash, they may incur higher costs in buying and selling securities than if they issued and redeemed Creation Units principally in-kind.
Futures. The PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio will invest in futures contracts listed on the Singapore Exchange. The PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio also will invest in futures contracts, including S&P 500 Futures that are listed on the CME. PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio also will invest in futures contracts. Each of PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio does not expect to invest in options or enter into swap agreements, including credit default swaps, but may do so if such investments are in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders.
Futures contracts are used to simulate full investment, to facilitate trading or to reduce transaction costs. Each Fund will not use futures for speculative purposes. Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party (a “Counterparty”) of a specified amount of a specific instrument or index at a specified future time and at a specified price. Stock index contracts are futures contracts based on indices that reflect the market value of common stock of the firms included in the indices. This type of futures contract differs from over-the-counter futures contracts (“OTC futures”), which are negotiated directly with a Counterparty. As such, investments in stock index futures contracts do not subject a Fund to the standard counterparty risks of OTC futures, which include the risk that the Counterparty will default on its obligations. In the futures markets, the exchange clearing corporation takes the other side in all transactions, either buying or selling directly to the market participants. The clearinghouse acts as the counterparty to all exchange-traded futures contracts. That is, a Fund’s obligation is to the clearinghouse, and a Fund will look to the clearinghouse to satisfy the Fund’s rights under the futures contract.
To the extent that a Fund does invest in OTC futures, it will be subject to credit risk with respect to a Counterparty. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery, or no recovery at all, or may experience significant delays in obtaining recovery if a futures contract Counterparty experiences financial difficulties and becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under the OTC futures contract.
Each Fund must segregate liquid assets or enter into off-setting positions to “cover” open positions in futures contracts. For futures contracts that do not cash settle, a Fund must segregate liquid assets equal to the full notional value of the futures contracts while the positions are open. For futures contracts that do cash settle, a Fund is permitted to set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market net obligations (i.e., the Fund’s daily net liability) under the futures contract, if any, rather than their full notional value.
Because the China Benchmark cannot be purchased or sold directly, the futures in which PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio invests provide for the payment and receipt of cash based on the level of the China Benchmark at settlement or liquidation of the contract. A futures contract provides for a specified settlement month in which the cash settlement is made or in which the underlying asset or financial instrument is to be delivered by the seller (whose position is therefore described as “short”) and acquired by the purchaser (whose position is therefore described as “long”). There is no purchase price paid or received on the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Instead, an amount of cash or cash equivalents must be deposited with the broker as “initial margin.” This amount varies based on the requirements imposed by the exchange clearing houses, but may be lower than 5% of the notional value of the contract. This margin deposit provides collateral for the obligations of the parties to the futures contract. This initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract and is returned to the Fund upon termination of the futures contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Subsequent payments, known as “variation margin,” to and from the broker will be made daily as the price of the index underlying the futures contract fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking-to-market.” At any time prior to expiration of a futures contract, a Fund may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position, which will operate to terminate a Fund’s existing position in the contract.
Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. A Fund may engage in forward foreign currency contracts (a) in anticipation of, or to protect itself against, fluctuations in exchange rates or (b) to increase or decrease its exposure to foreign currencies. A forward foreign currency contract is an obligation to buy or sell a particular currency at a specified price at a future date. Forward foreign currency contracts are typically individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers in the interbank market. A Fund may enter into forward foreign currency contracts with respect to a specified purchase or sale of a security, or with respect to its portfolio positions generally.
At the maturity of a forward foreign currency contract, a Fund may either exchange the currencies specified at the maturity of the contract or, prior to maturity, enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Closing transactions with respect to forward foreign currency contracts are usually effected with the counterparty to the original forward contract. A Fund may also enter into forward foreign currency contracts that do not provide for physical settlement of the two currencies but instead are settled by a single cash payment calculated as the difference between the agreed upon exchange rate and the spot rate at settlement based upon an agreed upon notional amount (non-deliverable forwards).
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Generally, with respect to forward foreign currency contracts that are not contractually required to cash-settle (i.e., are deliverable), a Fund covers its open positions by setting aside liquid assets equal to the contracts’ full notional value. With respect to forward foreign currency contracts that are contractually required to cash-settle (i.e., a non-deliverable forward (NDF) or the synthetic equivalent thereof), however, certain Funds set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the fund’s daily mark-to-market obligation (i.e., the Fund’s daily net liability, if any), rather than the contract’s full notional value. By setting aside assets equal to its net obligations under forward contracts that are cash-settled or treated as being cash-settled, the Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to segregate assets equal to the full notional value of such contracts. Segregated assets cannot be sold or transferred unless equivalent assets are substituted in their place or it is no longer necessary to segregate them. As a result, there is a possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Fund’s assets could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Under definitions adopted by the CFTC and SEC, non-deliverable forwards are considered swaps, and therefore are included in the definition of commodity interests. Although non-deliverable forwards have historically been traded in the OTC market, as swaps they may in the future be required to be centrally cleared and traded on public facilities. Forward foreign currency contracts that qualify as deliverable forwards are not regulated as swaps for most purposes, and are not included in the definition of commodity interests. However these forwards are subject to some requirements applicable to swaps, including reporting to swap data repositories, documentation requirements, and business conduct rules applicable to swap dealers. CFTC regulation of forward foreign currency contracts, especially non-deliverable forwards, may restrict a Fund’s ability to use these instruments in the manner described above.
The cost to a Fund of engaging in forward foreign currency contracts varies with factors such as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period, interest rate differentials and the prevailing market conditions. Because forward foreign currency contracts are usually entered into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are typically involved. The use of forward foreign currency contracts does not eliminate fluctuations in the prices of the underlying securities a Fund owns or intends to acquire, but it does establish a rate of exchange in advance. While forward foreign currency contract sales limit the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, they also limit any potential gain that might result should the value of the currencies increase.
General Risks of Futures. The use of futures contracts involves special considerations and risks, as described below. Risks pertaining to particular strategies are described in the sections that follow:
(1) Successful use of hedging and non-hedging transactions depends upon the Adviser’s or Sub-Adviser’s ability to correctly predict the direction of changes in the value of the applicable markets and securities. There can be no assurance that any particular hedging strategy will succeed.
(2) In a hedging transaction, there might be imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between the price movements of an instrument (such as a futures contract) and the price movements of the investments being hedged. Such a lack of correlation might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of the investments being hedged, such as changing interest rates, market liquidity, and speculative or other pressures on the markets in which the hedging instrument is traded.
(3) Hedging strategies, if successful, can reduce risk of loss by wholly or partially offsetting the negative effect of unfavorable price movements in the investments being hedged. However, hedging strategies can also reduce opportunity for gain by offsetting the positive effect of favorable price movements in the hedged instruments.
(4) There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time.
(5) As described above, each of PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio might be required to maintain assets as “cover,” maintain segregated accounts or make margin payments when it takes positions in instruments involving obligations to third parties. If a Fund were unable to close out its positions in such instruments, it might be required to continue to maintain such assets or accounts or make such payments until the position expired or matured. The requirements might impair the Fund’s ability to sell a portfolio security or make an investment at a time when it would otherwise be favorable to do so, or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time.
(6) There is no assurance that a Fund will use hedging transactions. For example, if the Fund determines that the cost of hedging will exceed the potential benefit to the Fund, the Fund will not enter into such transaction.
(7) Non-hedging transactions present greater profit potential but also involve increased risk relative to hedging transactions.
Rolling, Backwardation and Contango. When purchasing stocks or bonds, the buyer acquires ownership in the security; however, buyers of futures contracts are not entitled to ownership of the underlying asset until and unless they decide to accept
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delivery at expiration of the contract. In practice, delivery of the underlying asset to satisfy a futures contract rarely occurs because most futures traders use the liquidity of the central marketplace to sell their futures contract before expiration. As futures contracts approach expiration, they may be replaced by similar contracts that have a later expiration. For example, a contract purchased and held in June 2016 may have an expiration date in September 2016. As this contract nears expiration, a long position in the contract may be replaced by selling the September 2016 contract and purchasing a contract expiring in March 2017. This process is referred to as “rolling.”
The price of a futures contract is generally higher or lower than the spot price of the underlying asset when there is significant time to expiration of the contract due to various factors within the market. As a futures contract nears expiration, the futures price will tend to converge to the spot price. Historically, the prices of some futures contracts with near-term expirations may be higher for futures contracts than for futures contracts with longer-term expirations. This circumstance is referred to as “backwardation.” If the market for futures contracts is “backwardated,” the sale of the near-term month contract would be at a higher price than the longer-term contract, and futures investors generally will earn positive returns. Conversely, a “contango” market is one in which the price of futures contracts in the near-term months are lower than the price of futures contracts in the longer-term months. If the market for futures contacts is in “contango,” meaning that the prices of futures contracts in the nearer months are lower than the price of contracts in the distant months, the sale of the near-term month contract would be at a lower price than the longer-term contract, resulting in a cost to “roll” the futures contract, and futures investors generally will see negative returns. The actual realization of a potential roll cost will depend on the difference in price of the near and distant contracts. In addition, the PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio may determine not to “roll” futures contracts on a predefined schedule as they approach expiration; instead the Sub-Adviser may determine to roll to another futures contract in an attempt to generate maximum yield. There can be no guarantee that such a strategy will produce the desired results.
Options. The PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio may invest in options. A call option gives a holder the right to purchase a specific security or an index at a specified price (“exercise price”) within a specified period of time. A put option gives a holder the right to sell a specific security or an index at a specified price within a specified period of time. The initial purchaser of a call option pays the “writer,” i.e., the party selling the option, a premium which is paid at the time of purchase and is retained by the writer whether or not such option is exercised. The PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio may purchase put options to hedge its portfolio against the risk of a decline in the market value of securities held and may purchase call options to hedge against an increase in the price of securities it is committed to purchase. The Fund may write put and call options along with a long position in options to increase its ability to hedge against a change in the market value of the securities it holds or is committed to purchase.
Options on Futures Contracts. An option on a futures contract, as contrasted with the direct investment in such a contract, gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the underlying futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option. Upon exercise of an option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account that represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. The potential for loss related to the purchase of an option on a futures contract is limited to the premium paid for the option plus transaction costs. Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of purchase, there are no daily cash payments by the purchaser to reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option changes daily and that change would be reflected in the NAV of the Fund. The potential for loss related to writing call options on equity securities or indices is unlimited. The potential for loss related to writing put options is limited only by the aggregate strike price of the put option less the premium received.
The Fund may purchase and write put and call options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange as a hedge against changes in value of its portfolio securities, or in anticipation of the purchase of securities, and may enter into closing transactions with respect to such options to terminate existing positions. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected.
Risks of Options Transactions. There are several risks accompanying the utilization of options on futures contracts. The risk of loss in trading uncovered call options in some strategies (e.g., selling uncovered stock index futures contracts) is potentially unlimited. The Fund does not plan to use options contracts in this way. There is also the risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Fund has an open position in the option; however, this risk is substantially minimized because (a) of the regulatory requirement that the broker has to “segregate” customer funds from its corporate funds, and (b) in the case of regulated exchanges in the United States, the clearing corporation stands behind the broker to make good losses in such a situation. The purchase of put or call options could be based upon predictions by the Sub- Adviser as to anticipated trends, which predictions could prove to be incorrect and a part or all of the premium paid therefore could be lost.
CFTC Regulation. Rule 4.5 of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) significantly limits the ability of certain regulated entities, including registered investment companies such as the Funds, to rely on an exclusion that would not require its investment adviser from registering with the CFTC as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”).
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However, under Rule 4.5, the investment adviser of a registered investment company may claim exclusion from registration as a CPO only if the registered investment company that it advises uses futures contracts solely for “bona fide hedging purposes” or limits its use of futures contracts for non-bona fide hedging purposes such that (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish non-bona fide hedging positions with respect to futures contracts do not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the registered investment company’s portfolio, or (ii) the aggregate “notional value” of the non-bona fide hedging commodity interests do not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the registered investment company’s portfolio (taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions).
The Trust has claimed exclusion on behalf of the Funds under Rule 4.5; however, because PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio and PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio do not use futures contracts solely for “bona fide hedging purposes,” nor limit their use of positions in futures contracts in accordance with the requirements of Rule 4.5, each Fund is unable to rely on the exclusion from Rule 4.5 and therefore are subject to regulation under the CEA and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) rules as a commodity pool. The Adviser is registered as a CPO, and the Funds operate in accordance with CFTC rules. Registration as a commodity pool may have negative effects on the ability of a Fund to engage in its planned investment program, while the Adviser’s registration as a CPO imposes additional laws, regulations and enforcement policies, which could increase compliance costs and may affect the operations and financial performance of the Fund. However, each Fund’s status as a commodity pool and the Adviser’s registration as a CPO are not expected to materially adversely affect the ability of the Funds to achieve their respective investment objective.
Moreover, with the Adviser registered as a CPO, PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio and PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio are subject to dual regulation by the CFTC and the SEC. In 2012, the CFTC issued “harmonization” rules that permit CPOs of registered investment companies, such as these Funds, to rely on substituted compliance, whereby compliance with certain SEC rules is deemed compliant with certain CFTC rules with respect to disclosure and reporting requirements. The CFTC’s harmonization rules relating to disclosure and reporting requirements between the CFTC and the SEC should not materially affect the ability of these Funds to achieve their investment objectives within the constraints of the dual regulation. If these Funds were to experience difficulty in implementing their investment strategies or achieving their investment objectives, the Adviser may recommend that the Board reorganize or close the Funds or to materially change the Funds’ investment objectives and strategies.
Warrants. The PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio may purchase warrants. They give the holder the right to purchase a given number of shares of a particular company at specified prices within certain periods of time. The purchaser of a warrant expects that the market price of the security will exceed the purchase price of the warrant plus the exercise price of the warrant, thus giving him a profit. Since the market price may never exceed the exercise price before the expiration date of the warrant, the purchaser of the warrant risks the loss of the entire purchase price of the warrant. Warrants generally trade in the open market and may be sold rather than exercised. Warrants are sometimes sold in unit form with other securities of an issuer. Units of warrants and common stock may be employed in financing young, unseasoned companies. The purchase price of a warrant varies with the exercise price of the warrant, the current market value of the underlying security, the life of the warrant and various other investment factors.
Underlying Investment Companies Risk. A Fund’s investment performance when investing in other investment companies may depend on the investment performance of the underlying investment companies (including ETFs) in which it invests. An investment in the Funds may be subject to the risks associated with the underlying investment companies. Each Fund will pay indirectly a proportional share of the fees and expenses of the underlying funds in which it invests, while continuing to pay its own unitary management fee. As a result, shareholders indirectly will absorb duplicate levels of fees with respect to investments in the underlying funds. In addition, at times certain segments of the market represented by the underlying funds in which the Funds invest may be out of favor and underperform other segments.
Political and Economic Risks of Investing in China. The value of PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio’s assets may be adversely affected by political and economic factors in China, inadequate investor protection and changes in Chinese laws or regulations. In addition, the Chinese economy may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in respects such as the rate of growth of gross domestic product, the rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, balance of payments position and sensitivity to changes in global trade. The Chinese government has exercised and continues to exercise significant influence over many aspects of the economy. Accordingly, future government actions could have a significant effect on the country’s economy, which could affect PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio, market conditions, and prices and yields of securities of PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio.
Money Market Instruments. Each Fund may invest a portion of its assets in high-quality money market instruments on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity. The instruments in which a Fund may invest include: (i) short-term obligations issued by the U.S. Government; (ii) negotiable CDs, fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of U.S. and foreign banks and similar institutions; (iii) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or “A-1+” or “A-1” by S&P or has a similar rating from a comparable rating agency, or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable; and (iv) money market mutual funds, including affiliated money market funds. CDs are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Banker’s acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
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U.S. Government Obligations. Each Fund may invest in short-term U.S. Government obligations. Short-term obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities include bills, notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury, as well as “stripped” or “zero coupon” U.S. Treasury obligations representing future interest or principal payments on U.S. Treasury notes or bonds. Stripped securities are sold at a discount to their “face value,” and may exhibit greater price volatility than interest-bearing securities because investors receive no payment until maturity.
Short-term obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association (“SLMA”), are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations; still others, although issued by an instrumentality chartered by the U.S. Government, like the Federal Farm Credit Bureau (“FFCB”), are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. In 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) placed Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) into conservatorship.
Since that time, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have received significant capital support through U.S. Treasury preferred stock purchases as well as U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve purchases of their mortgage backed securities. While the purchase programs for mortgage-backed securities ended in 2010, the U.S. Treasury continued its support for the entities’ capital as necessary to prevent a negative net worth. However, no assurance can be given that the Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury, or FHFA initiatives discussed above will ensure that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will remain successful in meeting their obligations with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities they issue. In addition, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are also the subject of several continuing class action lawsuits and investigations by federal regulators, which (along with any resulting financial restatements) may adversely affect the guaranteeing entities. Importantly, the future of the entities is in serious question as the U.S. Government is considering multiple options, ranging from significant reform, nationalization, privatization, consolidation, or abolishment of the entities.
The FHFA and the U.S. Treasury (through its agreements to purchase preferred stock of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) also have imposed strict limits on the size of the mortgage portfolios of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In August 2012, the U.S. Treasury amended its preferred stock purchase agreements to provide that the portfolios of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be wound down at an annual rate of 15 percent (up from the previously agreed annual rate of 10 percent), requiring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to reach the $250 billion target four years earlier than previously planned. Further, when a ratings agency downgraded long-term U.S. Government debt in August 2011, the agency also downgraded the bond ratings of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, from AAA to AA+, based on their direct reliance on the U.S. Government (although that rating did not directly relate to their mortgage-backed securities). The U.S. Government’s commitment to ensure that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have sufficient capital to meet their obligations was, however, unaffected by the downgrade.
The U.S. Treasury has put in place a set of financing agreements to help ensure that these entities continue to meet their obligations to holders of bonds they have issued or guaranteed. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to U.S. Government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer were to default, a Fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover their investment from the U.S. Government.
Other Investment Companies. Each Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, non-exchange traded U.S. registered open-end investment companies (mutual funds), closed-end investment companies, or non-U.S. investment companies traded on foreign exchanges beyond the limits permitted under the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust in 2012 pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the 1940 Act (the “2012 Order”). Absent such exemptive relief, each Fund’s investments in investment companies would be limited to, subject to certain exceptions, (i) 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company and (iii) 10% of the Fund’s total assets of investment companies in the aggregate. However, as a non-fundamental restriction, each Fund may not acquire any securities of registered open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.
Under the pertinent terms of the 2012 Order, each Fund may invest in registered investment companies in excess of the 3% limitations imposed by Sections 12(d)(1)(A) and 12(d)(1)(C) of the 1940 Act. The total amount of securities held by each Fund, both individually and when aggregated with all other shares of the acquired fund held by other registered investment companies or private investment pools advised by the Adviser or its affiliates (as well as shares held by the Adviser and its affiliates) cannot exceed 25% of the outstanding voting securities of the acquired investment company, and none of these entities (including the Funds) may individually or collectively exert a controlling influence over the acquired investment company. Each Fund may not rely on the 2012 Order to acquire an investment company that itself has ownership of investment company shares in excess of the limitations contained
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in Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act. To the extent necessary to comply with the provisions of the 1940 Act or the 2012 Order, on any matter upon which an underlying investment company’s shareholders are solicited to vote, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser as applicable, will vote the underlying investment company shares in the same general proportion as shares held by other shareholders of the underlying investment company.
In addition, an affiliate of the Trust previously obtained exemptive relief in 2007 (which extends to the Trust) that allows other investment companies to acquire shares of the Funds in excess of the limitations imposed by Section 12(d)(1)(A) (the “2007 Order”). This relief is conditioned on those acquiring funds obtaining a participation agreement signed by both the acquiring fund and the fund that it wishes to acquire in excess of the 12(d)(1)(A) limitations. If a Fund relies on the 2012 Order, it will not enter into a participation agreement pursuant to the 2007 Order, and if a Fund has a signed participation agreement in effect pursuant to the 2007 Order, it will not rely on the 2012 Order.
Illiquid Securities. Each Fund may hold up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities (calculated at the time of investment). Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets. Each Fund will monitor its portfolio liquidity on an ongoing basis to determine whether, in light of current circumstances, an adequate level of liquidity is being maintained, and will consider taking appropriate steps in order to maintain adequate liquidity if, through a change in values, net assets, or other circumstances, more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets are held in illiquid securities or other illiquid assets.
With respect to the PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, all equity securities in which the Fund invests will be listed on either the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or the NASDAQ. The Fund will not invest in over-the-counter equity securities or equities listed on a non-U.S. exchange.
The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that dealers will make or maintain a market or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of a Fund’s Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for a Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets.
Borrowing. Each Fund may borrow money from a bank or another person up to limits set forth in the section “Investment Strategies and Restrictions—Investment Restrictions” to meet shareholder redemptions, for temporary or emergency purposes and for other lawful purposes. Borrowed money will cost a Fund interest expense and/or other fees. The costs of borrowing may reduce a Fund’s return. Borrowing also may cause a Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations to repay borrowed monies. To the extent that a Fund has outstanding borrowings, it will be leveraged. Leveraging generally exaggerates the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund’s portfolio securities.
Leverage. In addition to structural leverage, such as bank borrowings, the PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio and PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio may invest in portfolio investments, such as investments in derivatives (including futures contracts), that may give rise to a form of economic leverage. Because derivatives may have a component of economic leverage, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset can result in the magnification of gains or losses on the investment held by a fund, and depending on the investment can potentially result in a loss greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Any investments in instruments with economic leverage will be covered with segregated or ear-marked assets in accordance with SEC guidance. The use of leverage may cause a Fund to liquidate portfolio positions to satisfy its obligations or to meet any required asset segregation requirements when it may not be advantageous for the Fund to do so.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund may invest all of its total assets in equity (e.g., common stock, preferred stock and convertible securities), debt securities and/or convertible debt securities issued by REITs. REITs pool investors’ funds for investments primarily in real estate properties, to the extent allowed by law. Investment in REITs may be the most practical available means for the Fund to invest in the real estate industry. As a shareholder in a REIT, the Fund would bear its ratable share of the REIT’s expenses, including its advisory and administration fees. At the same time, the Fund would continue to pay its own investment advisory fees and other expenses, as a result of which the Fund and its shareholders in effect will be absorbing duplicate levels of fees with respect to investments in REITs. A REIT may focus on particular projects, such as apartment complexes, or geographic regions, such as the southeastern U.S., or both.
REITs generally can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs generally invest a majority of their assets in income-producing real estate properties to generate cash flow from rental income and gradual asset appreciation. The income-producing real estate properties in which equity REITs invest typically include properties such as office, retail, industrial, hotel and apartment buildings, self storage, specialty and diversified and healthcare facilities. Equity REITs can realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments on the mortgages. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity REITs and mortgage REITs.
REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners. The Fund may invest in both publicly and privately traded REITs.
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The Fund conceivably could own real estate directly as a result of a default on the securities it owns. Therefore, the Fund may be subject to certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including difficulties in valuing and trading real estate, declines in the values of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, adverse changes in the climate for real estate, environmental liability risks, increases in property taxes, capital expenditures and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, limitations on rents, changes in neighborhood values, the appeal of properties to tenants and increases in interest rates.
In addition to the risks described above, equity REITs may be affected by any changes in the value of the underlying property owned by those trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Equity and mortgage REITs depend upon specialized management skill, are not diversified and therefore are subject to the risk of financing single or a limited number of projects. Such REITs also are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to maintain an exemption from the 1940 Act. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his/her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of REITs.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities. PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund may invest in mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities are mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, or issued by nongovernment entities. Mortgage-related securities represent pools of mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by various government agencies, such as GNMA and government-related organizations such as FNMA and Federal Home Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), as well as by nongovernment issuers such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers and private mortgage insurance companies. Although certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party or otherwise similarly secured, the market value of the security, which may fluctuate, is not so secured.
There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities they issue. Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA include GNMA Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as “Ginnie Maes”), which are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest. That guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. GNMA is a corporation wholly owned by the U.S. Government within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mortgage-related securities issued by FNMA include FNMA Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as “Fannie Maes”) and are guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by FNMA itself and backed by a line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. FNMA is a government-sponsored entity wholly owned by public stockholders. Mortgage-related securities issued by FHLMC include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates (also known as “Freddie Macs”) guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by FHLMC itself and backed by a line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. FHLMC is a government-sponsored entity wholly owned by public stockholders. FNMA and FHLMC each may borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet its obligations, but the U.S. Treasury is under no obligation to lend to FNMA or FHLMC.
Other asset-backed securities are structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements and from sales of personal property. Asset-backed securities typically have no U.S. Government backing. Additionally, the ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal, regulatory and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities.
If the Fund purchases a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security at a premium, that portion may be lost if there is a decline in the market value of the security whether resulting from changes in interest rates or prepayments in the underlying collateral. As with other interest-bearing securities, the prices of such securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates. Although the value of a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since in periods of declining interest rates the mortgages and loans underlying the securities are prone to prepayment, thereby shortening the average life of the security and shortening the period of time over which income at the higher rate is received. When interest rates are rising, the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the period of time over which income at the lower rate is received. For these and other reasons, a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security’s average maturity may be shortened or lengthened as a result of interest rate fluctuations and, therefore, it is not possible to predict accurately the security’s return.
Risks of Mortgage-Related Securities. Investment in mortgage-backed securities poses several risks, including prepayment, market and credit risk. Prepayment risk reflects the risk that borrowers may prepay their mortgages faster than expected, thereby affecting the investment’s average life and perhaps its yield. Whether or not a mortgage loan is prepaid is almost entirely controlled by the borrower. Borrowers are most likely to exercise prepayment options at the time when it is least advantageous to investors, generally prepaying mortgages as interest rates fall, and slowing payments as interest rates rise. Beside the effect of prevailing interest rates, the rate of prepayment and refinancing of mortgages also may be affected by home value appreciation, ease of the refinancing process and local economic conditions.
Market risk reflects the risk that the price of the security may fluctuate over time. The price of mortgage-backed securities may be particularly sensitive to prevailing interest rates, the length of time the security is expected to be outstanding and the liquidity of the
13
issuer. In a period of unstable interest rates, or under a variety of other circumstances, there may be decreased demand for certain types of mortgage-backed securities, and a Fund invested in such securities wishing to sell them may find it difficult to find a buyer, which may in turn decrease the price at which they may be sold.
Credit risk reflects the risk that PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund may not receive all or part of its principal because the issuer or credit enhancer has defaulted on its obligations. Obligations issued by U.S. Government-related entities are guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. The performance of private label mortgage-backed securities, issued by private institutions, is based on the financial health of those institutions. With respect to GNMA certificates, although GNMA guarantees timely payment even if homeowners delay or default, tracking the “pass-through” payments may, at times, be difficult.
When-Issued Securities. PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund may purchase when-issued securities. Purchasing securities on a “when-issued” basis means that the date for delivery of and payment for the securities is not fixed at the date of purchase, but is set after the securities are issued. The payment obligation and, if applicable, the interest rate that will be received on the securities are fixed at the time the buyer enters into the commitment. The Fund will only make commitments to purchase such securities with the intention of actually acquiring such securities, but the Fund may sell these securities before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable.
Securities purchased on a when-issued basis and the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio are subject to changes in market value based upon the public’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and, if applicable, the changes in the level of interest rates. Therefore, if the Fund is to remain substantially fully invested at the same time that it has purchased securities on a when-issued basis, there will be a possibility that the market value of the Fund’s assets will fluctuate to a greater degree. Furthermore, when the time comes for the Fund to meet its obligations under when-issued commitments, the Fund will do so by using then available cash flow, by sale of the segregated liquid assets, by sale of other securities, or although it would not normally expect to do so, by directing the sale of when-issued securities themselves (which may have a market value greater or less than the Fund’s payment obligation).
Investment in securities on a when-issued basis may increase a Fund’s exposure to market fluctuation and may increase the possibility that the Fund will incur short-term gains subject to federal taxation or short-term losses if the Fund must sell another security in order to honor a when-issued commitment. The Fund will employ techniques designed to reduce such risks. If the Fund purchases a when-issued security, the Fund will segregate liquid assets in an amount equal to the when-issued commitment. If the market value of such segregated assets declines, additional liquid assets will be segregated on a daily basis so that the market value of the segregated assets will equal the amount of the Fund’s when-issued commitments. No additional delayed delivery agreements (as described above) or when-issued commitments will be made by the Fund if, as a result, more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets would become so committed.
Preferred Stock. PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund may invest in preferred stock. Preferred stock, unlike common stock, often offers a stated dividend rate payable from a corporation’s earnings. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, a negative feature when interest rates decline. Dividends on some preferred stock may be “cumulative,” requiring all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends are paid on the issuer’s common stock. Preferred stock generally also has a preference over common stock on the distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of liquidation of the corporation, and may be “participating,” which means that it may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. In some cases an issuer may offer auction rate preferred stock, which means that the dividend to be paid is set by auction and will often be reset at stated intervals. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of a liquidation generally are subordinate to the rights associated with a corporation’s debt securities.
Equity Securities and Common Stocks. The Funds may invest in equity securities and common stocks. Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stock and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, equity securities have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity.
Receipt of Issuer’s Nonpublic Information. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser (through their portfolio managers, analysts, or other representatives) may receive material nonpublic information about an issuer that may restrict the ability of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser to cause the Funds to buy or sell securities of the issuer on behalf of the Funds for substantial periods of time. This may impact the Funds’ ability to realize profit or avoid loss with respect to the issuer and may adversely affect the Funds’ flexibility with respect to buying or selling securities, potentially impacting Fund performance. For example, activist investors of certain issuers in which the Adviser or Sub-Adviser holds large positions may contact representatives of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser and may disclose material nonpublic information in such communication. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser would be restricted from trading on the basis of such material nonpublic information, limiting their flexibility in managing the Funds and possibly impacting Fund performance.
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Cybersecurity Risk. The Funds, like all companies, may be susceptible to operational and information security risks. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Funds or their service providers or the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Funds and their shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Each Fund calculates its portfolio turnover rate by dividing the value of the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal period by the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the fiscal period. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the portfolio securities (other than short-term securities) were replaced once during the fiscal period. Portfolio turnover rates will vary from year to year, depending on market conditions. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2015, the portfolio turnover rate for the PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio varied significantly from the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2014 due to application of the Fund’s investment process. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2015, the portfolio turnover rate for the PowerShares S&P 500 Downside Hedged Portfolio varied significantly from the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2014, due to the Fund dynamically allocating its assets between stocks and VIX Index exposure in response to market movements. Additionally, during high market volatility, the Fund may sell its holdings and invest in cash, which occurred several times in the fiscal year ended October 31, 2015.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
Quarterly Portfolio Schedule. The Trust is required to disclose, after its first and third fiscal quarters, the complete schedule of each Fund’s portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-Q. The Trust will also disclose a complete schedule of each Fund’s portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-CSR after its second and fourth quarters.
The Trust’s Form N-Qs and Form N-CSRs for the Funds are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Trust’s Form N-Qs and Form N-CSRs, also may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 202.551.8090. The Trust’s Form N-Qs and Form N-CSRs are available without charge, upon request, by calling 630.933.9600 or 800.983.0903 or by writing to PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust at 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515.
Portfolio Holdings Policy. The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Trust’s portfolio holdings. The Board must approve all material amendments to this policy.
The Funds’ portfolio holdings are disseminated publicly each day that the Funds are open for business through financial reporting and news services, including publicly accessible Internet websites. In addition, for in-kind creations, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for Shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, is disseminated publicly each day prior to the opening of the Exchange via www.pstrader.net. Additionally, the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) will make available the amount of cash required for a Creation Unit. The basket represents one Creation Unit of a Fund. Information regarding the amount of cash representing one Creation Unit of a Fund also is disseminated publicly each day prior to the opening of the Exchange via www.pstrader.net. The Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser and The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM” or the “Administrator”) will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust.
Access to information concerning the Funds’ portfolio holdings may be permitted at other times to personnel of third party service providers, including the Funds’ custodian, transfer agent, auditors and counsel, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with such service providers’ agreements with the Trust on behalf of each Fund.
The primary responsibility of the Board is to represent the interests of each Fund and to provide oversight of the management of each Fund. The Trust currently has eight Trustees. Seven Trustees have no affiliation or business connection with the Adviser or any of its affiliated persons and do not own any stock or other securities issued by the Adviser. These are the “non-interested” (as such term is defined under the 1940 Act) or “independent” Trustees (“Independent Trustees”). The other Trustee (the “Interested Trustee”) is affiliated with the Adviser.
The Independent Trustees of the Trust, their term of office and length of time served, their principal business occupations during at least the past five years, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex (defined below) that they oversee, and other directorships, if any, that they hold are shown below. The “Fund Complex” includes all open and closed-end funds (including all of their portfolios) advised by the Adviser and any funds that have an investment adviser that is an affiliated person of the Adviser. As of the date of this SAI, the “Fund Family” consists of the Trust and four other ETF trusts advised by the Adviser.
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Name, Address and Year of Birth of Independent Trustees |
Position(s) Held with Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served* |
Principal Occupation(s) During At Least the Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Independent Trustees |
Other Directorships Held by Independent Trustee During the Past 5 Years | |||||
Ronn R. Bagge—1958 c/o Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and Trustee | Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and Trustee since 2008 | Founder and Principal, YQA Capital Management LLC (1998-Present); formerly Owner/CEO of Electronic Dynamic Balancing Co., Inc. (high-speed rotating equipment service provider). | 127 | None | |||||
Todd J. Barre—1957 c/o Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Trustee | Since 2010 | Assistant Professor of Business, Trinity Christian College (2010-Present); formerly Vice President and Senior Investment Strategist (2001-2008), Director of Open Architecture and Trading (2007-2008), Head of Fundamental Research (2004-2007), and Vice President and Senior Fixed Income Strategist (1994-2001), BMO Financial Group/Harris Private Bank. | 127 | None | |||||
Marc M. Kole—1960 c/o Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Chairman of the Audit Committee and Trustee | Chairman of the Audit Committee and Trustee since 2008 | Senior Director of Finance, By The Hand Club for Kids (2015-Present); formerly, Chief Financial Officer, Hope Network (social services) (2008-2012); Assistant Vice President and Controller, Priority Health (health insurance) (2005-2008); Senior Vice President of Finance, United Healthcare (2004-2005); Chief Accounting Officer, Senior Vice President of Finance, Oxford Health Plans (2000-2004); Audit Partner, Arthur Andersen LLP (1996-2000). | 127 | None | |||||
Yung Bong Lim—1964 c/o Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Chairman of the Investment Oversight Committee and Trustee | Chairman of the Investment Oversight Committee since 2014; Trustee since 2013 | Managing Partner, Residential Dynamics Group LLC (2008-Present); formerly, Managing Director, Citadel Investment Group, L.L.C. (1999-2007). | 127 | None | |||||
Philip M. Nussbaum—1961 c/o Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Trustee | Since 2008 | Chairman, Performance Trust Capital Partners (2004-Present). | 127 | None | |||||
Gary R. Wicker—1961 c/o Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Trustee | Since 2013 | Senior Vice President of Global Finance and Chief Financial Officer of RBC Ministries (publishing company) (2013-Present); formerly, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Zondervan Publishing (a division of Harper Collins/NewsCorp) (2007-2012); Senior Vice President and Group Controller (2005-2006), Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2003-2004), Chief Financial Officer (2001-2003), Vice President, Finance and Controller (1999-2001) and Assistant Controller (1997-1999), divisions of The Thomson Corporation (information services provider). | 127 | None |
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Name, Address and Year of Birth of Independent Trustees |
Position(s) Held with Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served* |
Principal Occupation(s) During At Least the Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Independent Trustees |
Other Directorships Held by Independent Trustee During the Past 5 Years | |||||
Donald H. Wilson—1959 c/o Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Chairman of the Board and Trustee | Trustee Since 2008; Chairman Since 2012 | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Stone Pillar Advisors, Ltd. (2010-Present); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Financial Shares, Inc. and Community Bank—Wheaton/Glen Ellyn (subsidiary) (2013-2015); Chief Operating Officer, AMCORE Financial, Inc. (bank holding company) (2007-2009); Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, AMCORE Financial, Inc. (2006-2007); Senior Vice President and Treasurer, Marshall & Ilsley Corp. (bank holding company) (1995-2006). | 127 | None |
* | This is the date the Independent Trustee began serving the Trust. Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his successor is elected. |
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The Interested Trustee and the executive officers of the Trust, their term of office and length of time served, their principal business occupations during at least the past five years, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex overseen by the Interested Trustee and the other directorships, if any, held by the Interested Trustee, are shown below.
Name, Address and Year of Birth of Interested Trustee |
Position(s) Held with Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served* |
Principal Occupation(s) During At Least the Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Interested Trustee |
Other Directorships Held by Interested Trustee During the Past 5 Years | |||||
Kevin M. Carome—1956 Invesco Ltd. Two Peachtree Pointe 1555 Peachtree St., N.E. Suite 1800 Atlanta, GA 30309 |
Trustee | Since 2010 | Senior Managing Director, Secretary and General Counsel, Invesco Ltd. (2007-Present); Director, Invesco Advisers, Inc. (2009-Present); Director, Invesco Finance PLC, and Invesco Holding Company Limited; Director and Executive Vice President, Invesco Finance, Inc., Invesco Group Services, Inc., Invesco Investments (Bermuda) Ltd., Invesco North American Holdings, Inc., IVZ, Inc. and Invesco Asset Management (Bermuda) Ltd.; Manager, Horizon Flight Works LLC; Director and Secretary, IVZ Bahamas Private Limited; formerly, Director, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc., Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Invesco Advisers, Inc. (2003-2005); Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Liberty Financial Companies, Inc. (2000-2001); General Counsel of certain investment management subsidiaries of Liberty Financial Companies, Inc. (1998-2000); Associate General Counsel, Liberty Financial Companies, Inc. (1993-1998); Associate, Ropes & Gray LLP. | 127 | None |
* | This is the date the Interested Trustee began serving the Trust. Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his successor is elected. |
Name, Address and Year of Birth of Executive Officers |
Position(s) Held with Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served* |
Principal Occupation(s) During At Least the Past 5 Years | |||
Daniel E. Draper—1968 Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
President and Principal Executive Officer | Since 2015 | President and Principal Executive Officer, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2015-Present); Managing Director, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2013-Present); Senior Vice President, Invesco Distributors, Inc. (2014-Present); formerly, Vice President, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2013-2015) and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2014-2015); Managing Director, Credit Suisse Asset Management (2010-2013) and Lyxor Asset Management/Societe Generale (2007-2010). |
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Name, Address and Year of Birth of Executive Officers |
Position(s) Held with Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served* |
Principal Occupation(s) During At Least the Past 5 Years | |||
Peter Hubbard—1981 Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Vice President | Since 2009 | Vice President, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2009-Present) and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2014-Present); Vice President and Director of Portfolio Management, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2010-Present); formerly, Vice President of Portfolio Management, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2008-2010); Portfolio Manager, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2007-2008); Research Analyst, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2005-2007); Research Analyst and Trader, Ritchie Capital, a hedge fund operator (2003-2005). | |||
David Warren—1957 Invesco Canada Ltd. 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 800 Toronto, Ontario M2N 6X7 |
Vice President | Since 2009 | Vice President, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2009-Present) and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2014-Present); Managing Director—Chief Administrative Officer, Americas, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC; Senior Vice President, Invesco Advisers, Inc. (2009-Present); Director, Invesco Inc. (2009-Present); Senior Vice President, Invesco Management Group, Inc. (2007-Present); Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Invesco Canada Ltd. (formerly, Invesco Trimark Ltd.); Chief Administrative Officer, North American Retail, Invesco Ltd. (2007-Present); Director, Invesco Corporate Class Inc. (2014-Present); Director, Invesco Global Direct Real Estate Feeder GP Ltd. (2015-Present); Director, Invesco Canada Holdings Inc. (2002-Present); Director, Invesco Financial Services Ltd. / Services Financiers Invesco Ltée and Trimark Investments Ltd./Placements Trimark Ltée (2014-Present); Director, Invesco IP Holdings (Canada) Ltd. (2016-Present); Director, Invesco Global Direct Real Estate GP Ltd. (2015-Present); formerly, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Invesco Inc. (2009-2015); Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Invesco Canada Ltd. (formerly, Invesco Trimark Ltd.) (2000-2011). | |||
Christopher Joe—1969 Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1000 Houston, TX 77046 |
Chief Compliance Officer |
Since 2012 | Chief Compliance Officer of Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2015-Present); Chief Compliance Officer of PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2012-Present) and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2014-Present); formerly, Chief Compliance Officer, Invesco Investment Advisers, LLC (registered investment adviser) (2010–2013), U.S. Compliance Director, Invesco, Ltd. (2006-2014) and Deputy Chief Compliance Officer of Invesco Advisers, Inc. (2014-2015). |
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Name, Address and Year of Birth of Executive Officers |
Position(s) Held with Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served* |
Principal Occupation(s) During At Least the Past 5 Years | |||
Sheri Morris—1964 Invesco Management Group, Inc. 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1000 Houston, TX 77046 |
Vice President | Since 2012 | Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer, The Invesco Funds; Vice President, Invesco Advisers, Inc. (formerly known as Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc.) (registered investment adviser) (2009-Present) and Vice President, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2012-Present) and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2014-Present); formerly, Treasurer, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2011-2013); Vice President, Invesco Aim Advisers, Inc., Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc. and Invesco Aim Private Asset Management, Inc.; Assistant Vice President and Assistant Treasurer, The Invesco Funds and Assistant Vice President, Invesco Advisers, Inc., Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc. and Invesco Aim Private Asset Management, Inc. | |||
Rudolf E. Reitmann—1971 Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Vice President | Since 2013 | Vice President, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2013-Present) and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2014-Present); Head of Global Exchange Traded Funds Services, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2013-Present). | |||
Steven M. Hill—1964 Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Vice President and Treasurer |
Since 2013 | Vice President and Treasurer, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2013-Present) and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2014-Present); Head of Global ETF Administration, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2011-Present); Principal Financial and Accounting Officer – Investment Pools, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2015-Present); formerly, Senior Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Destra Capital Management LLC and its subsidiaries (2010-2011); Chief Financial Officer, Destra Investment Trust and Destra Investment Trust II (2010-2011); Senior Managing Director, Claymore Securities, Inc. (2003-2010); and Chief Financial Officer, Claymore sponsored mutual funds (2003-2010). | |||
Anna Paglia—1974 Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700 Downers Grove, IL 60515 |
Secretary | Since 2011 | Secretary, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust (2011-Present) and PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (2014-Present); Head of Legal (2010-Present) and Secretary (2015-Present), Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (2010-Present); formerly, Partner, K&L Gates LLP (formerly, Bell Boyd & Lloyd LLP) (2007-2010); Associate Counsel at Barclays Global Investors Ltd. (2004-2006). |
* | This is the date the officer began serving the Trust. Each officer serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected. |
For each Trustee, the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Trustee in the Trust and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustee as of December 31, 2015 is shown below.
Name of Trustee |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio |
Dollar Range
of Equity Securities in PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio |
Dollar Range
of Equity Securities in PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Fund Family | |||||
Ronn R. Bagge |
None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||||
Todd J. Barre |
None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||||
Marc M. Kole |
None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||||
Yung Bong Lim |
None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||||
Philip M. Nussbaum |
None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||||
Gary R. Wicker |
None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||||
Donald H. Wilson |
None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||||
Kevin M. Carome |
None | None | None | None | Over $100,000 |
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The dollar range of Shares for Messrs. Bagge, Lim and Nussbaum includes Shares of certain funds in which each of Messrs. Bagge, Lim and Nussbaum is deemed to be invested pursuant to the Trust’s deferred compensation plan (“DC Plan”), which is described below.
As of December 31, 2015, as to each Independent Trustee and his immediate family members, no person owned beneficially or of record securities in an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Funds, or a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Funds.
Board and Committee Structure. As noted above, the Board is responsible for oversight of the Funds, including oversight of the duties performed by the Adviser for each Fund, under the investment advisory agreement (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”). The Board generally meets in regularly scheduled meetings five times a year, and may meet more often as required. During the Trust’s fiscal year ended October 31, 2015, the Board held seven meetings.
The Board has three standing committees, the Audit Committee, the Investment Oversight Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee, and has delegated certain responsibilities to those Committees.
Messrs. Kole (Chair), Wicker and Wilson currently serve as members of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee has the responsibility, among other things, to: (i) approve and recommend to the Board the selection of the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm, (ii) review the scope of the independent registered public accounting firm’s audit activity, (iii) review the audited financial statements and (iv) review with such independent registered public accounting firm the adequacy and the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting. During the Trust’s fiscal year ended October 31, 2015, the Audit Committee held five meetings.
Messrs. Bagge (Chair), Barre, Kole, Lim, Nussbaum. Wicker and Wilson currently serve as members of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee has the responsibility, among other things, to identify and recommend individuals for Board membership and evaluate candidates for Board membership. The Board will consider recommendations for trustees from shareholders. Nominations from shareholders should be in writing and sent to the Secretary of the Trust to the attention of the Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee, as described below under the caption “Shareholder Communications.” During the Trust’s fiscal year ended October 31, 2015, the Nominating and Governance Committee held four meetings.
Messrs. Bagge, Barre, Lim (Chair) and Nussbaum currently serve as members of the Investment Oversight Committee, which was created in March 2014. The Investment Oversight Committee has the responsibility, among other things, (i) to review investment performance of the Funds, (ii) to review any proposed changes to a Fund’s investment policies, comparative benchmark indices, and (iii) to review the Funds’ market trading activities and portfolio transactions. During the Trust’s fiscal year ended October 31, 2015, the Investment Oversight Committee held five meetings.
Mr. Wilson, one of the Independent Trustees, serves as the chair of the Board (the “Independent Chair”). The Independent Chair, among other things, chairs the Board meetings, participates in the preparation of the Board agendas and serves as a liaison between, and facilitates communication among, the other Independent Trustees, the full Board, the Adviser and other service providers with respect to Board matters. The Chairs of each Committee also serve as liaisons between the Adviser and other service providers and the other Independent Trustees for matters pertaining to the respective Committee. The Board believes that its current leadership structure is appropriate taking into account the assets and number of funds overseen by the Trustees, the size of the Board and the nature of the funds’ business, as the Interested Trustee and officers of the Trust provide the Board with insight as to the daily management of the funds while the Independent Chair promotes independent oversight of the funds by the Board.
Risk Oversight. Each Fund is subject to a number of risks, including operational, investment and compliance risks. The Board, directly and through its Committees, as part of its oversight responsibilities, oversees the services provided by the Adviser and the Trust’s other service providers in connection with the management and operations of the Funds, as well as their associated risks. Under the oversight of the Board, the Trust, the Adviser and other service providers have adopted policies, procedures and controls to address these risks. The Board, directly and through its Committees, receives and reviews information from the Adviser, other service providers, the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm, Trust counsel and counsel to the Independent Trustees to assist it in its oversight responsibilities. This information includes, but is not limited to, reports regarding the Funds’ investments, including Fund performance and investment practices, valuation of Fund portfolio securities, and compliance. The Board also reviews, and must approve any proposed changes to, each Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions, and reviews any areas of non-compliance with each Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. The Audit Committee monitors the Trust’s accounting policies, financial reporting and internal control system and reviews any internal audit reports impacting the Trust. As part of its compliance oversight, the Board reviews the annual compliance report issued by the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer on the policies and procedures of the Trust and its service providers, proposed changes to those policies and procedures and quarterly reports on any material compliance issues that arose during the period.
Experience, Qualifications and Attributes. As noted above, the Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying, evaluating and recommending trustee candidates. The Nominating and Governance Committee reviews the background
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and the educational, business and professional experience of trustee candidates and the candidates’ expected contributions to the Board. Trustees selected to serve on the Board are expected to possess relevant skills and experience, time availability and the ability to work well with the other Trustees. In addition to these qualities and based on each Trustee’s experience, qualifications and attributes and the Trustees’ combined contributions to the Board, following is a brief summary of the information that led to the conclusion that each Board member should serve as a Trustee.
Mr. Bagge has served as a trustee and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee with the Fund Family since 2003. He founded YQA Capital Management, LLC in 1998 and has since served as a principal. Previously, Mr. Bagge was the owner and CEO of Electronic Dynamic Balancing Company from 1988 to 2001. He began his career as a securities analyst for institutional investors, including CT&T Asset Management and J.C. Bradford & Co. The Board considered that Mr. Bagge has served as a board member or advisor for several privately held businesses and charitable organizations and the executive, investment and operations experience that Mr. Bagge has gained over the course of his career and through his financial industry experience.
Mr. Barre has served as a trustee with the Fund Family since 2010. He has served as Assistant Professor of Business at Trinity Christian College since 2010. Previously, he served in various positions with BMO Financial Group/Harris Private Bank, including Vice President and Senior Investment Strategist (2001-2008), Director of Open Architecture and Trading (2007-2008), Head of Fundamental Research (2004-2007) and Vice President and Senior Fixed Income Strategist (1994-2001). From 1983 to 1994, Mr. Barre was with the Office of the Manager of Investments at Commonwealth Edison Co. He also was a staff accountant at Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. from 1981 to 1983. The Board considered the executive, financial and investment experience that Mr. Barre has gained over the course of his career and through his financial industry experience.
Mr. Carome has served as a trustee with the Fund Family since 2010. He has served as the Senior Managing Director and General Counsel of Invesco Ltd. since 2006, and has held various senior executive positions with Invesco Ltd. since 2003. Previously, he served in various positions with Liberty Financial Companies, Inc., including Senior Vice President and General Counsel (2000-2001), General Counsel of certain investment management subsidiaries (1998-2000) and Associate General Counsel (1993-1998). Prior to his employment with Liberty Financial Companies, Inc., Mr. Carome was an associate with Ropes & Gray LLP. The Board considered Mr. Carome’s senior executive position with Invesco Ltd.
Mr. Kole has served as a trustee with the Fund Family since 2006 and Chairman of the Audit Committee since 2008. He has been the Senior Director of Finance of By the Hand Club for Kids since 2015. He was the Chief Financial Officer of Hope Network from 2008 to 2012. Previously, he was the Assistant Vice President and Controller at Priority Health from 2005 to 2008, Senior Vice President of Finance of United Healthcare from 2004 to 2005, Chief Accounting Officer and Senior Vice President of Finance of Oxford Health Plans from 2000 to 2004 and an Audit Partner at Arthur Andersen LLP from 1996 to 2000. The Board of the Trust has determined that Mr. Kole is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the SEC. The Board considered the executive, financial and operations experience that Mr. Kole has gained over the course of his career and through his financial industry experience.
Mr. Lim has served as a trustee with the Fund Family since 2013 and Chairman of the Investment Oversight Committee since 2014. He has been a Managing Partner of Residential Dynamics Group LLC since 2008. Previously, he was a Managing Director and the Head of the Securitized Products Group of Citadel Investment Group, L.L.C. (1999-2007). Prior to his employment with Citadel Investment Group, L.L.C., he was a Managing Director with Salomon Smith Barney. The Board considered the executive, financial and operations experience that Mr. Lim has gained over the course of his career and through his financial industry experience.
Mr. Nussbaum has served as a trustee with the Fund Family since 2003. He has served as the Chairman of Performance Trust Capital Partners since 2004 and was the Executive Vice President of Finance from 1994 to 1999. Mr. Nussbaum also served as Managing Director of the Communication Institute from 2002 to 2003. Prior to joining Performance Trust Capital Partners in 1994, he was a Vice President at Clayton Brown & Associates. Before that, he was a senior examiner with the Financial Markets Unit of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The Board considered the executive, financial, investment and operations experience that Mr. Nussbaum has gained over the course of his career and through his financial industry experience.
Mr. Wicker has served as a trustee with the Fund Family since 2013. He has served as Senior Vice President of Global Finance and Chief Financial Officer at RBC Ministries since 2013. He was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Zondervan Publishing from 2007 to 2012. Previously, he held various positions with divisions of The Thomson Corporation, including Senior Vice President and Group Controller (2005-2006), Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2003-2004), Chief Financial Officer (2001-2003), Vice President, Finance and Controller (1999-2001) and Assistant Controller (1997-1999). Prior to that, Mr. Wicker was Senior Manager in the Audit and Business Advisory Services Group of Price Waterhouse (1985-1996). The Board of the Trust has determined that Mr. Wicker is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the SEC. The Board considered the executive, financial and operations experience that Mr. Wicker has gained over the course of his career and through his financial industry experience.
Mr. Wilson has served as a trustee with the Fund Family since 2006 and as the Independent Chair since 2012. He also served as lead Independent Trustee in 2011. He has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stone Pillar Advisers, Ltd. since 2010. Previously, he was the Chairman, President and Chief Executive
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Officer of Community Financial Shares, Inc., and its subsidiary, Community Bank – Wheaton/Glen Ellyn (2013-2015), and was the Chief Operating Officer (2007-2009) and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2006-2007) of AMCORE Financial, Inc. Mr. Wilson also served as Senior Vice President and Treasurer of Marshall & Ilsley Corp. from 1995 to 2006. He started his career with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, serving in several roles in the bank examination division and the economic research division. The Board of the Trust has determined that Mr. Wilson is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the SEC. The Board considered the executive, financial and operations experience that Mr. Wilson has gained over the course of his career and through his financial industry experience.
This disclosure is not intended to hold out any Trustee as having any special expertise and shall not impose greater duties, obligations or liabilities on the Trustees. The Trustees’ principal occupations during at least the past five years are shown in the above tables.
For his services as a Trustee of the Trust and other trusts in the Fund Family, each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer of $225,000 (the “Retainer”). The Retainer is allocated half pro rata among all of the funds in the Fund Family and the other half is allocated among all of the funds in the Fund Family based on average net assets. Mr. Wilson receives an additional $70,000 per year for his service as the Independent Chair, allocated in the same manner as the Retainer. The chair of the Audit Committee receives an additional fee of $25,000 per year and the chairs of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Investment Oversight Committee each receive an additional fee of $15,000 per year, all allocated in the same manner as the Retainer. Effective January 1, 2016, the Retainer increased to $250,000. Also effective January 1, 2016, the additional fee for the Independent Chair increased to $78,000, the additional fee for the chair of the Audit Committee increased to $28,000 and the additional fees for the chairs of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Investment Oversight Committee each increased to $17,000. Each Trustee also is reimbursed for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending Board and committee meetings.
The DC Plan allows each Independent Trustee to defer payment of all, or a portion, of the fees the Trustee receives for serving on the Board throughout the year. Each eligible Trustee generally may elect to have deferred amounts credited with a return equal to the total return of one or more registered investment companies within the Fund Family that are offered as investment options under the DC Plan. At the Trustee’s election, distributions are either in one lump sum payment, or in the form of equal annual installments over a period of years designated by the Trustee. The rights of an eligible Trustee and the beneficiaries to the amounts held under the DC Plan are unsecured and such amounts are subject to the claims of the creditors of the Funds. The Independent Trustees are not eligible for any pension or profit sharing plan in their capacity as Trustees.
The following sets forth the fees paid to each Trustee for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2015.
Name of Trustee |
Aggregate Compensation From Trust |
Pension or Retirement Benefits accrued as part of Fund Expenses |
Total Compensation Paid From Fund Family (1) | |||
Ronn R. Bagge |
$5,558 | N/A | $240,000 | |||
Todd J. Barre |
$5,211 | N/A | $225,000 | |||
Marc M. Kole |
$5,791 | N/A | $250,000 | |||
Yung Bong Lim |
$5,407 | N/A | $240,000 | |||
Philip M. Nussbaum |
$5,211 | N/A | $225,000 | |||
Gary R. Wicker |
$5,211 | N/A | $225,000 | |||
Donald H. Wilson |
$6,832 | N/A | $295,000 | |||
Kevin M. Carome |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
(1) | The amounts shown in this column represent the aggregate compensation paid by all funds of the trusts in the Fund Family for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2015 before deferral by the Trustees under the DC Plan. For the fiscal year October 31, 2015, Mr. Bagge deferred 10% of his compensation and both Mr. Lim and Mr. Nussbaum deferred 100% of his compensation, with such amounts reflected in the above table. |
As of the date of this SAI, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, owned less than 1% of each Fund’s outstanding Shares.
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Principal Holders and Control Persons. The following table sets forth the name, address and percentage of ownership of each person who is known by the Trust to own, of record or beneficially, 5% or more of each Fund’s outstanding Shares as of February 1, 2016.
POWERSHARES ACTIVE U.S. REAL ESTATE FUND
Name & Address |
% Owned | |
State Street Bank and Trust Company One Lincoln Street Boston, Massachusetts 02111 |
53.96% | |
National Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street New York, New York 10281 |
14.58% | |
Pershing LLC 1 Pershing Plaza Jersey City, New Jersey 07399 |
6.23% |
POWERSHARES CHINA A-SHARE PORTFOLIO
Effective as of the close of the market on March 18, 2016, the
PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio will cease trading and liquidate thereafter.
Name & Address |
% Owned | |
Goldman, Sachs & Co. 200 West St. New York, New York 10282 |
6.58% | |
National Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street New York, New York 10281 |
21.89% | |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, California 94105 |
13.14% | |
J.P. Morgan Clearing Corp 1 MetroTech Center North Brooklyn New York, New York 11201 |
24.85% | |
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 4211 South 102nd Street Omaha, Nebraska 68127 |
6.64% |
POWERSHARES MULTI-STRATEGY ALTERNATIVE PORTFOLIO
Name & Address |
% Owned | |
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 2000 Westchester Avenue Purchase, New York 10577 |
15.84% | |
RBC Capital Markets, LLC 165 Broadway New York, New York 10006 |
27.58% | |
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC 1585 Broadway New York, New York 10036 |
7.70% | |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association 1111 Polaris Parkway Columbus, Ohio 43240 |
11.48% | |
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated 4 Corporate Place Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 |
15.12% | |
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC 1585 Broadway Avenue New York, New York 10036 |
7.70% |
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POWERSHARES S&P 500® DOWNSIDE HEDGED PORTFOLIO
Name & Address |
% Owned | |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, California 94105 |
7.46% | |
National Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street New York, New York 10281 |
26.34% | |
Pershing LLC 1 Pershing Plaza Jersey City, New Jersey 07399 |
13.13% | |
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Avenue Jersey City, New Jersey 07302 |
13.12% | |
The Bank of New York Mellon One Wall Street New York, New York 10286 |
23.48% | |
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 4211 South 102nd Street Omaha, Nebraska 68127 |
6.18% |
Shareholder Communications. Shareholders may send communications to the Trustees by addressing the communications directly to the Board (or individual Board members) and/or otherwise clearly indicating in the salutation that the communication is for the Board (or individual Board members). The shareholder may send the communication to either the Trust’s office or directly to such Board members at the address specified for each Trustee. Other shareholder communications the Trust receives not directly addressed and sent to the Board will be reviewed and generally responded to by management. Such communications will be forwarded to the Board at management’s discretion based on the matters contained therein.
Investment Adviser. The Adviser provides investment tools and portfolios for advisers and investors. The Adviser is committed to theoretically sound portfolio construction and empirically verifiable investment management approaches. Its asset management philosophy and investment discipline is rooted deeply in the application of intuitive factor analysis and model implementation to enhance investment decisions.
The Adviser acts as investment adviser for each Fund and manages the investment and reinvestment of the Funds’ assets. For PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio, the Adviser oversees the Sub-Adviser and delegates to the Sub-Adviser the duties of the investment and reinvestment of the Fund’s assets. The Adviser also administers the Trust’s business affairs, provides office facilities and equipment and certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services, and permits any of its officers or employees to serve without compensation as Trustees or officers of the Trust if elected to such positions.
Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC, organized February 7, 2003, is located at 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515.
Invesco Ltd. is the parent company of Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC and is located at Two Peachtree Pointe, 1555 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30309. Invesco Ltd. and its subsidiaries are an independent global investment management group.
Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser manages the investment and reinvestment of PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund’s and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio’s assets on an ongoing basis under the supervision of the Adviser. The Sub-Adviser, Invesco Advisers, Inc., is located at Two Peachtree Pointe, 1555 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30309.
Portfolio Managers. The Adviser uses a team of portfolio managers (the “Portfolio Managers”), investment strategists and other investment specialists. This team approach brings together many disciplines and leverages the Adviser’s extensive resources. Peter Hubbard oversees all research, portfolio management and trading operations of the Adviser. In this capacity, he oversees the team of the Portfolio Managers responsible for the day-to-day management of PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio. Mr. Hubbard receives management assistance from Michael Jeanette, Tony Seisser and Theodore Samulowitz in managing PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio.
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As of October 31, 2015, Mr. Hubbard managed 120 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $49.8 billion in assets, 54 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $47.3 billion in assets and no other accounts.
As of October 31, 2015, Mr. Jeanette managed 100 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $34.3 billion in assets, 26 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $44.7 billion in assets and no other accounts.
As of October 31, 2015, Mr. Samulowitz managed 22 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $2.4 billion in assets, one other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $4.7 million in assets and no other accounts.
As of October 31, 2015, Mr. Seisser managed 100 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $34.3 billion in assets, 26 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $44.7 billion in assets and no other accounts.
The Sub-Adviser’s portfolio managers develop investment models which are used in connection with the management of PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio. The information below reflects the other funds for which each portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities. Accounts are grouped into three categories: (i) registered investment companies, (ii) other pooled investment vehicles and (iii) other accounts. To the extent that any of these accounts pay advisory fees that are based on account performance (“performance-based fees”), information on those accounts is specifically broken out. In addition, any assets denominated in foreign currencies have been converted into U.S. dollars using the exchange rates as of the applicable date.
As of October 31, 2015, Mark Blackburn managed 11 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $8.6 billion in assets, 6 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $1.4 billion in assets and 42 other accounts with approximately $15 billion in assets. One of the other accounts, with assets of approximately $263.3 million, managed by Mr. Blackburn has an advisory fee which is based on the performance of the account.
As of October 31, 2015, Paul S. Curbo managed 11 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $8.6 billion in assets, 6 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $1.4 billion in assets and 42 other accounts with approximately $15 billion in assets. One of the other accounts, with assets of approximately $263.3 million, managed by Mr. Curbo has an advisory fee which is based on the performance of the account.
As of October 31, 2015, Joe V. Rodriguez, Jr., managed 11 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $8.6 billion in assets, 6 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $1.4 billion in assets and 42 other accounts with approximately $15 billion in assets. One of the other accounts, with assets of approximately $263.3 million, managed by Mr. Rodriguez has an advisory fee which is based on the performance of the account.
As of October 31, 2015, Darin Turner managed 8 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $7.7 billion in assets, 6 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $1.4 billion in assets and 42 other accounts with approximately $15 billion in assets. One of the other accounts, with assets of approximately $263.3 million, managed by Mr. Turner has an advisory fee which is based on the performance of the account.
As of October 31, 2015, Ping-Ying Wang managed 11 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $8.6 billion in assets, 6 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $1.4 billion in assets and 42 other accounts with approximately $15 billion in assets. One of the other accounts, with assets of approximately $263.3 million, managed by Ms. Wang has an advisory fee which is based on the performance of the account.
As of October 31, 2015, Duy Nguyen managed 7 registered investment companies with a total of approximately $1.2 billion in assets, 7 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $613.5 million in assets and no other accounts.
As of February 1, 2016, Jacob Borbidge managed one registered investment company with a total of approximately $11 million in assets, no pooled investment vehicles and no other accounts.
Description of Compensation Structure—Adviser. The Portfolio Managers are compensated with a fixed salary amount by the Adviser. The Portfolio Managers are eligible, along with other senior employees of the Adviser, to participate in a year-end discretionary bonus pool. The Compensation Committee of the Adviser will review management bonuses and, depending upon the size, the bonuses may be approved in advance by the Compensation Committee. There is no policy regarding, or agreement with, the Portfolio Managers or any other senior executive of the Adviser to receive bonuses or any other compensation in connection with the performance of any of the accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers.
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Description of Compensation Structure—Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals. The Sub-Adviser’s portfolio managers receive a base salary, an incentive bonus opportunity, and an equity compensation opportunity. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed and may be modified each year as appropriate to reflect changes in the market, as well as to adjust the factors used to determine bonuses to promote good sustained fund performance. The Sub-Adviser evaluates competitive market compensation by reviewing compensation survey results conducted by an independent third party of investment industry compensation. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:
The Sub-Adviser’s portfolio managers are paid a base salary. In setting the base salary, the Sub-Adviser’s intention is to be competitive in light of the particular portfolio manager’s experience and responsibilities. The portfolio managers are eligible, along with other senior employees of the Sub-Adviser, to participate in a year-end discretionary bonus pool. The Compensation Committee of Invesco Ltd. reviews and approves the amount of the bonus pool available for Invesco’s investment centers. The Compensation Committee considers investment performance and financial results in its review. In addition, while having no direct impact on individual bonuses, assets under management are considered when determining the starting bonus funding levels. A portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus which is based on quantitative (i.e., investment performance) and non-quantitative factors (which may include, but are not limited to, individual performance, risk management and teamwork).
Each portfolio manager’s compensation is linked to the pre-tax investment performance of the funds/accounts managed by the portfolio manager as described in Table 1 below.
Table 1
Sub-Adviser |
Performance Time Period (1) | |
Invesco (2) |
One-, Three- and Five-year performance against Fund peer group. |
(1) | Rolling time periods based on calendar year end. |
(2) | Portfolio managers may be granted a short-term award that vests on a pro-rata basis over a four-year period and final payments are based on the performance of eligible funds selected by the portfolio manager at the time the award is granted. |
High investment performance (against applicable peer group) would deliver compensation generally associated with top pay in the industry (determined by reference to the third-party provided compensation survey information) and poor investment performance (versus applicable peer group) would result in low bonus compared to the applicable peer group or no bonus at all. These decisions are reviewed and approved collectively by senior leadership which has responsibility for executing the compensation approach across the organization.
Portfolio managers may be awarded options to purchase common shares and/or granted restricted shares of Invesco stock from pools determined from time to time by the Remuneration Committee of the Invesco Ltd. Board of Directors. Awards of equity-based compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
Portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees.
Portfolio Holdings.
As of October 31, 2015, Messrs. Blackburn, Curbo, Rodriguez, Turner, Seisser, Jeanette and Ms. Wang did not own any securities of the Funds.
As of February 1, 2016, Mr. Borbidge did not own any securities of the Funds.
As of October 31, 2015, the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by Mr. Hubbard in the Funds was $10,001 to $50,000. The portfolio holdings of Mr. Hubbard, as of October 31, 2015, in the Funds in which he owns Shares are shown below.
Peter Hubbard | Dollar Range | |||||||||||
Fund |
$1 to $10,000 |
$10,001 to $50,000 |
$50,001 to $100,000 |
$100,001 to $500,000 |
$500,001 to $1,000,000 |
over $1,000,000 | ||||||
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio |
X |
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As of October 31, 2015, the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by Mr. Nguyen in the Funds was $10,001 to $50,000. The portfolio holdings of Mr. Nguyen, as of October 31, 2015, in the Funds in which he owns Shares are shown below.
Duy Nguyen | Dollar Range | |||||||||||
Fund |
$1 to $10,000 |
$10,001 to $50,000 |
$50,001 to $100,000 |
$100,001 to $500,000 |
$500,001 to $1,000,000 |
over $1,000,000 | ||||||
PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio |
X |
As of October 31, 2015, the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by Mr. Samulowitz in the Funds was $1 to $10,000. The portfolio holdings of Mr. Samulowitz, as of October 31, 2015, in the Funds in which he owns Shares are shown below.
Theodore Samulowitz | Dollar Range | |||||||||||
Fund |
$1 to $10,000 |
$10,001 to $50,000 |
$50,001 to $100,000 |
$100,001 to $500,000 |
$500,001 to $1,000,000 |
over $1,000,000 | ||||||
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio |
X |
Because the portfolio managers of the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser may manage assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and certain high net worth individuals), there may be an incentive to favor one client over another, resulting in conflicts of interest. For instance, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from a Fund, or it may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over a Fund. In addition, a conflict of interest could exist to the extent that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser has proprietary investments in certain accounts, where portfolio managers have personal investments in certain accounts or when certain accounts are investment options in the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser’s employee benefits and/or deferred compensation plans. The portfolio manager may have an incentive to favor these accounts over others. If the Adviser or Sub-Adviser manages accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which a Fund invests, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the accounts engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser have adopted trade allocation and other policies and procedures that they believe are reasonably designed to address these and other conflicts of interest.
Investment Advisory Agreement. Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, each Fund pays the Adviser an advisory fee. The Adviser is responsible for all expenses of the Funds, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services, except for advisory fees, distribution fees, if any, brokerage expenses, taxes, (including Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any), interest, litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses. For the Adviser’s services to the Funds, each Fund has agreed to pay an annual unitary management fee, paid monthly, equal to a percentage of its average daily net assets set forth in the chart below (the “Advisory Fee”).
Fund |
Fee | |
PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Portfolio |
0.80% | |
PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio |
0.50% | |
PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio |
0.95% | |
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio |
0.39% |
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The Advisory Fees paid by the Funds to the Adviser and the Advisory Fees waived by the Adviser for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2013,2014 and 2015 are set forth in the chart below. Because PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio did not commence operations until after the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013, the Fund did not pay any Advisory Fees for the 2013 fiscal year.
Advisory Fees Paid for
the Fiscal Year Ended |
Advisory Fees Waived for
the Fiscal Year Ended |
Date of Commencement of Investment Operations | ||||||||||||
Fund |
October 31, 2015 |
October 31, 2014 |
October 31, 2013 |
October 31, 2015 |
October 31, 2014 |
October 31, 2013 |
||||||||
PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund |
$397,081 | $283,478 | $205,414 | $(30) | $(22) | None | 11/19/2008 | |||||||
PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio |
$45,372 | $11,696 | $754 | $(3,893) | $(1,539) | $(79) | 10/08/2013 | |||||||
PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio |
$155,519 | $76,375 | N/A | $(3,084) | $(3,602) | N/A | 05/27/2014 | |||||||
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio |
$2,309,217 | $974,729 | $130,207 | $(213,625) | $(86,708) | $(2,263) | 12/04/2012 |
The Funds may invest in money market funds that are managed by affiliates of the Adviser. The indirect portion of the management fee that a Fund incurs through such investments is in addition to the Adviser’s management fee. Therefore, the Adviser has agreed to waive the fees that it receives under the management fee in an amount equal to the indirect management fees that a Fund incurs through its investments in affiliated money market funds through August 31, 2017. There is no guarantee that the Adviser will extend the waiver of these fees past that date.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by a Fund in connection with the performance of the Investment Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder. The Investment Advisory Agreement continues in effect (following its initial term) only if approved annually by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Investment Advisory Agreement terminates automatically upon assignment and is terminable at any time without penalty as to each Fund by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by vote of the holders of a majority of that Fund’s outstanding voting securities on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser, or by the Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund.
Sub-Advisory Agreements. The Adviser has entered into sub-advisory agreements with certain affiliates to serve as sub-advisers to PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio (each, a “Sub-Advisory Agreement”) pursuant to which these affiliated sub-advisers may be appointed by the Adviser from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice and/or order execution services to those Funds. These affiliated sub-advisers are:
• | Invesco Advisers, Inc. (previously defined as “Invesco”); |
• | Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH (“Invesco Deutschland”); |
• | Invesco Asset Management Limited (“Invesco Asset Management”); |
• | Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited (“Invesco Japan”); |
• | Invesco Hong Kong Limited (“Invesco Hong Kong”); |
• | Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (“Invesco Senior Secured”); and |
• | Invesco Canada Ltd. (“Invesco Canada”). |
The Adviser and each affiliated sub-adviser listed above are indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of Invesco Ltd. Under each Sub-Advisory Agreement, each sub-adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Funds in connection with the performance of the Sub-Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of sub-adviser in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder. Each Sub-Advisory Agreement continues in effect (following their initial term) only if approved annually by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees.
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Each Sub-Advisory Agreement terminates automatically upon assignment or termination of the Advisory Agreement and are terminable at any time without penalty as to a Fund by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities on 60 days’ written notice to the relevant Sub-Adviser, by the Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the relevant Sub-Adviser or by the Sub-Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Trust.
Invesco currently serves as Sub-Adviser to each of PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio. The Adviser pays the Sub-Adviser a fee which will be computed daily and paid as of the last day of each month equal to 40% of the Adviser’s monthly compensation with respect to the assets of the Funds for which the Sub-Adviser provides sub-advisory services. On an annual basis, the Sub-Advisory fee is equal to 40% of the Adviser’s compensation of the sub-advised assets per year.
Invesco is located at Two Peachtree Pointe, 1555 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30309.
Invesco Deutschland is located at An der Welle 5M, 1st Floor, Frankfurt, Germany 60322.
Invesco Asset Management is located at Perpetual Park, Perpetual Park Drive, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1HH, United Kingdom.
Invesco Japan is located at Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 14F, P.O. Box 115, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6114, Japan.
Invesco Hong Kong is located at 41st Floor, Citibank Tower, 3 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong.
Invesco Senior Secured is located at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036.
Invesco Canada is located at 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2N 6X7.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser may pay certain broker-dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries for participating in activities that are designed to make registered representatives and other professionals more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Funds, or for other activities, such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems. As of the date of this SAI, the Adviser had arrangements to make payments, other than for the educational programs and marketing activities described above, only to Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (“Schwab”). Pursuant to the arrangement with Schwab, Schwab has agreed to promote select exchange-traded funds advised by the Adviser to Schwab’s customers and not to charge certain of its customers any commissions when those customers purchase or sell shares of those funds. Payments to a broker-dealer or intermediary may create potential conflicts of interest between the broker-dealer or intermediary and its clients. These amounts are paid by the Adviser from its own resources and not from the assets of the Funds.
Administrator. BNYM serves as administrator for the Funds. Its principal address is 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286.
BNYM serves as administrator for the Funds pursuant to a fund administration and account services agreement (the “Administrative Services Agreement”) with the Trust. Under the Administrative Services Agreement, BNYM is obligated on a continuous basis to provide such administrative services as the Board reasonably deems necessary for the proper administration of the Trust and the Funds. BNYM will generally assist in many aspects of the Trust’s and the Funds’ operations, including accounting, bookkeeping and record keeping services (including, without limitation, the maintenance of such books and records as are required under the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, except as maintained by other service providers); assist in preparing reports to shareholders or investors; prepare and file tax returns; supply financial information and supporting data for reports to and filings with the SEC and various state Blue Sky authorities; and supply supporting documentation for meetings of the Board.
Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Administrator for certain liability, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties.
Custodian, Transfer Agent and Fund Accounting Agent. BNYM (the “Custodian” or “Transfer Agent”), located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286, also serves as custodian for the Funds pursuant to a custodian agreement (the “Custodian Agreement”). As Custodian, BNYM holds the Funds’ assets, calculates the NAV of the Shares and calculates net income and realized capital gains or losses. BNYM also serves as transfer agent of the Funds pursuant to a transfer agency agreement (the “Transfer Agency Agreement”). Further, BNYM serves as fund accounting agent pursuant to a fund accounting agreement (the “Fund Accounting Agreement”). As compensation for the foregoing services, BNYM receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid annually by the Adviser from the Advisory Fee.
Distributor. Invesco Distributors, Inc. is the distributor of each Fund’s Shares. The Distributor’s principal address is 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1000, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. The Distributor has entered into a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes the Funds’ Shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by each Fund through the Distributor only in Creation Unit Aggregations, as described in the Prospectus and below under the heading “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations.”
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The Distribution Agreement for the Funds provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least 60 days’ written notice by the Trust to the Distributor (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Aggregations. The Distributor does not distribute shares in less than Creation Unit Aggregations. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus (or a Summary Prospectus) and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Unit Aggregations and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
The Distributor also may enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers also may be Participating Parties (as defined in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations” below) and DTC Participants (as defined in “DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Shares” below).
The policies of the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser regarding purchases and sales of securities is to give primary consideration to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions under the circumstances. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Adviser’s and the Sub-Adviser’s policies are to pay commissions that are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, as applicable, rely upon their experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers. The sale of Shares by a broker-dealer is not a factor in the selection of broker-dealers.
In seeking to implement its policies, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, as applicable, effects transactions with those brokers and dealers that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes provide the most favorable prices and are capable of providing efficient executions. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser and their affiliates currently do not participate in soft dollar transactions.
The Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, as applicable, assumes the general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Funds for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities by the Funds and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser are considered at or about the same time, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, as applicable, allocates transactions in such securities among the Funds, the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Funds are concerned. However, in other cases, it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions and to negotiate lower brokerage commissions will be beneficial to a Fund. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price under the circumstances.
The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the Funds during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are set forth in the chart below. PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio did not commence operations until after the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013, and thus the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions for the 2013 fiscal year.
Fund |
Brokerage Commissions Paid for the Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2015 |
Brokerage Commissions Paid for the Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2014 |
Brokerage Commissions Paid for the Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2013 |
Date
of Commencement of Investment Operations | ||||
PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund |
$51,839 | $36,848 | $19,758 | 11/19/2008 | ||||
PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio |
$56,664 | $20,571 | $2,598 | 10/08/2013 | ||||
PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio |
$20,632 | $11,096 | N/A | 05/27/2014 | ||||
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio |
$777,510 | $190,702 | $43,649 | 12/04/2012 |
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Affiliated Transactions. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser may place trades with Invesco Capital Markets, Inc. (“ICMI”) a broker-dealer with whom it is affiliated, provided the Adviser or Sub-Adviser determines that ICMI’s trade execution abilities and costs are at least comparable to those of non-affiliated brokerage firms with which the Adviser or Sub-Adviser could otherwise place similar trades. ICMI receives brokerage commissions in connection with effecting trades for the Funds and, therefore, use of ICMI presents a conflict of interest for the Adviser and Sub-Adviser. Trades placed through ICMI, including the brokerage commissions paid to ICMI, are subject to procedures adopted by the Board.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST
The Trust is an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on November 6, 2007 pursuant to an Agreement and Declaration of Trust.
The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares in one or more series or “funds.” The Trust currently is comprised of four Series. The Board has the right to establish additional series in the future, to determine the preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges thereof and to modify such preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges without shareholder approval. The Declaration of Trust provides that the assets associated solely with any series shall be held and accounted for separately from the assets of the Trust generally or of any other series, and that liabilities belonging to a particular series shall be enforceable only against the assets belonging to that series and not against the assets of the Trust generally or against the assets belonging to any other series.
Each Share issued by a Fund has a pro rata interest in the assets of the Fund. Shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and are freely transferable. Each Share is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared by the Board with respect to the Fund, and in the net distributable assets of the Fund on liquidation.
Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of the Funds vote together as a single class, except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act or if the matter being voted on affects only a particular Fund. If a matter affects a Fund differently from other funds, the shares of that Fund will vote separately on such matter.
The Trustees may, except in limited circumstances, amend or supplement the Declaration of Trust without shareholder vote. The holders of Shares are required to disclose information on direct or indirect ownership of Shares as may be required to comply with various laws applicable to a Fund, and ownership of Shares may be disclosed by a Fund if so required by law or regulation. The Trust is not required and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Shareholders owning more than 33% of the outstanding Shares of the Trust have the right to call a special meeting to remove one or more Trustees or for any other purpose by written request provided that (1) such request shall state the purposes of such meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on, and (2) the shareholders requesting such meeting shall have paid to the Trust the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing the notice thereof, which the Secretary shall determine and specify to such shareholders.
The Trust does not have information concerning the beneficial ownership of Shares held by DTC Participants (as defined below).
Shareholders may make inquiries by writing to the Trust, c/o the Distributor, Invesco Distributors, Inc., 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1000, Houston, Texas 77046-1173.
Book Entry Only System. The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Book Entry.”
DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Shares. Shares of the Funds are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.
DTC, a limited purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the NYSE and FINRA. Access to the DTC system also is available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
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Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records DTC maintains (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase and sale of Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the Shares of the Funds held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such DTC Participant may transmit such notice, statement or communication, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Fund distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in Shares of the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such Shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
DTC may decide to discontinue providing its service with respect to Shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.
Proxy Voting. The Board believes that the voting of proxies on securities held by a Fund is an important element of the overall investment process. As such, the Board has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by a Fund to the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, votes such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which are summarized in Appendix A (for the Adviser) and in Appendix B (for the Sub-Advisers) to this SAI. The Board periodically reviews each Fund’s proxy voting record.
The Trust is required to disclose annually each Fund’s complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX covering the period July 1 through June 30 and file it with the SEC no later than August 31. Form N-PX for the Trust also is available at no charge upon request by calling 800-983-0903 or by writing to PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust at 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 700, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515. The Trust’s Form N-PX also will be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Codes of Ethics. Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Board has adopted a Code of Ethics for the Trust and approved Codes of Ethics adopted by the Adviser, Sub-Adviser and Distributor (collectively, the “Ethics Codes”). The Ethics Codes are intended to ensure that the interests of shareholders and other clients are placed ahead of any personal interest, that no undue personal benefit is obtained from the person’s employment activities and that actual and potential conflicts of interest are avoided.
The Ethics Codes apply to the personal investing activities of Trustees and officers of the Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor (“Access Persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Ethics Codes are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by Access Persons. Under the Ethics Codes, Access Persons may engage in personal securities transactions, but must report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. The Ethics Codes permit personnel subject to the Ethics Codes to invest in securities subject to certain limitations, including securities that a Fund may purchase or sell. In addition, certain Access Persons must obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements. The Ethics Codes are on file with the SEC and are available to the public at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 202.942.8090. The Ethics Codes are also available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov. The Ethics Codes may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by e-mail at [email protected] or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.
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CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS
Creation. The Trust will issue Shares of each Fund only in Creation Unit Aggregations on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at its NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order in proper form.
A “Business Day” is any day on which NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Deposit of Securities and Deposit or Delivery of Cash. Creation Units of PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio generally are sold partially in cash and partially in-kind, plus any applicable administrative or other transaction fees as discussed below. The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require Creation Units to be issued principally in-kind. When creations principally in-kind are permitted or required, an investor must deposit the Deposit Securities per each Creation Unit Aggregation constituting a substantial replication of the securities included in the Fund (“Fund Securities”) and the Cash Component, computed as discussed below. The consideration for the purchase of Creation Unit Aggregations of PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund principally consists of the in-kind deposit of the Deposit Securities per Creation Unit Aggregation, constituting a substantial replication of the Fund Securities and the Cash Component computed as described below, plus any applicable administrative or other transaction fees as discussed below. Creation Unit Aggregations of PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio generally are issued principally for cash, calculated based on the NAV per Share multiplied by the number of Shares representing a Creation Unit (“Deposit Cash”), plus any applicable administrative or other transaction fees, as discussed below. Each Fund also reserves the right to permit or require Creation Units to be issued in-kind. If in-kind creations are permitted or required, an investor must deposit the Deposit Securities per each Creation Unit Aggregation constituting a substantial replication of the Fund Securities and the Cash Component computed as discussed below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit Aggregation of each Fund. When principally in-kind creations are permitted or required, as applicable, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, expects that the Deposit Securities should correspond pro rata, to the extent practicable, to the securities held by each Fund. In such event, the Cash Component will represent the difference between the NAV of a Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities.
The Cash Component is sometimes also referred to as the “Balancing Amount.” The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit Aggregation and the Deposit Amount (as defined below). The Cash Component is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Shares (per Creation Unit Aggregation) and the “Deposit Amount”—an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit Aggregation exceeds the Deposit Amount), the AP (as defined below) will deliver the Cash Component. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit Aggregation is less than the Deposit Amount), the AP will receive the Cash Component.
To the extent that a Fund permits or requires Creation Units in-kind, the Custodian, through the NSCC, will make available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund. Information on the specific names and holdings in a Fund Deposit will be available at www.pstrader.net. In addition, the NSCC will make available information on the amount of cash required for a Creation Unit. Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to effect creations of Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities is made available. For PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund and, when applicable for PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio and PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio (during times when these Funds utilize in-kind creations), the identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities required for a Fund Deposit for a Fund will change as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected within the Fund from time to time by the Adviser , with a view to the investment objective of each Fund. In addition, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash—i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount—to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery, (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process (discussed below), if any, (iii) might not be eligible for trading by an AP (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting, or (iv) another relevant reason. Brokerage commissions incurred in connection with the acquisition of Deposit Securities not eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC, and hence not eligible for transfer through the Clearing Process (discussed below), if any, will be at the expense of a Fund and will affect the value of all Shares; however, the Adviser may adjust the transaction fee to protect ongoing shareholders. Such adjustments will reflect changes known to the Adviser or Sub-Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, resulting from certain corporate actions.
In addition to the list of names and numbers of securities constituting the current Deposit Securities of a Fund Deposit, the Custodian, through the NSCC, also makes available on each Business Day the estimated Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per outstanding Creation Unit Aggregation of the Funds.
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Creations and redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities are subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws, and the Funds (whether or not they otherwise permit cash redemptions) reserve the right to redeem Creation Aggregations for cash to the extent that an investor could not lawfully purchase or a Fund could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities under such laws. An AP (defined below) or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. An AP (as defined below) that is not a qualified institutional buyer (“QIB”) as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act will not be able to receive, as part of a redemption, restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.
Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit Aggregation of a Fund, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see the “Book Entry Only System” section), and, in each case, must have executed an agreement with the Distributor, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations (“Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party and DTC Participant are collectively referred to as an “AP.” Investors should contact the Distributor for the names of APs that have signed a Participant Agreement. All Shares, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.
The Distributor must receive all orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations no later than the closing time of the regular trading session on the NYSE (“Closing Time”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time), in each case on the date such order is placed (the “Transmittal Date”) in order for creation of Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected based on the NAV of Shares of a Fund as next determined on such date after receipt of the order in proper form. With respect to in-kind creations, a custom order may be placed by an AP when cash replaces any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for trading by such AP or the investor for which it is acting or other relevant reason. In the case of custom orders, the Distributor must receive the order no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Transmittal Date.
On days when a listing exchange or the bond markets close earlier than normal (such as the day before a holiday), a Fund may require orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations to be placed earlier in the day on the Transmittal Date. For example, on days when the generally accepted close of the bond market occurs earlier than normal, in-kind creation orders requesting a “cash-in-lieu” amount must be received by the Distributor no later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern time. Orders must be transmitted by an AP by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, as described below. Orders to create Creation Units of the Funds may be placed through the Clearing Process (see “—Placement of Creation Orders Using Clearing Process”) or outside the Clearing Process (see “—Placement of Creation Orders Outside Clearing Process”). Severe economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an AP.
All orders from investors who are not APs to create Creation Unit Aggregations shall be placed with an AP in the form required by such AP. In addition, the AP may request the investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an AP that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases, there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement. Those placing orders for Creation Unit Aggregations through the Clearing Process should afford sufficient time to permit proper submission of the order to the Distributor prior to the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date. Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations that are effected outside the Clearing Process are likely to require transmittal by the DTC Participant earlier on the Transmittal Date than orders effected using the Clearing Process. Those persons placing orders outside the Clearing Process should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Securities and Cash Component (or, if applicable, the Deposit Cash).
Placement of Creation Orders Using Clearing Process. The Clearing Process is the process of creating or redeeming Creation Unit Aggregations through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC. Fund Deposits made through the Clearing Process must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed a Participant Agreement. The Participant Agreement authorizes the Distributor to transmit through the Custodian to the NSCC, on behalf of the Participating Party, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the Participating Party’s creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions to the NSCC, the Participating Party agrees to deliver the requisite Deposit Cash or Fund Deposit to the Trust, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. An order to create Creation Unit Aggregations through the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.
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An order to create Creation Unit Aggregations using the Clearing Process that is made in proper form but received by the Trust after Closing Time (“T-1”) will be deemed received on the next Business Day immediately following the date that the order was placed, and it will be effected at the NAV next determined on such Business Day. That next Business Day will be deemed the Transmittal Date. The Creation Unit will be transferred no later than the third Business Day following the Transmittal Date (“T+3”). However, because the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio will invest primarily in stock index futures contracts, which typically settle one Business Day after the Transmittal Date, the Creation Units for that Fund may be delivered on the first Business Day following the Transmittal Date (“T+1”).
Placement of Creation Orders Outside Clearing Process. Fund Deposits made outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement pre-approved by the Adviser and the Distributor. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order creating Creation Units of a Fund does not need to be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Unit Aggregations will instead be effected through a transfer of cash and/or securities directly through DTC. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to the account of the Fund by no later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, on T+1.
A standard creation order must be placed by 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for purchases of Shares, in order for the date the order is placed to be deemed the Transmittal Date. In the case of custom orders, the order must be received by the Distributor no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time to be deemed the Transmittal Date. In addition, the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio may accept creation orders placed after 4:00 p.m. on T-1 such that an investor may receive a Creation Unit on T+1. An AP must contact the Distributor to obtain approval prior to submitting such a creation order. The Distributor will inform the Transfer Agent, the Adviser and the Custodian upon receipt of a creation order.
The AP must also make available no later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the next Business Day immediately following the date the order is placed, by means approved by the Trust, immediately available or same day funds sufficient for the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio to pay the Deposit Cash or Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fee. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit Aggregation. The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on such date, and federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited with the Transfer Agent by 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time, the following Business Day. If the order is not placed in proper form by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, the next Business Day, then the order may be canceled, and the AP shall be liable to the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current Deposit Cash or Deposit Securities and Cash Component.
At times when a Fund permits in-kind creations, and in accordance with a Fund’s Participant Agreement, Creation Unit Aggregations may be issued to an AP in advance of receipt by the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities, in reliance on the undertaking of the AP to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of the Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, the AP must deposit cash in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) 105% of the market value of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”). The Adviser may change the required percentage of the Additional Cash Deposit from time to time. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio in an amount at least equal to 105% of the daily marked-to-market value of the missing Deposit Securities.
The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, by the “regular way” settlement date. An order to create Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor no later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. However, if the Custodian does not receive both the required Deposit Securities and the Cash Component by 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, respectively, by the “regular way” settlement date, such order will be canceled.
Additional transaction fees may be imposed with respect to transactions made in connection with the creation or redemption of Creation Units. (See “Creation and Redemption Transaction Fees” section below.)
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The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations so created will occur no later than T+3. However, because PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio will invest in stock index futures contracts, which typically settle T+1, the settlement and delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations for that Fund may occur on T+1. For more information, see the chart below setting forth the timing for placement of creation and redemption orders.
Acceptance of Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of a Fund if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities, Deposit Cash or Fund Deposit delivered are not as designated for that date by the Custodian, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities, Deposit Cash or Fund Deposit would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Deposit Cash or Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of Beneficial Owners; or (vii) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Distributor and the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process creation orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Adviser, DTC, NSCC, the Federal Reserve, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian or sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process, and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the AP acting on behalf of such prospective creator of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Transfer Agent are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.
A confirmation of acceptance of an order to create Creation Unit Aggregations will be delivered to the AP within 15 minutes of the receipt of a submission received in good form. A creation order is deemed to be irrevocable upon the delivery of the confirmation of acceptance.
All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation and Redemption Transaction Fees. APs may be required to pay an administrative fee and a variable transaction fee for purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Creation and redemption transactions for each Fund are subject to an administrative fee of $500, payable to BNYM, irrespective of the size of the order. The administrative fee has a fixed base amount for each Fund; however, BNYM may increase the administrative fee to up to $2,000, for administration and settlement of non-standard orders requiring additional administrative processing by BNYM. Additionally, for Funds that create and redeem securities principally in cash or to the extent a Fund permits or requires APs to substitute cash in lieu of Deposit Securities, the Adviser may set additional variable fees separate from the fees already described that are payable to the applicable Fund up to 2% of the value of each Creation Unit. These variable fees will be negotiated between the Adviser and the AP and are charged to offset the transaction cost to a Fund of buying (or selling) Deposit Securities, to cover spreads and slippage costs and to protect existing shareholders against sudden movements in the prices of the portfolio investments due to market events. From time to time, the Adviser, in its sole discretion, may adjust each Fund’s variable transaction fees or reimburse APs for all or a portion of the creation or redemption transaction fees.
Redemption of Fund Shares in Creation Unit Aggregations. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Unit Aggregations at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by a Fund through the Custodian and only on a Business Day. A Fund will not redeem Shares in amounts less than Creation Unit Aggregations. Beneficial owners must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit Aggregation in order to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit Aggregation. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit Aggregation.
With respect to PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund (and PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio and PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio, to the extent a Fund permits redemptions principally in-kind), the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the NYSE (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time) on each Business Day, the identity of the Fund Securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as described below) on that day. Information on the specific names and holdings of Fund Securities also are available at www.pstrader.net. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Unit Aggregations.
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Unless cash redemptions are permitted or required for a Fund, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit Aggregation generally consist of Fund Securities—as announced on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form—plus or minus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Fund Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Redemption Cash Component”), less a redemption transaction fee as noted above (see “Creation and Redemption Transaction Fees”). In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the Fund Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an AP by the redeeming shareholder. For Funds that permit or require creations and redemptions to be made in cash, Creation Units of such Funds are redeemed for cash in an amount equal to the NAV of its Shares next determined after a redemption request is received (minus any redemption transaction fees imposed, as specified above) (the “Cash Redemption Amount”).
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of a Fund or determination of a Fund’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as is permitted by the SEC.
For in-kind redemptions, such redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws, and the Funds reserve the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An AP or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. This would specifically prohibit delivery of Fund Securities that are not registered in reliance upon Rule 144A under the Securities Act, to a redeeming investor that is not a QIB, as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act. The AP may request the redeeming beneficial owner of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment.
Placement of Redemption Orders Using Clearing Process. Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations must be delivered through an AP that has executed a Participant Agreement. Investors other than APs are responsible for making arrangements for an order to redeem to be made through an AP. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by the Custodian not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations using the Clearing Process made in proper form but received by the Trust after 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time will be deemed received on the next Business Day immediately following the date that redemption requested was placed, and will be affected at the NAV next determined on such Business Day. The requisite Cash Redemption Amount (or, for if in-kind redemptions, Fund Securities and the Redemption Cash Component) will be transferred by the third NSCC Business Day following the date on which such request for redemption is deemed received.
Placement of Redemption Orders Outside Clearing Process. Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed the Participant Agreement. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order for redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected outside the Clearing Process does not need to be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations will instead be effected through transfer of Shares directly through DTC. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Transfer Agent not later than 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on such Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the requisite number of Shares of the Fund, which delivery must be made through DTC to the Custodian no later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern time (for the Shares), on the next Business Day immediately following such Transmittal Date (the “DTC Cut-Off-Time”) and 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, for any Redemption Cash Component, if any owed to the Fund; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. After the Trust has deemed an order for redemption outside the Clearing Process received, it will send an acceptance of the redemption order to the AP within 15 minutes of the receipt of the submission received in good form. A redemption order is deemed to be irrevocable upon the delivery of the confirmation of acceptance. The Trust will then initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Cash Redemption Amount or Fund Securities (and the Redemption Cash Component, if any, owed to the redeeming Beneficial Owner), as applicable, which are expected to be delivered to the AP on behalf of the redeeming Beneficial Owner by the third Business Day following the Transmittal Date on which such redemption order is deemed received.
A standard order for redemption must be placed by 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Transmittal Date. In the case of custom redemptions, the order must be received by the Distributor no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time on the Transmittal Date. In addition, a Fund may accept redemption orders placed after 4:00 p.m. on the day prior to the Transmittal Date.
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An AP must contact the Distributor to obtain approval prior to submitting such a redemption order. Arrangements satisfactory to the Trust must be in place for the Participating Party to transfer the Creation Units through DTC on or before the settlement date. Should a Fund permit redemptions in-kind, such redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws, and in such instances, a Fund reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so first without registering the Deposit Securities under such laws.
In the event that the number of Shares is insufficient T+1, the Trust may deliver the Deposit Securities or the Redemption Cash Component to the AP notwithstanding such deficiency, in reliance on the undertaking of the AP to deliver the missing Shares as soon as possible. This undertaking shall be secured by such AP’s delivery on the contractual settlement date (and subsequent maintenance) of collateral consisting of cash having a value at least equal to 105% of the value of the missing Shares. The AP’s agreement permits the Trust, acting in good faith, to purchase the missing Shares at any time and the AP will be subject to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares and the value of the collateral, which may be sold by the Trust at such time, and in such manner, as the Trust may determine in its sole discretion.
For in-kind redemptions, the calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Redemption Cash Component to be delivered or received upon redemption will be made by the Custodian according to the procedures set forth under “Determination of NAV” computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to the Transfer Agent by a DTC Participant no later than Closing Time on the Transmittal Date, and the requisite number of Shares of a Fund are delivered to the Custodian prior to the DTC Cut-Off-Time, then the value of the Fund Securities and the Redemption Cash Component to be delivered/received will be determined by the Custodian on such Transmittal Date. If, however, a redemption order is submitted to the Custodian by a DTC Participant no later than Closing Time on the Transmittal Date but either (i) the requisite number of Shares of the relevant Fund are not delivered by the DTC Cut-Off-Time, as described above, on the Transmittal Date or (ii) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Transmittal Date. In such case, the value of the Fund Securities and the Redemption Cash Component to be delivered/received will be computed on the Business Day that the order is received by the Trust (i.e., the Business Day on which Shares of the relevant Fund are delivered through DTC to the Custodian by the DTC Cut-Off-Time on such Business Day pursuant to a properly submitted redemption order).
Upon receipt of a redemption order in good form, the Transfer Agent deliver acknowledgement of receipt within 15 minutes. A redemption order is deemed to be irrevocable upon the delivery of the acknowledgement of receipt of an order.
If it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that a Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares of the relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Fund’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities).
Additionally, to the extent that a Fund issues redemptions in-kind, a Fund also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, may provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities, or cash-in-lieu of some Fund Securities, but in no event will the total value of the securities delivered and the cash transmitted differ from the NAV. Redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and each Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An AP or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The AP may request the redeeming Beneficial Owner of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment, beneficial ownership of shares or delivery instructions.
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The chart below describes in further detail the placement of creation and redemption orders through and outside the Clearing Process, presuming a creation or redemption settling no later than T+3. However, because the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio will invest in stock index futures contracts, which typically settle one Business Day following the Transmittal Date, creations and redemptions for that Fund may settle as soon as T+1. In the latter case, the detail in the chart below under the column labeled T+3 would occur under the column labeled T+1.
Transmittal Date (T) |
Next Business Day (T+1) |
Second Business Day (T+2) |
Third Business Day (T+3) | |||||
Creation through NSCC | ||||||||
Standard Orders |
4:00 p.m. (ET)
Order must be received by the Distributor.
Orders received after 4:00 p.m. (ET) will be deemed received on the next business day (T+1). |
No action. | No action. | Creation Unit Aggregations will be delivered. | ||||
Custom Orders (for in-kind creations) |
3:00 p.m. (ET)
Order must be received by the Distributor.
Orders received after 3:00 p.m. (ET) require portfolio manager approvals before acceptance. Orders may be subject to additional fees. |
No action. | No action. | Creation Unit Aggregations will be delivered. | ||||
Creation Outside NSCC | ||||||||
Standard Orders |
4:00 p.m. (ET)
Order in proper form must be received by the Distributor. |
11:00 a.m. (ET)
Deposit Securities must be received by the Fund’s account through DTC.
For cash creations: Deposit Cash must be received by the Custodian.
2:00 p.m. (ET)
Cash Component must be received by the Custodian. |
No action. | Creation Unit Aggregations will be delivered. | ||||
Standard Orders created in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the Deposit Securities (for in-kind creations) |
4:00 p.m. (ET)
Order in proper form must be received by the Distributor. |
11:00 a.m. (ET)
Available Deposit Securities must be received.
Cash in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) 105% of the market value of the undelivered Deposit Securities must be received. |
No action. |
1:00 p.m. (ET)
Missing Deposit Securities are due to the Trust or the Trust may use cash on deposit to purchase missing Deposit Securities.
Creation Unit Aggregations will be delivered. | ||||
Custom Orders (for in-kind creations) |
3:00 p.m. (ET)
Order in proper form must be received by the Distributor.
Orders received after 3:00 p.m. (ET) require portfolio manager approvals before acceptance. Orders may be subject to additional fees. |
11:00 a.m. (ET)
Deposit Securities must be received by the Fund’s account through DTC.
2:00 p.m. (ET)
Cash Component must be received by the Custodian. |
No action. | Creation Unit Aggregations will be delivered. | ||||
Transmittal Date (T) |
Next Business Day (T+1) |
Second Business Day (T+2) |
Third Business Day (T+3) | |||||
Redemption Through NSCC |
||||||||
Standard Orders |
4:00 p.m. (ET)
Order must be received by the Transfer Agent.
Orders received after 4:00 p.m. (ET) will be deemed received on the next business day (T+1). |
No action. | No action. | Fund Securities and Redemption Cash Component will be transferred to beneficial owner (For cash redemptions, Cash Redemption Amount will be transferred). | ||||
Custom Orders (for in-kind redemptions) |
3:00 p.m. (ET)
Order must be received by the Transfer Agent.
Orders received after 3:00 p.m. (ET) require portfolio manager approvals before acceptance. Orders may be subject to additional fees. |
No action. | No action. | Fund Securities and Redemption Cash Component will be transferred to beneficial owner. |
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Redemption Outside NSCC | ||||||||
Standard Orders |
4:00 p.m. (ET)
Order must be received by the Transfer Agent.
Orders received after 4:00 p.m. (ET) will be deemed received on the next business day (T+1). |
11:00 a.m. (ET)
Shares must be delivered through DTC to the Custodian.
2:00 p.m. (ET)
Redemption Cash Component, if any, is due.
*If the order is not in proper form or the Shares are not delivered, then the order will not be deemed received as of T. |
No action. | Fund Securities and Redemption Cash Component are delivered to the redeeming beneficial owner (For cash redemptions, Cash Redemption Amount is delivered to the redeeming beneficial owner). | ||||
Custom Orders (for in-kind redemptions) |
3:00 p.m. (ET)
Order must be received by the Transfer Agent.
Orders received after 3:00 p.m. (ET) require portfolio manager approvals before acceptance. Orders may be subject to additional fees. |
11:00 a.m. (ET)
Shares must be delivered through DTC to the Custodian.
2:00 p.m. (ET)
Redemption Cash Component, if any, is due.
*If the order is not in proper form or the Shares are not delivered, then the order will not be deemed received as of T. |
No action. | Fund Securities and Redemption Cash Component is delivered to the redeeming beneficial owner. |
The following is a summary of certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that are not described in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of a Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.
The following is for general information only and is not tax advice. All investors should consult their own tax advisors as to the federal, state, local and foreign tax provisions applicable to them.
General; Qualification as a RIC. Each Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal tax purposes and, therefore, is considered to be a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for RICs described herein and in the Prospectus. Losses in one Fund of the Trust do not offset gains in another series thereof, and the requirements (other than a certain organizational requirement that the Trust satisfies) for qualifying for RIC status are determined at the Fund level rather than the Trust level.
Each Fund intends to elect to be, and to qualify each taxable year to be treated as, a separate RIC under Subchapter M of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Internal Revenue Code”). If it satisfies the requirements referred to in the next sentence, a Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders. To qualify for that treatment, a Fund must annually distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, interest, the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss (“net short-term capital gain”), and net gains and losses from certain foreign currency transactions, if any, all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid) (“Distribution Requirement”) and must meet several other requirements, including those described below, relating to the nature of its gross income and the diversification of its assets.
Income Requirement—A Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income from (1) dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived from its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and (2) net income derived from qualified publicly traded partnerships (“QPTPs”).
Asset Diversification Requirements—A Fund must satisfy the following asset diversification requirements at the close of each quarter of its taxable year: (1) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. Government
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securities, securities of other RICs, and securities of other issuers (as to which (a) not more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is in securities of the issuer and (b) the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer); and (2) no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government securities or securities of other RICs) or of two or more issuers that the Fund controls and are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or, collectively, in the securities of QPTPs.
If a Fund fails to qualify for any taxable year for treatment as a RIC—either (1) by failing to satisfy the Distribution Requirement or (2) by failing to satisfy one or more of the Income and Asset Diversification Requirements and is unable, or determines not to, avail itself of Internal Revenue Code provisions that enable a RIC to cure a failure to satisfy any of those requirements as long as the failure “is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect” and the RIC pays a deductible tax calculated in accordance with those provisions and meets certain other requirements—all of its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular federal corporate income tax rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In addition, for federal income tax purposes (a) a Fund’s shareholders would treat all those distributions, including distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), as dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, taxable as ordinary income, except that, for individual and certain other non-corporate shareholders (each, an “individual shareholder”), the part thereof that is “qualified dividend income” (“QDI”) would be subject to federal income tax at the rates for net capital gain a maximum of 15% (20% for certain high income individual shareholders), and (b) all or part of those distributions might be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders that meet certain holding period and other requirements regarding their Shares. Furthermore, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before requalifying for RIC treatment.
Each Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax (“Excise Tax”) to the extent it fails to distribute to its shareholders by the end of any calendar year substantially all of its ordinary (taxable) income for the calendar year plus its capital gain net income for the twelve months ended October 31 of such year, plus certain other amounts. For these purposes, a Fund may defer into the next taxable year any capital loss incurred between November 1 and the end of the current taxable year as well as certain “late-year ordinary losses” incurred between January 1 and the end of the current taxable year. Generally, it is the Funds’ policy to pay sufficient dividends and make other sufficient distributions each year to avoid the imposition of the Excise Tax, but the Funds can give no assurance that all or a portion of such liability will be avoided.
The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, has the right to reject an order to purchase Shares if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the ordered Shares, own 80% or more of the Fund’s outstanding Shares and if, pursuant to Sections 351 and 362 of the Internal Revenue Code, that Fund would have a basis in the Deposit Securities to be received in exchange for the ordered shares different from their market value on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.
Taxation of Shareholders. Distributions from a Fund’s net investment income and net short-term gain, if any, are generally taxable as ordinary income (except for QDI, as described below). Distributions a shareholder reinvests in additional Shares through the means of a dividend reinvestment service will be taxable dividends to the shareholder to the same extent as if the distributions had been received in cash. Distributions to a shareholder of net capital gain if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long the shareholder has held his or her Shares. Distributions of ordinary income and capital gains may also be subject to state and local taxes.
Dividends declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid to shareholders of record in one of those months during the following January are treated as having been received by such shareholders on December 31 of the year the distributions were declared.
If, for any taxable year, the total distributions a Fund makes exceed its current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will, for federal income tax purposes, be treated as a return of capital to each shareholder up to the amount of the shareholder’s basis in his or her Shares, and thereafter as gain from the sale of those Shares. The amount treated as a return of capital will reduce the shareholder’s adjusted basis in his or her Shares, thereby increasing his or her potential gain or reducing his or her potential loss on the subsequent sale of those Shares.
The sale or redemption (“disposition”) of Shares may give rise to a capital gain or loss, which generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year and otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. Long-term capital gains of individual shareholders generally are subject to federal income tax at the 15%/20% maximum rates noted above. In addition, a Fund’s distributions to those shareholders of QDI will qualify for federal income taxation at those rates, provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met by the Fund and the shareholder. Each Fund will report to shareholders annually the amount of distributions taxable as ordinary income (from net investment income and net short-term gain), the amount of any distributions from net capital gain, and the portion, if any, of dividends that may qualify as QDI.
A loss realized on a sale of Shares may be disallowed if other Shares are acquired (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends, if available, or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date that the
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Shares are disposed of. In such a case, the basis in the acquired Shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. In addition, any loss on a shareholder’s disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of net capital gain received or redeemed by the shareholder with respect to such Shares.
An individual is required to pay a 3.8% federal tax on the lesser of (1) the individual’s “net investment income,” which generally will include distributions a Fund pays and gains recognized from the disposition of Shares, or (2) the excess of the individual’s “modified adjusted gross income” over $200,000 for single taxpayers ($250,000 for married persons filing jointly). This tax is in addition to any other taxes due on that income. A similar tax applies to estates and trusts. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, that this provision may have on their investment in Shares.
A shareholder who wants to use the average basis method for determining his or her basis in Shares must elect to do so in writing (which may be electronic) with the broker through which he or she purchased the Shares. A shareholder who wishes to use a different Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”)—acceptable method for basis determination (e.g., a specific identification method) may elect to do so. Shareholders are urged to consult with their brokers regarding the application of the basis determination rules to them.
If more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s total assets at the close of any taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, it will be eligible to, and may, file an election for that year with the IRS that would enable it to pass through to its shareholders to benefit from any foreign tax credits or deductions available with respect to foreign taxes it pays. Pursuant to the election, the Fund would treat those taxes as dividends paid to its shareholders and each shareholder (1) would be required to include in gross income, and treat as paid by the shareholder, the shareholder’s proportionate share of those taxes, (2) would be required to treat that share of those taxes and of any dividend the Fund paid that represents income from foreign or U.S. possessions sources (“foreign-source income”) as the shareholder’s own income from those sources, and (3) could either use the foregoing information in calculating the foreign tax credit against the shareholder’s federal income tax or, alternatively, deduct the foreign taxes deemed paid by the shareholder in computing taxable income. If a Fund makes this election for a taxable year, it will report to its shareholders shortly after that year their respective shares of the foreign taxes it paid and its foreign-source income for that year.
Individual shareholders of the Fund described in the preceding paragraph who have no more than $300 ($600 for married persons filing jointly) of creditable foreign taxes included on IRS Forms 1099 and all of whose foreign source income is “qualified passive income” may elect each taxable year to be exempt from the foreign tax credit limitation for federal income tax purposes (about which shareholders may wish to consult their tax advisors), in which event they would be able to claim a foreign tax credit without having to file the detailed IRS Form 1116 that otherwise is required. A shareholder will not be entitled to credit or deduct its allocable portion of foreign taxes the Fund paid if the shareholder has not held the Fund’s shares for at least 16 days during the 31-day period beginning 15 days before the ex-distribution date for those shares. The minimum holding period will be extended if the shareholder’s risk of loss with respect to those shares is reduced by reason of holding an offsetting position. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. A nonresident alien individual, foreign corporation or partnership, or foreign trust or estate holding shares of the Fund (a “foreign shareholder”) may not deduct or claim a credit for foreign taxes in determining its U.S. federal income tax liability unless the Fund dividends paid to it are effectively connected with the foreign shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (“effectively connected”).
Distributions of ordinary income paid to a foreign shareholder that are not effectively connected will generally be subject to a 30% withholding tax unless a reduced rate of withholding or a withholding exemption is provided under applicable treaty. However, a foreign shareholder generally will not be subject to withholding or income tax on gains realized on the sale of Shares or on dividends from capital gains unless (i) such gain or capital gain dividend is effectively connected or (ii) in the case of an individual, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or capital gain dividend and certain other conditions are met. In those cases, such gains and distributions generally will be subject to federal income taxation at regular income tax rates. Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning the applicability of the federal withholding tax. Nonresident aliens also may be subject to U.S. estate tax. Because PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund invests primarily in REITs, nonresident shareholders that own, either directly or indirectly, more than 5% of a class of PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund Shares are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning special tax rules that may apply to their investment.
A Fund must withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury Department (“U.S. Treasury”) 28% of distributions of ordinary income, capital gains, and any cash received on redemption of Creation Units (regardless of the extent to which gain or loss may be realized) otherwise payable to any individual shareholder who fails to certify that the taxpayer identification number furnished to the Fund is correct or who furnishes an incorrect number (together with the withholding described in the next sentence, “backup withholding”). Withholding at that rate also is required from the Fund’s dividends and capital gain distributions otherwise payable to such a shareholder who is subject to backup withholding for any other reason. Backup withholding is not an additional tax, and any amounts so withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s federal income tax liability or refunded. When establishing an account, an investor must certify under penalty of perjury that such number is correct and that the investor is not otherwise subject to backup withholding.
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Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”). Under FATCA, foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”) or non-financial foreign entities (“NFFEs”), that are shareholders in a Fund may be subject to a generally nonrefundable 30% withholding tax on (a) income dividends, and (b) certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds of a sale (or redemption) of Shares paid after December 31, 2018. As discussed in more detail, below, the FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided (1) by an FFI, if it reports certain information regarding direct and indirect ownership of financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (2) by an NFFE, if it certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners and, in certain circumstances, also certifies that (i) it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (ii) it does have any such owners and reports information relating to them to the withholding agent (which may be the Fund). The U.S. Treasury has negotiated intergovernmental agreements (“IGAs”) with certain countries and is in various stages of negotiations with a number of other foreign countries with respect to one or more alternative approaches to implement FATCA; entities in those countries may be required to comply with the terms of the IGA instead of U.S. Treasury regulations.
An FFI can avoid FATCA withholding by becoming a “participating FFI,” which requires the FFI to enter into a tax compliance agreement with the IRS under the Internal Revenue Code. Under such an agreement, a participating FFI agrees to (1) verify and document whether it has U.S. accountholders, (2) report certain information regarding their accounts to the IRS, and (3) meet certain other specified requirements.
An FFI resident in a country that has entered into a Model I IGA with the United States must report to the government of that country (pursuant to the terms of the applicable IGA and applicable law), which will, in turn, report to the IRS. An FFI resident in a Model II IGA country generally must comply with U.S. regulatory requirements, with certain exceptions, including the treatment of recalcitrant accountholders. An FFI resident in one of these countries that complies with whichever of the foregoing applies will be exempt from FATCA withholding.
An NFFE that is the beneficial owner of a payment from a Fund can avoid FATCA withholding generally by certifying its status as such and, in certain circumstances, either that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or by providing the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each such owner. The NFFE will report to the Fund or other applicable withholding agent, which will, in turn, report information to the IRS.
Those foreign shareholders also may fall into certain exempt, excepted, or deemed compliant categories established by U.S. Treasury regulations, IGAs, and other guidance regarding FATCA. An FFI or NFFE that invests in a Fund will need to provide the Fund with documentation properly certifying the entity’s status under FATCA in order to avoid FATCA withholding. The requirements imposed by FATCA are different from, and in addition to, the tax certification rules to avoid backup withholding described above. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these requirements to their own situation and the impact thereof on their investment in a Fund.
Taxation of Fund Investments. The Funds may make investments that are subject to special federal income tax rules. Those rules can, among other things, affect the timing of the recognition of income or gain, the treatment of income as capital or ordinary, and the treatment of capital gain or loss as long-term or short-term. The application of those special rules would therefore also affect the amount, timing and character of distributions that a Fund makes and could require a Fund to borrow money or dispose of some of its investments earlier than anticipated in order to meet its distribution requirements.
Certain Funds may invest in the stock of “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”). A PFIC is any foreign corporation (with certain exceptions) that, in general, meets either of the following tests for a taxable year: (1) at least 75% of its gross income is passive or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, passive income. Under certain circumstances, the Fund will be subject to federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” it receives on the stock of a PFIC or of any gain on its disposition of that stock (collectively, “PFIC income”), plus interest thereon, even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund’s investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. Fund distributions thereof will not be eligible for the 15%/20% maximum federal income tax rates on individual shareholders’ QDI described above.
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If a Fund invests in a PFIC and elects to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” (“QEF”), then in lieu of the foregoing tax and interest obligation, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF’s annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain — which the Fund likely would have to distribute to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and avoid imposition of the excise tax — even if the Fund did not receive those earnings and gain from the QEF. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements thereof.
A Fund may elect to “mark to market” any stock in a PFIC it owns at the end of its taxable year, in which event it would be required to distribute to its shareholders any resulting gains in accordance with the Distribution Requirement. “Marking-to-market,” in this context, means including in gross income each taxable year (and treating as ordinary income) the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the stock over the Fund’s adjusted basis therein (including mark-to-market gain for each prior year for which an election was in effect) as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not a capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net marked-to-market gains with respect to that stock the Fund included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund’s adjusted basis in each PFIC’s stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder.
Investors should be aware that determining whether a foreign corporation is a PFIC is a fact-intensive determination that is based on various facts and circumstances and thus is subject to change, and the principles and methodology used therein are subject to interpretation. As a result, a Fund may not be able, at the time it acquires a foreign corporation’s shares, to ascertain whether the corporation is a PFIC and that a foreign corporation may become a PFIC after the Fund acquires shares therein.
Investment income received, and gains realized, by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income tax withheld at the source, and the amount of tax withheld generally will be treated as an expense of the Fund. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries that entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, tax on such income. Some countries require the filing of a tax reclaim or other form(s) to receive the benefit of the reduced tax rate; whether or when the Fund will receive a tax reclaim is within the control of the individual country. Information required on these forms may not be available, such as shareholder information; therefore, the Fund may not receive one or more reduced treaty rates or potential reclaims. Other countries have conflicting and changing instructions and restrictive timing requirements that also may cause the Fund to not receive one or more reduced treaty rates or potential reclaims. Other countries may subject capital gains realized by a Fund on the sale or other disposition of securities of that country to taxation. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of a Fund’s assets to be invested in various countries is not known.
PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio has received a private letter ruling from the IRS with respect to its investments in VIX Index futures, which provides that the income it derives from such investments is treated as qualifying income. Should the IRS issue guidance, or Congress enact legislation, that adversely affects the tax treatment of a fund’s investments in VIX index futures, the Fund may fail to qualify as a RIC for any taxable year and were unable, or determined not to, avail itself of provisions that enable a RIC to cure a failure (described above), its taxable income would be subject to tax at the Fund level and to a further tax at the shareholder level when such income was distributed. In such event, in order to re-qualify for taxation as a RIC, the Fund may be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make certain distributions. This would cause investors to incur higher tax liabilities than they otherwise would have incurred and would have a negative impact on Fund returns. In such event, the Board may determine to reorganize or close the Fund or to materially change its investment objective and strategies.
Some futures contracts, foreign currency contracts traded in the interbank market, and “nonequity” options (i.e., certain listed options, such as those on a “broad-based” securities index)—except any “securities futures contract” that is not a “dealer securities futures contract” (both as defined in the Internal Revenue Code) and any interest rate swap, currency swap, basis swap, interest rate cap, interest rate floor, commodity swap, equity swap, equity index swap, credit default swap, or similar agreement—in which the Fund invests may be subject to Internal Revenue Code section 1256 (collectively, “Section 1256 contracts”). Any Section 1256 contracts that a Fund holds at the end of its taxable year (and generally for purposes of the Excise Tax, on October 31 of each year) must be “marked to market” (that is, treated as having been sold at that time for their fair market value) for federal tax purposes, with the result that unrealized gains or losses will be treated as though they were realized. Sixty percent of any net gain or loss recognized on these deemed sales, and 60% of any net realized gain or loss from any actual sales of Section 1256 contracts, will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and the balance will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss; however, certain foreign currency gains or losses arising from Section 1256 contracts will be treated as ordinary income or loss. These rules may operate to increase the amount that the Fund must distribute to satisfy the Distribution Requirement (i.e., with respect to the portion treated as short-term capital gain, which will be includible in investment company taxable income and thus taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income when distributed to them), and to increase the net capital gain that the Fund recognizes, even though the Fund may not have closed the transactions and received cash to pay the distributions. A Fund may elect not to have the foregoing rules apply to any “mixed straddle”
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(that is, a straddle, which the Fund clearly identifies in accordance with applicable regulations, at least one (but not all) of the positions of which are Section 1256 contracts), although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of short-term capital gain (distributions of which are taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income) and thus increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute.
Offsetting positions that a Fund enters into or holds in any actively traded security, option, futures, or forward contract may constitute a “straddle” for federal income tax purposes. Straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character, and timing of recognition of a Fund’s gains and losses with respect to positions of the straddle by requiring, among other things, that (1) loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle be deferred to the extent of any unrealized gain in an offsetting position until the latter position is disposed of, (2) a Fund’s holding period for certain straddle positions not begin until the straddle is terminated (possibly resulting in gain being treated as short-term rather than long-term capital gain), and (3) losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions, that otherwise would constitute short-term capital losses, be treated as long-term capital losses. Applicable regulations also provide certain “wash sale” rules, which apply to transactions where a position is sold at a loss and a new offsetting position is acquired within a prescribed period, and “short sale” rules applicable to straddles. Different elections are available to the Funds, which may mitigate the effects of the straddle rules, particularly with respect to mixed straddles.
* * * * *
The foregoing discussion is a summary only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Purchasers of Shares should consult their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investing in such Shares, including under federal, state, local and other tax laws. Finally, the foregoing discussion is based on applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, judicial authority and administrative interpretations in effect on the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change may be retroactive. Changes in applicable authority could materially affect the conclusions discussed above, and such changes often occur.
The following information should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Net Asset Value.” Additional information regarding the current NAV per share of each Fund can be found at www.invescopowershares.com.
The Custodian calculates and determines each Fund’s NAV per Share at the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, provided that U.S. fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association announces an early closing time. NAV is calculated by deducting all of a Fund’s liabilities from the total value of its assets and dividing the result by the number of Shares outstanding, rounding to the nearest cent. All valuations are subject to review by the Board or its delegate. In determining NAV, expenses are accrued and applied daily and securities and other assets for which market quotations are available are valued at market value. Securities listed or traded on an exchange generally are valued at the last sales price or official closing price of the exchange where the security primarily is traded. Investment companies are valued using such company’s NAV per share, unless the shares are exchange-traded, in which case they will be valued at the last sale or official closing price on the exchanges on which they primarily trade. Options generally are valued at the closing price (and, if no closing price is available, at the mean of the last bid/ask quotations), generally from the exchange where such instruments principally trade. Debt and securities not listed on an exchange normally are valued on the basis of prices provided by independent pricing services. The Adviser may use various pricing services or discontinue the use of any pricing service at any time. When price quotes are not readily available, securities will be valued using pricing provided from independent pricing services or by another method that the Adviser, in its judgment, believes will better reflect the securities’ fair value in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board.
Even when market quotations are available for portfolio securities, they may be stale or unreliable because the security is not traded frequently, trading on the security ceased before the close of the trading market or issuer specific events occurred after the security ceased trading or because of the passage of time between the close of the market on which the security trades and the close of NYSE and when a Fund calculates its NAV. Events that may cause the last market quotation to be unreliable include a merger or insolvency, events which affect a geographical area or an industry segment, such as political events or natural disasters, or market events, such as a significant movement in the U.S. market. Where market quotations are not readily available, including where the Adviser determines that the closing price of the security is unreliable, the Adviser will value the security at fair value in good faith using procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. With respect to securities that primarily are listed on foreign exchanges, the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your Shares.
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DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Other Distributions and Taxes.”
General Policies. Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly by PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund and PowerShares S&P 500® Downside Hedged Portfolio, and paid annually for the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio and PowerShares Multi-Strategy Alternative Portfolio. Distributions of net realized capital gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but each Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis. Each Fund reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve its status as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income tax or the Excise Tax on undistributed income. Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of the Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from each Fund.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. No reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of Shares for reinvestment of their distributions. Beneficial Owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require Beneficial Owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.
Counsel. K&L Gates LLP, 70 W. Madison Street, Suite 3100, Chicago, Illinois 60602, and 1601 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, One North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP audits the Funds’ annual financial statements and performs other related audit services. In connection with the audit of the 2015 financial statements, the Funds entered into an engagement letter with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The terms of the engagement letter required by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and agreed to by the Fund’s Audit Committee, include a provision mandating the use of mediation and arbitration to resolve any controversy or claim between the parties arising out of or relating to the engagement letter or the services provided thereunder.
The audited financial statements for the Funds, including the financial highlights for the Funds appearing in the Trust’s Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2015 and filed electronically with the SEC, are incorporated by reference and made part of this SAI. You may request a copy of the Trust’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports at no charge by calling 800.983.0903 during normal business hours.
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INVESCO POWERSHARES CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC
PROXY VOTING POLICY
Effective January, 2015
Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (“Invesco PowerShares” or the “Adviser”) has adopted proxy voting policies with respect to securities owned by series of the PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, the PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II, the PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust, the PowerShares India Exchange-Traded Fund Trust and the PowerShares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Commodity Fund Trust (collectively, the “Funds”) for which it serves as investment adviser and has been delegated the authority to vote proxies. Invesco PowerShares’ proxy voting policies are designed to provide that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders.
The Adviser utilizes the data feed platform (the “Invesco Proxy Voting Portal”) of Invesco Advisers Inc. (“IAI”), which is administered by the IAI proxy administration team and subject to periodic review by the Adviser’s compliance team. With respect to implementation of its proxy voting policies, Invesco PowerShares will vote as follows:
1. | Overlapping Securities |
In instances where both a Fund and a fund advised by IAI both hold an equity security (“Overlapping Securities”), the Adviser will vote proxies in accordance with the recommendation of IAI based on IAI’s comprehensive proxy review and under the Invesco Proxy Voting Policy (see exhibit A). The Invesco Proxy Voting Policy is overseen by the Invesco US Proxy Advisory Committee (“IUPAC”), which also orchestrates the review and analysis of the top twenty-five proxy voting matters, measured by overall size of holdings by funds within the Invesco family. The Adviser consults with the IUPAC on specific proxy votes and general proxy voting matters as it deems necessary. In addition, as part of the Invesco Proxy Voting Process, the IUPAC oversees instances when possible conflicts of interest arise among funds. Such conflicts are identified early in the process and brought before the IUPAC for consideration. When the IUPAC determines that a uniform vote would benefit certain funds, but may serve as a detriment to others, it will recommend a split vote as appropriate.
In instances where the IAI proxy administration team does not receive a recommendation in a timely manner, the IAI proxy administration team will automatically vote such ballots in accordance with the recommendations of a third-party proxy firm, Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. (“ISS”).
2. | Non-Overlapping Securities |
In instances where securities are held only by a Fund, and not also by an IAI-advised fund, the Adviser will instruct the proxy IAI proxy administration team to vote proxies in accordance ISS.
Under this Policy, the Adviser retains the power to vote contrary to the recommendation of the Invesco Voting Process (for Overlapping Securities) or ISS (for Non-Overlapping Securities) at its discretion, so long as the reasons for doing so are well documented.
Proxy Constraints
The Adviser will abstain from voting proxies when it deems the cost to be prohibitive or where the exercise of voting rights could restrict the ability of a Fund to freely trade the applicable security. For example, in accordance with local law or business practices, many foreign companies prevent the sale of shares that have been voted for a certain period beginning prior to the shareholder meeting and ending on the day following the meeting (“share blocking”). Due to these restrictions, Invesco PowerShares must balance the benefits of voting proxies against the potentially serious portfolio management consequences of a reduced flexibility to sell the underlying shares at the most advantageous time. For companies in countries with share blocking periods, the disadvantage of being unable to sell the stock regardless of changing conditions generally outweighs the advantages of voting at the shareholder meeting for routine items. Accordingly Invesco PowerShares will not vote those proxies in the absence of an unusual or significant vote. Some non-U.S. companies require a representative to attend meetings in person in order to vote a proxy. In such cases, PowerShares may determine that the costs of sending a representative or signing a power-of-attorney outweigh the benefit of voting a particular proxy. Furthermore, as a matter of policy, the Funds and all IAI-advised funds do not vote Invesco Ltd. shares.
A-1
Special Policy
Certain Funds pursue their investment objectives by investing in other registered investment companies pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The relief granted by that order is conditioned upon complying with a number of undertakings, some of which require a Fund to vote its shares in an acquired investment company in the same proportion as other holders of the acquired fund’s shares. In instances in which a Fund is required to vote in this manner to rely on the exemptive order, the Adviser will vote shares of these acquired investment companies in compliance with the voting mechanism required by the order.
Resolving Potential Conflicts of Interest
Voting of Proxies Related to Invesco Ltd.
In order to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, PowerShares will issue a do not vote (“DNV”) for proxies issued by, or related to matters involving, Invesco Ltd. that may be held by clients from time to time.
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I.1. | PROXY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES – INVESCO ADVISERS |
Applicable to | All Advisory Clients, including the Invesco Funds | |
Risk Addressed by Policy | Breach of fiduciary duty to client under Investment Advisers Act of 1940 by placing Invesco personal interests ahead of client’s best interests in voting proxies | |
Relevant Law and Other Sources | Investment Advisers Act of 1940 | |
Last
x Reviewed ¨ Revised
by Compliance for Accuracy |
October 6, 2015 | |
Policy/Procedure Owner | US Compliance, Invesco US Proxy Advisory Committee, and Legal | |
Policy Approver | Invesco Advisers, Inc., Invesco Funds Board | |
Approved/Adopted Date | October 20-21, 2015 |
The following policies and procedures apply to all institutional and retail funds and accounts that have explicitly authorized Invesco Advisers, Inc. to vote proxies associated with securities held on their behalf (collectively, “Clients”).
A. | GUIDING PRINCIPLES |
Public companies hold meetings for shareholders, during which important issues, such as appointments to the company’s board of directors, executive compensation, and the selection of auditors, are addressed and, where applicable, voted on by shareholders. Proxy voting gives shareholders the opportunity to vote on issues that impact a company’s operations and policies without attending the meetings.
Invesco views proxy voting as an integral part of its investment management responsibilities and believes that the right to vote proxies should be managed with the same high standards of care and fiduciary duty to its Clients as all other elements of the investment process. Invesco’s proxy voting philosophy, governance structure and process are designed to ensure that proxy votes are cast in accordance with Clients’ best interests, which Invesco interprets to mean Clients’ best economic interests, and Invesco’s established proxy voting policies and procedures.
The primary aim of Invesco’s proxy policies is to encourage a culture of performance among the companies in which Invesco invests on behalf of Clients, rather than one of mere conformance with a prescriptive set of rules and constraints. Rigid adherence to a checklist approach to corporate governance issues is, in itself, unlikely to maximize shareholder value.
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The proxy voting process at Invesco, which is driven by investment professionals, focuses on the following
• | maximizing long-term value for Clients and protecting Clients’ rights and promoting governance structures and practices that reinforce the accountability of corporate management and boards of directors to shareholders; |
• | reflecting Invesco’s belief that environmental, social and corporate governance proposals can influence long-term shareholder value and should be voted in a manner where such long-term shareholder value is maximized; and |
• | addressing potential conflicts of interest that may arise from time to time in the proxy voting process. |
B. | OPERATING PROCEDURES AND RESPONSIBLE PARTIES |
Proxy Administration – In General
Guided by its philosophy that proxy voting is an asset that is to be managed by each investment team, consistent with that team’s view as to the best economic interest of Clients, Invesco has created the Invesco US Proxy Advisory Committee (“IUPAC”). The IUPAC is an investments-driven committee comprised of representatives from each investment management team and Invesco’s Head of Proxy Administration. IUPAC provides a forum for investment teams to monitor, understand and discuss key proxy issues and voting trends within the Invesco complex. Absent a conflict of interest, the IUPAC representative for each investment team, in consultation with his or her team, is responsible for voting proxies for the securities the team manages. In addition to IUPAC, the Invesco mutual fund board of trustees provides oversight of the proxy process through quarterly reporting and an annual in-person presentation by the Head of Proxy Administration. IUPAC and Invesco’s proxy administration team, compliance and legal teams regularly communicate and review Invesco’s proxy policies and procedures to ensure that they remain consistent with Clients’ best interests, regulatory requirements, governance trends and industry best practices.
Use of Third Party Proxy Advisory Services
Representatives of the IUPAC have direct access to third party proxy advisory analyses and recommendations (currently provided by Glass Lewis (“GL”) and Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. (“ISS”)), among other research tools, and use the information gleaned from those sources to make independent voting decisions.
Invesco’s proxy administration team performs extensive initial and ongoing due diligence on the proxy advisory firms that it engages. When deemed appropriate, representatives from the firms are asked to deliver updates directly to the mutual fund board of trustees. IUPAC conducts semi-annual, in-person policy roundtables with key heads of research from ISS and GL to ensure transparency, dialogue and engagement with the firms. These meetings provide Invesco with an opportunity to assess the firms’ capabilities, conflicts of interest and service levels, as well as provide investment professionals with direct insight into the advisory firms’ stances on key governance and proxy topics and their policy framework/methodologies. Invesco’s proxy administration team also reviews the annual SSAE 16 reports for, and the periodic proxy guideline updates published by, each proxy advisory firm to ensure that their guidelines remain consistent with Invesco’s policies and procedures. Furthermore, each proxy advisory firm completes an annual due diligence questionnaire submitted by Invesco, and Invesco conducts on-site due diligence at each firm, in part to discuss their responses to the questionnaire.
If Invesco becomes aware of any material inaccuracies in the information provided by ISS or GL, Invesco’s proxy administration team will investigate the matter to determine the cause, evaluate the adequacy of the proxy advisory firm’s control structure and assess the efficacy of the measures instituted to prevent further errors.
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ISS and GL provide updates to previously issued proxy reports when necessary to incorporate newly available information or to correct factual errors. ISS also has a Feedback Review Board, which provides a mechanism for stakeholders to communicate with ISS about issues related to proxy voting and policy formulation, research, and the accuracy of data contained in ISS reports.
Proxy Voting Platform and Administration
Invesco maintains a proprietary global proxy administration platform, supported by the Head of Proxy Administration and a dedicated team of internal proxy specialists. The platform streamlines the proxy voting and ballot reconciliation processes, as well as related functions such as share blocking and issuer/shareholder engagement. Invesco believes that managing these processes internally, as opposed to relying on third parties, gives Invesco greater quality control, oversight and independence in the proxy administration process.
The platform also includes advanced global reporting and record-keeping capabilities regarding proxy matters (including reporting by business unit, issuer or issue) that enable Invesco to satisfy client, regulatory and management requirements. Historical proxy voting information, including commentary by investment professionals regarding the votes they cast, is stored in order to build institutional knowledge over time across the Invesco complex with respect to individual companies and proxy issues. Investment professionals also use the platform to access third-party proxy research.
C. | Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) |
The following guidelines describe Invesco’s general positions with regard to various common proxy issues. The guidelines are not intended to be exhaustive or prescriptive. As noted above, Invesco’s proxy process is investor-driven, and each investment team retains ultimate discretion to vote proxies in the manner they deem to be the most appropriate, consistent with the proxy voting principles and philosophy discussed above. Individual proxy votes therefore will differ from these guidelines from time to time.
I. | Corporate Governance |
Management teams of companies are accountable to the boards of directors and directors of publicly held companies are accountable to shareholders. Invesco endeavors to vote the proxies of companies in a manner that will reinforce the notion of a board’s accountability. Consequently, Invesco generally votes against any actions that would impair the rights of shareholders or would reduce shareholders’ influence over the board.
The following are specific voting issues that illustrate how Invesco applies this principle of accountability.
Elections of directors
In uncontested director elections for companies that do not have a controlling shareholder, Invesco generally votes in favor of slates if they are comprised of at least a majority of independent directors and if the boards’ key committees are fully independent. Key committees include the audit, compensation and governance or nominating Committees. Invesco’s standard of independence excludes directors who, in addition to the directorship, have any material business or family relationships with the companies they serve. Contested director elections are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Director performance
Invesco generally withholds votes from directors who exhibit a lack of accountability to shareholders, either through their level of attendance at meetings or by adopting or approving egregious corporate-governance or other policies. In cases of material financial restatements, accounting fraud, habitually late filings, adopting shareholder rights plan (“poison pills”) without shareholder approval, or other areas of poor performance, Invesco may withhold votes from some or all of a company’s directors. In situations where directors’ performance is a concern, Invesco may also support shareholder proposals to take corrective actions, such as so-called “clawback” provisions.
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Auditors and Audit Committee members
Invesco believes a company’s audit committee has a high degree of responsibility to shareholders in matters of financial disclosure, integrity of the financial statements and effectiveness of a company’s internal controls. Independence, experience and financial expertise are critical elements of a well-functioning audit committee. When electing directors who are members of a company’s audit committee, or when ratifying a company’s auditors, Invesco considers the past performance of the committee and holds its members accountable for the quality of the company’s financial statements and reports.
Majority standard in director elections
The right to elect directors is the single most important mechanism shareholders have to promote accountability. Invesco supports the nascent effort to reform the U.S. convention of electing directors, and generally votes in favor of proposals to elect directors by a majority vote.
Staggered Boards/Annual Election of Directors
Invesco generally supports proposals to elect each director annually rather than electing directors to staggered multi-year terms because annual elections increase a board’s level of accountability to its shareholders.
Supermajority voting requirements
Unless required by law in the state of incorporation, Invesco generally votes against actions that would impose any supermajority voting requirement, and generally supports actions to dismantle existing supermajority requirements.
Responsiveness of Directors
Invesco generally withholds votes for directors who do not adequately respond to shareholder proposals that were approved by a majority of votes cast the prior year.
Cumulative voting
The practice of cumulative voting can enable minority shareholders to have representation on a company’s board. Invesco generally supports proposals to institute the practice of cumulative voting at companies whose overall corporate-governance standards indicate a particular need to protect the interests of minority shareholders.
Proxy access
Invesco generally supports shareholders’ nominations of directors in the proxy statement and ballot because it increases the accountability of the board to shareholders. Invesco will generally consider the proposed minimum period of ownership (e.g., three years), minimum ownership percentage (e.g., three percent), limitations on a proponent’s ability to aggregate holdings with other shareholders and the maximum percentage of directors who can be nominated when determining how to vote on proxy access proposals.
Shareholder access
On business matters with potential financial consequences, Invesco generally votes in favor of proposals that would increase shareholders’ opportunities to express their views to boards of directors, proposals that would lower barriers to shareholder action and proposals to promote the adoption of generally accepted best practices in corporate governance. Furthermore, Invesco generally votes for shareholder proposals that are designed to protect shareholder rights if a company’s corporate governance standards indicate that such additional protections are warranted.
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Exclusive Forum
Invesco generally supports proposals that would designate a specific jurisdiction in company bylaws as the exclusive venue for certain types of shareholder lawsuits in order to reduce costs arising out of multijurisdictional litigation.
II. | Compensation and Incentives |
Invesco believes properly constructed compensation plans that include equity ownership are effective in creating incentives that induce management and employees of companies to create greater shareholder wealth. Invesco generally supports equity compensation plans that promote the proper alignment of incentives with shareholders’ long-term interests, and generally votes against plans that are overly dilutive to existing shareholders, plans that contain objectionable structural features, and plans that appear likely to reduce the value of the Client’s investment.
Following are specific voting issues that illustrate how Invesco evaluates incentive plans.
Executive compensation
Invesco evaluates executive compensation plans within the context of the company’s performance under the executives’ tenure. Invesco believes independent compensation committees are best positioned to craft executive-compensation plans that are suitable for their company-specific circumstances. Invesco views the election of independent compensation committee members as the appropriate mechanism for shareholders to express their approval or disapproval of a company’s compensation practices. Therefore, Invesco generally does not support shareholder proposals to limit or eliminate certain forms of executive compensation. In the interest of reinforcing the notion of a compensation committee’s accountability to shareholders, Invesco generally supports proposals requesting that companies subject each year’s compensation record to an advisory shareholder vote, or so-called “say on pay” proposals.
Equity-based compensation plans
Invesco generally votes against plans that contain structural features that would impair the alignment of incentives between shareholders and management. Such features include the ability to reprice or reload options without shareholder approval, the ability to issue options below the stock’s current market price, or the ability automatically to replenish shares without shareholder approval.
Employee stock-purchase plans
Invesco generally supports employee stock-purchase plans that are reasonably designed to provide proper incentives to a broad base of employees, provided that the price at which employees may acquire stock is at most a 15 percent discount from the market price.
Severance agreements
Invesco generally votes in favor of proposals requiring advisory shareholder ratification of executives’ severance agreements. However, Invesco generally opposes proposals requiring such agreements to be ratified by shareholders in advance of their adoption. Given the vast differences that may occur in these agreements, some severance agreements are evaluated on an individual basis.
III. | Capitalization |
Examples of management proposals related to a company’s capital structure include authorizing or issuing additional equity capital, repurchasing outstanding stock, or enacting a stock split or reverse stock split. On requests for additional capital stock, Invesco analyzes the company’s stated reasons for the request. Except where the request could adversely affect the Client’s ownership stake or voting rights, Invesco generally supports a board’s decisions on its needs for additional capital stock. Some capitalization proposals require a case-by-case analysis. Examples of such proposals include authorizing common or preferred stock with special voting rights, or issuing additional stock in connection with an acquisition.
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IV. | Mergers, Acquisitions and Other Corporate Actions |
Issuers occasionally require shareholder approval to engage in certain corporate actions such as mergers, acquisitions, name changes, dissolutions, reorganizations, divestitures and reincorporations and the votes for these types of corporate actions are generally determined on a case-by-case basis.
V. | Anti-Takeover Measures |
Practices designed to protect a company from unsolicited bids can adversely affect shareholder value and voting rights, and they potentially create conflicts of interests among directors, management and shareholders. Except under special issuer-specific circumstances, Invesco generally votes to reduce or eliminate such measures. These measures include adopting or renewing “poison pills”, requiring supermajority voting on certain corporate actions, classifying the election of directors instead of electing each director to an annual term, or creating separate classes of common or preferred stock with special voting rights. Invesco generally votes against management proposals to impose these types of measures, and generally votes for shareholder proposals designed to reduce such measures. Invesco generally supports shareholder proposals directing companies to subject their anti-takeover provisions to a shareholder vote.
VI. | Environmental, Social and Corporate Responsibility Issues |
Invesco believes that a company’s response to environmental, social and corporate responsibility issues and the risks attendant to them can have a significant effect on its long-term shareholder value. Invesco recognizes that to manage a corporation effectively, directors and management must consider not only the interest of shareholders, but also the interests of employees, customers, suppliers and creditors, among others. While Invesco generally affords management discretion with respect to the operation of a company’s business, Invesco will evaluate such proposals on a case-by-case basis and will vote proposals relating to these issues in a manner intended to maximize long-term shareholder value.
VII. | Routine Business Matters |
Routine business matters rarely have the potential to have a material effect on the economic prospects of Clients’ holdings, so Invesco generally supports a board’s discretion on these items. However, Invesco generally votes against proposals where there is insufficient information to make a decision about the nature of the proposal. Similarly, Invesco generally votes against proposals to conduct other unidentified business at shareholder meetings.
D. | EXCEPTIONS |
Client Maintains Right to Vote Proxies
In the case of institutional or sub-advised Clients, Invesco will vote the proxies in accordance with these Guidelines unless the Client retains, in writing, the right to vote or the named fiduciary of a Client (e.g., the plan sponsor of an ERISA Client) retains in writing the right to direct the plan trustee or a third party to vote proxies.
Voting for Certain Investment Strategies
For proxies held by certain Client accounts managed in accordance with fixed income, money market and index strategies, Invesco will typically vote in line with the majority of the rest of the shares voted by Invesco outside of those strategies (“Majority Voting”). In this manner Invesco seeks to leverage the expertise and comprehensive proxy voting reviews conducted by teams employing active equity strategies, which typically incorporate analysis of proxy issues as a core component of the investment process. Portfolio managers for accounts employing Majority Voting still retain full discretion to override Majority Voting and to vote the shares as they determine to be in the best interest of Clients, absent certain types of conflicts of interest, which are discussed elsewhere in these policies and procedures.
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For cash sweep investment vehicles selected by a Client but for which Invesco has proxy voting authority over the account and where no other Invesco client holds the same securities, Invesco will vote proxies based on ISS recommendations.
Proxy Constraints
In certain circumstances, Invesco may refrain from voting where the economic or other opportunity cost of voting a company’s proxy exceeds any anticipated benefits of that proxy proposal. In addition, there may be instances in which Invesco is unable to vote all of its Clients’ proxies despite using commercially reasonable efforts to do so. Particular examples of such instances include, but are not limited to, the following:
• | When securities are participating in an Invesco securities lending program, Invesco determines whether to terminate the loan by weighing the benefit to the Client of voting a particular proxy versus the revenue lost by terminating the loan and recalling the securities. |
• | In some countries the exercise of voting rights requires the Client to submit to “share-blocking.” Invesco generally refrains from voting proxies in share-blocking countries unless the portfolio manager determines that the benefit to the Client(s) of voting a specific proxy outweighs the Client’s temporary inability to sell the security. |
• | An inability to receive proxy materials from our Clients’ custodians with sufficient time and information to make an informed voting decision. |
• | Some non-U.S. companies require a representative to attend meetings in person in order to vote a proxy. In such cases, Invesco may determine that the costs of sending a representative or signing a power-of-attorney outweigh the benefit of voting a particular proxy. |
In the great majority of instances Invesco is able to vote U.S. and non-U.S. proxies successfully. It is important to note that Invesco makes voting decisions for non-U.S. issuers using these Guidelines as its framework, but also takes into account the corporate governance standards, regulatory environment and generally reasonable and governance-minded practices of the local market.
E. | RESOLVING POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST |
Firm Level Conflicts of Interest
A potential conflict of interest arises when Invesco votes a proxy for an issuer with which it also maintains a material business relationship. Examples could include issuers that are distributors of Invesco’s products, or issuers that employ Invesco to manage portions of their retirement plans or treasury accounts. Invesco’s proxy administration team maintains a list of all issuers for which a conflict of interest exists.
If the proposal that gives rise to the potential conflict is specifically addressed by the Guidelines, Invesco generally will vote the proxy in accordance therewith. Otherwise, based on a majority vote of its members, IUPAC will vote the proxy.
Because the Guidelines are pre-determined and crafted to be in the best economic interest of Clients, applying the Guidelines to vote Client proxies should, in most instances, adequately resolve any potential conflict of interest. As an additional safeguard against potential conflicts, persons from Invesco’s marketing, distribution and other customer-facing functions are not members of IUPAC.
Voting of Proxies Related to Invesco Ltd.
In order to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, Invesco will not vote proxies issued by, or related to matters involving, Invesco Ltd. that may be held by Clients from time to time.
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Personal Conflicts of Interest
If any member of IUPAC has a personal conflict of interest with respect to a company or an issue presented for voting, that IUPAC member will inform IUPAC of such conflict and will abstain from voting on that company or issue. All IUPAC members shall sign an annual conflicts of interest memorandum.
Funds of Funds
Some Invesco Funds offering diversified asset allocation within one investment vehicle own shares in other Invesco Funds. A potential conflict of interest could arise if an underlying Invesco Fund has a shareholder meeting with any proxy issues to be voted on, because Invesco’s asset-allocation funds or target-maturity funds may be large shareholders of the underlying fund. In order to avoid any potential for a conflict, the asset-allocation funds and target maturity funds vote their shares in the same proportion as the votes of the external shareholders of the underlying fund.
F. | RECORDKEEPING |
Invesco’s proxy administration team will be responsible for all Proxy Voting record keeping.
G. | Policies and Vote Disclosure |
A copy of these Guidelines and the voting record of each Invesco Retail Fund are available on Invesco’s web site, www.invesco.com. In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, all Invesco Funds file a record of all proxy-voting activity for the prior 12 months ending June 30th. That filing is made on or before August 31st of each year. In the case of institutional and sub-advised Clients, Clients may contact their client service representative to request information about how Invesco voted proxies on their behalf. Absent specific contractual guidelines, such requests may be made on a semi-annual basis.
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