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Prospectus

April 25, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Sprott Uranium Miners ETF (NYSE Arca: URNM)

 

 

 

 

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 
 

 

Table of Contents

 

Contents

 

Summary Information — Sprott Uranium Miners ETF 4
Investment Objective 4
Fund Fees and Expenses 4
Portfolio Turnover 4
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund 4
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund 5
Performance 8
Management 8
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares 9
Tax Information 9
Payments to Broker-Dealer and Other Financial Intermediaries 9
Additional Information About the Fund 9
Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategy 9
Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Risks 10
Other Risks 14
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings 15
Fund Management 15
Adviser 15
Sub-Adviser 15
Portfolio Managers 16
Information About the Fund’s Index, the Index Provider and the Index Calculation Agent 16
Shareholder Information 16
General 16
Book-Entry 17
How to Buy and Sell Shares 17
Pricing Fund Shares 17
Creation Units 17
How to Buy Shares 17
Legal Restrictions on Transactions in Certain Stocks 18
Redemption of Shares 18
Distributions 18
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions 19
Federal Income Taxation 19
Taxes on Distributions 19
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Shares Sales 19
Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units 20
Taxation of Fund Investments in Passive Foreign Investment Companies 20
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings 20
Financial Highlights 20
General Information 21

 

 
 

Summary Information — Sprott Uranium Miners ETF

 

Investment Objective

 

The Sprott Uranium Miners ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the North Shore Global Uranium Mining Index (the “Index”).

 

Fund Fees and Expenses

 

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.

 

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee   0.85%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees   0.00%
Other Expenses   0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses   0.85%

 

Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your cost would be:

 

1 Year 

3 Years 

5 Years 

10 Years 

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be: $87   $271   $471   $1,049

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may result in higher transaction costs and higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs may affect the Fund’s performance. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, may affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2021, the portfolio turnover rate for the North Shore Global Uranium Mining ETF (the “Predecessor Fund”), a series of Exchange Traded Concepts Trust, which was reorganized into the Fund, was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund

 

The Fund will, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its total assets in securities of the Index. The Index is designed to track the performance of companies that devote at least 50% of their assets to (i) mining, exploration, development, and production of uranium (“Uranium Mining Companies”); and/or (ii) holding physical uranium, owning uranium royalties, or engaging in other, non-mining activities that support the uranium mining industry, including, but not limited to, infrastructure and labor costs (together with Uranium Mining Companies, “Uranium Companies”). Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in securities of Uranium Mining Companies.

 

The universe of eligible index components includes exchange-listed equity securities of companies that have or expect to have a significant portion of their business operations related to uranium. Such companies are identified through the use of a proprietary selection methodology that includes a review of industry publications, sell side research, and fundamental research, as well as meetings with management. Companies in this eligible universe are included in the Index subject to the following restrictions:

 

· All securities must have a company level minimum market capitalization of $40 million to become components of the Index and must maintain a minimum market capitalization of $25 million to remain in the Index.
· An aggregate weight of 82.5% of the Index is assigned to companies that are involved in the mining, exploration, development, and production of uranium. An aggregate weight of 17.5% of the Index is assigned to companies that hold physical uranium, uranium royalties, or other non-mining assets.
· The components within each of these buckets are market cap weighted.
· A single security weight cap of 15% and a single security floor of 0.30% is applied.
· No more than five issuers will have a weight greater than 4.70% of the Index and the aggregate weight of all the components with a weight greater than 5% is capped at 50%.
· If multiple share classes exist for a company, the following preference order is followed:
§ If the company is already included in the Index, the existing share class is retained.
§ If the company is not already included in the Index and an American Depositary Receipt (“ADR”) representing the company’s stock is available, such ADR will be given preference over all other share classes.
§ In all other cases, the most liquid share class is considered for inclusion in the portfolio.

 

In seeking to track the performance of the Index, the Fund may invest in publicly traded closed-ended trusts in the Index, including trusts created to invest and hold substantially all of their assets in physical uranium, such as the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust, which is managed by Sprott Asset Management LP (the “Adviser”), the adviser to the Fund. The Adviser and the Fund have adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing decisions related to the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust. See “Investments in Affiliated Funds.”

 

4 
 

 

The Index consists of securities of both U.S. and foreign issuers, including securities of issuers located in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries are those that are experiencing significant economic growth and possess some, but not all, of the characteristics of a developed country. As of December 1, 2021 approximately 70% of the Index consisted of securities of Australian, Canadian, and Kazakh issuers.

 

The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced on a semi-annual basis in March and September. Deletions from the Index may be made at any time due to changes in business, mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, suspensions, de-listings and spin-offs. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.

 

The Fund employs a “passive management” investment strategy in seeking to achieve its investment objective. The Adviser and sub-adviser, ALPS Advisors, Inc. (the “Sub-Adviser”), generally will use a replication methodology, meaning they will invest in all of the securities comprising the Index in proportion to the weightings in the Index. However, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser may utilize a sampling methodology under various circumstances, including when it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the securities in the Index. The Adviser expects that over time, if the Fund has sufficient assets, the correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Index will be 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.

 

The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in investments that are not included in the Index, but that the Adviser and Sub-Adviser believe will help the Fund track the performance of the Index.

 

The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., invest more than 25% of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of December 1, 2021, the Index was concentrated in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry. In addition, in replicating the Index, the Fund may from time to time invest a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies in one or more sectors. As dictated by its methodology, a high percentage of the Index consists of companies in the Energy Sector.

 

The index provider is North Shore Indices, Inc. (the “Index Provider”), which is not affiliated with the Fund, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. The Index Provider developed the methodology for determining the securities to be included in the Index and is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the Index. The Index is calculated by Indxx, LLC, which is not affiliated with the Fund, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser.

 

The Fund may engage in securities lending.

 

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

 

As with all funds, a shareholder is subject to the risk that his or her investment could lose money. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency. The principal risks affecting shareholders' investments in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Uranium Mining Companies Risk: Uranium Mining Companies may be significantly subject to the effects of competitive pressures in the uranium business and the price of uranium. The price of uranium may be affected by changes in inflation rates, interest rates, monetary policy, economic conditions and political stability. The price of uranium may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time, therefore the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than other types of investments. In addition, Uranium Mining Companies may also be significantly affected by import controls, worldwide competition, liability for environmental damage, depletion of resources, mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control devices, political and economic conditions in uranium producing and consuming countries, and uranium production levels and costs of production. The primary demand for uranium is from the nuclear energy industry, which uses uranium as fuel for nuclear power plants. Demand for nuclear energy may face considerable risk as a result of, among other risks, incidents and accidents, breaches of security, ill-intentioned acts or terrorism, air crashes, natural disasters (such as floods or earthquakes), equipment malfunctions or mishandling in storage, handling, transportation, treatment or conditioning of substances and nuclear materials.

 

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an Authorized Participant (as defined below) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, Fund shares may trade at a discount to net asset value per share (“NAV”) and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

Commodity Exposure Risk: The Fund invests in Uranium Companies, which may be susceptible to fluctuations in the underlying commodities market. Commodity prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, or are concentrated on a single commodity sector, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to commodity prices. The Index measures the performance of Uranium Companies and not the performance of the price of uranium itself. The securities of Uranium Companies may under- or over-perform the price of uranium over the short-term or the long-term.

 

Common Stock Risk: Common stock holds the lowest priority in the capital structure of a company, and, therefore, takes the largest share of the company’s risk and its accompanying volatility. The value of the common stock held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or facts relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests.

 

Currency Risk. The Fund may invest its assets in securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investment and the value of the Shares. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund’s NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the value of the Fund’s holdings, measured in the foreign currency, increases. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning and you may lose money.

 

5 
 

 

Cybersecurity and Disaster Recovery Risks. Information and technology systems relied upon by the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Fund’s other service providers (including, but not limited to, the Fund Accountant, Custodian, Transfer Agent, Administrator, Distributor and index providers), market makers, Authorized Participants, financial intermediaries and/or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons, security breaches, usage errors, power outages and catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. Although the Adviser and the Fund’s other service providers have implemented measures to manage risks relating to these types of events, if these systems are compromised, become inoperable for extended periods of time or cease to function properly, significant investment may be required to fix or replace them. The failure of these systems and/or of disaster recovery plans could cause significant interruptions in the operations of the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Fund’s other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants, financial intermediaries and/or issuers of securities in which the Fund invests and may result in a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV or impede trading.

 

Depositary Receipt Risk. The Fund may invest in depositary receipts which involve similar risks to those associated with investments in foreign securities. Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and, if not included in the Index, may negatively affect the Fund’s ability to replicate the performance of the Index.

 

Early Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

 

Emerging Markets Securities Risk: Emerging markets are subject to greater market volatility, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets and more governmental limitations on foreign investment than more developed markets. In addition, securities in emerging markets may be subject to greater price fluctuations than securities in more developed markets. Differences in regulatory, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards could impede the Adviser’s ability to evaluate local companies and impact the Fund’s performance. Investments in securities of issuers in emerging markets may also be exposed to risks related to a lack of liquidity, greater potential for market manipulation, issuers’ limited reliable access to capital, and foreign investment structures. Additionally, the Fund may have limited rights and remedies available to it to pursue claims against issuers in emerging markets.

 

Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to expropriation, nationalization or adverse political or economic developments. Foreign securities may have relatively low market liquidity and decreased publicly available information about issuers. Investments in non-U.S. securities also may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to inconsistent and potentially less stringent accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers. These and other factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments. In addition, where all or a portion of the Fund’s portfolio holdings trade in markets that are closed when the Fund’s market is open, there may be valuation differences that could lead to differences between the Fund’s market price and the value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

 

Geographic Investment Risk: To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region. As of December 1, 2021, approximately 70% of the Index consisted of securities of Australian, Canadian, and Kazakh issuers.

 

Investing in Australia Risk. Investments in securities of Australian issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The Australian economy is heavily dependent on exports from the agriculture and mining industries. This makes the Australian economy susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity markets. Australia is also dependent on trading with key trading partners.

 

Investing in Canada Risk. The Canadian economy is susceptible to adverse changes in certain commodities markets, including those related to the agricultural and mining industries. It is also heavily dependent on trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may adversely affect the Canadian economy.

 

Investing in Kazakhstan Risk. Kazakhstan’s economy is a resource-based economy that is heavily dependent on the export of natural resources. Fluctuations in certain commodity markets or sustained low prices for its exports could have a significant, adverse effect on Kazakhstan’s economy. While Kazakhstan has recently pursued economic reform and liberalization of many areas in the economy, there is no guarantee that the government will not become directly involved in aspects of the economy in the future.

 

Recently, a state of emergency and a nationwide curfew has been imposed and there has been foreign intervention in Kazakhstan in response to social unrest in that country. Until there is a period of stabilization, it is unclear of the extent of the consequences of this unrest and measures take to address the unrest will have on the future growth and economic conditions in Kazakhstan, including uranium mining and prices and the supply and demand of that commodity, as well as whether there will be any other unintended consequences.

 

Index Management Risk. The Fund is not “actively” managed. Therefore, it would not necessarily sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble unless that security is removed from the Index. Additionally, the Fund rebalances its portfolio in accordance with its Index, and, therefore, any changes to the Index’s rebalance schedule will result in corresponding changes to the Fund’s rebalance schedule.

 

Index Tracking Risk: The Fund’s return may not match or achieve a high degree of correlation with the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including operating expenses incurred by the Fund not applicable to the Index, costs in buying and selling securities, asset valuation differences and differences between the Fund’s portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cash flows or operational inefficiencies. To the extent the Fund utilizes a sampling approach, it may experience tracking error to a greater extent than if the Fund sought to replicate the Index.

6 
 

 

Industry Concentration Risk: Because the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund is subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries. As of December 1, 2021, the Index was concentrated in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels industry.

 

Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry Risk. The oil, gas and consumable fuels industry is cyclical and highly dependent on the market price of fuel. The market value of companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry are strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global commodity prices, supply and demand, capital expenditures on exploration and production, energy conservation efforts, the prices of alternative fuels, exchange rates and technological advances. Companies in this sector are subject to substantial government regulation and contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of business and limit these companies’ earnings. A significant portion of their revenues depends on a relatively small number of customers, including governmental entities and utilities. As a result, governmental budget restraints may have a material adverse effect on the stock prices of companies in the industry.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. Fund performance depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Issuer-specific events, including changes in the financial condition of an issuer, can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.

Large-Capitalization Risk: Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies. The securities of large-capitalization companies may also be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.

 

Liquidity Risk. It may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell significant amounts of some securities without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices. As a result, these securities may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Sub-Adviser believes it is desirable to do so.

 

Market Risk and Selection Risk. Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, e.g., COVID-19, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.

 

Micro-Capitalization Risk: The micro-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. Securities of micro-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes, are often more vulnerable to market volatility, and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole.

 

Non-Diversified Fund Risk. The Fund is a non-diversified investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), meaning that, as compared to a diversified fund, it can invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities issued by or representing a small number of issuers. As a result, the performance of these issuers can have a substantial impact on the Fund’s performance.

Operational Risk: The Fund and its service providers may experience disruptions that arise from human error, processing and communications errors, counterparty or third-party errors, technology or systems failures, any of which may have an adverse impact on the Fund.  

 

Sector Focus Risk: The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one or more sectors and thus will be more susceptible to the risks affecting those sectors. While the Fund’s sector exposure is expected to vary over time based on the composition of the Index, the Fund anticipates that it may be subject to some or all of the risks described below.

 

Energy Sector Risk: Issuers in energy-related industries can be significantly affected by fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of energy fuels. Markets for various energy-related commodities can have significant volatility, and are subject to control or manipulation by large producers or purchasers. Companies in the energy sector may need to make substantial expenditures, and to incur significant amounts of debt, in order to maintain or expand their reserves. Oil and gas exploration and production can be significantly affected by natural disasters, as well as changes in exchange rates, interest rates, government regulation, world events and economic conditions. These companies may be at risk for environmental damage claims.

 

Securities Lending. Although the Fund will receive collateral in connection with all loans of its securities holdings, the Fund would be exposed to a risk of loss should a borrower default on its obligation to return the borrowed securities (e.g., the loaned securities may have appreciated beyond the value of the collateral held by the Fund). In addition, the Fund will bear the risk of loss of any cash collateral that it invests.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk. The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund invests may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. Securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes, are often more vulnerable to market volatility, and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole.

  

7 
 

Trading Risk: Shares of the Fund may trade on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), above (premium) or below (discount) their NAV. The NAV of shares of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand and may deviate significantly from the value of the Fund’s holdings, particularly in times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay more or receive less than the underlying value of the Fund shares bought or sold. When buying or selling shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask), which is known as the bid-ask spread. In addition, although the Fund’s shares are currently listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares of the Fund inadvisable. In stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings.

 

Performance

The following performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund is newly organized, so the performance information presented is that of the Predecessor Fund. The bar chart shows the Predecessor Fund’s performance for calendar years ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Predecessor Fund’s average annual returns for the 1-year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and the Index. The Predecessor Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information and daily NAV per share information is available at no cost by visiting www.sprottetfs.com or by calling (888) 622-1813.

 

Calendar Year Returns

 

 

During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Predecessor Fund’s highest quarterly return was 51.25% for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, and the lowest quarterly return was -23.99% for the quarter ended March 31, 2020.

 

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the periods ended December 31, 2021)

 

 

One

Year

Since Inception*
Return Before Taxes 81.28% 74.00%
Return after Taxes on Distributions 76.91% 71.11%
Return after Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 48.32% 58.35%

North Shore Global Uranium Mining Index

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

82.15% 74.32%
S&P Index 500 (Gross) (USD) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 28.71% 25.13%

 

*The Predecessor Fund commenced operations on December 3, 2019.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged accounts.

Management

 

Adviser

 

Sprott Asset Management LP is the investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Sub-Adviser

 

ALPS Advisors, Inc. is the sub-adviser to the Fund.

 

 

8 
 

Portfolio Managers

 

Ryan Mischker, Vice President, Portfolio Management & Research, and Andrew Hicks, Vice President of Index Management of ALPS Advisors, Inc., are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Mr. Mischker and Mr. Hicks have each served in such capacity since March 2022.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares  

 

The Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in a large, specified number of shares each called a “Creation Unit,” or multiples thereof, and only with “authorized participants” that have entered into contractual arrangements with ALPS Distributors, Inc., the Fund’s distributor (“Distributor”). Creation Unit transactions are typically conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of in-kind securities in the Fund’s portfolio and/or cash.

 

Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on the Exchange through brokers. Shares of the Fund are listed on the Exchange and because shares will trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than or less than NAV. An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”).

 

Information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads can be viewed on the Fund’s website at www.sprottetfs.com.

 

Tax Information  

 

Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealer and Other Financial Intermediaries  

 

If you purchase shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Adviser or other related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of shares or related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information About the Fund

 

Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategy

 

The Fund will, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its total assets in securities of the Index. The Index is designed to track the performance of companies that devote at least 50% of their assets to (i) mining, exploration, development, and production of uranium (“Uranium Mining Companies”); and/or (ii) holding physical uranium, owning uranium royalties, or engaging in other, non-mining activities that support the uranium mining industry, including, but not limited to, infrastructure and labor costs (together with Uranium Mining Companies, “Uranium Companies”). Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in securities of Uranium Mining Companies.

 

The universe of eligible index components includes exchange-listed equity securities of companies that have or expect to have a significant portion of their business operations related to uranium. Such companies are identified through the use of a proprietary selection methodology that includes a review of industry publications, sell side research, and fundamental research, as well as meetings with management. Companies in this eligible universe are included in the Index subject to the following restrictions:

 

· All securities must have a company level minimum market capitalization of $40 million to become components of the Index and must maintain a minimum market capitalization of $25 million to remain in the Index.
· An aggregate weight of 82.5% of the Index is assigned to companies that are involved in the mining, exploration, development, and production of uranium. An aggregate weight of 17.5% of the Index is assigned to companies that hold physical uranium, uranium royalties, or other non-mining assets.
· The components within each of these buckets are market cap weighted.
· A single security weight cap of 15% and a single security floor of 0.30% is applied.
· No more than five issuers will have a weight greater than 4.70% of the Index and the aggregate weight of all the components with a weight greater than 5% is capped at 50%.
· If multiple share classes exist for a company, the following preference order is followed:
§ If the company is already included in the Index, the existing share class is retained.
§ If the company is not already included in the Index and an American Depositary Receipt (“ADR”) representing the company’s stock is available, such ADR will be given preference over all other share classes.
§ In all other cases, the most liquid share class is considered for inclusion in the portfolio.

 

In seeking to track the performance of the Index, the Fund may invest in publicly traded closed-ended trusts in the Index, including trusts created to invest and hold substantially all of their assets in physical uranium, such as the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust, which is managed by the Adviser. The Adviser and the Fund have adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing decisions related to the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust. See “Investments in Affiliated Funds.”

 

The Index consists of securities of both U.S. and foreign issuers, including securities of issuers located in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries are those that are experiencing significant economic growth and possess some, but not all, of the characteristics of a developed country. As of December 1, 2021, approximately 70% of the Index consisted of securities of Australian, Canadian, and Kazakh issuers.

 

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The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced on a semi-annual basis in March and September. Deletions from the Index may be made at any time due to changes in business, mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, suspensions, de-listings and spin-offs. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.

 

The Fund employs a “passive management” investment strategy in seeking to achieve its investment objective. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser, generally will use a replication methodology, meaning they will invest in all of the securities comprising the Index in proportion to the weightings in the Index. However, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser may utilize a sampling methodology under various circumstances, including when it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the securities in the Index. The Adviser expects that over time, if the Fund has sufficient assets, the correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Index will be 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.

 

The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in investments that are not included in the Index, but that the Adviser and Sub-Adviser believe will help the Fund track the performance of the Index.

 

The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., invest more than 25% of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of December 1, 2021, the Index was concentrated in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry. In addition, in replicating the Index, the Fund may from time to time invest a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies in one or more sectors. As dictated by its methodology, a high percentage of the Index consists of companies in the Energy Sector.

 

The index provider is North Shore Indices, Inc., which is not affiliated with the Fund, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. The Index Provider developed the methodology for determining the securities to be included in the Index and is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the Index. The Index is calculated by Indxx, LLC, which is not affiliated with the Fund, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser.

 

The Fund may engage in securities lending.

 

Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Risks

 

The following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks of the Fund.

 

Uranium Mining Companies Risk: Uranium Mining Companies may be significantly subject to the effects of competitive pressures in the uranium business and the price of uranium. The price of uranium may be affected by changes in inflation rates, interest rates, monetary policy, economic conditions and political stability. The price of uranium may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time, and the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than other types of investments. In addition, Uranium Mining Companies may be significantly affected by import controls, worldwide competition, liability for environmental damage, depletion of resources, mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control devices, political and economic conditions in uranium producing and consuming countries, and uranium production levels and costs of production.

The primary demand for uranium is from the nuclear energy industry, which uses uranium as fuel for nuclear power plants. A decrease in the demand for nuclear power would have an adverse effect on the performance of the Fund. Demand for nuclear energy may face considerable risk as a result of, among other risks, incidents and accidents, breaches of security, ill-intentioned acts or terrorism, air crashes, natural disasters (such as floods or earthquakes), equipment malfunctions or mishandling in storage, handling, transportation, treatment or conditioning of substances and nuclear materials. Such events could have serious consequences, especially in case of radioactive contamination and irradiation of the environment, for the general population, as well as a material, negative impact on the Fund’s portfolio companies and thus the Fund’s financial situation.

In addition, the nuclear energy industry is subject to competitive risk associated with the prices of other energy sources. Consumers of nuclear energy may have the ability to switch between the nuclear energy and other energy sources, thereby reducing demand for uranium. The prices of crude oil, natural gas and electricity produced from traditional hydro power and possibly other undiscovered energy sources could potentially have a negative impact on the demand for uranium.

Nuclear activity is also subject to particularly detailed and restrictive regulations, with a scheme for the monitoring and periodic re-examination of operating authorization, which primarily takes into account nuclear safety, environmental and public health protection, and also national safety considerations. These regulations may be subject to significant tightening by national and international authorities. This could result in increased operating costs that could make nuclear power less competitive and thereby reduce demand for uranium.

 

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an Authorized Participant (as defined in the Creations and Redemptions section of the Fund’s prospectus) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

Commodity Exposure Risk. The Fund invests in Uranium Companies, which may be susceptible to fluctuations in the underlying commodities market. Any negative changes in such commodities market could have a great impact on the Fund. Commodity prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, or are concentrated on a single commodity sector, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to commodity prices.

 

Common Stock Risk: Common stock holds the lowest priority in the capital structure of a company, and, therefore, takes the largest share of the company’s risk and its accompanying volatility. Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks 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. Further, 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, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of a particular common stock. Also, prices of common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and economic conditions, and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic or banking crises.

 

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Currency Exchange Risk. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non- U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investments and the value of your shares. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the U.S. dollar value of your investment in the Fund may go down if the value of the local currency of the non-U.S. markets in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar. This is true even if the local currency value of securities in the Fund’s holdings goes up. Conversely, the dollar value of your investment in the Fund may go up if the value of the local currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar. The value of the U.S. dollar measured against other currencies is influenced by a variety of factors. These factors include: national debt levels and trade deficits, changes in balances of payments and trade, domestic and foreign interest and inflation rates, global or regional political, economic or financial events, monetary policies of governments, actual or potential government intervention, and global energy prices. Political instability, the possibility of government intervention and restrictive or opaque business and investment policies may also reduce the value of a countrys currency. Government monetary policies and the buying or selling of currency by a countrys government may also influence exchange rates. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning, and you may lose money.

 

Cybersecurity and Disaster Recovery Risks. Information and technology systems relied upon by the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Fund’s other service providers (including, but not limited to, the Fund Accountant, Custodian, Transfer Agent, Administrator, Distributor and index providers), market makers, Authorized Participants, financial intermediaries and/or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons, security breaches, usage errors, power outages and catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. Although the Adviser and the Fund’s other service providers have implemented measures to manage risks relating to these types of events, if these systems are compromised, become inoperable for extended periods of time or cease to function properly, significant investment may be required to fix or replace them. The failure of these systems and/or of disaster recovery plans could cause significant interruptions in the operations of the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Fund’s other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants, financial intermediaries and/or issuers of securities in which the Fund invests and may result in a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV or impede trading.

 

Depositary Receipt Risk. ADRs are dollar-denominated depositary receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence an ownership interest in a security or pool of securities issued by a foreign corporation. ADRs are listed and traded in the United States and designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. ADRs are subject to the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, which are described below. In addition, investments in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and may be more volatile.

 

Early Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. The ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments, and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

 

Emerging Markets Securities Risk: Emerging markets are subject to greater market volatility, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets and more governmental limitations on foreign investment than more developed markets. In addition, securities in emerging markets may be subject to greater price fluctuations than securities in more developed markets. Investments in debt securities of foreign governments present special risks, including the fact that issuers may be unable or unwilling to repay principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt, or may be unable to make such repayments when due in the currency required under the terms of the debt. Political, economic and social events also may have a greater impact on the price of debt securities issued by foreign governments than on the price of U.S. securities. In addition, brokerage and other transaction costs on foreign securities exchanges are often higher than in the United States and there is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers in foreign countries. Differences in regulatory, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards could impede the Adviser’s ability to evaluate local companies and impact the Fund’s performance. Investments in securities of issuers in emerging markets may also be exposed to risks related to a lack of liquidity, greater potential for market manipulation, issuers’ limited reliable access to capital, and foreign investment structures. Additionally, the Fund may have limited rights and remedies available to it to pursue claims against issuers in emerging markets.

 

Specifically with respect to index funds, the conditions in emerging markets may lead to potential errors in index data, index computation, and/or index construction if information on non-U.S. companies is unreliable or outdated, or if less information about the non-U.S. companies is publicly available due to differences in regulatory, accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping standards. This, in turn, may limit a fund adviser’s ability to oversee the index provider’s due diligence process over index data prior to its use in index computation, construction, and/or rebalancing. All of these factors may adversely impact fund performance. In addition, the rights and remedies associated with investments in a fund that tracks an index comprised of foreign securities may be different than a fund that tracks an index of domestic securities.

 

Foreign Securities Risk:  Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to inconsistent and potentially less stringent accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. With respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of government intervention and expropriation or nationalization of assets. Because legal systems differ, there is also the possibility that it will be difficult to obtain or enforce legal judgments in certain countries. Because foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities held by the Fund may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares. Conversely, shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.

 

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Geographic Investment Risk: To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region. For example, political and economic conditions and changes in regulatory, tax, or economic policy in a country could significantly affect the market in that country and in surrounding or related countries and have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. Currency developments or restrictions, political and social instability, and changing economic conditions have resulted in significant market volatility. As of December 1, 2021, approximately 70% of the Index consisted of securities of Australian, Canadian, and Kazakh issuers.

 

Investing in Australia Risk. Investments in securities of Australian issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. Investments in Australian issuers may subject each Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to Australia. The Australian economy is heavily dependent on exports from the agricultural and mining sectors. As a result, the Australian economy is susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity markets. The Australian economy is also becoming increasingly dependent on its growing services industry. The Australian economy is dependent on trading with key trading partners, including the United States, China, Japan, Singapore and certain European countries. Reduction in spending on Australian products and services, or changes in any of the economies, may cause an adverse impact on the Australian economy.

 

Investing in Canada Risk. Canada is a significant exporter of natural resources, such as oil, natural gas and agricultural products. As a result, the Canadian economy is susceptible to adverse changes in certain commodities markets. It is also heavily dependent on trading with key partners, including the United States, Mexico, and China. Any reduction in trading with these key partners may adversely affect the Canadian economy. Canada’s dependency on the economy of the United States, in particular, makes Canada’s economy vulnerable to political and regulatory changes affecting the United States economy.

 

Investing in Kazakhstan Risk. Kazakhstan’s economy is a resource-based economy that is heavily dependent on the export of natural resources. Fluctuations in certain commodity markets or sustained low prices for its exports could have a significant, adverse effect on Kazakhstan’s economy. Kazakhstan is a presidential republic but maintains several authoritarian characteristics including involvement in the economy. While Kazakhstan has recently pursued economic reform and liberalization of many areas in the economy, there is no guarantee that the government will not become directly involved in aspects of the economy in the future. Due to the recent rise in many commodities prices, one major concern for Kazakhstan is managing inflationary pressures from strong foreign currency inflows. Significant increases in inflation would have a negative impact on companies in Kazakhstan and would have an adverse impact on the Fund.

 

Recently, a state of emergency and a nationwide curfew has been imposed and there has been foreign intervention in Kazakhstan in response to social unrest in that country. Until there is a period of stabilization, it is unclear of the extent of the consequences of this unrest and measures take to address the unrest will have on the future growth and economic conditions in Kazakhstan, including uranium mining and prices and the supply and demand of that commodity, as well as whether there will be any other unintended consequences.

 

Index Management Risk. The Fund is not “actively” managed. Therefore, it would not necessarily sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble unless that security is removed from the Index. Additionally, the Fund rebalances its portfolio in accordance with its Index, and, therefore, any changes to the Index’s rebalance schedule will result in corresponding changes to the Fund’s rebalance schedule.

 

Index Tracking Risk: The Fund’s return may not match or achieve a high degree of correlation with the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including operating expenses incurred by the Fund not applicable to the Index, costs in buying and selling securities, asset valuation differences and differences between the Fund’s portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cash flows or operational inefficiencies. To the extent the Fund utilizes a sampling approach, it may experience tracking error to a greater extent than if the Fund sought to replicate the Index.

 

Industry Concentration Risk: Because the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund is subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries. To the extent the Fund concentrates in the securities of issuers in a particular industry, the Fund may face more risks than if it were diversified more broadly over numerous industries. Such industry-based risks, any of which may adversely affect the Fund, may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand in a particular industry; competition for resources, adverse labor relations, political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in an industry. In addition, at times, an industry or sector may be out of favor and underperform other industries or the market as a whole. As of December 1, 2021, the Index was concentrated in the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry.

Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry Risk: The oil, gas and consumable fuels industry is cyclical and highly dependent on the market price of fuel. The market value of companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry are strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global commodity prices, supply and demand, capital expenditures on exploration and production, energy conservation efforts, the prices of alternative fuels, exchange rates and technological advances. Companies in this sector are subject to substantial government regulation and contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of business and limit these companies’ earnings. A significant portion of their revenues depends on a relatively small number of customers, including governmental entities and utilities. As a result, governmental budget restraints may have a material adverse effect on the stock prices of companies in the industry.

Companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry may also operate in countries with less developed regulatory regimes or a history of expropriation, nationalization or other adverse policies. Companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry also face a significant civil liability from accidents resulting in injury or loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental mishaps, equipment malfunctions or mishandling of materials, and a risk of loss from terrorism or other natural disasters. Any such event could have serious consequences for the general population of the area affected and result in a material adverse impact on the Fund’s portfolio securities and the performance of the Fund. Companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry can be significantly affected by the supply of and demand for specific products and services, weather conditions, exploration and production spending, government regulation, world events and general economic conditions.

 

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Issuer-Specific Risk. Changes in the financial condition of an issuer, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular type of security or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions can affect a security’s or instrument’s value. The value of securities of smaller, less well-known issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers. Issuer-specific events can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.

 

Large-Capitalization Risk: Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies. The securities of large-capitalization companies may also be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.

 

Liquidity Risk. It may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell significant amounts of some securities without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices. As a result, these securities may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Sub-Adviser believes it is desirable to do so.

 

Market Risk and Selection Risk. Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, e.g. COVID-19, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.

 

Micro-Capitalization Risk: The micro-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. Securities of micro-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes, are often more vulnerable to market volatility, and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole.

 

Non-Diversified Fund Risk. As a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds and may be more sensitive to any single economic, business, political or regulatory occurrence than a diversified fund. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of the Fund’s shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: Your ability to transact in shares of the Fund or the valuation of your investment may be negatively impacted because of the operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers or trading counterparties. Although the Fund attempts to minimize such failures through controls and oversight, it is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

Sector Focus Risk: The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one or more sectors and thus will be more susceptible to the risks affecting those sectors. While the Fund’s sector exposure is expected to vary over time based on the composition of the Index, the Fund anticipates that it may be subject to some or all of the risks described below.

 

Energy Sector Risk: Issuers in energy-related industries can be significantly affected by fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of energy fuels caused by geopolitical events, energy conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, the success of exploration projects, weather or meteorological events, taxes, increased governmental or environmental regulation, resource depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, or terrorist threats or attacks, among others. Markets for various energy-related commodities can have significant volatility, and are subject to control or manipulation by large producers or purchasers. Companies in the energy sector may need to make substantial expenditures, and to incur significant amounts of debt, in order to maintain or expand their reserves through exploration of new sources of supply, through the development of existing sources, through acquisitions, or through long-term contracts to acquire reserves. Factors adversely affecting producers, refiners, distributors, or others in the energy sector may affect adversely companies that service or supply those entities, either because demand for those services or products is curtailed, or those services or products come under price pressure.

 

Securities Lending. Although the Fund will receive collateral in connection with all loans of its securities holdings, the Fund would be exposed to a risk of loss should a borrower default on its obligation to return the borrowed securities (e.g., the loaned securities may have appreciated beyond the value of the collateral held by the Fund). In addition, the Fund will bear the risk of loss of any cash collateral that it invests.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk. The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund invests may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. Securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes, are often more vulnerable to market volatility, and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small- and mid-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, and management personnel and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to large capitalization companies. Also, there is typically less publicly available information concerning small- and mid-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small- and mid-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.

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Trading Risk: Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Secondary market trading in the Fund’s shares may be halted by the Exchange because of market conditions or for other reasons. In addition, trading in the Fund’s shares is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund’s shares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

Shares of the Fund may trade at, above or below their most recent NAV. The per share NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings since the prior most recent calculation. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand. The trading prices of the Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from the value of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, particularly in times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay more or receive less than the underlying value of the Fund shares bought or sold. This can be reflected as a spread between the bid and ask prices for the Fund’s shares quoted during the day or a premium or discount in the closing price from the Fund’s NAV. In stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. These factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. However, given that shares of the Fund can be created and redeemed only in Creation Units at NAV (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAVs), the Adviser does not believe that large discounts or premiums to NAV will exist for extended periods of time. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that the Fund’s shares normally will trade close to the Fund’s NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund’s NAV due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from NAV.

As with all ETFs, the Fund’s shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the Fund’s shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price of the Fund is at a premium to its NAV or sells at time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Investors buying or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Fund shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for shares of the Fund (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares of the Fund (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares of the Fund based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares of the Fund, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of such shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in the Fund’s shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

Other Risks  

  

The following section provides information regarding certain other risks of investing in the Fund.

 

Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk. Investors buying or selling shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

 

Exclusion from the Definition of a Commodity Pool Operator Risk. With respect to the Fund, the Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“CEA”), and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, the Adviser is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of “commodity trading advisor” (“CTA”) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC.

 

The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in “commodity interests.” Commodity interests include commodity futures, commodity options and swaps. Because the Adviser and the Fund intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, the Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment objective(s), to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Fund is not intended to be a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Adviser’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Fund, its investment strategies or this Prospectus.

 

Investments in Affiliated Funds

 

The Adviser is the investment manager of the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust, a publicly traded closed-ended trust created to invest and hold substantially all of its assets in physical uranium. Certain employees of the Adviser are officers and may own shares of the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust.  The Fund in seeking to track the performance of the Index may buy and sell shares of the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust on the secondary market.  In connection with any such investments, the Fund as a shareholder will indirectly pay its pro rata share of fees paid and other expenses incurred by the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust, including those fees charged by the Adviser for managing the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust.

 

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In making investment decisions for the Fund, the Adviser is not permitted to obtain or use material non-public information about the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust acquired by any unit of Sprott, Inc., the parent company of the Adviser, in the course of these activities. In addition, from time to time, the activities of the Adviser and its affiliates may limit the Fund’s flexibility in purchases and sales of securities. 

 

The Adviser and the Fund have adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of advisory clients, including the Fund, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with the Adviser’s fiduciary obligations to its clients, including decisions related to the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust. Nevertheless, notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of the Adviser may have the effect of favoring the interests of other clients or businesses of other divisions or units of Sprott Inc., provided that the Adviser or other Sprott company believes such voting decisions to be in accordance with its fiduciary obligations. For a more detailed discussion of these policies and procedures, see the Proxy Voting Policy section of the Fund’s statement of additional information. 

 

Manager of Managers Order

 

The Fund and the Adviser may seek to obtain an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, with the Board’s approval, to enter into sub-advisory agreements with one or more sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. The exemptive order would permit the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board, to replace sub-advisers or amend sub-advisory agreements, including fees, without shareholder approval if the Adviser and the Board believe such action will benefit the Fund and its shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund or the Adviser would receive such relief from the SEC.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

 

The Fund’s portfolio holdings will be disclosed each day on its website at www.SprottETFs.com. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the SAI.

Fund Management

 

Adviser  

 

Sprott Asset Management LP, located at 200 Bay Street, Suite 2600, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J2J1, serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. As of December 31, 2021, the Adviser and its affiliates had approximately $20.4 billion in assets under management. Subject to the authority of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management of the Fund’s business affairs. The Adviser invests the assets of the Fund, either directly or through the use of sub-advisers, according to the Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions.

 

For the services the Adviser provides to the Fund, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual advisory fee from the Fund calculated daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.85% on up to $500 million in assets, 0.80% on the next $500 million in assets, and 0.70% on assets greater than $1 billion.

 

The Predecessor Fund was advised by Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (the “Predecessor Adviser”). For the services the Predecessor Adviser provided to the Predecessor Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2021, the Predecessor Fund paid the Predecessor Adviser a fee, calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.85% of its average daily net assets.

 

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Fund except for the advisory fee, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution fees and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory agreement with the Adviser will be available in the Fund’s Semi-Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal period ended February 28, 2022.

 

Sub-Adviser  

 

ALPS Advisors, Inc., located at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203, serves as the sub-adviser to the Fund. As of December 31, 2021, the Sub-Adviser had approximately $17.65 billion in assets under management.

Pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser with respect to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser is responsible for the recommendation of the purchase, retention and sale of the Fund’s portfolio securities, subject to the supervision of the Adviser and the oversight of the Board.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund, the Adviser pays the Sub-Adviser a fee as indicated in the table below:

Average Assets Sub-Advisory Fee
Up to $250 million   0.04%
$250 million-$500 million   0.03%
Above $500 million   0.02%

 

The sub-advisory fee is paid on a monthly basis. The Fund is not responsible for the payment of this sub-advisory fee.

A discussion regarding the Board of Trustees’ basis for approving the Sub-Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund will be available in the Fund’s Semi-Annual Report to shareholders for the period ended February 28, 2022. 

 

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Portfolio Managers

 

The portfolio managers listed below are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Please refer to the SAI for additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and their ownership of shares of the Fund.

 

Ryan Mischker, Vice President, Portfolio Management & Research and Andrew Hicks, Vice President, Index Management of ALPS Advisors are the Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are also responsible for the refinement and implementation of the equity portfolio management process.

Mr. Mischker has served as portfolio manager of the Fund since March 2022. Prior to joining ALPS Advisors, Mr. Mischker served as Compliance Manager of ALPS Fund Services, where he was primarily responsible for managing all post-trade monitoring for IRS, SEC and registration statement investment guidelines and restrictions. Mr. Mischker has over 19 years financial services experience and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a B.S. in Finance and B.A. in Economics.

Mr. Hicks is a Director of Portfolio Management & Research at ALPS Advisors and has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since March 2022. Prior to joining ALPS in 2015, Mr. Hicks was a senior equity trader and global research analyst with Virtus Investment Partners and SCM Advisors, an affiliate of Virtus. Mr. Hicks began his career in semiconductor equity research at Citi, and he earned an accounting degree from Miami University (Ohio) while interning each summer on the American Stock Exchange in New York City.

Information About the Fund’s Index, the Index Provider and the Index Calculation Agent

 

The North Shore Global Uranium Mining Index was created on June 30, 2017 and is designed to measure the performance of companies that are involved in the mining, exploration, development, and production of uranium, and companies that hold physical uranium, uranium royalties, or other non-mining assets. As of December 15, 2021, the Index was comprised of 35 securities. As of December 15, 2021, the average market capitalization and one-year trading volume of the Index components were $940 million and $4.58 million, respectively.

The Index Provider is not affiliated with Sprott Funds Trust (the “Trust”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser the Fund’s administrator, custodian, transfer agent or distributor, or any of their respective affiliates. The Adviser has entered into a license agreement with the Index Provider pursuant to which the Adviser pays a fee to use the Index. The Adviser is sub-licensing rights to the Index to the Fund at no charge.

The Index Provider has retained a third party, Indxx, LLC, to calculate the Index. Indxx, LLC is not affiliated with the Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Fund’s administrator, custodian, transfer agent or distributor, or any of their respective affiliates.

 

Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Fund to be issued, or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.

 

The Adviser and Sub-Adviser do not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Index or any data included therein, and the Adviser and Sub-Adviser shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Fund, owners of the shares of the Fund or any other person or entity from the use of the Index or any data included therein. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser make no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Adviser and Sub-Adviser have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect, or consequential damages (including lost profits) arising out of matters relating to the use of the Index, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

Shareholder Information

 

General

 

The shares are issued or redeemed by the Fund at NAV per Share only in Creation Unit size and only to Authorized Participants that have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. See “How to Buy and Sell Shares.”

 

Most investors buy and sell shares of the Fund in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading in the secondary market on the Exchange. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares. There is no minimum investment. Although shares are generally purchased and sold in “round lots” of 100 shares, brokerage firms typically permit investors to purchase or sell shares in smaller “odd lots,” at no per share price differential. When buying or selling shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The Fund trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the daily NAV of the shares. Given that the Fund’s shares can be issued and redeemed in Creation Units, the Adviser believes that large discounts and premiums to NAV should not be sustained for long. The Fund trades under the Exchange ticker symbol URNM.

 

Because the Fund’s shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, on the Fund’s website (www.sprottetfs.com).

 

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Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per Share.

 

Investors may acquire shares directly from the Fund, and shareholders may tender their shares for redemption directly to the Fund, only in Creation Units of 25,000 shares, as discussed in the “How to Buy and Sell Shares” section below.

 

Book-Entry

 

Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes (except for tax purposes).

 

Investors owning shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares. Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other stocks that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

How to Buy and Sell Shares

 

Pricing Fund Shares

 

The trading price of the Fund’s shares on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and can be affected by market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors.

 

The Exchange disseminates the approximate value of shares of the Fund every fifteen seconds. The approximate value calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close. As a result, premiums and discounts between the approximate value and the market price could be affected. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV per Share of the Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value and the Fund does not make any warranty as to its accuracy.

 

The NAV per Share for the Fund is determined once daily as of the close of the NYSE, usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, each day the NYSE is open for trading. NAV per Share is determined by dividing the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities, cash and other assets (including accrued interest), less all liabilities (including accrued expenses), by the total number of shares outstanding.

 

Equity securities are valued at the last reported sale price on the principal exchange on which such securities are traded, as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE on the day the securities are being valued or, if there are no sales, at the mean of the most recent bid and asked prices. Equity securities that are traded in over-the-counter markets are valued at the last quoted sales price in the markets in which they trade or, if there are no sales, at the mean of the most recent bid and asked prices. For securities traded on NASDAQ, the NASDAQ Official Closing Price generally will be used. Debt securities are valued at the mean between the last available bid and asked prices for such securities or, if such prices are not available, at prices for securities of comparable maturity, quality, and type. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available, including restricted securities, are valued by a method that the Trustees believe accurately reflects fair value. Securities will be valued at fair value when market quotations are not readily available or are deemed unreliable, such as when a security’s value or meaningful portion of the Fund’s portfolio is believed to have been materially affected by a significant event. Such events may include a natural disaster, an economic event like a bankruptcy filing, a trading halt in a security, an unscheduled early market close or a substantial fluctuation in domestic and foreign markets that has occurred between the close of the principal exchange and the NYSE. In such a case, the value for a security is likely to be different from the last quoted market price. In addition, due to the subjective and variable nature of fair market value pricing, it is possible that the value determined for a particular asset may be materially different from the value realized upon such asset’s sale.

 

Trading in securities on many foreign securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets is normally completed before the close of business on each U.S. business day. In addition, securities trading in a particular country or countries may not take place on all U.S. business days or may take place on days that are not U.S. business days. Changes in valuations on certain securities may occur at times or on days on which the Fund’s NAV is not calculated and on which the Fund does not effect sales, redemptions and exchanges of its shares.

 

Creation Units

 

Investors such as market makers, large investors and institutions who wish to deal in Creation Units (large specified blocks of 25,000 shares) directly with the Fund must have entered into an authorized participant agreement (such investors being “Authorized Participants”) with the Distributor, and accepted by the transfer agent, or purchase through a dealer that has entered into such an agreement. Set forth below is a brief description of the procedures applicable to purchase and redemption of Creation Units. For more detailed information, see “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations” in the Statement of Additional Information.

   

How to Buy Shares

 

In order to purchase Creation Units of the Fund, an investor must generally deposit a designated portfolio of equity securities included in each Underlying Index (the “Deposit Securities”) and generally make a small cash payment referred to as the “Cash Component.” For those Authorized Participants that are not eligible for trading a Deposit Security, custom orders are available. The list of the names and the numbers of shares of the Deposit Securities is made available by the Fund’s custodian through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “NSCC”) immediately prior to the opening of business each day of the Exchange. The Cash Component represents the difference between the NAV of a Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities. In the case of custom orders, cash-in-lieu may be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Securities that the Authorized Participant may not be eligible to trade.

 

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Purchases and redemptions of Creation Units primarily with cash, rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities, may cause the Fund to incur certain costs. These costs could include brokerage costs or taxable gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made redemption in-kind. These costs could be imposed on the Fund, and thus decrease the Fund’s NAV, to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant.

 

Orders must be placed in proper form by or through a participant of the DTC (“DTC Participant”) that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor, and accepted by the transfer agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. All standard orders must be placed for one or more whole Creation Units of shares of the Fund and must be received by the distributor in proper form no later than the close of regular trading on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) (“Closing Time”) in order to receive that day’s closing NAV per Share. In the case of custom orders, as further described in the Statement of Additional Information, the order must be received by the distributor no later than one hour prior to Closing Time in order to receive that day’s closing NAV per Share. A custom order may be placed by an Authorized Participant in the event that the Trust permits or requires the substitution of an amount of cash to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for trading by such Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting or any other relevant reason.

 

A fixed creation transaction fee of $500 per transaction (the “Creation Transaction Fee”) is applicable to each transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased in the transaction. An additional variable charge for cash creations or partial cash creations may also be imposed to compensate the Fund for the costs associated with buying the applicable securities. The Fund may adjust these fees from time to time based on actual experience. The price for each Creation Unit will equal the daily NAV per Share times the number of shares in a Creation Unit plus the fees described above and, if applicable, any transfer taxes.

 

Shares of the Fund may be issued in advance of receipt of all Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain cash at least equal to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities on deposit with the Trust.

 

For more detailed information, see “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations” in the Statement of Additional Information.

 

Legal Restrictions on Transactions in Certain Stocks

 

An investor subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular stock required to be deposited in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit may, at the Fund’s discretion, be permitted to deposit an equivalent amount of cash in substitution for any stock which would otherwise be included in the Deposit Securities applicable to the purchase of a Creation Unit. For more detailed information, see “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations” in the Statement of Additional Information.

  

Redemption of Shares

 

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV and only on a day the Exchange is open for business. The Fund’s custodian makes available immediately prior to the opening of business each day of the Exchange, through the facilities of the NSCC, the list of the names and the numbers of shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities that will be applicable that day to redemption requests in proper form (“Fund Securities”). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities, which are applicable to purchases of Creation Units. Unless cash redemptions are available or specified for the Fund, the redemption proceeds consist of the Fund Securities, plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of shares being redeemed as next determined after receipt by the transfer agent of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less the applicable redemption fee and, if applicable, any transfer taxes. Should the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of shares being redeemed, a compensating cash payment to the Fund equal to the differential, plus the applicable redemption fee and, if applicable, any transfer taxes will be required to be arranged for, by or on behalf of the redeeming shareholder.

 

An order to redeem Creation Units of the Fund may only be effected by or through an Authorized Participant. An order to redeem must be placed for one or more whole Creation Units and must be received by the transfer agent in proper form no later than the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) in order to receive that day’s closing NAV per Share. In the case of custom orders, as further described in the Statement of Additional Information, the order must be received by the transfer agent no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern time.

 

A fixed redemption transaction fee of $500 per transaction (the “Redemption Transaction Fee”) is applicable to each redemption transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction. An additional variable charge for cash redemptions or partial cash redemptions may also be imposed to compensate the Fund for the costs associated with selling the applicable securities. The Fund may adjust these fees from time to time based on actual experience. The Fund reserves the right to effect redemptions in cash. A shareholder may request a cash redemption in lieu of securities, however, the Fund may, in its discretion, reject any such request.

 

For more detailed information, see “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations” in the Statement of Additional Information.

Distributions

 

Fund shareholders are entitled to their share of the Fund’s income and net realized gains on its investments. The Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as “distributions.”

 

The Fund typically earns income dividends from stocks and may earn interest from debt securities. These amounts, net of expenses, are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” The Fund realizes capital gains or losses whenever it sells securities. Net long-term capital gains are distributed to shareholders as “capital gain distributions.”

 

Income dividends, if any, are distributed to shareholders annually. Net capital gains are distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to improve Underlying Index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Some portion of each distribution may result in a return of capital (which is a return of the shareholder’s investment in the Fund). Fund shareholders will be notified regarding the portion of the distribution that represents a return of capital.

 

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Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through which the shares were purchased makes such option available.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions

 

The Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions. The Board of Trustees evaluated the risks of market timing activities by the Fund’s shareholders when they determined that no restriction or policy was necessary. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, the Fund issues and redeems their shares at NAV for a basket of securities intended to mirror the Fund’s respective portfolio, plus a small amount of cash, and the Fund’s shares may be purchased and sold on the exchange at prevailing market prices. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund’s shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by its shareholders would result in negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders.

Federal Income Taxation

 

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in shares will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in shares.

 

Unless your investment in the shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:

 

The Fund makes distributions,

 

You sell your shares listed on the Exchange, and

 

You purchase or redeem Creation Units

 

Taxes on Distributions

 

Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid quarterly. The Fund may also pay a special distribution at the end of the calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in the Fund. Dividends paid out of the Fund’s income and net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable as ordinary income. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held the shares.

 

The maximum individual rate applicable to long-term capital gains is either 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. In addition, some ordinary dividends declared and paid by the Fund to non-corporate shareholders may qualify for taxation at the lower reduced tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided that holding period and other requirements are met by the Fund and the shareholder.

 

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

 

Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter.

 

A distribution will reduce the Fund’s NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.

 

Dividends, interest and gains received by the Fund may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. Shareholders of the Fund may, subject to certain limitations, be entitled to claim a credit or a deduction with respect to foreign taxes if the Fund is eligible to and elects to pass through these taxes to them. If more than 50% of the Fund’s total assets at the end of its taxable year consists of foreign stock or securities, the Fund intends to elect to “pass through” to its investors certain foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, with the result that each investor will (i) include in gross income, as an additional dividend, even though not actually received, the investor’s pro rata share of the Fund’s foreign income taxes, and (ii) either deduct (in calculating U.S. taxable income) or credit (in calculating U.S. federal tax), subject to certain limitations, the investor’s pro rata share of the Fund’s foreign income taxes.

 

If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or if you are a foreign entity, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gains) will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (and certain capital gain dividends may be subject to a 21% withholding tax), unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning the applicability of the U.S. withholding tax.

 

The Fund generally would be required to withhold a percentage of your distributions and proceeds if you have not provided a taxpayer identification number (generally your social security number) or otherwise provide proof of an applicable exemption from backup withholding. The backup withholding rate for an individual is 24%.

 

Taxes on Exchange-Listed Shares Sales

 

Currently, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.

 

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Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

 

An Authorized Participant who exchanges equity securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the Cash Component paid. A person who exchanges Creation Units for equity securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and the Cash Redemption Amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether the wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

 

Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less.

 

If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many and at what price you purchased or sold shares.

 

Taxation of Fund Investments in Passive Foreign Investment Companies

 

Certain of the Fund’s investments are expected to be in passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Fund generally intends to elect to “mark to market” these investments at the end of each taxable year. By making this election, the Fund will recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such shares as of the close of the taxable year over the adjusted basis of such shares and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value. Gains realized with respect to a disposition of a PFIC that the Fund has elected to mark to market will be ordinary income. By making the mark to market election, the Fund may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions that they receive from their investments. Accordingly, the Fund may need to borrow money or dispose of some of their investments in order to meet their distribution requirements. If the Fund does not make the “mark to market” election with respect to an investment in a PFIC, the Fund could become subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to certain distributions from, and gain on the dispositions of, the PFIC which cannot be avoided by distributing such amounts to the respective Fund’s shareholders.

 

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You may also be subject to state and local taxation on Fund distributions, and sales of Fund shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares under all applicable tax laws. Changes in applicable tax authority could materially affect the conclusions discussed above and could adversely affect the Fund, and such changes often occur.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

 

The Fund’s portfolio holdings are disclosed each day on its website at www.sprottetfs.com. A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.

Financial Highlights 

 

The Fund is newly formed, and a continuation of the Predecessor Fund, and as such, the financial information provided is that of the Predecessor Fund. The financial highlights table below presents the Predecessor Fund’s financial performance for the periods of the Predecessor Fund’s operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate you would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Predecessor Fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information for the Predecessor Fund has been audited by Cohen & Company Ltd., the independent registered public accounting firm for the Predecessor Fund, whose report, along with the Predecessor Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Predecessor Fund’s August 31, 2021 Annual Report, which is available upon request.

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios
For the Year/Period Ended August 31,
For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Year/Period

    Net Asset
Value,
Beginning of
Year/Period
  Net
Investment
Income*
  Net
Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain on
Investments
  Total
from
Operations
  Distributions
from
Investment
Income
  Total
Distributions
  Net Asset
Value,
End of
Year/Period
  Market
Price,
End of
Year/Period
  Total
Return(1)
  Net Assets
End of
Year/Period
(000)
  Ratio of
Expenses to
Average
Net Assets
  Ratio of
Net
Investment
Income to
Average
Net Assets
  Portfolio
Turnover(2)
2021   $    33.37   $    0.46   $    29.41   $    29.87   $    (1.10)   $    (1.10)   $    62.14   $    62.77     91.13%   $    355,776   0.85%    0.81%      26%
2020         25.00         0.15           8.22           8.37           —          —         33.37         33.79   33.48             14,184     0.85%(3)   0.74(3)   28

*     Per share data calculated using average shares method.

†    Commenced operations on December 3, 2019.

(1)     Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized for periods less than one year. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes the shareholder would pay on fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares.

(2)     Portfolio turnover rate is for the period indicated and has not been annualized for periods less than one year. Excludes effect of securities received or delivered from processing in-kind creations or redemptions.

(3)     Annualized.

 

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General Information

 

For More Information:

 

Existing Shareholders or Prospective Investors

 

Call your financial professional

 

www.sprottetfs.com

 

Dealers

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc.: 1-888-622-1813

 

Investment Adviser

Sprott Asset Management LP

200 Bay Street, Suite 2600

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J2J1

 

Sub-Adviser

ALPS Advisors, Inc.

1290 Broadway

Suite 1000

Denver, Colorado 80203

 

Distributor

ALPS Distributors, Inc.

1290 Broadway

Suite 1000

Denver, Colorado 80203

 

Custodian

State Street Bank and Trust Company

225 Franklin Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02110

 

Legal Counsel

Thompson Hine LLP

1919 M Street, N.W., Suite 700

Washington, D.C. 20036

 

Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company

225 Franklin Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02110

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Tait, Weller & Baker LLP

50 South 16th Street

Suite 2900

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102

 

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This Prospectus does not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to the Fund’s shares. It can be reviewed on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov). You can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC’s e-mail address [email protected]. These documents and other information concerning the Trust also may be inspected at the offices of Sprott Asset Management LP, 200 Bay Street, Suite 2600, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J2J1. These documents and other information concerning the Trust also may be inspected at the offices of ALPS Fund Services, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203.

 

The SAI for the Fund, which has been filed with the SEC, provides more information about the Fund. The SAI is incorporated herein by reference and is legally part of this Prospectus. Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the Fund’s annual report, when available, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The SAI and the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports may be obtained without charge by writing to the Fund at c/o ALPS Distributors, Inc., at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203 or by calling (888) 622-1813.

 

Investment Company Act file no. 811-23382.

 

 

  

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