Prospectus
Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (Ticker Symbol:
Range Global Coal Index ETF (Ticker
Symbol:
Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index ETF (Ticker Symbol:
Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index ETF (Ticker
Symbol:
Principal Listing Exchange for the Funds: NYSE Arca, Inc.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
About This Prospectus
This Prospectus has been arranged into different sections so that you can easily review this important information. For detailed information about each Fund, please see:
Fund Summary -
The Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the Range Nuclear Renaissance Index (the “Index”).
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fee |
|
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | |
| Other Expenses1 | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
1
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 |
| $ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when shares of the Fund are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example above, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is new, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
1
The Fund normally invests in securities comprising the
Index. The Index is designed to track the performance of companies that are
involved in the nuclear fuel and energy industry (the “Nuclear Industry”),
particularly in the areas of (i) advanced reactors; (ii) utilities; (iii)
construction and services; and/or (iv) fuel (“Nuclear Companies”).
The universe of eligible index components consists of exchange-listed equity securities of Nuclear Companies including common stock, depositary receipts, and master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). Such companies are identified by Range Fund Holdings, LLC (the “Index Provider”) 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. The companies are classified into one of the following categories:
| ● | Pure Play - Companies that currently or may in the future derive greater than or equal to 50% of revenues from business activities associated with the Nuclear Industry. |
| ● | Pre-Revenue - Companies that have primary business operations in the business activities associated with the Nuclear Industry but do not currently generate revenues. |
| ● | Diversified - Companies that derive greater than 0% but less than 50% of revenues from the business activities associated with the Nuclear Industry. |
Companies eligible for inclusion based on their exposure to the Nuclear Industry are those companies that have publicly disclosed through regulatory filings (e.g., Form 10-K, 10-Q, 20-F, and 8-K filings), quarterly earnings reports, company presentations or official earnings conference call transcripts either that they currently provide or intend to provide or operate services in, to, or in connection with the Nuclear Industry. Companies that have made such public announcements through regulatory filings or other official communications are included in the Index because such announcements are an indication of the significance of what the company has held out as its current or future activities. In any event, there can be no guarantee that a company’s activities in the Nuclear Industry will become significant for the company or that its economic fortunes will be tied to such activities in the future. In constructing the Index, Nuclear Companies are divided among four buckets (advanced reactor, utilities, construction and services, and fuel) and each bucket is capped as follows: 30% advanced reactor securities; 30% utilities securities; 35% construction and services securities; and 20% fuel securities. The components within each of these buckets are weighted according to market capitalization. A single security cap of 10% is applied for Pure Play securities and Pre-Revenue securities. Diversified securities are subject to a single security cap of 3%. Any single security that does not reach a 1% allocation is excluded. If a bucket or security cap is reached, excess weight is distributed proportionately among uncapped securities. No more than five securities in the Index have a weight over 4.75% and the aggregate weight of all components with a weight greater than 5% is capped at 49.5%.
To the extent the Index includes securities of MLPs, the aggregate exposure to such MLPs is capped at 25%. Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) targets are eligible for inclusion once they are trading on a public exchange as the target entity, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria. The Index consists of securities of issuers from around the world including emerging markets countries, but excludes issuers domiciled and/or listed on exchanges in China or Russia. There is no limitation on the amount of foreign or emerging market securities that may be included in the Index. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index consisted of securities of United States issuers.
2
To be initially included in the Index, the market capitalization of a company must be at least $100 million, and to remain in the Index a company must maintain a minimum market capitalization of $50 million. As of December 1, 2023, the Index was comprised of 31 component securities.
The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced on a semi-annual basis at the end of 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. New constituents will not be added to the Index in between rebalances. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.
The Fund employs a “passive management” investment strategy designed to track the performance of the Index. Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (the “Adviser”) generally uses a replication methodology, meaning it invests in all of the securities comprising the Index in proportion to their respective weightings in the Index. However, the 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 may invest up to 20% of its assets in investments that are not included in the Index, but that the Adviser believes 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, 2023, the Index was not concentrated in any 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 of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index consisted of companies in the Energy Sector.
The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund.
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, oversight of the implementation of the index methodology, and changes in classification of the securities in the Index (such as from Pre-Revenue to Pure Play, for example).
The Index is calculated and published by Indxx, LLC (the “Index Calculator”). The Index Calculator is responsible for implementing the semi-annual rebalance and reconstitution and monitoring and implementing any adjustments, additions and deletions to the Index based on the index methodology and certain corporate actions, such as initial public offerings, mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, suspensions, de-listings, tender offers and spin-offs. Neither the Index Provider nor the Index Calculator is affiliated with each other or with the Fund or the Adviser.
3
4
5
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8
The
Fund is new and therefore has no performance history.
Investment Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Andrew Serowik, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Todd Alberico, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Gabriel Tan, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Brian Cooper, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
For important information about the purchase and sale of shares of the Fund, taxes, and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchasing and Selling Shares, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 40 of the Prospectus.
9
Fund Summary –
The Range Global Coal Index ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the Range Global Coal Index (the “Index”).
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fee | |
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | |
| Other Expenses1 | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
1
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 |
| $ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when shares of the Fund are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example above, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is new, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
The
Fund normally invests in securities comprising the Index. The Index is designed
to track the performance of companies that are involved in the metallurgical
(met) and thermal coal industry (the “Coal Industry”), which includes
production, exploration, development, transportation, and distribution (“Coal
Companies”).
10
The universe of eligible index components consists of exchange-listed equity securities of Coal Companies including common stock, depositary receipts, and master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). Such companies are identified by Range Fund Holdings, LLC (the “Index Provider”) 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. The companies are classified into one of the following categories:
| ● | Pure Play - Companies that currently or may in the future derive greater than or equal to 50% of revenues from business activities associated with the Coal Industry. |
| ● | Pre-Revenue - Companies that have primary business operations in the business activities associated with the Coal Industry but do not currently generate revenues. |
| ● | Diversified - Companies that derive greater than 0% but less than 50% of revenues from the business activities associated with the Coal Industry. |
Companies eligible for inclusion based on their exposure to the Coal Industry are those companies that have publicly disclosed through regulatory filings (e.g., Form 10-K, 10-Q, 20-F, and 8-K filings), quarterly earnings reports, company presentations or official earnings conference call transcripts either that they currently provide or intend to provide or operate services in, to, or in connection with the Coal Industry. Companies that have made such public announcements through regulatory filings or other official communications are included in the Index because such announcements are an indication of the significance of what the company has held out as its current or future activities. In any event, there can be no guarantee that a company’s activities in the Coal Industry will become significant for the company or that its economic fortunes will be tied to such activities in the future. In constructing the Index, securities are weighted according to market capitalization. A single security cap of 10% is applied for Pure Play securities and Pre-Revenue securities. Diversified securities are subject to a single security cap of 3%. Any single security that does not reach a 0.5% allocation is excluded. If a security’s cap is reached, excess weight is distributed proportionately among uncapped securities. No more than five securities in the Index have a weight over 4.75% and the aggregate weight of all components with a weight greater than 5% is capped at 49.5%.
To the extent the Index includes securities of MLPs, the aggregate exposure to such MLPs is capped at 25%. Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) targets are eligible for inclusion once they are trading on a public exchange as the target entity, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria. The Index consists of securities of issuers from around the world, including emerging markets countries, but excludes issuers domiciled and/or listed on exchanges in China or Russia. There is no limitation on the amount of foreign or emerging market securities that may be included in the Index. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests in at least three different countries and invests at least 40% (30% in unfavorable market conditions) of its assets in companies organized or located in countries outside the United States. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index consisted of securities of United States and Australian issuers.
11
To be initially included in the Index, the market capitalization of a company must be at least $100 million, and to remain in the Index a company must maintain a minimum market capitalization of $50 million. As of December 1, 2023, the Index was comprised of 28 component securities.
The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced on a semi-annual basis at the end of 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. New constituents will not be added to the Index in between rebalances. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.
The Fund employs a “passive management” investment strategy designed to track the performance of the Index. Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (the “Adviser”) generally uses a replication methodology, meaning it invests in all of the securities comprising the Index in proportion to their respective weightings in the Index. However, the 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 may invest up to 20% of its assets in investments that are not included in the Index, but that the Adviser believes 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, 2023, the Index was concentrated in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry and the Metal and Mining 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 of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index consisted of companies in the Energy Sector.
The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund.
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, oversight of the implementation of the index methodology, and changes in classification of the securities in the Index (such as from Pre-Revenue to Pure Play, for example).
The Index is calculated and published by Indxx, LLC (the “Index Calculator”). The Index Calculator is responsible for implementing the semi-annual rebalance and reconstitution and monitoring and implementing any adjustments, additions and deletions to the Index based on the index methodology and certain corporate actions, such as initial public offerings, mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, suspensions, de-listings, tender offers and spin-offs. Neither the Index Provider nor the Index Calculator is affiliated with each other or with the Fund or the Adviser.
12
13
14
15
16
17
The
Fund is new and therefore has no performance history.
Investment Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
18
Portfolio Managers
Andrew Serowik, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Todd Alberico, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Gabriel Tan, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Brian Cooper, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
For important information about the purchase and sale of shares of the Fund, taxes, and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchasing and Selling Shares, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 40 of the Prospectus.
19
Fund Summary -
The Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index (the “Index”).
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fee | |
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | |
| Other Expenses1 | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
1
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 |
| $ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when shares of the Fund are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example above, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is new, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
The Fund normally invests in securities comprising the
Index. The Index is designed to track the performance of companies that are
involved in the liquefied natural gas ecosystem (the “LNG Ecosystem”), which
refers to the complex system relating to the various stages of production,
exploration, development, transportation, and distribution of liquified natural
gas (“LNG Companies”).
20
The universe of eligible index components consists of exchange-listed equity securities of LNG Companies including common stock, depositary receipts, and master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). Such companies are identified by Range Fund Holdings, LLC (the “Index Provider”) 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. The companies are classified into one of the following categories:
| ● | Pure Play - Companies that currently or may in the future derive greater than or equal to 50% of revenues from business activities associated with the LNG Ecosystem. |
| ● | Pre-Revenue - Companies that have primary business operations in the business activities associated with the LNG Ecosystem but do not currently generate revenues. |
| ● | Diversified - Companies that derive greater than 0% but less than 50% of revenues from the business activities associated with the LNG Ecosystem. |
Companies eligible for inclusion based on their exposure to the LNG Ecosystem are those companies that have publicly disclosed through regulatory filings (e.g., Form 10-K, 10-Q, 20-F, and 8-K filings), quarterly earnings reports, company presentations or official earnings conference call transcripts either that they currently provide or intend to provide or operate services in, to, or in connection with the LNG ecosystem. Companies that have made such public announcements through regulatory filings or other official communications are included in the Index because such announcements are an indication of the significance of what the company has held out as its current or future activities. In any event, there can be no guarantee that a company’s activities in the LNG Ecosystem will become significant for the company or that its economic fortunes will be tied to such activities in the future. In constructing the Index, securities are weighted according to market capitalization. A single security cap of 10% is applied for Pure Play securities and Pre-Revenue securities. Diversified securities are subject to a single security cap of 3%. Any single security that does not reach a 1% allocation is excluded. If a security’s cap is reached, excess weight is distributed proportionately among uncapped securities. No more than five securities in the Index have a weight over 4.75% and the aggregate weight of all components with a weight greater than 5% is capped at 49.5%.
To the extent the Index includes securities of MLPs, the aggregate exposure to such MLPs is capped at 25%. Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) targets are eligible for inclusion once they are trading on a public exchange as the target entity, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria. The Index consists of securities of issuers from around the world, including emerging markets countries, but excludes issuers domiciled and/or listed on exchanges in China or Russia. There is no limitation on the amount of foreign or emerging market securities that may be included in the Index. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests in at least three different countries and invests at least 40% (30% in unfavorable market conditions) of its assets in companies organized or located in countries outside the United States. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index consisted of securities of United States, French and Bermudan issuers.
21
To be initially included in the Index, the market capitalization of a company must be at least $100 million, and to remain in the Index a company must maintain a minimum market capitalization of $50 million. As of December 1, 2023, the Index was comprised of 27 component securities.
The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced on a semi-annual basis at the end of 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. New constituents will not be added to the Index in between rebalances. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.
The Fund employs a “passive management” investment strategy designed to track the performance of the Index. Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (the “Adviser”) generally uses a replication methodology, meaning it invests in all of the securities comprising the Index in proportion to their respective weightings in the Index. However, the 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 may invest up to 20% of its assets in investments that are not included in the Index, but that the Adviser believes 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, 2023, 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 of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index consisted of companies in the Energy Sector.
The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund.
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, oversight of the implementation of the index methodology, and changes in classification of the securities in the Index (such as from Pre-Revenue to Pure Play, for example).
The Index is calculated and published by Indxx, LLC (the “Index Calculator”). The Index Calculator is responsible for implementing the semi-annual rebalance and reconstitution and monitoring and implementing any adjustments, additions and deletions to the Index based on the index methodology and certain corporate actions, such as initial public offerings, mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, suspensions, de-listings, tender offers and spin-offs. Neither the Index Provider nor the Index Calculator is affiliated with each other or with the Fund or the Adviser.
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
The
Fund is new and therefore has no performance history.
Investment Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Andrew Serowik, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Todd Alberico, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Gabriel Tan, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Brian Cooper, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
For important information about the purchase and sale of shares of the Fund, taxes, and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchasing and Selling Shares, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 40 of the Prospectus.
29
Fund Summary -
The Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index (the “Index”).
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fee | |
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | |
| Other Expenses1 | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
1
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 |
| $ |
$ |
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when shares of the Fund are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example above, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is new, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
30
The Fund normally invests in securities comprising the
Index. The Index is designed to track the performance of companies that are
involved in the offshore oil services ecosystem (“Offshore Oil Ecosystem”),
which refers to the complex system relating to the various stages of production,
exploration, development, transportation, and distribution of offshore oil
(“Offshore Oil Companies”).
The universe of eligible index components consists of exchange-listed equity securities of Offshore Oil Companies including common stock, depositary receipts, and master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). Such companies are identified by Range Fund Holdings, LLC (the “Index Provider”) 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. The companies are classified into one of the following categories:
| ● | Pure Play - Companies that currently or may in the future derive greater than or equal to 50% of revenues from business activities associated with the Offshore Oil Ecosystem. |
| ● | Pre-Revenue - Companies that have primary business operations in the business activities associated with the Offshore Oil Ecosystsem but do not currently generate revenues. |
| ● | Diversified - Companies that derive greater than 0% but less than 50% of revenues from the business activities associated with the Offshore Oil Ecosystem. |
Companies eligible for inclusion based on their exposure to the Offshore Oil Ecosystem are those companies that have publicly disclosed through regulatory filings (e.g., Form 10-K, 10-Q, 20-F, and 8-K filings), quarterly earnings reports, company presentations or official earnings conference call transcripts either that they currently provide or intend to provide or operate services in, to, or in connection with the Offshore Oil Ecosystem. Companies that have made such public announcements through regulatory filings or other official communications are included in the Index because such announcements are an indication of the significance of what the company has held out as its current or future activities. In any event, there can be no guarantee that a company’s activities in the Offshore Oil Ecosystem will become significant for the company or that its economic fortunes will be tied to such activities in the future. In constructing the Index, securities are weighted according to market capitalization. A single security cap of 10% is applied for Pure Play securities and Pre-Revenue securities. Diversified securities are subject to a single security cap of 3%. Any single security that does not reach a 1% allocation is excluded. If a security’s cap is reached, excess weight is distributed proportionately among uncapped securities. No more than five securities in the Index have a weight over 4.75% and the aggregate weight of all components with a weight greater than 5% is capped at 49.5%.
To the extent the Index includes securities of MLPs, the aggregate exposure to such MLPs is capped at 25%. Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) targets are eligible for inclusion once they are trading on a public exchange as the target entity, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria. The Index consists of securities of issuers from around the world, including emerging markets countries, but excludes issuers domiciled and/or listed on exchanges in China or Russia. There is no limitation on the amount of foreign or emerging market securities that may be included in the Index. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests in at least three different countries and invests at least 40% (30% in unfavorable market conditions) of its assets in companies organized or located in countries outside the United States. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index consisted of securities of United States, Norwegian and Bermudan issuers.
31
To be initially included in the Index, the market capitalization of a company must be at least $100 million, and to remain in the Index a company must maintain a minimum market capitalization of $50 million. As of December 1, 2023, the Index was comprised of 33 component securities.
The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced on a semi-annual basis at the end of 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. New constituents will not be added to the Index in between rebalances. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.
The Fund employs a “passive management” investment strategy designed to track the performance of the Index. Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (the “Adviser”) generally uses a replication methodology, meaning it invests in all of the securities comprising the Index in proportion to their respective weightings in the Index. However, the 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 may invest up to 20% of its assets in investments that are not included in the Index, but that the Adviser believes 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, 2023, 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 of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index consisted of companies in the Energy Sector.
The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund.
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, oversight of the implementation of the index methodology, and changes in classification of the securities in the Index (such as from Pre-Revenue to Pure Play, for example).
The Index is calculated and published by Indxx, LLC (the “Index Calculator”). The Index Calculator is responsible for implementing the semi-annual rebalance and reconstitution and monitoring and implementing any adjustments, additions and deletions to the Index based on the index methodology and certain corporate actions, such as initial public offerings, mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, suspensions, de-listings, tender offers and spin-offs. Neither the Index Provider nor the Index Calculator is affiliated with each other or with the Fund or the Adviser.
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The
Fund is new and therefore has no performance history.
Investment Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Andrew Serowik, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Todd Alberico, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Gabriel Tan, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
Brian Cooper, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023.
For important information about the purchase and sale of shares of the Fund, taxes, and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchasing and Selling Shares, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 40 of the Prospectus.
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Summary Information About Purchasing and
Selling Shares, Taxes
and Financial Intermediary Compensation
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Funds issue shares to, and redeem shares from, certain institutional investors known as “Authorized Participants” (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of shares known as “Creation Units.” Creation Unit transactions for the Funds are generally conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a portfolio of in-kind securities constituting a substantial replication, or a representation, of the securities included in a Fund’s Index and a specified cash payment. Individual shares of a Fund may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker or dealer at a market price. You can purchase and sell individual shares of a Fund throughout the trading day like any publicly traded security. Each Fund’s shares are listed on the Exchange. The price of each Fund’s shares is based on market price and, because exchange-traded fund shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at prices greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling shares of a Fund 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 such Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information regarding each Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at www.RangeETFs.com.
Tax Information
Distributions made by each Fund may be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or long-term capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. In that case, you may be taxed when you take a distribution from such account, depending on the type of account, the circumstances of your distribution, and other factors.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of a Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend a Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Index Information/Trademark License/Disclaimer
The below table provides the creation date of each Index. Each Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.
| Index Name | Date |
| Range Nuclear Renaissance Index | January 18, 2023 |
| Range Global Coal Index | October 18, 2023 |
| Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index | October 5, 2023 |
| Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index | October 5, 2023 |
Neither the Index Provider nor the Index Calculator is affiliated with Exchange Traded Concepts Trust (the “Trust”), the Adviser, the Fund’s administrator, custodian, transfer agent or distributor, or any of their respective affiliates. The Adviser was not involved in the creation of the Index and does not provide input to the Index Provider or Index Calculator concerning the construction or eligibility criteria of the Index.
The Adviser has entered into an arrangement with the Index Provider pursuant to which the Adviser is permitted to use each Index. The Adviser is sub-licensing rights to each Index to the relevant Fund at no charge.
Additional Principal Investment Strategies Information
Each Fund seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of its index. Each Fund may change its investment objective and index without shareholder approval. In addition, each Fund may change, without shareholder approval, upon 60 days’ notice to shareholders, its policy to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in a specified category of investments.
Each Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers. Securities lending involves exposure to certain risks, including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process), “gap” risk (i.e., the risk of a mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the fees a Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), and credit, legal, counterparty and market risk. In the event a borrower does not return a Fund’s securities as agreed, the Fund may experience losses if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities.
Each Fund generally will use a replication methodology, meaning a Fund will invest in all of the securities composing its index in proportion to the weightings in the index. However, a Fund may also use a representative sampling methodology under various circumstances, including when it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the securities in an index. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of an index’s component securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the relevant index. A number of factors may affect a Fund’s ability to achieve a high correlation with its index, including the degree to which the Fund utilizes a sampling methodology, Fund expenses, rounding of share prices, the timing or magnitude of changes to the composition of an index, regulatory policies, and portfolio turnover rate. There can be no guarantee that a Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation.
Each Fund may sell securities that are represented in an index or purchase securities not yet represented an index, in anticipation of their removal from or addition to that index. There may also be instances in which the Adviser may choose to overweight securities in a Fund’s index, thus causing the Adviser to purchase or sell securities not in the index that the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the index or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques in seeking to track that index. The Funds will not take defensive positions.
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Additional Principal Risk Information
The following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks of the Funds. Risk information is applicable to each Fund unless otherwise noted.
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.
Currency Exchange Rate Risk. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of a Fund’s investments and the value of your shares. Because each Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the U.S. dollar value of your investment in a Fund may go down if the value of the local currency of the non-U.S. markets in which that Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar. This is true even if the local currency value of securities in a Fund’s holdings goes up. Conversely, the dollar value of your investment in a Fund may go up if the value of the local currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar. The value of the U.S. dollar measured against other currencies is influenced by a variety of factors. These factors include: national debt levels and trade deficits, changes in balances of payments and trade, domestic and foreign interest and inflation rates, global or regional political, economic or financial events, monetary policies of governments, actual or potential government intervention, and global energy prices. Political instability, the possibility of government intervention and restrictive or opaque business and investment policies may also reduce the value of a country’s currency. Government monetary policies and the buying or selling of currency by a country’s government may also influence exchange rates. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in a Fund may change quickly and without warning, and you may lose money.
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Depositary Receipt Risk. ADRs and GDRs are subject to the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. 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. GDRs are similar to ADRs, but are shares of foreign-based corporations generally issued by international banks in one or more markets around the world. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. ADRs and GDRs are subject to the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, which are described herein. In addition, investments in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, 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 a Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which a Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in a Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments. In these circumstances, a 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 a 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, a Fund may have limited rights and remedies available to it to pursue claims against issuers in emerging markets.
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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 a Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities in that Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell such Fund’s shares. Conversely, shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make investments in a Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments. These factors can also cause the Fund’s shares to trade at a premium or discount to NAV.
The opportunity for offshore investors, such as the Funds, to access certain markets can be limited due to a variety of factors including government regulations, adverse tax treatment, and currency convertibility issues. These limitations and restrictions may impact the availability, liquidity and pricing of securities designed to provide offshore investors with exposure to such markets. As a result, returns achieved by offshore investors, such as the Funds, could differ from those available to domestic investors in the selected countries.
Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent a Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region. For example, political and economic conditions and changes in regulatory, tax, or economic policy in a country could significantly affect the market in that country and in surrounding or related countries and have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance. Currency developments or restrictions, political and social instability, and changing economic conditions have resulted in significant market volatility. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index for the Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF consisted of securities of United States issuers. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index for the Range Global Coal Index ETF consisted of securities of United States and Australian issuers. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index for the Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index ETF consisted of securities of United States, French and Bermudan issuers. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index for the Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index ETF consisted of securities of United States, Norwegian and Bermudan issuers.
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Investing in the United States Risk. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the United States may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. The financial crisis that began in 2007 caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of issuers in the United States. Policy and legislative changes in the United States are changing many aspects of financial and other regulation and may have a significant effect on the U.S. markets generally, as well as the value of certain securities. In addition, a continued rise in the U.S. public debt level or U.S. austerity measures may adversely affect U.S. economic growth and the securities to which the Fund has exposure.
Investing in Australia Risk (Range Global Coal Index ETF only). The Australian economy is heavily dependent on the Asian, European and U.S. markets. Reduced spending by any of these economies on Australian products may adversely affect the Australian market. Additionally, Australia is located in a geographic region that has historically been prone to natural disasters. The occurrence of a natural disaster in the region could negatively impact the Australian economy and affect the value of the securities held by a Fund.
Investing in France Risk (Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index ETF only). To the extent the fund invests a significant portion of its assets in securities of French issuers, the fund will be subject to risks that are specific to France, including certain legal, regulatory, political, economic, currency and security risks. Recently, concerns have emerged in relation to the economic health of the EU. These concerns have led to downward pressure the economies of certain EU member states, including France. Interest rates on France's debt may rise to levels that make it difficult for it to service high debt levels without significant financial help from, among others, the European Central Bank and could potentially result in default. In addition, the French economy is dependent to a significant extent on the economies of certain key trading partners, including Germany and other Western European countries. Reduction in spending on French products and services, or changes in any of the economies may cause an adverse impact on the French economy. In addition, France has been subject to acts of terrorism which has been detrimental to tourism. The French economy is dependent on exports from the agricultural sector. Leading agricultural exports include dairy products, meat, wine, fruit and vegetables, and fish. As a result, the French economy is susceptible to fluctuations in demand for agricultural products.
Investing in Norway Risk (Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index ETF only). Investment in Norwegian issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Norway. Norway is a major producer of oil and gas, and Norway’s economy is subject to the risk of fluctuations in oil and gas prices. The high value of the Norwegian krone as compared to other currencies could have a damaging effect on Norwegian exports and investments. The influx of oil and gas revenue has permitted Norway to expand its social welfare system. In recent years, labor costs in Norway have increased faster than those of its major trading partners, eroding industrial competitiveness. Secessionist movements, such as the Catalan movement in Spain and the independence movement in Scotland, may have an adverse effect on the Norwegian economy.
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Investing in Bermuda Risk (Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index ETF and Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index ETF only). The Bermudan economy has in the past experienced difficulties, including high inflation rates, high interest rates, high unemployment and government overspending. Global travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused significant decreases in visitors to the island, which has led to material negative impacts on Bermuda’s local economy. These impacts are expected to continue in the near future and may adversely affect the Fund’s investments in Bermuda. Other investment risks may include inadequate investor protection, less developed regulatory, accounting, auditing and financial standards, unfavorable changes in laws or regulations, natural disasters and corruption.
Index Tracking Risk. Tracking error refers to the risk that the Adviser may not be able to cause a Fund’s performance to match or correlate to that of its Index, either on a daily or aggregate basis. There are a number of factors that may contribute to a Fund’s tracking error, such as Fund expenses, imperfect correlation between a Fund’s investments and those of its Index, rounding of share prices, the timing or magnitude of changes to the composition of an Index, regulatory policies, and high portfolio turnover rate. Each Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to its Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing that Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of its Index. Tracking error may cause a Fund’s performance to be less than expected. In addition, a Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach may cause that Fund’s returns to not be as well correlated with the return of its Index as would be the case if that Fund purchased all of the securities in its Index in the proportions represented in such Index and can be expected to result in greater tracking error than if such Fund used a replication indexing strategy.
Industry Concentration Risk. Because each Fund’s assets will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Fund’s Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries, the Funds are subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries. To the extent a Fund concentrates in the securities of issuers in a particular industry, that 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 a 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 may be out of favor and underperform other industries or the market as a whole. The list below is not a comprehensive list of the industries to which the Fund may have exposure over time and should not be relied on as such. As of December 1, 2023, the Index for the Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF was not concentrated in any industry. As of December 1, 2023, the Index for the Range Global Coal Index ETF was concentrated in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry and the Metals and Mining Industry. As of December 1, 2023, the Index for the Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index ETF and the Index for the Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index ETF were concentrated in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry.
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Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry Risk (Range Global Coal Index ETF, Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index ETF and Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index ETF only). 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.
Metals and Mining Industry Risk (Range Global Coal Index ETF only). Metals and mining companies can be significantly affected by events relating to international political and economic developments, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, commodity prices, and tax and other government regulations. Investments in metals and mining companies may be speculative and may be subject to greater price volatility than investments in other types of companies. Risks of metals and mining investments include: changes in international monetary policies or economic and political conditions that can affect the supply of precious metals and consequently the value of metals and mining company investments; the United States or foreign governments may pass laws or regulations limiting metals investments for strategic or other policy reasons; and increased environmental or labor costs may depress the value of metals and mining investments.
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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 a Fund.
Large-Capitalization Risk. Investments in large capitalization companies may go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions and may underperform other market segments. Some large capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. As such, returns on investments in stocks of large capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in stocks of small and mid-capitalization companies.
Limited Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Risk. Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Funds. Each Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. Particularly in times of market stress, Authorized Participants, market makers, or liquidity providers may exit the business, reduce their business activities, or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, and there is a possibility that no other entities will step forward to perform these services. This may result in a significantly diminished trading market for a Fund’s shares, differences between the market price of a Fund’s shares and the underlying value of those shares, delisting of the shares, and wider bid-ask spreads.
Market Risk. Market risk, including political, regulatory, market, and economic or other developments, and developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market, can affect the value of the Fund’s shares. The market price of an investment could decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. The market value of an investment also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries such as labor shortages, increased production costs, and competitive conditions. Different types of investments may go through cycles of out-performance and under-performance in comparison to the general financial markets. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates generally do not have the same impact on all types of investments. Local, regional, or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the market generally and on specific investments. For example, in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic, the large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the rise of inflation have resulted in extreme volatility in the global economy and in global financial markets. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected.
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Master Limited Partnership Risk. Investments in master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) present additional risks when compared to investments in common stocks. MLPs are subject to certain risks inherent in the structure of MLPs, including tax risks, limited control and voting rights and potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner. MLPs that concentrate in a particular industry or a particular geographic region are subject to risks associated with such industry or region. For example, MLPs in energy-related industries are subject to fluctuations in the prices of commodities, a significant decrease in the production of or a sustained decline in demand for energy commodities, and construction risk, development risk, acquisition risk or other risks arising from their specific business strategies. Furthermore, as partnerships, MLPs may be subject to less regulation (and less protection for investors) under state laws than corporations. Securities issued by MLPs also may experience limited trading volumes and, thus, may be relatively illiquid or volatile at times.
MLPs are generally not subject to tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the MLP’s income, gains, losses, deductions, and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business of a given MLP could result in the MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. Such treatment also would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the affected MLP. Thus, if any MLP owned by a Fund were treated as a corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes, such treatment could result in a reduction in the value of that Fund’s investment in such MLP.
Methodology Risk. Each Fund seeks to track the performance of stocks of companies selected using a proprietary categorization and ranking methodology developed by the Index Provider. No assurance can be given that stocks of companies selected according to the methodology will outperform stocks of other companies. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the methodology will generate or produce the intended results.
Micro-Capitalization Risk. The micro-capitalization companies in which a 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.
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New/Smaller Fund Risk. A new or smaller fund’s performance may not represent how the fund is expected to or may perform in the long term if and when it becomes larger and has fully implemented its investment strategies. Investment positions may have a disproportionate impact (negative or positive) on performance in new and smaller funds. New and smaller funds may also require a period of time before they are fully invested in securities that meet their investment objectives and policies and achieve a representative portfolio composition. Fund performance may be lower or higher during this “ramp-up” period, and may also be more volatile, than would be the case after the fund is fully invested. Similarly, a new or smaller fund’s investment strategy may require a longer period of time to show returns that are representative of the strategy. New funds have limited performance histories for investors to evaluate and new and smaller funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies. If a new or smaller fund were to fail to successfully implement its investment strategies or achieve its investment objective, performance may be negatively impacted. Further, when a fund’s size is small, the fund may experience low trading volumes and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, a fund may face the risk of being delisted if the fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. If a fund were to be required to delist from the listing exchange, the value of the fund may rapidly decline and performance may be negatively impacted. There can be no assurance that each Fund will achieve an economically viable size. Any of the foregoing may result in a Fund being liquidated. A Fund may be liquidated by the Board without a shareholder vote. In a liquidation, shareholders of a Fund will receive an amount equal to such Fund’s NAV, after deducting the costs of liquidation, including the transaction costs of disposing of that Fund’s portfolio investments. Receipt of a liquidation distribution may have negative tax consequences for shareholders. Additionally, during a Fund’s liquidation all or a portion of such Fund’s portfolio may be invested in a manner not consistent with its investment objective and investment policies.
Non-Diversification Risk. As non-diversified investment companies under the 1940 Act, each 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 a 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 a 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 Funds 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 Funds attempt to minimize such failures through controls and oversight, it is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the Funds or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures. The Funds and their shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
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Passive Investment Risk. The Funds are not actively managed. Therefore, unless a specific security is removed from an Index, or selling that security is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of an Index as addressed in such Index’s methodology, a Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. If a specific security is removed from an Index, a Fund may be forced to sell such security at an inopportune time or for a price other than the security’s current market value. An investment in a Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. It is anticipated that the value of a Fund’s shares will decline, more or less, in correspondence with any decline in value of its Index. An Index may not contain the appropriate mix of securities for any particular point in the business cycle of the overall economy, particular economic sectors, or narrow industries within which the commercial activities of the companies comprising the portfolio securities holdings of a Fund are conducted, and the timing of movements from one type of security to another in seeking to replicate its Index could have a negative effect on that Fund. Unlike other funds that select investments based on analyses of financial or other information relating to companies, the economy or markets, the Funds, like other sector-focused or other narrowly-focused index funds, invests in companies included in their respective Index in accordance with their investment objective of tracking the performance of their respective Index. There can be no assurance that an investment in such companies would not underperform the broader market or investments with a different focus. A Fund should not be considered a complete investment program. Unlike with an actively managed fund, the Adviser does not use techniques or defensive strategies designed to lessen the effects of market volatility or to reduce the impact of periods of market decline. This means that, based on market and economic conditions, a Fund’s performance could be lower than other types of mutual funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline.
Risk of Investing in Coal Companies (Range Global Coal Index ETF only). The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of Coal Companies. The profitability of Coal Companies is related to worldwide energy prices and costs related to exploration and production spending. Such companies also are subject to risks of changes in exchange rates, international politics and government regulation, taxes, world events, terrorist attacks, the success of exploration projects, depletion of resources and economic conditions, reduced demand as a result of increases in government policies and regulations, energy efficiency and energy conservation efforts, as well as market, economic and political risks of the countries where energy companies are located or do business.
Events in individual countries or regions which have a significant presence in the global coal markets, including regulatory changes aimed at both worker safety and pollution control, may also impact the global price of coal. Coal exploration and mining can be significantly affected by natural disasters. In addition, coal companies may be at risk for environmental damage claims, litigation and negative publicity and perception, and the exploration, development and distribution of coal are subject to extensive federal, state, local and international environmental laws and regulations regarding air emissions and the disposal of hazardous materials.
A primary risk associated with Coal Companies is the competitive risk associated with the prices of alternative fuels, such as natural gas and oil, and alternative energy sources such as hydroelectric and nuclear power. For example, consumers of coal often have the ability to switch between the use of coal, oil or natural gas. As a result, during periods when competing fuels are less expensive, the revenues of Coal Companies may decline with a corresponding impact on earnings. Additionally, the markets and prices for coal are affected by technological developments in traditional and alternative companies, energy, environmental, fiscal and other governmental programs and policies, weather conditions, global coal inventories, production rates and production costs.
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Risk of Investing in Natural Gas Companies (Range Global LNG Ecosystem Index ETF only). Economic forces, including forces affecting natural gas, as well as government policies and regulations affecting the natural gas sector and related industries, could adversely affect the Fund’s portfolio companies and, thus, the Fund’s financial situation and profitability. The profitability of companies engaged in the exploration and production of natural gas may be adversely affected by changes in worldwide energy prices, exploration and production spending, government policies and regulation, economic conditions and world events. Governmental policies affecting companies engaged in the exploration and production of natural gas, such as taxes, tariffs, duties, subsidies and import and export restrictions, can influence industry profitability and the volume and types of imports and exports. Natural gas companies could be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, interest rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, development of alternative energy sources, technological developments and labor relations and may have significant capital investments in, or engage in transactions involving, emerging market countries, which may heighten these risks. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio companies must comply with a broad range of environmental laws and regulations. Additional or more stringent environmental laws and regulations may be enacted in the future and such changes could have a material adverse effect on the business of the Fund’s portfolio companies. Another risk of investing in the natural gas sector is the competitive risk associated with the prices of alternative fuels, such as coal and oil. For example, major natural gas customers often have the ability to switch between the use of coal, oil or natural gas.
The Fund’s Index measures the performance of equity securities of companies engaged in the exploration and production of natural gas. The Fund’s Index does not measure the performance of direct investment in natural gas and, therefore, may not move in the same direction and to the same extent as natural gas.
Risk of Investing in Nuclear Companies (Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF only). The nuclear energy sub-industry of an economy is cyclical and highly dependent on energy prices. The market value of nuclear companies is strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global energy prices, energy supply and demand, capital expenditures on exploration and production of energy sources, energy conservation efforts, exchange rates, interest rates, economic conditions, tax treatment, increased competition and technological advances, among other factors. Nuclear companies may be subject to substantial government regulation and contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of doing business and limit the earnings of these companies. A significant portion of revenues of nuclear companies depends on a relatively small number of customers, including governmental entities and utilities. As a result, governmental budget constraints may have a material adverse effect on the stock prices of companies in this sub-industry. Nuclear companies may also operate in, or engage in transactions involving countries with, less developed regulatory regimes or a history of expropriation, nationalization or other adverse policies. Nuclear companies also face a significant risk of liability from accidents resulting in injury or loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental problems, equipment malfunctions or mishandling of materials and a risk of loss from terrorism, political strife and natural disasters. Any such event could have serious consequences for the general population of the area affected and could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s portfolio and the performance of the Fund. Nuclear companies can be significantly affected by the supply of, and demand for, specific products (e.g., oil and natural gas) and services, exploration and production spending, government subsidization, world events and general economic conditions.
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Risk of Investing in Offshore Oil Services Companies (Range Global Offshore Oil Services Index ETF only). The profitability of offshore oil services companies is related to worldwide energy prices, including all sources of energy, and exploration and production costs. The price of energy, the earnings of offshore oil services companies, and the value of such companies’ securities are subject to significant volatility. Offshore oil services companies are also subject to risks of changes in exchange rates and the price of oil and gas, changes in prices for competitive energy services, changes in the global supply of and demand for oil and gas, the imposition of import controls, world events, actions of OPEC, negative perception and publicity, depletion of resources and general economic conditions, development of alternative energy sources, energy conservation efforts, technological developments and labor relations, as well as market, economic, social and political risks of the countries where offshore oil services companies are located or do business. The values of securities of offshore oil services companies are subject to swift price and supply fluctuations caused by events relating to international politics, including political instability, expropriation, social unrest and acts of war, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects and tax and other governmental regulatory policies. Offshore oil services companies may also be subject to contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of business and limit these companies’ earnings. Additionally, a significant portion of the revenues of these companies depend 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. Offshore oil services companies operate in a highly regulated, competitive and cyclical industry, with intense price competition.
Offshore oil services companies are exposed to significant and numerous operating hazards. Offshore oil services companies can be significantly affected by natural disasters and adverse weather conditions in the regions in which they operate. The revenues of offshore oil services companies may be negatively impacted by contract termination and renegotiation.
Offshore oil services companies may also be adversely affected by environmental damage claims and other types of litigation. Laws and regulations protecting the environment may expose offshore oil services companies to liability for the conduct of or conditions caused by others or for acts that complied with all applicable laws at the time they were performed. Changes to environmental protection laws, including the implementation of policies with less stringent environmental protection standards and those geared away from sustainable energy development, could lead to fluctuations in supply, demand and prices of oil and gas. The international operations of offshore oil services companies expose them to risks associated with instability and changes in economic and political conditions, foreign currency fluctuations, changes in interest rates, changes in foreign regulations and other risks inherent to international business. Additionally, changes to U.S. trading policies could cause friction with certain oil producing countries and between the governments of the United States and other major exporters of oil to the United States. Some offshore oil services companies are engaged in other lines of business unrelated to offshore oil services, and they may experience problems with these lines of business that could adversely affect their operating results. The operating results of these companies may fluctuate as a result of these additional risks and events in the other lines of business.
Sector Focus Risk. A 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 each Fund’s sector exposure is expected to vary over time based on the composition of its Index, each Fund anticipates that it may be subject to some or all of the risks described below. As of December 1, 2023, a significant portion of the Index for each Fund consisted of companies in the Energy Sector.
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Energy Sector Risk. The market value of securities in the energy sector may decline for many reasons including, fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of energy fuels caused by geopolitical events, 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 that result in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims, 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 may incur significant amounts of debt, 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 adversely affect 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. Issuers in the energy sector may also be impacted by changing investor and consumer preferences arising from the sector’s potential exposure to sustainability and environmental concerns.
Small- and Mid-Capitalization Risk. The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which a 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 smaller 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.
Trading Risk. Although each Fund’s shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for a Fund’s shares will develop or be maintained. Secondary market trading in a Fund’s shares may be halted by the Exchange because of market conditions or for other reasons. In addition, trading in a 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 a Fund’s shares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
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Shares of the Funds may trade at, above or below their most recent NAV. The per share NAV of a Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of that Fund’s holdings since the prior most recent calculation. The trading prices of a Fund’s shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand. The trading prices of a Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from the value of a 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 a Fund shares bought or sold. This can be reflected as a spread between the bid and ask prices for a Fund’s shares quoted during the day or a premium or discount in the closing price from a Fund’s NAV. In stressed market conditions, the market for a Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for that Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. These factors, among others, may lead to a Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. However, given that shares 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 shares of a Fund normally will trade close to its NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with a 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, each Fund’s shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of a Fund’s shares will approximate that 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 a 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 a 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 a Fund (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares of a 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 a Fund based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if a Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if a 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 Funds, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of such shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in a Fund’s shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
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Portfolio Holdings
A description of each Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the relevant Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”).
Fund Management
Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC, an Oklahoma limited liability company, is located at 10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 400, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120, its primary place of business, and 295 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10017. The Adviser was formed in 2009 and provides investment advisory services to exchange-traded funds.
Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Trust, the Adviser provides investment advisory services to the Funds and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds, including, among other things, implementing changes to each Fund’s portfolio in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of an index, trading portfolio securities on behalf of a Fund, and selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions, subject to the oversight of the Board. For the services it provides to the Funds, each Fund pays the Adviser a fee calculated daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.85% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
ETC Platform Services, LLC (“ETC Platform Services”), a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser, administers the Funds’ business affairs and provides office facilities and equipment, certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services, paying agent services under the Funds’ unitary fee arrangement (as described below), and its officers and employees to serve as officers or Trustees of the Trust. ETC Platform Services also arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration and accounting, and other non-distribution related services necessary for the Funds to operate. For the services it provides to the Funds, ETC Platform Services is paid a fee calculated daily and paid monthly based on a percentage of each Fund’s average daily net assets.
Under the investment advisory agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Funds (including the fee charged by ETC Platform Services), 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 Funds under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (“Excluded Expenses”).
Range Fund Holdings, LLC is the sponsor of each Fund’s Index and each Fund (the “Sponsor”). In connection with an arrangement between the Adviser, ETC Platform Services and the Sponsor, the Sponsor has agreed to assume the obligation of the Adviser to pay all expenses of each Fund (except Excluded Expenses) and, to the extent applicable, pay the Adviser a minimum fee. For its services, the Sponsor is entitled to a fee from the Adviser, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, based on a percentage of the average daily net assets of each Fund. The Sponsor does not make investment decisions, provide investment advice, or otherwise act in the capacity of an investment adviser to any Fund.
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Pursuant to an SEC exemptive order and subject to the conditions of that order, the Adviser may, with Board approval but without shareholder approval, hire a sub-adviser, materially amend the terms of an agreement with a sub-adviser (including an increase in its fee), or continue the employment of a sub-adviser after an event that would otherwise cause the automatic termination of services. Shareholders will be notified of any such changes.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory agreement with the Adviser will be available in the Funds’ first Semi-Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal period ending May 31, 2024.
Portfolio Managers
Andrew Serowik, Todd Alberico, Gabriel Tan and Brian Cooper are the Funds’ portfolio managers and are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds.
Mr. Serowik joined the Adviser from Goldman Sachs in May 2018. He began his career at Spear, Leeds & Kellogg (“SLK”), continuing with Goldman after its acquisition of SLK in September 2000. During his career of more than 18 years at the combined companies, he held various roles, including managing the global Quant ETF Strats team and One Delta ETF Strats. He designed and developed systems for portfolio risk calculation, algorithmic ETF trading, and execution monitoring, with experience across all asset classes. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance.
Mr. Alberico joined the Adviser in November 2020 as a Portfolio Manager. From 2005 to 2011, he worked on the ETF trading and portfolio risk management team at Goldman Sachs. He subsequently held roles at Cantor Fitzgerald (from 2011 to 2013) and Virtu Financial (from 2013 to 2020). Mr. Alberico has worked on several different facets of ETF trading, from lead market-making and electronic trading to customer facing institutional business developing models for block trading as well as transitional trades. Mr. Alberico graduated from St. John’s University in NY with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.
Mr. Tan joined the Adviser in May 2019 as an Associate Portfolio Manager and was promoted to Portfolio Manager in December 2020. He began his career at UBS and BBR Partners where he worked as a financial planning analyst and a portfolio strategist for over four years. During his time there, he developed comprehensive wealth management solutions focused on portfolio optimization, trust and estate planning, and tax planning.
Mr. Cooper joined the Adviser in November 2021. Previously, Mr. Cooper had roles in trade operations for Constellation Advisers from March 2017 until April 2018 and for QFR Capital Management from April 2018 until July 2020 and in the middle office derivatives group of Elliot Capital Management from September 2020 until November 2021. Prior to these roles, he spent 14 years working in various operational roles for Falcon Management Corporation, a global macro family office, gaining exposure to a variety of asset classes with a focus on operations, accounting, and technology. Mr. Cooper graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a minor in Business Law.
The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of each Fund’s shares.
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Buying and Selling Fund Shares
General
Shares of each Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange. When you buy or sell a Fund’s shares on the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price. You may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and 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 shares of a Fund will trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the daily NAV of such shares. A business day with respect to each Fund is any day on which the Exchange is open for business. The Exchange is generally open Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
NAV per share of a Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of that Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by its total number of shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including management and distribution fees, if any, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. NAV is determined each business day, normally as of the close of regular trading of the New York Stock Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
When determining NAV, the value of a Fund’s portfolio investments is determined pursuant to the Trust’s valuation policy and the Adviser’s fair valuation policy and procedures. In general, the value of a Fund’s investments is based on market prices of such investments, which generally means a valuation obtained from an exchange or other market (or based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of the value supplied by an exchange or other market) or a valuation obtained from an independent pricing service. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Adviser has been designated by the Board as the valuation designee with responsibility for fair valuation subject to oversight by the Board. If an investment’s market price is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately reflect the fair value of the investment, pursuant to the Trust’s valuation policy, the investment will be fair valued in accordance with the Adviser’s fair valuation policy and procedures, which were approved by the Board. An investment may be fair valued in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to, situations when the value of a security in a Fund’s portfolio has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which the security is principally traded but prior to the close of the Exchange (such as in the case of a corporate action or other news that may materially affect the price of a security) or trading in a security has been suspended or halted. Accordingly, a Fund’s NAV may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices.
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Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security will materially differ from the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s NAV and the prices used by its Index. This may result in a difference between a Fund’s performance and the performance of its Index.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
The Funds do not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Creation Units; however, each Fund reserves the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the SAI. When considering that no restriction or policy was necessary, the Board evaluated the risks posed by arbitrage and market timing activities, such as whether frequent purchases and redemptions would interfere with the efficient implementation of a Fund’s investment strategy, or whether they would cause a Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, shares of each Fund are issued and redeemed only in large quantities of shares known as Creation Units available only from the Funds directly to Authorized Participants, and that most trading in the Funds occurs on the Exchange at prevailing market prices and does not involve the Funds directly. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that trading due to arbitrage opportunities or market timing by shareholders would result in negative impact to the Funds or its shareholders. In addition, frequent trading of a Fund’s shares by Authorized Participants and arbitrageurs is critical to ensuring that the market price remains at or close to NAV.
Distribution and Service Plan
Each Fund has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act pursuant to which payments of up to 0.25% of a Fund’s average daily net assets may be made for the sale and distribution of that Fund’s shares. No payments pursuant to the Distribution and Service Plan will be made during the twelve (12) month period from the date of this Prospectus. Thereafter, 12b-1 fees may only be imposed after approval by the Board. Because these fees, if imposed, would be paid out of a Fund’s assets on an on-going basis, if payments are made in the future, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Fund Distributions
Each Fund pays out dividends from its net investment income and distributes its net capital gains, if any, to investors at least annually.
Dividend Reinvestment Service
Brokers may make available to their customers who own shares of a Fund the Depository Trust Company book-entry dividend reinvestment service. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased on the secondary market. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require a Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.
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Tax Information
The following is a summary of certain important U.S. federal income tax issues that affect the Funds and their shareholders. The summary is based on current tax laws, which may be changed by legislative, judicial or administrative action. You should not consider this summary to be a comprehensive explanation of the tax treatment of the Funds, or the tax consequences of an investment in the Funds. More information about taxes is located in the SAI.
You are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding specific questions as to federal, state and local income taxes.
Tax Status of the Funds
Each Fund has elected and intends to qualify each year for the special tax treatment afforded to a regulated investment company (“RIC”) the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. If a Fund maintains its qualification as a RIC and meets certain minimum distribution requirements, then that Fund is generally not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, if a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements it would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and consequently a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Unless you are a tax-exempt entity or your investment in Fund shares is made through a tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when a Fund makes distributions, you sell Fund shares, and you purchase or redeem Creation Units (Authorized Participants only).
Tax Status of Distributions
| ● | Each Fund intends to distribute for each year substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains income. |
| ● | Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares of a Fund. |
| ● | The income dividends you receive from a Fund may be taxed as either ordinary income or “qualified dividend income.” Dividends that are reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income are generally taxable to non-corporate shareholders at a maximum tax rate currently set at 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). Qualified dividend income generally is income derived from dividends paid to a Fund by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that a Fund receives in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. For such dividends to be taxed as qualified dividend income to a non-corporate shareholder, a Fund must satisfy certain holding period requirements with respect to the underlying stock and the non-corporate shareholder must satisfy holding period requirements with respect to his or her ownership of the Fund’s shares. Holding periods may be suspended for these purposes for stock that is hedged. |
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| ● | “Qualified publicly traded partnership income” within the meaning of Section 199A(e)(4) of the Code is eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. “Qualified publicly traded partnership income” is generally income of a “publicly traded partnership” (within the meaning of Section 7704 of the Code) that is not treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes (pursuant to Section 7704(c) of the Code) with respect to such entity’s qualified trade or business, but does not include certain investment income. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). RICs, such as the Funds, are not permitted to pass the special character of this income through to their shareholders. Direct investors in entities that generate “qualified publicly traded partnership income” will enjoy the lower rate, but investors in RICs that invest in such entities will not. |
| ● | Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long a Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned their shares. Sales of assets held by a Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by a Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. |
| ● | Distributions from a Fund’s short-term capital gains are generally taxable as ordinary income. Distributions from a Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are taxable as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your shares of a Fund. For non-corporate shareholders, long-term capital gains are generally taxable at a maximum tax rate currently set at 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). |
| ● | Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from a Fund that are attributable to dividends received by that Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. Certain of the Funds’ investment strategies may limit their ability to make distributions eligible for the dividends received deduction. |
| ● | In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. However, distributions paid in January but declared by a Fund in October, November or December of the previous year payable to shareholders of record in such a month may be taxable to you in the previous year. |
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| ● | You should note that if you purchase shares of a Fund just before a distribution, the purchase price would reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution. In this case, you would be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of your investment. This is known as “buying a dividend” and should be avoided by taxable investors. |
| ● | Each Fund (or your broker) will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, and net capital gain distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year. |
Tax Status of Share Transactions
Each sale of Fund shares or redemption of Creation Units will generally be a taxable event. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares by a shareholder will be treated as capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months, and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for 12 months or less. Any capital loss on the sale of shares of a Fund held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent distributions of long-term capital gain were paid (or treated as paid) with respect to such shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent shares of a Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of Fund shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize gain or loss from the exchange. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between (i) the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange plus any cash received in the exchange and (ii) the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash paid for the Creation Units. An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and (ii) the aggregate market value of the securities and the amount of cash received. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for a person who does not mark-to-market their holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sales rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
A Fund may include cash when paying the redemption price for Creation Units in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities. A Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause a Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, a Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
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Foreign Taxes
To the extent a Fund invests in foreign securities, it may be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to dividends or interest the Fund received from sources in foreign countries. If more than 50% of the total assets of a Fund consist of foreign securities, the Fund will be eligible to elect to treat some of those taxes as a distribution to shareholders, which would allow shareholders to offset some of their U.S. federal income tax. A Fund (or your broker) will notify you if it makes such an election and provide you with the information necessary to reflect foreign taxes paid on your income tax return.
Net Investment Income Tax
U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (including certain capital gain distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of shares of a Fund). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Non-U.S. Investors
If you are a nonresident alien individual or a foreign corporation, trust or estate, (i) a Fund’s ordinary income dividends will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies but (ii) gains from the sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless you are a nonresident alien individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. A Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Non-U.S. shareholders who fail to provide an applicable Internal Revenue Service form may be subject to backup withholding on certain payments from a Fund. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that are subject to the 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) withholding tax described in this paragraph. Different tax consequences may result if you are a foreign shareholder engaged in a trade or business within the United States or if you are a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of a tax treaty.
Backup Withholding
A Fund (or financial intermediaries, such as brokers, through which shareholders own Fund shares) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and the sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she, or it is not subject to such withholding. The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under current U.S. federal income tax law of an investment in a Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in a Fund under all applicable tax laws.
More information about taxes is in the SAI.
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Additional Information
Investments by Other Registered Investment Companies
For purposes of the 1940 Act, each Fund is treated as a registered investment company. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Funds. Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act permits registered investment companies to invest in exchange-traded funds offered by the Trust, including the Funds, beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions, including that such registered investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust. However, if a Fund were to invest in securities of other investment companies beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) by relying on Rule 12d1-4, other registered investment companies would not be permitted to rely on that rule to invest in such Fund in excess of the Section 12(d)(1)(A) limits.
Continuous Offering
The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the Prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Funds’ distributor, breaks them down into individual shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares of a Fund. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares of a Fund, whether or not participating in the distribution of such shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available with respect to such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer-firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with shares of a Fund that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of a Fund are reminded that under Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s Prospectus is available on the SEC’s electronic filing system. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
Premium/Discount Information
The Funds are new and therefore do not have any information regarding how often their shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) its NAV. This information will be available, however, at www.RangeETFs.com after each Fund’s shares have traded on the Exchange for a full calendar quarter.
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Financial Highlights
No financial highlights information is available for the Funds because they are new and have not commenced operations.
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Exchange Traded Concepts Trust
10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 400
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120
ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS
Additional information about the Funds’ investments will be available in the Funds’ annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the annual report, when available, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance during their last fiscal year.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI)
The SAI provides more detailed information about the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into, and is thus legally a part of, this Prospectus.
HOUSEHOLDING
Householding is an option available to certain Fund investors. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Please contact your broker-dealer if you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, or if you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status.
HOW TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
To request a free copy of the latest annual or semi-annual report (when available) or the SAI, or to request additional information about the Funds or to make other inquiries, please contact us as follows:
| Call: |
855-RANGE88 (855-726-4388) Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) |
Write: |
Exchange Traded Concepts Trust 10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 400 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120 |
| Visit: | www.RangeETFs.com |
The SAI and other information are also available from a financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) through which a Fund’s shares may be purchased or sold.
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information also may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by emailing the SEC at [email protected].
The Trust’s Investment Company Act file number: 811-22263
RAN-PS-001-0100