PROSPECTUS
AXS
Cannabis ETF
(Ticker:
)
AXS Cannabis ETF, a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II (the “Trust”), intends to list and principally trade its shares on NYSE Arca (the “Exchange”). Shares of the AXS Cannabis ETF trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at or above the AXS Cannabis ETF’s net asset value.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
AXS Cannabis ETF
A series of Investment Managers Series Trust II (the “Trust”)
SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
AXS Cannabis ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the AXS Cannabis Index (the “Index”).
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). Investors may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example set forth below.
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment)
Management Fees | |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | |
Other Expenses(1) | |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
Fee Waiver (2) | ( |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver (2) |
(1) |
(2) |
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This 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 at current levels. The example reflects the Fund’s contractual fee waiver only for the term of the contractual fee waiver. This example does not include the brokerage commissions that investors may pay to buy and sell Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, your costs, based on these assumptions, would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
The Fund
pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells
securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will
cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher
taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not
reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the example, may affect
the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended February 28, 2023, the Fund’s
portfolio turnover rate was
The Fund uses a “passive management” (or “indexing”) approach to seek to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the Index. The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the component securities of the Index. The Index is a proprietary, rules-based index designed to track the performance of a portfolio of Cannabis Companies. The Fund will also invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investment purposes, in exchange listed common stock or corresponding American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) of Cannabis Companies. “Cannabis Companies” are companies that have a business interest in the legal cannabis-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets. Cannabis is defined for this purpose as (i) marijuana (or products derived from marijuana) or (ii) hemp (or products derived from hemp, which includes CBD-based products (i.e., products that contain cannabidiol)). A company has a business interest in the legal cannabis-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets if a significant percentage (at least 50%) of its revenues are derived from such activity. As of the date of this prospectus, Cannabis Companies do not include companies that grow or distribute marijuana inside the United States (unless and until such time as the cultivation, production, or distribution of such marijuana or products become legal under U.S. federal law). As of the date of this prospectus, Cannabis Companies may, however, include companies that have a business interest in the legal hemp-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets within the United States.
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it generally will invest in all of the component securities of the Index in approximately the same proportion as in the Index. However, when the Fund’s investment advisor believes it is in the best interests of the Fund (e.g., when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs; an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid; or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not to the Index), the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a sample of the component securities in the Index, the risk, return and other characteristics of which closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole.
AXS Cannabis Index
The initial universe of potential Index constituents (the “Index Universe”) consists of publicly listed Cannabis Companies that are involved in the legal cannabis industry. These Cannabis Companies are primarily located in the United States and Canada, but may be located in other countries as well. The term “legal” refers to being permitted under the applicable (i) controlled substance or (ii) food, drug, and cosmetics, or equivalent laws and regulations under whose jurisdiction the Cannabis Company is subject, that govern the cultivation, production or distribution, for medical or non-medical purposes, of cannabis in a particular country. Cannabis Companies that have a business interest in the legal hemp-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets within the United States are companies that have business interests in “hemp” as defined in the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the “Farm Bill.” “Hemp,” as defined in the Farm Bill, was exempted from the definition of “marijuana” under the Controlled Substances Act (the “CSA”), which effectively allows companies to legally grow, manufacture, and produce hemp in the United States, if done so in compliance with the provisions of the Farm Bill.1
1 | The Cannabis sativa L. plant produces both “hemp” and “marijuana” – whether a substance is one or the other impacts how the substance is regulated in the United States and whether it is legal or not from a federal perspective. Section 812 of the CSA identifies “marihuana” or “marijuana” as a Schedule I controlled substance. 21 U.S.C. § 802(16)(A) of the CSA defines “marihuana” (referred to hereafter as “marijuana”) as “all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L., whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any part of such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds or resin.” Pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 841, it is a prohibited act to knowingly or intentionally manufacture, distribute, or dispense, or possess with an intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled substance. |
The Farm Bill modified a portion of the CSA to identify “hemp” as an exclusion to the definition of marijuana. The Farm Bill also amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to define “hemp” as “the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol “THC” concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.” The Farm Bill further excludes the mature stalks of the Cannabis sativa L. plant; the fiber produced from such stalks; the oil or cake made from the seeds of such plant; any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such mature stalks (except the resin extracted therefrom), fiber, oil, or cake; or the sterilized seed of such plant, which is incapable of germination. |
So, hemp and hemp derivatives that meet the definition of “hemp” established in the Farm Bill and modified in the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, are not deemed Schedule I controlled substances. Companies may grow and produce hemp legally in compliance with the Farm Bill and companies doing so would not be deemed in violation of U.S. federal law. |
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
The Index Provider eliminates from the Index Universe any Cannabis Company that it knows, based on the Cannabis Company’s publicly available information, to be involved in cannabis-related business activities that are illegal under the national and local laws of the relevant jurisdiction, including U.S. federal and state laws. “Publicly available information” is information available in a company’s publicly available filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), publicly available filings with the 13 Canadian provincial and territorial securities regulatory authorities (“Canadian Securities Administrators”), publicly available filings with equivalent securities authorities in other applicable countries, investor presentations posted on a company’s website, and press releases or other public statements by a company. The Index Provider also eliminates from the Index Universe any Cannabis Company that it knows, based on the Cannabis Company’s publicly available information, to invest in other companies (“Related Companies”) that the Index Provider knows, based on the Related Company’s publicly available information, to be involved in cannabis-related business activities that are illegal under the national and local laws of the relevant jurisdiction, including U.S. federal and state laws. These assessments are made at the time a Cannabis Company is added to the Index and upon any reconstitution of the Index. The Index is rebalanced and reconstituted monthly, effective at the close of trading on the second Friday of the month. The Fund is rebalanced and reconstituted in accordance with the Index. Upon the monthly rebalancing and reconstitution of the Index, the Fund’s investment advisor will also examine each Cannabis Company’s publicly available information in order to eliminate from the Fund’s portfolio any Cannabis Company that it knows to be involved in cannabis-related business activities that are illegal under the national and local laws of the relevant jurisdiction, including U.S. federal and state laws. If the Advisor identifies or becomes aware that a particular company no longer meets the Fund’s definition of Cannabis Companies, the Fund intends to promptly sell that position.
The Index Universe is then screened to exclude stocks that have a market capitalization below $100 million and stocks listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”). The Index constituents must be listed on exchanges that require compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business, including U.S. federal laws. As of the date of this prospectus, the exchanges identified by the Index Provider that meet this criterion are the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), TSX Exchange (“TSX”), TSX Venture Exchange (“TSX Venture”), and the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”). Other exchanges that meet the criterion noted above could be identified, and companies listed on such exchanges could be included in the Index at any time. Index constituents must also have traded at least 200,000 shares during the month of reconstitution. At the time of each monthly reconstitution, the Index constituents are weighted according to their market capitalization with the individual weight of an Index constituent capped at eight percent (8.00%), with the excess weighting proportionately distributed between the remaining constituents.
The Index is rebalanced and reconstituted monthly, effective at the close of trading on the second Friday of the month. The Fund is rebalanced and reconstituted in accordance with the Index.
AXS Investments LLC is the Index Provider. The Index is calculated, maintained and distributed by Indxx LLC, an independent, third-party index calculated agent that is not affiliated with the Fund, or AXS.
As of February 28, 2023, the Index had 25 constituents, and the five largest stocks and their weightings in the Index were Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (7.77%), AFC Gamma, Inc. (6.62%), Innovative Industrial Properties (6.41%), Organigram Holdings, Inc. (5.32%), and Fire and Flower Holdings Corp. (4.98%).
To generate income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete transactions and for other purposes. In connection with such loans, the Fund receives liquid collateral equal to at least 102% of the value of the domestic portfolio securities being lent and 105% of the value of the foreign portfolio securities being lent. This collateral is marked to market on a daily basis and will be maintained in an amount equal to at least the percentages noted above of the portfolio securities being lent. The Fund will also receive fee income in exchange for the securities it lends.
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer, or a smaller number of issuers, than a diversified fund.
To the extent the Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its total assets) to approximately the same extent as the Index. As of February 28, 2023, the Index was concentrated in the health care sector. The Fund’s focus on Cannabis Companies may result in volatile performance.
United States Regulatory Risks of the Cannabis Industry. The possession and use of marijuana, even for medical purposes, is illegal under federal and certain states’ laws, which may negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. Use of marijuana is regulated by both the federal government and state governments, and state and federal laws regarding marijuana often conflict. Even in those states in which the use of marijuana has been legalized, its possession and use remains a violation of federal law. Federal law criminalizing the use of marijuana pre-empts state laws that legalizes its use for medicinal and recreational purposes. Any such change in the federal government’s enforcement of current federal laws could adversely affect the ability of the companies in which the Fund invests to possess or cultivate marijuana, including in connection with pharmaceutical research, or it could shrink the customer pool for certain of the Fund’s portfolio companies. Any of these outcomes would negatively affect the profitability and value of the Fund’s investments. The Cannabis Companies may never be able to legally produce and sell products in the United States or other national or local jurisdictions.
Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA (21 U.S.C. § 811), meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, has no currently “accepted medical use” in the United States, lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and may not be prescribed, marketed or sold in the United States.
Facilities conducting research, manufacturing, distributing, importing or exporting, or dispensing controlled substances must be registered (licensed) to perform these activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) to prevent drug loss and diversion. Failure to obtain the necessary registrations or comply with necessary regulatory requirements may significantly impair the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to pursue medical marijuana research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana.
The enactment of the Farm Bill changed the legal landscape in the United States with respect to the manufacturing, distribution and sale of hemp and hemp derivatives, including CBD. Among other things, the Farm Bill: (A) legally distinguishes hemp from marijuana by defining “hemp” as the Cannabis sativa L. plant (or any part of the plant) and extracts of it, that contain no more than 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) (as calculated on a dry weight basis); (B) exempts “hemp” from the definition of “marijuana” and, therefore, from both DEA interference and the restrictions imposed by the CSA; and (C) expressly permits the interstate sale and transportation of hemp products. While the enactment of the Farm Bill was dramatically and materially favorable for the CBD landscape, some legal considerations remain with respect to CBD products. At present, the primary risk relates to uncertainty in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) actions as it adapts to this new law.
In the United States, CBD and products which contain CBD are and will be subject to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which includes the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (“DSHEA”) and significant federal regulations. Those statutory provisions and regulations include but are not limited to (i) good manufacturing practices, (ii) legally permitted health-related claims, (iii) the requirement for significant safety dossiers, (iv) detailed labeling requirements, (v) requirements for competent and reliable scientific substantiation for health-related claims, and (vi) compliance with a statute that prohibits the inclusion of an ingredient in a dietary supplement or food that was first authorized for study as a drug (the “IND Provision” or the “Exclusionary Provision”). The FDA has publicly taken the present position the CBD cannot be sold in dietary supplements or foods due to this provision.
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
Non-U.S. Regulatory Risks of the Cannabis Industry. The companies in which the Fund invests are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines relating to the manufacture, management, transportation, storage and disposal of cannabis, as well as being subject to laws and regulations relating to health and safety, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment. Even if a company's operations are permitted under current law, they may not be permitted in the future, in which case such company may not be in a position to carry on its operations in its current locations. Additionally, controlled substance legislation differs between countries and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to sell their products.
Operational Risks of the Cannabis Industry. Companies involved in the cannabis industry face intense competition, may have limited access to the services of banks, may have substantial burdens on company resources due to litigation, complaints or enforcement actions, and are heavily dependent on receiving necessary permits and authorizations to engage in medical cannabis research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute cannabis. Since the cultivation, possession, and distribution of cannabis can be illegal under United States federal law under certain circumstances, federally regulated banking institutions may be unwilling to make financial services available to growers and sellers of cannabis.
Market Risk. The market price of a security or instrument may 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. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. The market value of a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry.
Volatility Risk. The Fund may have investments that appreciate or decrease significantly in value over short periods of time. This may cause the Fund’s NAV per share to experience significant increases or declines in value over short periods of time. Volatility is a statistical measurement of the magnitude of up and down asset price fluctuations over time. Rapid and dramatic price swings will result in high volatility. The Fund’s returns are expected to be volatile; however, the actual or realized volatility level for longer or shorter periods may be materially higher or lower depending on market conditions and investors may suffer a significant and possibly a complete loss on their investment in the Fund.
ETF Structure Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
● | Shares are Not Individually Redeemable. Shares are only redeemable by the Fund at NAV if they are tendered in Creation Units. Only Authorized Participants may engage in such creation and redemption transactions directly with the Fund. Individual Shares may be sold on a stock exchange at their current market prices, which may be less, more, or equal to their NAV. |
● | Cash Transaction Risk. To the extent the Fund sells portfolio securities to meet some or all of a redemption request with cash, the Fund may incur taxable gains or losses that it might not have incurred had it made redemptions entirely in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used. |
● | Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market prices of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market prices of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). Differences in market price and NAV may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. These differences can be especially pronounced during times of market volatility or stress. During these periods, the demand for Shares may decrease considerably and cause the market price of Shares to deviate significantly from the Fund’s NAV. |
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
● |
Market Maker Risk. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of Shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s NAV and the price at which the Shares are trading on the Exchange, which could result in a decrease in value of the Shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Shares trading at a discount to NAV and also in greater than normal intra-day bid-ask spreads for Shares. |
● | Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid-ask spread.” The bid-ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and the spread is generally lower if shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund, and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid-ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments. |
● | Trading Issues Risk. Although the Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. Initially, due to the small asset size of the Fund, it may have difficulty maintaining its listings on the Exchange. |
● | Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting. |
Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines, litigation, obsolescence of technology, and an increased emphasis on the delivery of health care through outpatient services. The business operations and profitability of companies in the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industry can be significantly affected by, among other things, government approval of products and services, government regulation and reimbursement rates, product liability claims, patent expirations and protection, and intense competition.
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests.
Foreign Investment Risk. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. Changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and the imposition of sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of the Fund’s foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. Foreign securities include ADRs and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). Unsponsored ADRs and GDRs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the foreign issuer of the underlying securities, and involve additional risks because U.S. reporting requirements do not apply. In addition, the issuing bank may deduct shareholder distribution, custody, foreign currency exchange, and other fees from the payment of dividends.
Risks Related to Investing in Canada. Because the investments of the Fund may be geographically concentrated in Canadian companies or companies that have a significant presence in Canada, investment results could be dependent on the condition of the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is reliant on the sale of natural resources and commodities, which can pose risks such as the fluctuation of prices and the variability of demand for exportation of such products. Changes in spending on Canadian products by other countries or changes in the other countries’ economies may cause a significant impact on the Canadian economy. In particular, the Canadian economy is heavily dependent on relationships with certain key trading partners, including the United States and China.
Currency Risk. The values of investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies increase or decrease as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. dollar change. Currency conversion costs and currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the United States and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation.
Valuation Risk. The Fund may hold securities or other assets that may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur because the asset or security does not trade on a centralized exchange, or in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including “fair valued” assets or securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time. The Fund’s ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Index Provider Risk. There is no assurance that the Index Provider, or any agents that act on its behalf, will compile the Index accurately, or that the Index will be determined, maintained, constructed, reconstituted, rebalanced, composed, calculated or disseminated accurately. The Index Provider relies on an independent calculation agent to calculate and disseminate the Index accurately. Any losses or costs associated with errors made by the Index Provider or its agents generally will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Company Risk. The securities of small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements and may have lower trading volumes or more erratic trading than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. In addition, such companies typically are more likely to be adversely affected than large capitalization companies by changes in earning results, business prospects, investor expectations or poor economic or market conditions.
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
Tax Risk. In order to qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification and other requirements. In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Given that the Index is comprised of a relatively small number of issuers, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may affect the Fund’s execution of its investment strategy and may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of the Index, and the Fund’s efforts to track the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.
Concentration Risk. The Fund will be concentrated (i.e., invest more than 25% of Fund assets) in the industries or group of industries within a single sector to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. A portfolio concentrated in one or more sectors may present more risks than a portfolio broadly diversified over several sectors.
Non-Diversification
Risk.
Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed. The Fund invests in securities included in or representative of the Index regardless of investment merit. The Fund generally will not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. In the event that the Index is no longer calculated, the Index license is terminated or the identity or character of the Index is materially changed, the Fund will seek to engage a replacement index.
Lending Portfolio Securities Risk. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and banks, provided that it may not lend securities if, as a result, the aggregate value of all securities loaned would exceed 33 1/3% of its total assets. The collateral, including the investment of any cash collateral, is subject to market depreciation. In the event of bankruptcy or other default of the borrower, the Fund could experience delays in both liquidating the loan collateral and recovering the loaned securities and losses. The collateral (including any investment of cash collateral) is not subject to the percentage limitations on the Fund’s investments described elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition, the Fund may lead its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutions as a means of earning additional income.
Recent Market Events. Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. 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. These and other similar events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.
Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the advisor, and/or other service providers (including custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality. In an extreme case, a shareholder’s ability to exchange or redeem Shares may be affected. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of those securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
The Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
The Fund acquired the assets and liabilities of the Predecessor Fund in connection with the Reorganization of the Predecessor Fund, which occurred on January 20, 2023. As a result of the Reorganization, the Fund is the accounting successor of the Predecessor Fund. Performance results shown in the bar chart and the performance table below reflect the performance of the Predecessor Fund.
Calendar-Year Total Return (before taxes) for Predecessor Fund
For each calendar year at NAV
The
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
Quarter Ended | ||
( |
Quarter Ended |
(for periods ended December 31, 2022) |
One Year |
Since Inception ( |
Return Before Taxes | ( |
( |
Return After Taxes on Distributions1 | ( |
( |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares1 | ( |
( |
Innovation Labs Cannabis Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
( |
( |
1 |
The Predecessor Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income taxes and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains.
Management
Investment Advisor
AXS Investments LLC (“AXS” or the “Advisor”) is the Fund’s Advisor.
Portfolio Managers
Parker Binion, Portfolio Manager of the Advisor, and Travis Trampe, Portfolio Manager of the Advisor, have served as the portfolio managers of the Fund since the Reorganization of the Predecessor Fund on January 20, 2023. Messrs. Binion and Trampe are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio.
Purchase and Sale of Shares
The Fund issues and redeems Shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in large blocks of shares called “Creation Units.” Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.
Individual Shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Since Shares of the Fund trade on securities exchanges in the secondary market at their market price rather than their net asset value, the Fund’s Shares may trade at a price greater than (premium) or less than (discount) the Fund’s net asset value. An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information, including the Fund’s net asset value, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, is available online at www.axsinvestments.com.
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions will generally be taxable as ordinary income, returns of capital or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.
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SUMMARY SECTION | AXS Cannabis ETF |
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Advisor and ALPS Distributors, Inc., the Fund’s distributor, may pay the intermediary for the sale of 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 the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund is a series of the Trust and is regulated as an “investment company” under the 1940 Act. The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed without approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. Unless an investment policy is identified as being fundamental, all investment policies included in this prospectus and the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) are non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) without shareholder approval. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
The Fund uses a “passive management” (or “indexing”) approach to seek to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the Index. The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the component securities of the Index. The Index is a proprietary, rules-based index designed to track the performance of a portfolio of Cannabis Companies. The Fund will also invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investment purposes, in exchange listed common stock or corresponding ADRs of Cannabis Companies. The Fund will not change either of its 80% investment policies unless it gives shareholders at least 60 days’ advance written notice.
“Cannabis Companies” are companies that have a business interest in the legal cannabis-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets. Cannabis is defined for this purpose as (i) marijuana (or products derived from marijuana) and (ii) hemp (or products derived from hemp, which includes CBD-based products (i.e., products that contain cannabidiol)). A company has a business interest in the legal cannabis-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets if a significant percentage (at least 50%) of its revenues are derived from such activity. As of the date of this prospectus, Cannabis Companies do not include companies that grow or distribute marijuana inside the United States (unless and until such time as the cultivation, production, or distribution of such marijuana or products become legal under U.S. federal law). As of the date of this prospectus, Cannabis Companies may, however, include companies that have a business interest in the legal hemp-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets within the United States.
Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it generally will invest in all of the component securities of the Index in approximately the same proportion as in the Index. However, when the Fund’s investment advisor believes it is in the best interests of the Fund (e.g., when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs; an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid; or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not to the Index), the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a sample of the component securities in the Index, the risk, return and other characteristics of which closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole.
AXS Cannabis Index
The Index Universe consists of publicly listed Cannabis Companies that are involved in the legal cannabis industry. These Cannabis Companies are primarily located in the United States and Canada, but may be located in other countries as well. The term “legal” refers to being permitted under the applicable (i) controlled substance or (ii) food, drug, and cosmetics, or equivalent laws and regulations under whose jurisdiction the Cannabis Company is subject, that govern the cultivation, production or distribution, for medical or non-medical purposes, of cannabis in a particular country. Cannabis Companies that have a business interest in the legal hemp-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets within the United States are companies that have business interests in “hemp” as defined in the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the “Farm Bill.” “Hemp,” as defined in the Farm Bill, was exempted from the definition of “marijuana” under the CSA, which effectively allows companies to legally grow, manufacture, and produce hemp in the United States, if done so in compliance with the provisions of the Farm Bill.
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The Index Provider eliminates from the Index Universe any Cannabis Company that it knows, based on the Cannabis Company’s publicly available information, to be involved in cannabis-related business activities that are illegal under the national and local laws of the relevant jurisdiction, including U.S. federal and state laws. “Publicly available information” is information available in a company’s publicly available filings with the SEC, publicly available filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators, publicly available filings with equivalent securities authorities in other applicable countries, investor presentations posted on a company’s website, and press releases or other public statements by a company. The Index Provider also eliminates from the Index Universe any Cannabis Company that it knows, based on the Cannabis Company’s publicly available information, to invest in other Related Companies that the Index Provider knows, based on the Related Company’s publicly available information, to be involved in cannabis-related business activities that are illegal under the national and local laws of the relevant jurisdiction, including U.S. federal and state laws. These assessments are made at the time a Cannabis Company is added to the Index and upon any reconstitution of the Index. The Index is rebalanced and reconstituted monthly, effective at the close of trading on the second Friday of the month. The Fund is rebalanced and reconstituted in accordance with the Index. Upon the monthly rebalancing and reconstitution of the Index, the Advisor will also examine each Cannabis Company’s publicly available information in order to eliminate from the Fund’s portfolio any Cannabis Company that it knows to be involved in cannabis-related business activities that are illegal under the national and local laws of the relevant jurisdiction, including U.S. federal and state laws. If the Advisor identifies or becomes aware that a particular company no longer meets the Fund’s definition of Cannabis Companies, the Fund intends to promptly sell that position.
The Index Universe is then screened to exclude stocks that have a market capitalization below $100 million and stocks listed on the CSE. The Index constituents must be listed on exchanges that require compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business, including U.S. federal laws. As of the date of this prospectus, the exchanges identified by the Index Provider that meet this criterion are the NYSE, Nasdaq, TSX, TSX Venture, and the ASX. Other exchanges that meet the criterion noted above could be identified, and companies listed on such exchanges could be included in the Index at any time. Index constituents must also have traded at least 200,000 shares during the month of reconstitution. At the time of each monthly reconstitution, the Index constituents are weighted according to their market capitalization with the individual weight of an Index constituent capped at eight percent (8.00%), with the excess weighting proportionately distributed between the remaining constituents.
AXS is the Index provider. The Index is calculated, maintained and distributed by Indxx LLC, an independent, third-party index calculation agent that is not affiliated with the Fund or the Advisor.
As of February 28, 2023, the Index had 25 constituents, and the five largest stocks and their weightings in the Index were Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (7.77%), AFC Gamma, Inc. (6.62%), Innovative Industrial Properties (6.41%), Organigram Holdings, Inc. (5.32%), and Fire and Flower Holdings Corp. (4.98%).
To generate income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers (including the Fund’s custodian) and other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete transactions and for other purposes. In connection with such loans, the Fund receives liquid collateral equal to at least 102% of the value of the domestic portfolio securities being lent and 105% of the value of the foreign portfolio securities being lent. This collateral is marked to market on a daily basis and will be maintained in an amount equal to at least the percentages noted above of the portfolio securities being lent. The Fund will also receive fee income in exchange for the securities it lends.
The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer, or a smaller number of issuers, than a diversified fund.
To the extent the Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its total assets) to approximately the same extent as the Index. As of February 28, 2023, the Index was concentrated in the health care industry. The Fund’s focus on Cannabis Companies may result in volatile performance.
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Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s SAI, which is available at www.axsinvestments.com. Information about the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings, including the identities and quantities of such portfolio holdings, is available on the Fund’s website.
ADDITIONAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Risk is inherent in all investing and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. A summary description of certain principal risks of investing in the Fund is set forth below. Before you decide whether to invest in the Fund, carefully consider these risk factors associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause investors to lose money. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Principal Risks
United States Regulatory Risks of the Cannabis Industry. The possession and use of marijuana, even for medical purposes, is illegal under federal and certain states' laws, which may negatively impact the value of the Fund's investments. Use of marijuana is regulated by both the federal government and state governments, and state and federal laws regarding marijuana often conflict. Even in those states in which the use of marijuana has been legalized, its possession and use remains a violation of federal law. Federal law criminalizing the use of marijuana pre-empts state laws that legalizes its use for medicinal and recreational purposes. Any such change in the federal government's enforcement of current federal laws could adversely affect the ability of the companies in which the Fund invests to possess or cultivate marijuana, including in connection with pharmaceutical research, or it could shrink the customer pool for certain of the Fund's portfolio companies. Any of these outcomes would negatively affect the profitability and value of the Fund's investments. The Cannabis Companies may never be able to legally produce and sell products in the United States or other national or local jurisdictions.
Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, has no currently “accepted medical use” in the United States, lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and may not be prescribed, marketed or sold in the United States.
Facilities conducting research, manufacturing, distributing, importing or exporting, or dispensing controlled substances must be registered (licensed) to perform these activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the DEA to prevent drug loss and diversion. Failure to obtain the necessary registrations or comply with necessary regulatory requirements may significantly impair the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to pursue medical marijuana research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana.
The enactment of the Farm Bill immediately, dramatically and favorably changed the legal landscape in the United States with respect to the manufacturing, distribution and sale of hemp and hemp derivatives, including CBD. Among other things, the Farm Bill: (A) legally distinguishes hemp from marijuana by defining “hemp” as the Cannabis sativa L. plant (or any part of the plant) and extracts of it, that contain no more than 0.3% THC (as calculated on a dry weight basis); (B) exempts “hemp” from the definition of “marijuana” and, therefore, from both DEA interference and the restrictions imposed by the CSA; and (C) expressly permits the interstate sale and transportation of hemp products. While the enactment of the Farm Bill was dramatically and materially favorable for the CBD landscape, some legal considerations remain with respect to CBD products. At present, the primary risk relates to uncertainty in the FDA actions as it adapts to this new law.
In the United States, CBD and products which contain CBD are and will be subject to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which includes the DSHEA and significant federal regulations. Those statutory provisions and regulations include but are not limited to (i) good manufacturing practices, (ii) legally permitted health-related claims, (iii) the requirement for significant safety dossiers, (iv) detailed labeling requirements, (v) requirements for competent and reliable scientific substantiation for health-related claims, and (vi) compliance with a statute that prohibits the inclusion of an ingredient in a dietary supplement or food that was first authorized for study as a drug (the IND Provision or the Exclusionary Provision). The FDA has publicly taken the present position the CBD cannot be sold in dietary supplements or foods due to this provision.
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Non-U.S. Regulatory Risks of the Cannabis Industry. The companies in which the Fund invests are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines relating to the manufacture, management, transportation, storage and disposal of cannabis, as well as being subject to laws and regulations relating to health and safety, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment. Even if a company's operations are permitted under current law, they may not be permitted in the future, in which case such company may not be in a position to carry on its operations in its current locations. Additionally, controlled substance legislation differs between countries and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to sell their products.
Operational Risks of the Cannabis Industry. Companies involved in the cannabis industry face intense competition, may have limited access to the services of banks, may have substantial burdens on company resources due to litigation, complaints or enforcement actions, and are heavily dependent on receiving necessary permits and authorizations to engage in medical cannabis research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute cannabis. Since cultivation, possession, and distribution of cannabis can be illegal under United States federal law under certain circumstances, federally regulated banking institutions may be unwilling to make financial services available to growers and sellers of cannabis.
Market Risk. The market price of a security or instrument may 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 a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. For example, the financial crisis that began in 2007 caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of many securities; in particular, the values of some sovereign debt and of securities of issuers that invest in sovereign debt and related investments fell, credit became more scarce worldwide and there was significant uncertainty in the markets. More recently, higher inflation, Russian’s invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively affected the worldwide economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial health of individual companies and the market in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Such environments could make identifying investment risks and opportunities especially difficult for the Advisor. In response to the crises, the United States and other governments have taken steps to support financial markets. The withdrawal of this support or failure of efforts in response to a crisis could negatively affect financial markets generally as well as the value and liquidity of certain securities. In addition, policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are changing many aspects of financial regulation. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.
Volatility Risk. The Fund may have investments that appreciate or decrease significantly in value over short periods of time. This may cause the Fund’s NAV per share to experience significant increases or declines in value over short periods of time. Volatility is a statistical measurement of the magnitude of up and down asset price fluctuations over time. Rapid and dramatic price swings will result in high volatility. The Fund’s returns are expected to be volatile; however, the actual or realized volatility level for longer or shorter periods may be materially higher or lower depending on market conditions and investors may suffer a significant and possibly a complete loss on their investment in the Fund.
ETF Structure Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
● | Shares are Not Individually Redeemable. Shares are only redeemable by the Fund at NAV if they are tendered in Creation Units. Only Authorized Participants may engage in such creation and redemption transactions directly with the Fund. Individual Shares may be sold on a stock exchange at their current market prices, which may be less, more, or equal to their NAV. |
● | Cash Transaction Risk. To the extent the Fund sells portfolio securities to meet some or all of a redemption request with cash, the Fund may incur taxable gains or losses that it might not have incurred had it made redemptions entirely in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used. |
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● | Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk. As with all ETFs, shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market prices of shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market prices of shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). Differences in market price and NAV may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. These differences can be especially pronounced during times of market volatility or stress. During these periods, the demand for Fund shares may decrease considerably and cause the market price of Fund shares to deviate significantly from the Fund’s NAV. |
● | Market Maker Risk. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of Fund shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s NAV and the price at which the Fund shares are trading on the Exchange, which could result in a decrease in value of the Fund shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a discount to NAV and also in greater than normal intra-day bid-ask spreads for Fund shares. |
● | Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid-ask spread.” The bid-ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and the spread is generally lower if shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund, and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid-ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares, including bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments. |
● | Trading Issues Risk. Although the Fund shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Fund shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Fund shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. Initially, due to the small asset size of the Fund, it may have difficulty maintaining its listings on the Exchange. |
● | Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value and possibly face delisting. |
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Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the Health Care Sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of health care through outpatient services. Companies in the Health Care Sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the Health Care Sector require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.
● | Biotechnology Company Risk: A biotechnology company’s valuation can often be based largely on the potential or actual performance of a limited number of products and can accordingly be greatly affected if one of its products proves, among other things, unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. Biotechnology companies are subject to regulation by, and the restrictions of, the FDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state and local governments, and foreign regulatory authorities. |
● | Pharmaceutical Company Risk: Companies in the pharmaceutical industry can be significantly affected by, among other things, government approval of products and services, government regulation and reimbursement rates, product liability claims, patent expirations and protection and intense competition. Additionally, companies in the pharmaceutical industry may be adversely affected by government regulation and changes in reimbursement rates from such third-party payors, such as Medicare, Medicaid and other government sponsored programs, private health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations. The ability of pharmaceutical companies to commercialize current and any futures products also depends in part on the extent reimbursement for the cost of such products and related treatments are available from these third-party payors. A pharmaceutical company’s valuation may also be affected if one of its products prove unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. The stock prices of companies in this sector have been and will likely continue to be volatile. |
Equity Risk. The value of equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests. The price of common stock of an issuer in the Fund’s portfolio may decline if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the financial condition of the issuer declines. Common stock is subordinated to preferred stocks, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority with respect to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred stocks or debt instruments of such issuers. In addition, while broad market measures of common stocks have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.
Foreign Investment Risk. Investments in foreign securities are affected by risk factors generally not thought to be present in the United States. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets include less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, greater risks associated with counterparties and settlement, and difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations. Changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and the imposition of foreign taxes, sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of the Fund’s foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. The Fund’s investments in depositary receipts (including ADRs) are subject to these risks, even if denominated in U.S. dollars, because changes in currency and exchange rates affect the values of the issuers of depositary receipts. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.
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Risks Related to Investing in Canada. Because the investments of the Fund may be geographically concentrated in Canadian companies or companies that have a significant presence in Canada, investment results could be dependent on the condition of the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is reliant on the sale of natural resources and commodities, which can pose risks such as the fluctuation of prices and the variability of demand for exportation of such products. Changes in spending on Canadian products by other countries or changes in the other countries’ economies may cause a significant impact on the Canadian economy. In particular, the Canadian economy is heavily dependent on relationships with certain key trading partners, including the United States and China. The United States is Canada’s largest trading and investment partner, and the Canadian economy is significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy. Any downturn in the U.S. or Chinese economic activity is likely to have an adverse impact on the Canadian economy.
Currency Risk. The values of investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies increase or decrease as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. dollar change. Currency conversion costs and currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the United States and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation.
Valuation Risk. The Funds may hold securities or other assets that may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur because the asset or security does not trade on a centralized exchange, or in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including “fair valued” assets or securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Funds could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Funds would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Funds at that time. The Advisor’s ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Index Provider Risk. There is no assurance that the Index Provider, or any agents that act on its behalf, will compile the Index accurately, or that the Index will be determined, maintained, constructed, reconstituted, rebalanced, composed, calculated or disseminated accurately. The Index Provider and its agents do not provide any representation or warranty in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in the Index, and do not guarantee that the Index will be calculated in accordance with its stated methodology. The Advisor’s mandate as described in this prospectus is to manage the Fund consistently with the Index provided by the Index Provider. The Advisor relies upon the Index Provider and its agents to accurately compile, maintain, construct, reconstitute, rebalance, compose, calculate and disseminate the Index accurately. Therefore, losses or costs associated with any Index Provider or agent errors generally will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. To correct any such error, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out an unscheduled rebalance of the Index or other modification of Index constituents or weightings. When the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. Unscheduled rebalances also expose the Fund to additional tracking error risk. Errors in respect of the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data used to compile the Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, particularly where the Index is less commonly used as a benchmark by funds or advisors. For example, during a period where the Index contains incorrect constituents, the Fund tracking the Index would have market exposure to such constituents and would be underexposed to the Index’s other constituents. Such errors may negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. The Index Provider and its agents rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor the Advisor can offer assurances that the Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers. Unusual market conditions may cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance, which could cause the Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. The postponement of a scheduled rebalance in a time of market volatility could mean that constituents that would otherwise be removed at rebalance due to changes in market capitalizations, issuer credit ratings, or other reasons may remain, causing the performance and constituents of the Index to vary from those expected under normal conditions. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Index due to unusual market conditions or in order, for example, to correct an error in the selection of index constituents.
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Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Company Risk. Investing in small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies generally involves greater risks than investing in large-capitalization companies. Small- or mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on the expertise of a few people and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. Many small capitalization companies may be in the early stages of development. Since equity securities of smaller companies may lack sufficient market liquidity and may not be regularly traded, it may be difficult or impossible to sell securities at an advantageous time or a desirable price.
Tax Risk. In order to qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification and other requirements. In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Given that the Index is comprised of a relatively small number of issuers, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may affect the Fund’s execution of its investment strategy and may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of the Index, and the Fund’s efforts to track the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.
Concentration Risk. In following its methodology, the Index from time to time may be concentrated to a significant degree in securities of issuers located in a single industry or a sector. To the extent that the Index concentrates in the securities of issuers in a particular industry or sector, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. By concentrating its investments in an industry or sector, the Fund faces more risks than if it were diversified broadly over numerous industries or sectors. Such industry-based risks, any of which may adversely affect the companies in which the Fund invests, 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, such industry or sector may be out of favor and underperform other industries or the market as a whole.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means the Fund may invest a larger percentage of its assets in the securities of a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. Investment in securities of a limited number of issuers exposes the Fund to greater market risk and potential losses than if its assets were diversified among the securities of a greater number of issuers.
Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed. The Fund invests in securities included in or representative of its Index regardless of investment merit. The Fund generally will not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. In the event that the Index is no longer calculated, the Index license is terminated or the identity or character of the Index is materially changed, the Fund will seek to engage a replacement index.
Lending Portfolio Securities Risk. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and banks, provided that it may not lend securities if, as a result, the aggregate value of all securities loaned would exceed 33 1/3% of its total assets. Any such loan must be continuously secured by collateral (cash or U.S. government securities). The securities lending agent will invest cash collateral in short-term investments, which are subject to market depreciation. In the event of bankruptcy or other default of the borrower, the Fund could experience delays in both liquidating the loan collateral and recovering the loaned securities and losses. The collateral (including any investment of cash collateral) is not subject to the percentage limitations on the Fund’s investments described elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition, the Fund may lead its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutions as a means of earning additional income.
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Recent Market Events. Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and higher inflation have resulted in extreme volatility in the financial markets, economic downturns around the world, and severe losses, particularly to some sectors of the economy and individual issuers, and reduced liquidity of certain instruments. These events have caused significant disruptions to business operations, including business closures; strained healthcare systems; disruptions to supply chains and employee availability; large fluctuations in consumer demand; large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of such events; and widespread uncertainty regarding the long-term effects of such events.
Governments and central banks, including the Federal Reserve in the United States, took extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by keeping interest rates at historically low levels for an extended period. The Federal Reserve concluded its market support activities in 2022 and began to raise interest rates in an effort to fight inflation. The Federal Reserve may determine to raise interest rates further. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets to address the pandemic, inflation, or other significant events in the future, may not work as intended, particularly if the efforts are perceived by investors as being unlikely to achieve the desired results.
Such events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance. Other market events may cause similar disruptions and effects.
Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Advisor, and/or other service providers (including custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality. A cybersecurity incident may disrupt the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value, and prevent shareholders from redeeming their shares. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of those securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
The Fund is a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II, an investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund is treated as a separate fund with its own investment objectives and policies. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust. The Board is responsible for the overall management and direction of the Trust. The Board elects the Trust’s officers and approves all significant agreements, including those with the Advisor, custodian and fund administrative and accounting agent.
Investment Advisor
AXS Investments LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, serves as the Fund's investment advisor pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”). The principal office of the Advisor is located at 181 Westchester Avenue, Suite 402, Port Chester, New York 10573. As of February 28, 2023, the Advisor had approximately $1.55 billion in assets under management.
In its capacity as Advisor, AXS manages the Fund’s investments subject to the supervision of the Board. The Advisor also arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration, distribution and all other services necessary for the Fund to operate. Further, the Advisor continuously reviews, supervises, and administers the Fund’s investment program.
Portfolio Managers
Travis Trampe, Portfolio Manager of the Advisor, serves as a portfolio manager for the Fund. Mr. Trampe joined AXS in 2022. Prior to joining AXS, Mr. Trampe was a portfolio manager with ETF issuers and asset management firms for over 15 years, including most recently from 2016 to 2021, where he was responsible for managing ETFs, mutual funds, UCITS and other fund vehicles. Mr. Trampe's asset management tenure includes longtime experience in portfolio management, trade execution and fund operations in U.S. and global securities markets. Mr. Trampe holds a B.S. in finance and mathematics from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
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Parker Binion, Portfolio Manager of the Advisor, serves as a portfolio manager for the Fund. Mr. Binion joined AXS in January 2021. Prior to joining AXS, Mr. Binion was a portfolio manager of Kerns Capital Management, Inc. since September 2014, and was responsible for managing the firm’s separately managed account strategies and hedging/net exposure strategies. Prior to 2014, Mr. Binion was an investment advisor representative with Heritage Capital from 2012 to 2014. He holds an A.B. in political science with a concentration in economics from Duke University and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas at Austin.
The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the compensation structure for the portfolio managers, other accounts that the portfolio managers manage and the ownership of Shares by the portfolio managers.
Manager of Managers Structure
AXS and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC which allows AXS to operate the Fund under a “manager of managers” structure (the “Order”). Pursuant to the Order, AXS may, subject to the approval of the Board, hire or replace sub-advisors and modify any existing or future agreement with such sub-advisors without obtaining shareholder approval.
Pursuant to the Order, AXS, with the approval of the Board, has the discretion to terminate any sub-advisor and allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among AXS and any other sub-advisor. AXS has the ultimate responsibility, subject to the oversight and supervision by the Board, to oversee any sub-advisor for the Fund and to recommend, for approval by the Board, the hiring, termination and replacement of sub-advisors for the Fund. In evaluating a prospective sub-advisor, AXS will consider, among other things, the proposed sub-advisor’s experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. AXS remains ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-advisor retained to manage the Fund. Within 90 days after hiring any new sub-advisor, the Fund’s shareholders will receive information about any new sub-advisory relationships.
Use of the “manager of managers” structure does not diminish AXS’s responsibilities to the Fund under its Investment Advisory Agreement. AXS has overall responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, to oversee the sub-advisors and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. Specifically, AXS will, subject to the review and approval of the Board: (a) set the Fund’s overall investment strategy; (b) evaluate, select and recommend sub-advisors to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets; and (c) implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that each sub-advisor complies with the Fund’s investment goal, policies and restrictions. Subject to the review by the Board, AXS will: (a) when appropriate, allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among multiple sub-advisors; and (b) monitor and evaluate the performance of the sub-advisors. Replacement of AXS or the imposition of material changes to the Investment Advisory Agreement would continue to require prior shareholder approval.
Management Fee
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund has agreed to pay an annual unitary management fee to the Advisor in an amount equal to 0.95% of its average daily net assets. The Advisor has agreed for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization to waive its fees by 0.20% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The Advisor will not seek recoupment from the Fund of any amounts waived by the Advisor under the fee waiver agreement. This unitary management fee is designed to pay the Fund’s expenses and to compensate the Advisor for the services it provides to the Fund. Out of the unitary management fee, the Advisor pays substantially all expenses of the Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other service and license fees. However, the Advisor is not responsible for the advisory fee, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing or settlement of orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution fees and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
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A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement on behalf of the Fund is available in the Fund’s annual report to shareholders for the fiscal period ended February 28, 2023.
BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
Fund shares are listed for trading on the Exchange. When you buy or sell the 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 the 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 the 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 National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the normal close of regular trading on the NYSE, on each day the NYSE is open for trading. If for example, the NYSE closes at 1:00 p.m. New York time, the Fund’s NAV would still be determined as of 4:00 p.m. New York time. In this example, portfolio securities traded on the NYSE would be valued at their closing prices unless the Advisor determines that a “fair value” adjustment is appropriate due to subsequent events. The NAV is determined by dividing the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities, cash and other assets (including accrued interest), less all liabilities (including accrued expenses), by the total number of outstanding shares. The Fund’s NAV may be calculated earlier if permitted by the SEC. The NYSE is closed on weekends and most U.S. national holidays. However, foreign securities listed primarily on non-U.S. markets may trade on weekends or other days on which the Fund does not value its shares, which may significantly affect the Fund’s NAV on those days.
The Fund’s securities generally are valued at market price. Securities are valued at fair value when market quotations are not readily available. The Board has designated the Advisor as the Fund’s valuation designee (the “Valuation Designee”) to make all fair value determinations with respect to the Fund’s portfolio investments, subject to the Board’s oversight. As the Valuation Designee, the Advisor has adopted and implemented policies and procedures to be followed when the Fund must utilize fair value pricing, including when reliable market quotations are not readily available, when the Fund’s pricing service does not provide a valuation (or provides a valuation that, in the judgment of the Advisor, does not represent the security’s fair value), or when, in the judgment of the Advisor, events have rendered the market value unreliable (see, for example, the discussion of fair value pricing of foreign securities in the paragraph below). Valuing securities at fair value involves reliance on the judgment of the Advisor and may result in a different price being used in the calculation of the Fund’s NAV from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value determinations are made by the Advisor, in good faith, in accordance with procedures approved by the Board. There can be no assurance that the Fund will obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it sells the security.
In certain circumstances, the Advisor employs fair value pricing to ensure greater accuracy in determining the Fund’s daily NAV and to prevent dilution by frequent traders or market timers who seek to exploit temporary market anomalies. Fair value pricing may be applied to foreign securities held by the Fund upon the occurrence of an event after the close of trading on non-U.S. markets but before the close of trading on the NYSE when the Fund’s NAV is determined. If the event may result in a material adjustment to the price of the Fund’s foreign securities once non-U.S. markets open on the following business day (such as, for example, a significant surge or decline in the U.S. market), the Advisor may value such foreign securities at fair value, taking into account the effect of such event, in order to calculate the Fund’s NAV.
Other types of portfolio securities that the Advisor may fair value include, but are not limited to: (1) investments that are illiquid or traded infrequently, including “restricted” securities and private placements for which there is no public market; (2) investments for which, in the judgment of the Advisor, the market price is stale; (3) securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring; (4) securities for which trading has been halted or suspended; and (5) fixed income securities for which there is not a current market value quotation.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
The Fund does not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Creation Units; however, the 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 the Fund’s investment strategy, or whether they would cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are issued and redeemed only in large quantities of shares known as Creation Units available only from the Fund directly to Authorized Participants, and that most trading in the Fund occurs on the Exchange at prevailing market prices and does not involve the Fund 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 Fund or its shareholders. In addition, frequent trading of shares of the Fund done by Authorized Participants and arbitrageurs is critical to ensuring that the market price remains at or close to NAV.
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Availability of Information
Each Business Day, the following information will be available at www.axsinvestments.com with respect to the Fund: (i) information for each portfolio holding that will form the basis of the next calculation of the Fund’s net asset value per share; (ii) the Fund’s net asset value per share, market price, and premium or discount, each as of the end of the prior Business Day; (iii) a table showing the number of days the Fund’s shares traded at a premium or discount during the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter since that year; (iv) a line graph showing Fund share premiums or discounts for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter since that year; (v) the Fund’s median bid-ask spread over the last thirty calendar days; and (vi) if during the past year the Fund’s premium or discount was greater than 2% for more than seven consecutive trading days, a statement that the Fund’s premium or discount, as applicable, was greater than 2% and a discussion of the factors that are reasonably believed to have materially contributed to the premium or discount.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Fund Distributions
The Fund pays out dividends from its net investment income annually 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 the 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 the Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.
Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following discussion is very general and does not address investors subject to special rules, such as investors who hold Fund shares through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged account. The Statement of Information contains further information about taxes. Because each Shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax advisor about your investment in the Fund.
You will generally have to pay federal income taxes, as well as any state or local taxes, on distributions received from the Fund, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. If you sell Fund shares, it is generally considered a taxable event. Distributions of net investment income, other than distributions the Fund reports as “qualified dividend income,” and distributions of net short-term capital gains, are taxable for federal income tax purposes at ordinary income tax rates. Distributions from the Fund’s net capital gain (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss) are taxable for federal income tax purposes as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long the shareholder has held Fund shares.
Dividends paid by the Fund (but none of the Fund’s capital gain distributions) may qualify in part for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received by the Fund from REITs generally are not expected to qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income or for the dividends-received deduction. Distributions of investment income that the Fund reports as “qualified dividend income” may be eligible to be taxed to non-corporate shareholders at the reduced rates applicable to long-term capital gain if derived from the Fund’s qualified dividend income and if certain other requirements are satisfied. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that the Fund receives in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market.
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You may want to avoid buying shares of the Fund just before it declares a distribution (on or before the record date), because such a distribution will be taxable to you even though it may effectively be a return of a portion of your investment.
Although distributions are generally taxable when received, dividends declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record as of a date in such month and paid during the following January are treated as if received on December 31 of the calendar year when the dividends were declared.
Information on the federal income tax status of dividends and distributions is provided annually.
Dividends and distributions from the Fund and net gain from sales of Fund shares will generally be taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.
If you do not provide the Fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you will be subject to backup withholding on your dividends and other distributions. The backup withholding rate is currently 24%.
Dividends and certain other payments made by the Fund to a non-U.S. shareholder are subject to withholding of federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty). Dividends that are reported by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” are generally exempt from such withholding. In general, the Fund may report interest-related dividends to the extent of its net income derived from U.S.-source interest and the Fund may report short-term capital gain dividends to the extent its net short-term capital gain for the taxable year exceeds its net long-term capital loss. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax described in this paragraph.
Under legislation commonly referred to as “FATCA,” unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to Fund distributions payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the United States and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.
Some of the Fund’s investment income may be subject to foreign income taxes that are withheld at the country of origin. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes, but there can be no assurance that the Fund will qualify for treaty benefits.
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of any cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Any gain or loss realized upon a creation of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the securities exchanged therefor as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Similarly, any gain or loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the shares of the Fund comprising the Creation Units as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year, and otherwise will be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares of the Fund comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year, and otherwise, will generally be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for 6 months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).
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The Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares of the Fund so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in any securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Fund also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the shares of the Fund so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.
ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”) serves as the distributor of Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in Shares.
Co-Administrators. UMB Fund Services, Inc., 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, and Mutual Fund Administration, LLC, 2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226, Glendora, California 91740 (collectively the “Co-Administrators”), act as co-administrators for the Fund. Pursuant to the Co-Administration Agreement, the Co-Administrators receive a fee for administration services based on the Fund’s average daily net assets, which is paid by the Advisor.
Transfer Agent. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent. The transfer agent provides record keeping and shareholder services.
Custodian. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, serves as the Fund’s custodian. The custodian holds the securities, cash and other assets of the Fund.
Fund Accounting Agent. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, serves as the fund accounting agent for the Fund. The fund accounting agent calculates the Fund’s daily NAV.
Legal Counsel. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, 600 Anton Boulevard, Suite 1800, Costa Mesa, California 92626, serves as legal counsel to the Trust and to the Independent Trustees.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, Two Liberty Place, 50 South 16th Street, Suite 2900, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102-2529, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Fund.
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Investments by Other Registered Investment Companies
For purposes of the 1940 Act, the 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 Fund. Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act permits registered investment companies to invest in exchange-traded funds offered by the Trust, including the Fund, 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.
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 Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (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 transfer agent, 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. 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 the Fund, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares of the Fund, 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 the 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 the 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.
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The following table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance, including the Predecessor Fund’s financial performance for the period prior to the Reorganization. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share or a single Predecessor Fund share, as applicable. The total return figures represent the percentage that an investor in the Fund and the Predecessor Fund would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund and the Predecessor Fund class, as applicable (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The financial information for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2023, has been audited by Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, are included in the Fund’s Annual Report, which is available upon request (see back cover). The financial information for the year ended February 28, 2022, and prior, were audited by the independent registered public accounting firm for the Predecessor Fund.
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AXS Cannabis ETF*
Per share operating performance.
For a capital share outstanding throughout each period.
For the Period | ||||||||||||||||
July 8, 2019** | ||||||||||||||||
For the Year Ended February 28, | through | |||||||||||||||
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | February 29, 2020 | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 7.19 | $ | 19.79 | $ | 9.98 | $ | 25.00 | ||||||||
Income from Investment Operations: | ||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss)1 | 0.03 | (0.04 | ) | 0.33 | 0.54 | |||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (4.73 | ) | (12.56 | ) | 9.93 | (15.14 | ) | |||||||||
Total from investment operations | (4.70 | ) | (12.60 | ) | 10.26 | (14.60 | ) | |||||||||
Less Distributions: | ||||||||||||||||
From net investment income | (0.03 | ) | - | 2 | (0.45 | ) | (0.42 | ) | ||||||||
Total distributions | (0.03 | ) | - | 2 | (0.45 | ) | (0.42 | ) | ||||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 2.46 | $ | 7.19 | $ | 19.79 | $ | 9.98 | ||||||||
Total return3,4 | (65.45 | )% | (63.66 | )% | 107.46 | % | (58.66 | )%6 | ||||||||
Total return at market price4,5 | (65.66 | )% | (63.40 | )% | 96.18 | % | (57.84 | )%6 | ||||||||
Ratios and Supplemental Data: | ||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $ | 21,318 | $ | 58,624 | $ | 175,125 | $ | 18,959 | ||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (including interest expense): | ||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed/recovered | 0.96 | %7 | 0.95 | % | 0.94 | % | 0.95 | %8 | ||||||||
After fees waived and expenses absorbed/recovered | 0.76 | %7 | 0.73 | % | 0.69 | % | 0.70 | %8 | ||||||||
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (including interest expense): | ||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed/recovered | 0.60 | % | (0.47 | )% | 1.92 | % | 6.66 | %8 | ||||||||
After fees waived and expenses absorbed/recovered | 0.80 | % | (0.25 | )% | 2.17 | % | 6.91 | %8 | ||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate9 | 71 | % | 54 | % | 75 | % | 49 | %6 |
* | Financial information from July 8, 2019 through January 20, 2023 is for The Cannabis ETF, which was reorganized into the AXS Cannabis ETF as of the close of business on January 20, 2023. |
** | Commencement of operations. |
1 | Based on average shares outstanding during the period. |
2 | Amount represents less than $0.01 per share. |
3 | Net asset value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, if any, and redemption on the last day of the period at net asset value. This percentage is not an indication of the performance of a shareholder's investment in the Fund based on market value due to the differences between the market price of the shares and the net asset value per share of the Fund. |
4 | Total return would have been lower had fees not been waived or absorbed by the Advisor. These returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on the Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares. |
5 | Market value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at market value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, if any, and redemption on the last day of the period at market value. Market value is determined by the composite closing price. Composite closing security price is defined as the last reported sale price on NYSE Arca, Inc. The composite closing price is the last reported sale, regardless of volume, and not an average price, and may have occurred on a date prior to the close of the reporting period. Market value may be greater or less than net asset value, depending on the Fund's closing price on NYSE Arca, Inc. |
6 | Not annualized. |
7 | If interest expense had been excluded, the expense ratios would have been lowered by 0.01% for the year ended February 28, 2023. |
8 | Annualized. |
9 | Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions related to the processing of capital share transactions in Creation Units. |
28
AXS
Cannabis ETF
A series
of Investment Managers Series Trust II
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
The SAI provides additional details about the investments and techniques of the Fund and certain other additional information. The SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. This means that the SAI is legally considered a part of this Prospectus even though it is not physically within this Prospectus.
Shareholder Reports
Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its most recent fiscal year.
The Fund’s SAI is available and annual and semi-annual reports will be available, free of charge, on the Fund’s website at www.axsinvestments.com. You can also obtain a free copy of the Fund’s SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, request other information, or inquire about the Fund by contacting a broker that sells shares of the Fund, by calling the Fund (toll-free) at 1-303-623-2577 or by writing to the Fund’s distributor, ALPS Distributors, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203.
Reports and other information about the Fund are also available:
● | Free of charge, on the SEC’s EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov; or |
● | For a duplication fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: [email protected]. |
SEC File No.: 333-191476 811-22894 |