ck0001650149-20231031
STATEMENT
OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
February 28,
2024
Equable
Shares Hedged Equity Fund
Institutional
Class EQHEX
(Class
I)
Teramo
Advisors, LLC
c/o
U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
P.O.
Box 701
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53201-0701
(888)
898-2024
This
Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus, but should be
read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Equable Shares Hedged Equity Fund
(the “Fund”), a series of Series Portfolios Trust (the “Trust”), dated
February 28,
2024, as may be supplemented from time to time,
which is incorporated by reference into this SAI. You may obtain the Prospectus
without charge by contacting U.S. Bank Global Fund Services at the address or
telephone number listed above or by visiting the Fund’s website at
www.equableshares.com/funds.
The
Fund’s audited financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal year ended
October 31, 2023, and the unqualified opinion of Cohen & Company, Ltd.,
the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, on such financial
statements are included in the Fund’s annual
report
to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, and are
incorporated by reference into this SAI. A copy of the annual report may be
obtained, without charge, upon request by contacting the Fund c/o U.S. Bank
Global Fund Services at the address or telephone number listed
above.
THE
TRUST
The
Trust is a Delaware statutory trust organized on July 27, 2015 and is registered
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an open-end
management investment company. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust, as amended
and/or restated to date (the “Declaration of Trust”), permits the Trust’s Board
of Trustees (the “Board”) to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional
shares of beneficial interest, without par value, which may be issued in any
number of series. The Board may from time to time issue other series, the assets
and liabilities of which will be separate and distinct from any other series.
This SAI relates only to the Fund.
The
Declaration of Trust also provides for indemnification and reimbursement of
expenses out of the Fund’s assets for any Trustee or Trust officer held
personally liable for obligations of the Fund or the Trust. All such rights are
limited to the assets of the Fund. The Declaration of Trust further provides
that the Trust may maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bonding
and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Trust, its
shareholders, trustees, officers, employees and agents to cover possible claims
and other liabilities. However, the activities of the Trust as an investment
company would not likely give rise to liabilities in excess of the Trust’s total
assets. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of
shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate
insurance exists and the Fund itself is unable to meet its
obligations.
The
Declaration of Trust provides that the Trust shall not in any way be bound or
limited by present or future laws or customs in regard to trust investments. The
Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee or officer shall be liable for his
or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee or
officer, and for nothing else, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or
mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees, as trustees of a registered investment
company, may have a number of duties ascribed to them under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and the foregoing provisions
are not intended to eliminate or alter those duties.
The
Declaration of Trust provides that by virtue of becoming a shareholder of the
Trust, each shareholder is bound by the provisions of the Declaration of Trust.
The Declaration of Trust provides a detailed process for the bringing of
derivative actions by shareholders. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a
written demand by the complaining shareholder must first be made on the
Trustees. The Declaration of Trust details conditions that must be met with
respect to the demand, including the requirement that 10% of the outstanding
Shares of the Fund who are eligible to bring such derivative action under the
Delaware Statutory Trust Act join in the demand for the Trustees to commence
such derivative action and that the shareholder making a pre-suit demand on the
Board undertakes to reimburse the Fund for the expense of any advisers that the
Board hires in its investigation of the demand, in the event the Board
determines not to bring the action. The demand requirements set out in Delaware
law and the Declaration of Trust, as described above, do not apply to
shareholder actions alleging violations of the federal securities
laws.
Additionally,
the Declaration of Trust provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of
Delaware, to the extent there is subject matter jurisdiction in such court for
the claims asserted or, if not, then in the Superior Court of the State of
Delaware shall be the exclusive forum in which certain types of litigation may
be brought, which may require shareholders to have to bring an action in an
inconvenient or less favorable forum. This exclusive forum provision does not
apply to claims arising under the federal securities laws because the Securities
Act of 1933 and the 1940 Act allow claims to be brought in state and federal
courts and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires claims to be brought
exclusively in
federal
court. The Declaration of Trust provides that shareholders waive any and all
right to trial by jury in any claim, suit, action or proceeding.
Pursuant
to the Declaration of Trust, to the extent that, at law or in equity, a Trustee
or officer of the Trust has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities
relating thereto to the Trust, the shareholders or to any other person, such
Trustee or officer acting under the Declaration of Trust shall not be liable to
the Trust, the shareholders or to any other person for his or her good faith
reliance on the provisions of the Declaration of Trust. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing in the Declaration of Trust modifying, restricting, or
eliminating the duties or liabilities of the Trustees shall apply to or in any
way limit the duties (including state law fiduciary duties of loyalty and care)
or liabilities of such persons of matters arising under the federal securities
laws.
The
Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI are a part of the Trust’s Registration Statement
filed with the SEC. Copies of the Trust’s complete Registration Statement may be
obtained from the SEC upon payment of the prescribed fee or may be accessed free
of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov
Teramo
Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the
Fund.
The
Fund does not hold itself out as related to any other series of the Trust for
purposes of investment and investor services, and does not share the same
investment adviser with any other series of the Trust. Between May 29, 2018 and
May 15, 2019, the Fund was named Equable Shares Small Cap Fund (Series 2).
Between May 15, 2019 and July 1, 2020, the Fund was named Equable Shares Large
Cap Fund.
INVESTMENT
POLICIES AND RISKS
The
Fund’s principal investment strategies utilized by the Adviser and the principal
risks associated with the same are set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. The
following discussion provides additional information about those principal
investment strategies and related risks, as well as information about investment
strategies (and related risks) that the Fund may utilize, even though they are
not considered to be “principal” investment strategies. Accordingly, an
investment strategy (and related risk) that is described below, but which is not
described in the Prospectus, should not be considered to be a non‑principal
strategy (or related risk) applicable to the Fund. The following strategies and
risks apply to the Fund directly or indirectly through its investments in
exchange-traded funds and derivatives.
Information
Regarding the Fund’s Investment Strategies and Risks
Equity
Securities
Equity
securities in which the Fund invests may include common stocks, preferred stocks
and securities convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds,
warrants, rights and options. The value of equity securities varies in response
to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual
companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general
market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often
based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and
such fluctuations can be significant.
Common
Stock
Common
stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually
possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not
fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally
represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common
stock
generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because
increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company’s stock
price.
Other
Investment Companies
The
Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies such as open-end
funds (mutual funds), closed-end funds, and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), to
the extent permitted by applicable law. Generally, the federal securities laws
limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in securities of other investment
companies, subject to certain exceptions. For example, the 1940 Act provides
that the Fund may not: (1) purchase more than 3% of another investment company’s
outstanding shares; (2) invest more than 5% of its assets in any such investment
company (the “5% Limit”), and (3) invest more than 10% of its assets in
investment companies overall (the “10% Limit”). The Fund may rely on Section
12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act, which provides that the provisions of paragraph
12(d)(1) shall not apply to securities purchased or otherwise acquired by the
Fund if: (i) immediately after such purchase or acquisition not more than 3% of
the total outstanding shares of such registered investment company is owned by
the Fund and all affiliated persons of such Fund; and (ii) the Fund has not
offered or sold, and is not proposing to offer or sell its shares through a
principal underwriter or otherwise at a public offering price that includes a
sales load of more than 1 1/2%. Rule 12d1-3 under the 1940 Act provides,
however, that the Fund may rely on the Section 12(d)(1)(F) exemption and charge
a sales load in excess of 1 1/2% provided the sales load and any service fee
charged does not exceed limits set forth in applicable rules of the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
If
the Fund invests in investment companies, including ETFs, pursuant to Section
12(d)(1)(F), it must comply with the following voting restrictions: when the
Fund exercises voting rights, by proxy or otherwise, with respect to investment
companies owned by such Fund, the Fund will either seek instruction from its
shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies and vote in accordance
with such instructions, or vote the shares held by the Fund in the same
proportion as the vote of all other holders of the securities of the investment
company. In addition, an investment company purchased by the Fund pursuant to
Section 12(d)(1)(F) shall not be required to redeem its shares in an amount
exceeding 1% of such investment company’s total outstanding shares in any period
of less than thirty days. To the extent the Fund is unable to redeem such shares
within 7 days of a redemption request, the shares will be deemed illiquid and
subject to the limitation that the Fund may not invest more than 15% of the
value of its net assets, computed at the time of investment, in illiquid
investments. In addition to the advisory and operational fees the Fund bears
directly in connection with its own operation, the Fund will also bear its pro
rata portion of the advisory and operational expenses incurred indirectly
through its investments in other investment companies.
The
Fund may also rely on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. Rule 12d1-4 which became
effective on January 19, 2021, permits the Fund to invest in other investment
companies beyond the statutory limits, subject to certain conditions specified
in the rule. Rule 12d1-4, among other things, (1) applies to both “acquired
funds” and “acquiring funds,” each as defined under the rule; (2) includes
limits on control and voting of acquired funds’ shares; (3) requires that the
investment advisers of acquired funds and acquiring funds relying on the rule
make certain specified findings based on their evaluation of the relevant fund
of funds structure; (4) requires acquired funds and acquiring funds that are
relying on the rule, and which do not have the same investment adviser, to enter
into fund of funds investment agreements, which must include specific terms; and
(5) includes certain limits on complex fund of funds structures.
Exchange
Traded Funds.
ETFs are funds that track their related index and have the flexibility of
trading like a security. They are managed by professionals and provide the
investor with diversification, cost and tax efficiency, liquidity,
marginability, are useful for hedging, have the ability to go long and short,
and some provide quarterly dividends. ETFs generally have two markets. The
primary market is where
institutions
swap “creation units” in block-multiples of shares, typically 25,000 or 50,000
for in-kind securities and cash in the form of dividends. The secondary market
is where individual investors can trade as little as a single share during
trading hours on the exchange. This is different from open-ended mutual funds
that are traded after hours once the net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated. ETFs
share many similar risks with open-end and closed-end funds.
There
is a risk that an ETF in which the Fund invests may terminate due to
extraordinary events that may cause any of the service providers to the ETF,
such as the trustee or sponsor, to close or otherwise fail to perform their
obligations to the ETF. Also, because the ETFs in which the Fund intends to
principally invest may be granted licenses by agreement to use the indices as a
basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade
names, the ETFs may terminate if such license agreements are terminated. In
addition, an ETF may terminate if its entire net asset value falls below a
certain amount. Although the Adviser may believe that, in the event of the
termination of an underlying ETF, it will be able to invest instead in shares of
an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another market index with the
same general market, there is no guarantee that shares of an alternate ETF would
be available for investment at that time. To the extent that the Fund invests in
a sector product, the Fund is subject to the risks associated with that
sector.
Certain
ETFs have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC to permit unaffiliated funds to
invest in the ETF’s shares beyond these statutory limitations, subject to
certain conditions and pursuant to a contractual arrangement between the ETF and
the investing fund. The Fund may rely on these exemptive orders in order to
invest in unaffiliated ETFs, if necessary, beyond the foregoing statutory
limitations.
Derivatives
The
Fund writes call options, a type of derivative instrument, as part of its
principal investment strategies. The Fund may also purchase put options, put
spreads and call options on equity securities, ETFs or equity indices to offset
the risk of loss or capped upside participation due to a substantial decline in
equity markets or other extreme market event. The Fund may purchase put spreads,
whereby the Fund buys a put option at a higher strike price while writing
(selling) a put option at a relatively lower strike price. Generally,
derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends upon, or is derived
from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate, or index, and may relate
to bonds, interest rates, currencies, commodities, and related indexes. With
respect to certain kinds of derivative transactions that involve obligations to
make future payments to third parties, the Fund must “set aside” liquid assets,
or engage in other measures to “cover” open positions with respect to such
transactions.
A
put option gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the
right to sell, and the writer the obligation to buy, the underlying security or
index at the exercise price. A call option maybe purchased to protect against an
increase in the price of the underlying security or index that the Fund intends
to purchase in the future by fixing the price at which it may purchase such
instrument. The purchase of put and call options involves certain risks. If a
put or call option is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market
price of the underlying security, in the case of a put, remains equal to or
greater than the exercise price or, in the case of a call, remains less than or
equal to the exercise price, the entire investment in the option will be lost.
Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge
against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call
option may move more or less than the price of the related security. There can
be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when an option position is
closed out. Furthermore, if trading restrictions or suspensions are imposed on
the options market, it may not be possible to close out a position.
Rule
18f-4 under the 1940 Act.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Derivatives Rule”) provides a comprehensive
framework for the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. The
Derivatives Rule permits a registered investment company, subject to various
conditions described below, to enter into derivatives transactions and certain
other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior
securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among
other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Fund, from issuing or
selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a
requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”).
Registered
investment companies that do not qualify as “limited derivatives users” as
defined below, are required by the Derivatives Rule to, among other things, (i)
adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) and new
testing requirements; (ii) comply with a relative or absolute limit on fund
leverage risk calculated based on value-at-risk (“VaR”); and (iii) comply with
new requirements related to Board and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(the “SEC”) reporting. The DRMP is administered by a “derivatives risk manager,”
who is appointed by the Board and periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to
the Board.
The
Derivatives Rule provides an exception from the DRMP, VaR limit and certain
other requirements for a registered investment company that limits its
“derivatives exposure” to no more than 10% of its net assets (as calculated in
accordance with the Derivatives Rule) (a “limited derivatives user”), provided
that the registered investment company establishes appropriate policies and
procedures reasonably designed to manage derivatives risks, including the risk
of exceeding the 10% “derivatives exposure” threshold.
The
requirements of the Derivatives Rule may limit the Fund’s ability to engage in
derivatives transactions as part of its investment strategies. These
requirements may also increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of
doing business, which could adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments
and/or the performance of the Fund. The rule also may not be effective to limit
the Fund’s risk of loss. In particular, measurements of VaR rely on historical
data and may not accurately measure the degree of risk reflected in a Fund’s
derivatives or other investments. There may be additional regulation of the use
of derivatives transactions by registered investment companies, which could
significantly affect their use. The ultimate impact of the regulations remains
unclear. Additional regulation of derivatives transactions may make them more
costly, limit their availability or utility, otherwise adversely affect their
performance or disrupt markets.
Writing
Call Options
A
call option gives the holder (buyer) the right to purchase a security at a
specified price (the exercise price) at any time until a certain date (the
expiration date). A written call option is “covered” if the Fund owns securities
based on the Index at all times during the option period.
When
writing call options on securities, the Fund may cover its position by owning
securities based on the Index. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by
owning call options on securities based on the Index, on a share for share
basis, which are deliverable under the option contracts at a price no higher
than the exercise price of the call option written by the Fund or, if higher, by
owning such call option and depositing and maintaining cash or liquid securities
equal in value to the difference between the two exercise prices. In addition,
the Fund may cover its position by depositing and maintaining cash or liquid
securities equal in value to the exercise price of the call option written by
the Fund. The principal reason for the Fund to write call options on securities
held by the Fund is to seek to generate income and mitigate declines in the
Fund’s portfolio of equity securities, though it limits the Fund’s ability to
profit from increases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio of equity
securities.
There
is no assurance that a closing transaction can be effected at a favorable price.
During the option period, the covered call writer has, in return for the premium
received, given up the opportunity for capital appreciation above the exercise
price should the market price of the underlying security increase, but has
mitigated the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security
decline.
FLEX
Options
The
Fund may write CBOE Flexible Exchange Options (“FLEX Options”), which are
customized index option contracts made available by the Chicago Board Options
Exchange (“CBOE”). FLEX Options allow the Fund to customize contract terms to
more closely match the requirements of the investment strategy, versus what
could be obtained by using standardized exchange-traded options. FLEX Options
minimize counterparty credit risk, as the Options Clearing Corporation (the
“OCC”, or the “Clearinghouse”) is the issuer and guarantor of all FLEX Options
contracts. The FLEX Options utilized by the Fund generally have a term of up to
one year and are based upon the returns of an index or an ETF that tracks the
performance of an index. As with more traditional options, FLEX Options are
derivative instruments that allow for the use of economic leverage without
incurring risk beyond the amount of premium and related fees paid for the FLEX
Option. FLEX Options are cash-settled instruments. Upon the expiration of an
FLEX Option, the Fund receives a cash payment from the Clearinghouse, which is
based on the difference in the value of the index and the predetermined strike
price. FLEX Options may also be sold prior to their expiration date, through
open-outcry trading on the trading floor of CBOE.
United
States Government Obligations
These
consist of various types of marketable securities issued by the United States
Treasury, i.e., bills, notes and bonds. Such securities are direct obligations
of the United States government and differ mainly in the length of their
maturity. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government
security, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis.
The Fund may also invest in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (“TIPS”).
TIPS are special types of treasury bonds that were created in order to offer
bond investors protection from inflation. The values of the TIPS are
automatically adjusted to the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price
Index (“CPI”). If the CPI goes up by half a percent, the value of the bond (the
TIPS) would also go up by half a percent. If the CPI falls, the value of the
bond does not fall because the government guarantees that the original
investment will stay the same. TIPS decline in value when real interest rates
rise. However, in certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest
rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, TIPS may experience greater
losses than other fixed income securities with similar duration.
United
States Government Agency Securities
These
consist of debt securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the
United States government, including the various types of instruments currently
outstanding or which may be offered in the future. Agencies include, among
others, the Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage
Association (“GNMA”), Farmer’s Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the
United States, Maritime Administration, and General Services Administration.
Instrumentalities include, for example, each of the Federal Home Loan Banks, the
National Bank for Cooperatives, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
(“FHLMC”), the Farm Credit Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association
(“FNMA”), and the United States Postal Service. These securities are either: (i)
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government (e.g.,
United States Treasury Bills); (ii) guaranteed by the United States Treasury
(e.g., GNMA mortgage-backed securities); (iii) supported by the issuing agency’s
or instrumentality’s right to borrow from the United States Treasury (e.g., FNMA
Discount Notes); or (iv) supported only by the issuing agency’s or
instrumentality’s own credit (e.g., Tennessee Valley Association). On September
7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Authority
(the “FHFA”) announced that FNMA and FHLMC had been placed into conservatorship,
a
statutory
process designed to stabilize a troubled institution with the objective of
returning the entity to normal business operations. The U.S. Treasury Department
and the FHFA at the same time established a secured lending facility and a
Secured Stock Purchase Agreement with both FNMA and FHLMC to ensure that each
entity had the ability to fulfill its financial obligations. The FHFA announced
that it does not anticipate any disruption in pattern of payments or ongoing
business operations of FNMA and FHLMC.
Government-related
guarantors (i.e. not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States
Government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation
owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional
(i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages
from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally
chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks
and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA
are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are
not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. FHLMC
was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability
of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored
corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned
entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates
(“PC’s”), which represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMC’s
national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate
collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of
the United States Government. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions,
private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary
market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential
mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or
servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the
mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such nongovernmental issuers
generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related
pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of
payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal
of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees,
including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of
credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities,
private insurers and the mortgage poolers.
Illiquid
Investments and Restricted Securities
The
Fund may not purchase or otherwise acquire any “illiquid investment” if,
immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of
its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An “illiquid investment”
is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of
in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or
disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. The Fund
has implemented certain portions of a written liquidity risk management program
and related procedures (“Liquidity Program”) that is reasonably designed to
assess and manage the Fund’s “liquidity risk” (defined by the SEC as the risk
that a Fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the Fund without
significant dilution of remaining investors’ interests in the Fund). The
remaining portions of the Liquidity Program were implemented during 2019 in
accordance with SEC requirements. The adoption of the Liquidity Program is not a
guarantee that the Fund will have sufficient liquidity to satisfy its redemption
requests, as they relate to all market conditions or that redemptions can be
effected without diluting remaining investors in the Fund.
Illiquid
investments include securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on
resale (e.g., because they have not been registered under the Securities Act and
securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in
the security is suspended or because market makers do not exist or
will
not entertain bids or offers)). Securities that have not been registered under
the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted
securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary
market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets
are not considered to be illiquid.
Restricted
securities and other illiquid investments may be subject to the potential for
delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. The Fund might be unable to
dispose of illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might
thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemption requests from
shareholders. The Fund might have to register restricted securities in order to
dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market
conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
A
large institutional market exists for certain securities that are not registered
under the Securities Act, including foreign securities. The fact that there are
contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain
institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule
144A under the Securities Act allows such a broader institutional trading market
for securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale to the general
public. Rule 144A establishes a “safe harbor” from the registration requirements
of the Securities Act for resale of certain securities to qualified
institutional buyers. Rule 144A has produced enhanced liquidity for many
restricted securities, and market liquidity for such securities may continue to
expand as a result of this regulation and the consequent existence of the PORTAL
system, which is an automated system for the trading, clearance and settlement
of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers sponsored by the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
Under
guidelines adopted by the Trust’s Board, the Adviser may determine that
particular Rule 144A securities, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the
private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the
Securities Act, are liquid even though they are not registered. A determination
of whether such a security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making
this determination, the Adviser will consider, as it deems appropriate under the
circumstances and among other factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes
for the security; (2) the number of dealers that purchase or sell the security;
(3) the number of dealers that have undertaken to make a market in the security;
(4) the number of potential purchasers; and (5) the nature of the security and
how trading is effected (e.g., the time needed to sell the security, how bids
are solicited and the mechanics of transfer).
Rule
144A securities and Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper that have been deemed
liquid as described above will continue to be monitored by the Fund’s Adviser to
determine if the security is no longer liquid as the result of changed
conditions. Investing in Rule 144A securities or Section 4(a)(2) commercial
paper could have the effect of increasing the amount of the Fund’s assets
invested in illiquid investments if institutional buyers are unwilling to
purchase such securities.
The
SEC has proposed amendments to its rule regarding investments in illiquid
investments by registered investment companies, such as the Fund. If the
proposed amendments are adopted, the Fund’s operations and investment strategies
may be adversely impacted.
Cybersecurity
and Operational Risk
With
the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, the
Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational, information
security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from
deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber attacks include, but are not
limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through
“hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets
or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational
disruption.
Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining
unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites
(i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber
incidents affecting the Fund or its service providers may cause disruptions and
impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses,
interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, impediments to
trading, the inability of fund shareholders to transact business, violations of
applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational
damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance
costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber incidents affecting
issuers of securities in which a fund invests, counterparties with which the
Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities,
exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers,
insurance companies and other financial institutions (including financial
intermediaries and service providers for fund shareholders) and other parties.
In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber
incidents in the future. While the Fund’s service providers have established
business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to
prevent, such cyber incidents, there are inherent limitations in such plans and
systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.
Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in
place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may
affect the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund and its shareholders could be
negatively impacted as a result. In addition, work-from-home arrangements by the
Fund and its service providers could increase all of the above risks, create
additional data and information accessibility concerns, and make the Fund and
its service providers susceptible to operational disruptions, any of which could
adversely impact their operations. Furthermore, the Fund may be appealing
targets for cybersecurity threats such as hackers and malware.
Temporary
Defensive Positions
The
Fund, as well as the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests,
may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent
with the Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies in an
attempt to respond to adverse or unstable market, economic, political, or other
conditions when the Adviser deems it appropriate to do so. During such an
unusual set of circumstances, the Fund (or its underlying investment companies)
may hold up to 100% of its portfolios in cash, cash equivalents, ETFs or money
market funds. The Fund may also purchase exchange-listed put options or call
options on equity securities, ETFs or equity indices as a temporary defensive
position to offset the risk of loss or capped upside participation due to a
substantial decline in equity markets or other extreme market event. The
expiration date of any such options would be expected to be at or near the
expiration date of any options already written by the Fund. When the Fund (or
its underlying investment companies) takes a temporary or defensive position,
the Fund may not be able to pursue or achieve its investment
objective.
Liquidation
of the Fund
The
Board may determine to close and liquidate the Fund at any time, which may have
adverse tax consequences to shareholders. In the event of the liquidation of the
Fund, shareholders will receive a liquidating distribution in cash or in-kind
equal to their proportionate interest in the Fund. A liquidating distribution
would generally be a taxable event to shareholders, resulting in a gain or loss
for tax purposes, depending upon a shareholder’s basis in his or her shares of
the Fund. A shareholder of the liquidating Fund will not be entitled to any
refund or reimbursement of expenses borne, directly or indirectly, by the
shareholder (such as sales loads, account fees, or fund expenses), and a
shareholder may receive an amount in liquidation less than the shareholder’s
original investment.
Regulatory
Risk
Financial
entities, such as investment companies and investment advisers, are generally
subject to extensive government regulation and intervention. Government
regulation and/or intervention may change the way the Fund is regulated, affect
the expenses incurred directly by the Fund and the value of its investments, and
limit and/or preclude the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Government regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse
consequences. Moreover, government regulation may have unpredictable and
unintended effects. While there continues to be uncertainty about the full
impact of recent regulatory changes, the Fund will likely be subject to a more
complex regulatory framework, and may incur additional costs to comply with new
requirements as well as to monitor for compliance in the future.
INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS
The
investment restrictions applicable to the Fund are set forth below and are
either fundamental or non-fundamental. Fundamental restrictions may not be
changed without a majority vote of shareholders as required by the 1940 Act.
Non-fundamental policies or restrictions may be changed by the Board without
shareholder approval.
Fundamental
Investment Restrictions
The
Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as
fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the affirmative vote of
the holders of a “majority” of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Under the 1940 Act, the “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities” means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67%
or more of the shares of the Fund present at a meeting at which the holders of
more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding shares are present or represented by
proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the
Fund.
As
a matter of fundamental policy:
1.The
Fund may not lend money or other assets except to the extent permitted by (i)
the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other
authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or
permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.
2.The
Fund may not borrow money, except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or
interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with
appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from
the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.
3.The
Fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or
interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with
appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from
the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.
4.The
Fund may not concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as
concentration is defined under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder
or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended
or interpreted from time to time, except that the Fund will concentrate to
approximately the same extent that the Index (as defined in the Prospectus)
concentrates in the stocks of such particular industry or group of related
industries. Additionally, the Fund may invest without limitation in: (i)
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or
instrumentalities; (ii) tax-exempt obligations of state or
municipal
governments and their political subdivisions; (iii) securities of other
investment companies; and (iv) repurchase agreements.
5.The
Fund may not purchase or sell real estate, except as permitted by (i) the 1940
Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other
authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or
permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.
6.The
Fund may not buy or sell commodities or commodity (futures) contracts, except as
permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC,
SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or
other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other
authority.
7.The
Fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other
issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or
modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate
jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC
staff or other authority, and except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed
to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with
the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
8.The
Fund may not purchase the securities of any issuer if, as a result, the Fund
would fail to be a diversified company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as each may be amended from
time to time, except to the extent that the Fund may be permitted to do so by
the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as each may
be amended from time to time, exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or
similar relief or written interpretations.
Percentage
and Rating Restrictions
Except
with respect to borrowing and liquidity, all percentage or rating restrictions
on an investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus will be
adhered to at the time of investment. Later changes in the percentage or rating
resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a
violation of the Fund’s investment restrictions. If the value of the Fund’s
holdings of illiquid investments at any time exceeds the percentage limitation
applicable due to subsequent fluctuations in value or other reasons, the Fund
will take steps to bring the aggregate amount of illiquid instruments back
within the limitations as soon as reasonably practicable. With respect to the
limitation on borrowing, in the event that a subsequent change in net assets or
other circumstances cause the Fund to exceed its limitation, the Fund will take
steps to bring the aggregate amount of borrowing back within the limitations
within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays).
Additional
Information Regarding Fundamental Investment Restrictions
The
following descriptions of the 1940 Act may assist investors in understanding the
above policies and restrictions.
Lending.
The
Fund is permitted to engage in lending to the full extent permitted by the 1940
Act. The 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans (including lending
its securities); however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds
from lending more than one-third of their total assets (including lending its
securities), except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of
repurchase agreements. The Fund will bear the risks of loss associated with any
uninvested collateral. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to
options, forward currency and futures transactions and other
derivative
instruments (as applicable), as well as delays in the settlement of securities
transactions, will not be considered loans. Derivative instruments are not
considered to be loans because they will be “covered,” as described above under
“Investment Policies and Risks.”
For
purposes of the Fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to
lending, the entry into repurchase agreements, lending securities and acquiring
of debt securities shall not constitute loans by the Fund.
Senior
Securities and Borrowing.
The 1940 Act prohibits the Fund from borrowing money, pledging its assets, and
issuing any class of senior securities or selling any senior securities of which
it is the issuer, except that the Fund is permitted to borrow from a bank so
long as, immediately after such borrowings, there is an asset coverage of at
least 300% for all borrowings of the Fund (not including borrowings for
temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the Fund’s
total assets). In the event that such asset coverage falls below this
percentage, the Fund is required to reduce the amount of its borrowings within
three days (not including Sundays and holidays) so that the asset coverage is
restored to at least 300%. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of a
fund’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than
borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Borrowing money to
increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” In addition, “the
Derivatives Rule” under the 1940 Act permits a fund to enter into derivatives
transactions, notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance
of senior securities under the 1940 Act, provided that the fund complies with
the conditions of “the Derivatives Rule”.
Concentration.
The SEC staff has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of a fund’s
total assets in any particular industry or group of industries, with certain
exceptions such as with respect to investments in obligations issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities, or
tax-exempt obligations of state or municipal governments and their political
subdivisions. The SEC staff has further maintained that a fund should consider
the underlying investments, where easily determined, of investment companies in
which the fund is invested when determining concentration of the fund. For
purposes of the Fund’s concentration policy, the Fund may classify and
re-classify companies in a particular industry and define and re-define
industries in any reasonable manner, consistent with SEC and SEC staff guidance.
Diversification.
The Fund is diversified. Under applicable federal laws, to qualify as a
diversified Fund, the Fund, with respect to 75% of its total assets, may not
invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not hold more
than 10% of the voting securities of any one such issuer. The remaining 25% of
the Fund’s total assets does not need to be “diversified” and may be invested in
securities of a single issuer, subject to other applicable laws. The
diversification of the Fund’s holdings is measured at the time the Fund
purchases a security. However, if the Fund purchases a security and holds it for
a period of time, the security may become a larger percentage of the Fund’s
total assets due to movements in the financial markets. If the market affects
several securities held by the Fund, the Fund may have a greater percentage of
its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers. Because the Fund is
diversified, the Fund is less subject to the risk that its performance may be
hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities
despite the Fund qualifying as a diversified Fund under applicable federal
laws.
Underwriting.
The 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business
or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, in the case of
diversified funds, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments
of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances
currently are that the amount of a fund’s underwriting commitments, when added
to
the
value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of
the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25%
cap.
PORTFOLIO
TURNOVER
The
frequency of the Fund’s portfolio transactions (the portfolio turnover rate)
will vary from year to year depending on many factors. Although the Fund
generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities
may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in
the opinion of the Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action.
Higher portfolio turnover rates may result in increased brokerage costs to the
Fund and a possible increase in short-term capital gains or losses. The Fund’s
portfolio turnover rate for the most recent fiscal years ended October 31 was as
follows:
*The
portfolio turnover was lower in 2023 than 2022 primarily due to the sales of
equity securities to take advantage of opportunities to harvest tax losses
during 2022.
PORTFOLIO
HOLDINGS INFORMATION
The
Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has adopted a portfolio holdings disclosure policy
that governs the timing and circumstances of disclosure of portfolio holdings of
the Fund. Information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings will not be
distributed to any third party except in accordance with the portfolio holdings
policies (the “Disclosure Policies”). The Adviser and the Board considered the
circumstances under which the Fund’s portfolio holdings may be disclosed under
the Disclosure Policies and the actual and potential material conflicts that
could arise in such circumstances between the interests of the Fund’s
shareholders and the interests of the Adviser, the Fund’s distributor, Quasar
Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”) or any other affiliated person of the
Fund. After due consideration, the Adviser and the Board determined that the
Fund has a legitimate business purpose for disclosing portfolio holdings to
persons described in the Disclosure Policies, including mutual fund rating or
statistical agencies, or persons performing similar functions, and internal
parties involved in the investment process, administration or custody of the
Fund. Pursuant to the Disclosure Policies, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer
(“CCO”) is authorized to consider and authorize dissemination of portfolio
holdings information to additional third parties, after considering the best
interests of the Fund’s shareholders and potential conflicts of interest in
making such disclosures.
The
Board exercises continuing oversight of the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio
holdings by: (1) overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the
Disclosure Policies, Codes of Ethics and other relevant policies of the Fund and
its service providers by the Trust’s CCO; (2) by considering reports and
recommendations by the Trust’s CCO concerning any material compliance matters
(as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act); and (3) by considering
the approval of any amendment to the Disclosure Policies. The Board reserves the
right to amend the Disclosure Policies at any time without prior notice to
shareholders in its sole discretion.
Disclosure
of the Fund’s complete holdings is required to be made quarterly within
60 days of the end of each period covered by the annual
report
and semi-annual report to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report
on Part F of Form N-PORT. These reports are available, free of charge, on the
EDGAR
database
on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Fund may provide its complete portfolio
holdings to any third party at the same time that it is filed with the
SEC.
In
the event of a conflict between the interests of the Fund and the interests of
the Adviser or an affiliated person of the Adviser, the CCO of the Adviser, in
consultation with the Trust’s CCO, shall make a determination in the best
interests of the Fund, and shall report such determination to the Board at the
end of the quarter in which such determination was made. Any employee of the
Adviser who suspects a breach of this obligation must report the matter
immediately to the Adviser’s CCO or to his or her supervisor.
In
addition, material non-public holdings information may be provided without lag
as part of the normal investment activities of the Fund to each of the following
entities, which, by explicit agreement or by virtue of their respective duties
to the Fund, are required to maintain the confidentiality of the information
disclosed, including a duty not to trade on non-public information: the fund
administrator, fund accountant, custodian, transfer agent, auditors, counsel to
the Fund or the Board (each as defined within this SAI), broker-dealers (in
connection with the purchase or sale of securities or requests for price
quotations or bids on one or more securities) and regulatory authorities.
Portfolio holdings information not publicly available with the SEC or through
the Fund’s website may only be provided to additional third parties, including
mutual fund ratings or statistical agencies, in accordance with the Disclosure
Policies, when the Fund has a legitimate business purpose and the third party
recipient is subject to a confidentiality agreement that includes a duty not to
trade on non-public information.
In
no event shall the Adviser, its affiliates or employees, the Fund, or any other
party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the
disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
There
can be no assurance that the Disclosure Policies will protect the Fund from
potential misuse of portfolio holdings information by individuals or entities to
which it is disclosed.
TRUSTEES
AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The
Board oversees the management and operations of the Trust. The Board, in turn,
elects the officers of the Trust, who are responsible for the day-to-day
operations of the Trust and its separate series. The current Trustees and
officers of the Trust, their year of birth, positions with the Trust, terms of
office with the Trust and length of time served, principal occupations during
the past five years and other directorships are set forth in the table below.
Unless noted otherwise, the principal business address of each Trustee is c/o
U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Name
and Year of Birth |
Positions
with the Trust |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupations During Past Five Years |
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex(2)
Overseen
by Trustees |
Other
Directorships Held During Past Five Years |
Independent
Trustees of the Trust(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Name
and Year of Birth |
Positions
with the Trust |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupations During Past Five Years |
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex(2)
Overseen
by Trustees |
Other
Directorships Held During Past Five Years |
Koji
Felton (born 1961)
|
Trustee |
Indefinite
Term; Since September 2015. |
Retired. |
1 |
Independent
Trustee, Listed Funds Trust (56 portfolios) (Since 2019).
|
Debra
McGinty-Poteet (born 1956)
|
Trustee |
Indefinite
Term; Since September 2015. |
Retired. |
1 |
Lead
Independent Trustee, F/m Funds Trust (4 portfolios) (Since May
2015). |
Daniel
B. Willey (born 1955)
|
Trustee |
Indefinite
Term; Since September 2015. |
Retired. |
1 |
None |
Interested
Trustee |
Elaine
E. Richards(3)
(born
1968)
|
Chair,
Trustee |
Indefinite
Term; Since July 2021. |
Senior
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
(since
2007). |
1 |
None |
Officers
of the Trust |
Ryan
L. Roell (born 1973) |
President
and Principal Executive Officer
|
Indefinite
Term; Since July 2019. |
Vice
President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
(since
2005). |
Not
Applicable |
Not Applicable |
Douglas
Schafer
(born
1970)
|
Vice
President, Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer |
Indefinite
Term; Since
November
2023 |
Assistant
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
(since
2002). |
Not
Applicable |
Not
Applicable |
Donna
Barrette (born 1966)
|
Vice
President, Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering
Officer |
Indefinite
Term; Since November 2019. |
Senior
Vice President and Compliance Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
(since
2004). |
Not Applicable |
Not Applicable |
Adam
W. Smith (born 1981) |
Secretary |
Indefinite
Term; Since June 2019. |
Vice
President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2012). |
Not
Applicable |
Not
Applicable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Name
and Year of Birth |
Positions
with the Trust |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupations During Past Five Years |
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex(2)
Overseen
by Trustees |
Other
Directorships Held During Past Five Years |
Richard
E. Grange (born 1982) |
Assistant Treasurer |
Indefinite Term;
Since October 2022. |
Officer,
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2017). |
Not
Applicable |
Not Applicable |
Leone
Logan (born 1986) |
Assistant
Treasurer |
Indefinite
Term; Since October 2023 |
Officer,
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2022); Senior Financial
Reporting Analyst, BNY Mellon (2014 - 2022) |
Not Applicable |
Not Applicable |
(1) The
Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined
by the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”).
(2) As
of the date of this SAI, the Trust was comprised of 18 portfolios (including the
Fund) managed by unaffiliated investment advisers. The term “Fund Complex”
applies only to the Fund. The Equable Shares Hedged Equity Fund does not hold
itself out as related to any other series within the Trust for investment
purposes, nor does it share the same investment adviser with any other series
within the Trust.
(3) Ms.
Richards, as a result of her employment with U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC,
which acts as transfer agent, administrator, and fund accountant to the Trust,
is considered to be an “interested person” of the Trust, as defined by the 1940
Act.
Additional
Information Concerning the Board of Trustees
The
Role of the Board
The
Board oversees the management and operations of the Trust. Like all mutual
funds, the day-to-day management and operation of the Trust is the
responsibility of the various service providers to the Trust, such as the
Adviser, the Distributor, the Administrator, the Custodian, and the Transfer
Agent, each of whom are discussed in greater detail in this SAI. The Board has
appointed various senior employees of the Administrator as officers of the
Trust, with responsibility to monitor and report to the Board on the Trust’s
operations. In conducting this oversight, the Board receives regular reports
from these officers and the service providers. For example, the Treasurer
provides reports as to financial reporting matters and the President provides
reports as to matters relating to the Trust’s operations. In addition, the
Adviser provides regular reports on the investment strategy and performance of
the Fund. The Board has appointed a CCO who administers the Trust’s compliance
program and regularly reports to the Board as to compliance matters. These
reports are provided as part of formal “Board Meetings” which are typically held
quarterly, in person, and involve the Board’s review of recent operations. In
addition, various members of the Board also meet with management in less formal
settings, between formal “Board Meetings,” to discuss various topics. In all
cases, however, the role of the Board and of any individual Trustee is one of
oversight and not of management of the day-to-day affairs of the Trust and its
oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Trust’s investments,
operations or activities.
Board
Structure, Leadership
The
Board has structured itself in a manner that it believes allows it to perform
its oversight function effectively. It has established two standing committees:
a Governance and Nominating Committee, and an
Audit
Committee, which also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee, which
are discussed in greater detail below under “Trust Committees.” The Board is
comprised of one Interested Trustee and three Independent Trustees, which are
Trustees that are not affiliated with the Adviser, the principal underwriter, or
their affiliates. The Governance and Nominating Committee, Audit Committee and
Qualified Legal Compliance Committee are comprised entirely of Independent
Trustees. The Chair of the Board is an Interested Trustee. The Board has
determined not to appoint a lead Independent Trustee; however, the Independent
Trustees are advised by independent counsel. The President and Principal
Executive Officer of the Trust is not a Trustee, but rather is a senior employee
of the Administrator who routinely interacts with the unaffiliated investment
advisers of the Trust and comprehensively manages the operational aspects of the
funds in the Trust. The Trust has determined that it is appropriate to separate
the Principal Executive Officer and Chair of the Board positions because the
day-to day responsibilities of the Principal Executive Officer are not
consistent with the oversight role of the Trustees and because of the potential
conflict of interest that may arise from the Administrator’s duties with the
Trust. The Board reviews its structure and the structure of its committees
annually. Given the specific characteristics of the Trust, as described above,
the Board has determined that the structure of the Interested Chair, the
composition of the Board, and the function and composition of its various
committees are appropriate means to address any potential conflicts of interest
that may arise.
Board
Oversight of Risk Management
As
part of its oversight function, the Board receives and reviews various risk
management reports and discusses these matters with appropriate management and
other personnel. Because risk management is a broad concept comprised of many
elements (e.g.,
investment risk, issuer and counterparty risk, compliance risk, operational
risks, business continuity risks, etc.), the oversight of different types of
risks is handled in different ways. For example, the Audit Committee meets with
the Treasurer and the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm to
discuss, among other things, the internal control structure of the Trust’s
financial reporting function. The Board meets regularly with the CCO to discuss
compliance and operational risks and how they are managed. The Board also
receives reports from the Adviser as to investment risks of the Fund. In
addition to these reports, from time to time the Board receives reports from the
Administrator and the Adviser as to enterprise risk management.
The
Board oversees the Fund’s liquidity risk through, among other things, receiving
periodic reporting from the CCO. Additionally, as required by Rule 22e-4 under
the 1940 Act, the Trust implemented a Liquidity Program pursuant to the
provisions of Rule 22e-4, as it relates to the Fund. The Board, including a
majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a liquidity
risk management program administrator (the “Liquidity Program Administrator”)
who is responsible for administering the Liquidity Program. The Board reviews,
no less frequently than annually, a written report prepared by the Liquidity
Program Administrator that addresses the operation of the Liquidity Program and
assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation.
Information
about Each Trustee’s Qualification, Experience, Attributes or Skills
The
Board believes that each of the Trustees has the qualifications, experience,
attributes and skills (“Trustee Attributes”) appropriate to their continued
service as Trustees of the Trust in light of the Trust’s business and structure.
The Board annually conducts a “self-assessment” wherein the effectiveness of the
Board and individual Trustees is reviewed.
In
addition to the information provided in the chart above, below is certain
additional information concerning each particular Trustee and his/her Trustee
Attributes. The information is not all-inclusive. Many Trustee Attributes
involve intangible elements, such as intelligence, integrity, work ethic, the
ability
to work together, the ability to communicate effectively, the ability to
exercise judgment, to ask incisive questions, and commitment to shareholder
interests.
Koji
Felton. Mr.
Felton has served as a Trustee since 2015 and has substantial experience with
the mutual fund industry and familiarity with federal securities laws and
regulations. Mr. Felton’s prior experience includes serving as Director and
Counsel for KKR Credit Advisors LLC, the asset manager arm of Kohlberg Kravis
Roberts & Co. L.P. (2013 – 2015). Prior to that Mr. Felton served as counsel
in the Financial Services Group at Dechert LLP from (2011 – 2013), as well as in
various capacities, and ultimately as Senior Vice President and Deputy General
Counsel for mutual funds, at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (1998 – 2011). Mr.
Felton also worked as a staff attorney and served as an Enforcement Branch Chief
for the San Francisco District Office of the SEC (1992 – 1998). Mr. Felton began
his career as a litigation associate specializing in securities and banking
litigation at Shearman & Sterling (1986 – 1992).
Debra
McGinty-Poteet.
Ms.
McGinty-Poteet has served as a Trustee since 2015 and has significant mutual
fund industry experience, including her current and prior experience on mutual
fund boards. Ms. McGinty-Poteet also served as Lead Independent Trustee and
Chair of the Audit Committee for F/m Funds Trust (2015 – 2023). Prior to
becoming a Trustee of the Trust, Ms. McGinty-Poteet served as the President,
Chairman of the Board, and Interested Trustee for Brandes Investment Trust where
she also oversaw the proprietary and sub-advisory mutual fund business for
Brandes Investment Advisors (1999 – 2012). Ms. McGinty-Poteet previously served
as Chief Operating Officer of North American Trust Company (1997 – 1998); Global
Managing Director of Mutual Funds at Bank of America (1992 – 1996); and in
various capacities, and ultimately as Global Head of Mutual Funds, at Security
Pacific Bank (1982 – 1992).
Daniel
Willey.
Mr. Willey has served as a Trustee since 2015 and has significant work history
and experience in the investment management industry. As a chief compliance
officer, Mr. Willey has valuable experience in an oversight role and in working
with regulatory compliance matters. Mr. Willey served as the Chief Compliance
Officer of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (2009 - 2017). Prior to
this role, Mr. Willey served as the Chief Operating and Chief Compliance Officer
of Barrett Associates, Inc. (investment adviser and affiliate of Legg Mason)
(2007 – 2009); President and Chief Executive Officer of TIMCO, Citigroup Asset
Management (2004 – 2006); Head Equity Trader of TIMCO (1994 – 2004); Vice
President, Shawmut National Bank (1992 – 1994); Investment Officer, State of
Connecticut (1990 – 1992); Vice President, Bank of New England (Connecticut Bank
& Trust) (1981 – 1990); Registered Representative, Tucker Anthony and R.L.
Day, Inc. (1979 – 1981); and Assistant Analyst, The Travelers Insurance Company
(1977 – 1979).
Elaine
Richards.
Ms. Richards has served as a Trustee since 2021 and has over 25 years of
experience, knowledge, and understanding of the mutual fund industry. Ms.
Richards currently serves as a Senior Vice President of U.S. Bank Global Fund
Services and has extensive experience in the 1940 Act, securities law in general
and SEC compliance and regulatory matters. In addition, Ms. Richards has
extensive experience in the oversight of regulatory examinations and providing
support and assistance to mutual fund clients implementing new regulatory
requirements. Prior to joining U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, Ms. Richards was
Vice President and senior counsel at Wells Fargo Funds Management.
Trust
Committees
The
Trust has two standing committees: the Governance and Nominating Committee, and
the Audit Committee, which also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance
Committee (“QLCC”).
The
Governance and Nominating Committee, comprised of all the Independent Trustees,
is responsible for making recommendations to the Board regarding various
governance-related aspects of the Board’s responsibilities and seeking and
reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for Trustees and meets only
as necessary. The Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominees
nominated by shareholders. Recommendations by shareholders for consideration by
the Governance and Nominating Committee should be sent to the President of the
Trust in writing together with the appropriate biographical information
concerning each such proposed Nominee, and such recommendation must comply with
the notice provisions set forth in the Trust Bylaws. In general, to comply with
such procedures, such nominations, together with all required biographical
information, must be delivered to and received by the President of the Trust at
the principal executive offices of the Trust no less than 120 days and no more
than 150 days prior to the shareholder meeting at which any such nominee would
be voted on. The Governance and Nominating Committee met once during the Fund’s
most recent fiscal year ended October 31, 2023.
The
Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Independent Trustees. The Audit
Committee generally meets on a quarterly basis with respect to the various
series of the Trust, and may meet more frequently. The function of the Audit
Committee, with respect to each series of the Trust, is to review the scope and
results of the audit of such series’ financial statements and any matters
bearing on the audit or the financial statements, and to ensure the integrity of
the series’ pricing and financial reporting. The Audit Committee met four times
during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year ended October 31,
2023.
The
function of the QLCC is to receive reports from an attorney retained by the
Trust of evidence of a material violation by the Trust or by any officer,
director, employee or agent of the Trust.
Trustee
Ownership of Fund Shares and Other Interests
No
Trustee beneficially owned shares of the Fund as of the calendar year ended
December 31, 2023. Furthermore, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of
their immediate family, own securities beneficially or of record in the Adviser,
the Fund’s principal underwriter, or any of their affiliates as of the same
date.
Compensation
Effective
January 1, 2024, Independent Trustees each receive an annual retainer of
$75,000. Prior to January 1, 2024, Independent Trustees received an annual
retainer of $50,000. Independent Trustees will also be reimbursed for expenses
in connection with each Board meeting attended. These reimbursements will be
allocated among applicable portfolios of the Trust. The Trust has no pension or
retirement plan. No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation
to the Trustees. The Trust does not pay
any
fees to, or reimburse expenses of, the Interested Trustee. Set forth below is
the compensation received by the following Independent Trustees from the Fund
for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Name
of Person/ Position |
Aggregate
Compensation From the Fund(1) |
Pension
or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses |
Estimated
Annual Benefits Upon Retirement |
Total
Compensation from Fund and Fund Complex(2)
Paid to Trustees |
Koji
Felton, Independent Trustee |
$3,166 |
None |
None |
$3,166 |
Debra
McGinty Poteet, Independent Trustee |
$3,166 |
None |
None |
$3,166 |
Daniel
Willey, Independent Trustee |
$3,166 |
None |
None |
$3,166 |
(1)Trustees’
fees and expenses are allocated among the Fund and all other series comprising
the Trust.
(2)As
of the date of this SAI, the Trust was comprised of 18 portfolios (including the
Fund) managed by unaffiliated investment advisers. The term “Fund Complex”
applies only to the Fund, and not to other series of the Trust. For the Fund’s
fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, aggregate Independent Trustees’ fees
and expenses amounted to $150,000.
Codes
of Ethics
The
Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor have each adopted a code of ethics
pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit,
subject to certain conditions, personnel of the Adviser and Distributor to
invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund.
PROXY
VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The
Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Trust Proxy
Policies”) on behalf of the Trust which delegate the responsibility for voting
proxies to the Adviser or its designee, subject to the Board’s continuing
oversight. The Trust’s Proxy Policies require that the Adviser or its designee
vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund
and its shareholders. The Trust Proxy Policies also require the Adviser to
present to the Board, at least annually, the Adviser’s proxy policies and a
record of each proxy voted by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund, including a
report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a
conflict of interest.
The
Adviser has adopted proxy policies, which may be amended from time to time. In
voting proxies, the Adviser is guided by fiduciary principles. All proxies are
to be voted solely in the best interests of the beneficial owners of the
securities. A copy of the Adviser’s proxy voting policy is attached as Appendix
A to this SAI.
The
Trust is required to file a Form N-PX, with the Fund’s complete proxy voting
record for the 12 months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year.
Form N-PX for the Fund will be available without charge, upon request, by
calling toll-free (888) 898-2024 and on the SEC’s website at
www.sec.gov.
CONTROL
PERSONS, PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP
A
principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially owns 5%
or more of any class of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is
any person who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25%
of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of control.
As
of January 31, 2024, the following shareholders owned 5% or more of the
outstanding shares of the Equable Shares Hedged Equity Fund:
Institutional
Class
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Name
of Address |
%
Ownership |
Parent
Company |
Jurisdiction |
Type
of Ownership |
National
Financial Services LLC
200
Liberty Street
New
York, NY 10281-1015 |
34.26% |
Fidelity
Global Brokerage Group, Inc. |
DE |
Record |
Charles
Schwab & Co. Inc.
Special
Custody Account FBO Customers
Attn:
Mutual Funds
211
Main Street
San
Francisco, CA 94105-1901 |
20.70% |
N/A |
N/A |
Record |
Oppenheimer
& Co. Inc.
FBO
City of Stamford Policemen
Pension
TR FD DTD 10/20/1971
Stamford
Police Pension Board
725
Bedford Street
Stamford,
CT 06901-1102 |
8.70% |
N/A |
N/A |
Record |
As
of January 31, 2024, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group did not
own more than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
THE
INVESTMENT ADVISER
As
stated in the Prospectus, investment advisory services are provided to the Fund
by Teramo Advisors, LLC pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the
“Advisory Agreement”).
As
compensation, the Fund pays the Adviser a monthly management fee (accrued daily)
in accordance with the incremental advisory fee schedule below based on the
average daily net assets of each respective Fund:
|
|
|
|
| |
Assets
Under Management Range (in millions) |
Management
Fee |
Less
than $250 |
0.75% |
Between
$250 and $500 |
0.70% |
Greater
than $500 |
0.65% |
The
Advisory Agreement continues in effect for an initial two year period, and from
year to year thereafter only if such continuance is specifically approved at
least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding
voting securities and by a majority of the Independent Trustees, who are not
parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, in
each case cast in
person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Advisory Agreement. The
Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the
Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser when authorized either by a
majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the
Trustees, or by the Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Trust, and
will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the
1940 Act). The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable
under such agreement for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss
arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of
portfolio transactions for the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith
or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties thereunder.
In
addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its management fees and
may reimburse the Fund for certain operating expenses, in order to ensure that
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, shareholder
servicing fees, taxes, leverage/borrowing interest, interest expense, dividends
paid on short sales, brokerage and other transactional expenses, acquired fund
fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or
reorganization, or extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 1.10% of the Fund’s
average daily net assets (the “Expense Cap”).
The
Expense Cap will remain in effect through at least February 28, 2025, and may
continue annually thereafter, unless sooner terminated. The Expense Cap may be
terminated (i) at any time upon 60 days’ written notice by the Trust’s Board of
Trustees (the “Board”) or (ii) at the end of the then-current term and upon 60
days’ written notice by the Adviser. The Adviser may request recoupment of
previously waived fees and reimbursed expenses from the Fund for three years
from the date of the waiver or reimbursement, provided that, after payment of
the recoupment is taken into account, Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do
not exceed the lesser of the Expense Cap (i) in effect at the time of the waiver
or reimbursement, and (ii) in effect at the time of recoupment.
For
the fiscal years ended October 31, the Fund paid the following management fees
to the Adviser:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Fiscal
Year End |
Investment
Advisory Fees Accrued |
Fund
Expenses Waived by Adviser |
Expenses
Recouped by Adviser |
Net
Advisory Fees Paid to Adviser |
2023 |
$1,042,170 |
$(45,448) |
$73,753 |
$1,070,475 |
2022 |
$739,452 |
$0 |
$100,233 |
$839,685 |
2021 |
$422,510 |
$(34,841) |
$9,245 |
$396,914 |
Portfolio
Manager
Ronald
A. Santella serves as Portfolio Manager and is primarily responsible for the
day-to-day management of the Fund. Information regarding other accounts managed
by Mr. Santella as of October 31, 2023 is set forth below.
Ronald
A. Santella
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Category
of Account |
Total
Number of Accounts Managed |
Total
Assets in Accounts Managed |
Number
of Accounts for which Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Assets
in Accounts for which Advisory Fee is Based on Performance (in
millions) |
Other
Registered Investment Companies |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 |
Other
Accounts |
6 |
$39,893,496 |
0 |
$0 |
Compensation
For
his services as Portfolio Manager, Mr. Santella receives a cash salary. As a
principal of the Adviser, Mr. Santella is also compensated in the form of a
share of the profits of the firm.
Conflicts
of Interest
Material
conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the portfolio managers’
management of the Fund’s investments and investments of other accounts managed
by the portfolio managers include conflicts associated with the allocation of
investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed. The
Adviser maintains investment, trade allocation, and account valuation policies
and procedures to address and mitigate such conflicts of interest.
Ownership
of Shares of the Fund
The
following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities of the Fund
beneficially owned by the portfolio manager as of October 31,
2023.
|
|
|
|
| |
Portfolio
Manager |
Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Fund Beneficially Owned |
| |
Ronald
Santella |
$10,001
- $50,000 |
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
Administrator,
Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant
Pursuant
to an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), U.S. Bancorp
Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund
Services”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, acts as the
Administrator to the Fund. Fund Services provides certain services to the Fund
including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of
contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the
Fund’s independent contractors and agents; preparation for signature by an
officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance by the
Trust and the Fund with applicable laws and regulations, excluding those of the
securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance
data, including NAV and yield; responding to shareholder inquiries; and
arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Fund, and providing,
at its own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to
carry out its duties. In this capacity, Fund Services does not have any
responsibility or authority for the management of the Fund or the determination
of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of the
Fund’s shares.
Pursuant
to the Administration Agreement, as compensation for its services, Fund Services
receives from the Fund, a fee based on the Fund’s current average daily net
assets, subject to a minimum annual fee, and is entitled to certain
out-of-pocket expenses. Fund Services also acts as fund accountant, transfer
agent and dividend disbursing agent under separate agreements.
For
the fiscal years ended October 31, the Fund paid the following in fund
administration and fund accounting fees to Fund Services:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
$129,204 |
$103,895 |
$99,975 |
Custodian
U.S.
Bank National Association is the custodian of the assets of the Fund (the
“Custodian”) pursuant to a custody agreement between the Custodian and the
Trust. For its services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee based on a
percentage of the Fund’s assets, in addition to certain transaction based fees,
and is reimbursed for out of pocket expenses. The Custodian’s address is
1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. The
Custodian does not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of
securities by the Fund. USBFS, the Custodian, and the Fund’s principal
underwriter are affiliated entities under the common control of U.S. Bancorp.
The Custodian and its affiliates may participate in revenue sharing arrangements
with the service providers of mutual funds in which the Fund may
invest.
Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm and Legal Counsel
Cohen
& Company, Ltd., located at 342 North Water Street, Suite 830, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202, is the independent registered public accounting firm for the
Fund and performs an annual audit of the Fund’s financial
statements.
Kirkland
& Ellis LLP, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20004, serves as
legal counsel to the Trust and to the Independent Trustees.
EXECUTION
OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Pursuant
to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser determines which securities are to be
purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute
the Fund’s portfolio transactions. Purchases and sales of securities on an
exchange are affected through brokers that charge a commission while purchases
and sales of securities in the over-the-counter market will generally be
executed directly with the primary “market-maker” unless, in the opinion of the
Adviser, a better price and execution can otherwise be obtained by using a
broker for the transaction. Purchases and sales of portfolio securities that are
fixed income securities (for instance, money market instruments and bonds, notes
and bills) usually are principal transactions. In a principal transaction, the
party from whom the Fund purchases or to whom the Fund sells is acting on its
own behalf (and not as the agent of some other party, such as its customers).
These securities normally are purchased directly from the issuer or from an
underwriter or market maker for the securities. The price of securities
purchased from underwriters includes a disclosed fixed commission or concession
paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and prices of securities purchased from
dealers serving as market makers reflects the spread between the bid and asked
price. The price of over-the-counter securities usually includes an undisclosed
commission or markup.
In
selecting brokers or counterparties for the Fund, the Adviser will use its best
judgment to choose the broker and counterparties most likely to provide “best
execution.” Brokers are selected on the basis of an evaluation by the Adviser of
the overall value and quality of the brokerage services provide by such firms to
clients of the Adviser, including the Fund.
Such
service and characteristics may include, but are not limited to: commission
rates charged by the broker and the ability to minimize overall costs to the
Adviser’s clients; possible adverse market impact of the order and/or the
Adviser’s opinion of which broker is best able to handle the order to minimize
adverse market impact; execution capability and expertise; responsiveness;
trading infrastructure; and ability to accommodate any special execution orders
or handling requirements. The Adviser’s choice of broker and counterparties is
subject to a periodic, ongoing review by the Adviser’s Best Execution Committee.
In
selecting brokers, the Adviser does not have an obligation to seek the lowest
available cost, but rather may consider all relevant factors, including those
noted above. As a result, the Adviser may pay transaction costs that would be
higher than the Adviser may be able to obtain through another broker.
Section
28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is a “safe harbor”
that permits an investment manager to use commissions or “soft dollars” to
obtain research and brokerage services that provide lawful and appropriate
assistance in the investment decision-making process. The Adviser will limit the
use of “soft dollars” to obtain research and brokerage services to services
which constitute research and brokerage within the meaning of Section 28(e).
Research services within Section 28(e) may include, but are not limited to,
research reports (including market research); certain financial newsletters and
trade journals; software providing analysis of securities portfolios; corporate
governance research and rating services; attendance at certain seminars and
conferences; discussions with research analysts; meetings with corporate
executives; consultants’ advice on portfolio strategy; data services (including
services providing market data, company financial data and economic data);
advice from brokers on order execution; and certain proxy services. Brokerage
services within Section 28(e) may include, but are not limited to, services
related to the execution, clearing and settlement of securities transactions and
functions incidental thereto (i.e., connectivity services between an investment
manager and a broker-dealer and other relevant parties such as custodians);
trading software operated by a broker-dealer to route orders; software that
provides trade analytics and trading strategies; software used to transmit
orders; clearance and settlement in connection with a trade; electronic
communication of allocation instructions;
routing
settlement instructions; post trade matching of trade information; and services
required by the SEC or a self-regulatory organization such as comparison
services, electronic confirms or trade affirmations.
For
the fiscal years ended October 31, the Fund paid the following aggregate
brokerage commissions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
2023 |
2022* |
2021 |
$121,545 |
$90,556 |
$29,881 |
*Brokerage
commissions increased during the Fund’s fiscal year ended October 31, 2022 due
to an increase in the Fund’s assets, which resulted in increased trading
activity.
As
of October 31, 2023, the Fund did not own any securities issued by any of
its regular broker-dealers.
CAPITAL
STOCK
Shares
issued by the Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights.
Shares issued and sold by the Fund are deemed to be validly issued, fully paid
and non-assessable by the Trust. Shareholders have equal and exclusive rights as
to dividends and distributions as declared by the Fund and to the net assets of
the Fund upon liquidation or dissolution. The Fund, as a separate series of the
Trust, votes separately on matters affecting only the Fund (e.g.,
approval of the Advisory Agreement); all series of the Trust vote as a single
class on matters affecting all series jointly or the Trust as a whole
(e.g.,
election or removal of Trustees). Voting rights are not cumulative, so that the
holders of more than 50% of the shares voting in any election of Trustees can,
if they so choose, elect all of the Trustees. While the Trust is not required
and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders, such meetings may
be called by the Board in its discretion, or upon demand by the holders of 10%
or more of the outstanding shares of the Trust, for the purpose of electing or
removing Trustees.
The
Delaware Statutory Trust Act provides that a shareholder of a Delaware statutory
trust shall be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to
shareholders of Delaware corporations. The Declaration of Trust further provides
that Trustees shall have no power to bind any shareholder personally for the
payment of any sum of money other than such as the shareholder may personally
agree to pay.
DETERMINATION
OF SHARE PRICE
The
NAV of shares of the Fund will be determined once daily ordinarily as of the
scheduled close of public trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”)
(normally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day that the NYSE is open for
trading. It is expected that the NYSE will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays
and on 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. The Fund do not expect to determine the NAV of
shares on any day when the NYSE is not open for trading even if there is
sufficient trading in the Fund’s portfolio securities on such days to materially
affect the NAV per share.
In
valuing the Fund’s assets for calculating NAV, readily marketable portfolio
securities listed on a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale
price on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there
has been no sale on such exchange on such day, the security is valued at the
mean between the bid and asked prices on such day. Securities primarily traded
in the Nasdaq National Market System (“NASDAQ”) for which market quotations are
readily available shall be valued using the Nasdaq Official Closing Price
(“NOCP”). If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at
the
last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has been no sale on such
day, at the mean between the bid and asked prices. Readily marketable securities
traded only in the over-the market and not on NASDAQ are valued at the most
recent trade price. All other assets of the Fund are valued in such manner as
the Adviser in good faith deems appropriate to reflect their fair value, subject
to Board oversight.
Trading
in foreign securities markets is normally completed well before the close of the
NYSE. In addition, foreign securities trading may not take place on all days on
which the NYSE is open for trading, and may occur in certain foreign markets on
days on which the Fund’s NAV is not calculated. Events affecting the values of
portfolio securities that occur between the time their prices are determined and
the close of the NYSE will not be reflected in the calculation of NAV unless the
Board deems that the particular event would affect NAV, in which case an
adjustment will be made in such manner as the Board in good faith deems
appropriate to determine fair market value. Assets or liabilities expressed in
foreign currencies are translated, in determining NAV, into U.S. dollars based
on the spot exchange rates, or at such other rates as the Adviser, pursuant to
fair value procedures approved by the Board, may determine to be
appropriate.
The
Adviser has been designated by the Board as the valuation designee for the Fund
pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. In its capacity as valuation designee,
the Adviser performs the fair value determinations relating to any or all Fund
investments, subject to Board oversight. The Adviser has established procedures
for its fair valuation of the Fund’s investments. These procedures address,
among other things, determining when market quotations are not readily available
or reliable and the methodologies to be used for determining the fair value of
investments, as well as the use and oversight of third-party pricing services
for fair valuation.
Fair
value represents a good faith approximation of the value of a security. Fair
value determinations involve the consideration of a number of subjective
factors, an analysis of applicable facts and circumstances and the exercise of
judgment. As a result, it is possible that the fair value for a security
determined in good faith in accordance with the Adviser’s fair value procedures
may differ from valuations for the same security determined by other funds using
their own valuation procedures. Although the Adviser’s fair value procedures are
designed to value a security at the price the Fund may reasonably expect to
receive upon its sale in an orderly transaction, there can be no assurance that
any fair value determination thereunder would, in fact, approximate the amount
that the Fund would actually realize upon the sale of the security or the price
at which the security would trade if a reliable market price were readily
available.
ADDITIONAL
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
The
information provided below supplements the information contained in the
Prospectus regarding the purchase and redemption of the Fund’s
shares.
How
to Buy Shares
In
addition to purchasing shares directly from the Fund, you may purchase shares
through certain financial intermediaries and their agents that have made
arrangements with the Fund and are authorized to buy and sell shares of the Fund
(collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”). Investors should contact their
Financial Intermediaries directly for appropriate instructions, as well as
information pertaining to accounts and any service or transaction fees that may
be charged. If you transmit your order to these Financial Intermediaries before
the close of regular trading (generally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on a day that
the NYSE is open for business, your order will be priced at the Fund’s NAV next
computed after it is
received
by the Financial Intermediaries. Investors should check with their Financial
Intermediaries to determine if it participates in these
arrangements.
The
public offering price of the Fund’s shares is the NAV. Shares are purchased at
the public offering price next determined after the transfer agent receives your
transaction request in good order, as discussed in the Fund’s Prospectus. In
order to receive that day’s public offering price, the transfer agent must
receive your transaction request in good order before the close of regular
trading on the NYSE, generally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
The
Trust reserves the right in its sole discretion (i) to suspend the
continued offering of the Fund’s shares, (ii) to reject purchase orders in
whole or in part when in the judgment of the Adviser or the Distributor such
rejection is in the best interest of the Fund, and (iii) to reduce or waive
the minimum for initial and subsequent investments for certain fiduciary
accounts or under circumstances where certain economies can be achieved in sales
of the Fund’s shares.
In
addition to cash purchases, the Fund’s shares may be purchased by tendering
payment in-kind in the form of shares of stock, bonds or other securities. Any
securities used to buy the Fund’s shares must be readily marketable; their
acquisition consistent with the Fund’s objective and otherwise acceptable to the
Adviser and the Board.
How
to
Sell Shares and Delivery of Redemption Proceeds
You
can sell your Fund shares any day the NYSE is open for regular trading, either
directly to the Fund or through your Financial Intermediary.
Payments
to shareholders for shares of the Fund redeemed directly from the Fund will be
made as promptly as possible, but no later than seven days after receipt by the
Fund’s transfer agent of the written request in good order, with the appropriate
documentation as stated in the Prospectus, except that the Fund may suspend the
right of redemption or postpone the date of payment during any period when
(a) trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC or the NYSE
is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (b) an emergency exists as
determined by the SEC making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of
net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable; or (c) for such other
period as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund’s shareholders.
Under unusual circumstances, the Fund may suspend redemptions, or postpone
payment for more than seven days, but only as authorized by SEC
rules.
A
redemption is generally treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a
taxable sale of the redeemed shares, the consequences of which are described
below in “Tax Information”.
The
value of shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the
investor’s cost, depending upon the market value of the Fund’s portfolio
securities at the time of redemption or repurchase.
Telephone
Redemptions
Shareholders
with telephone transaction privileges established on their account may redeem
Fund shares by telephone. Upon receipt of any instructions or inquiries by
telephone from the shareholder, the Fund or its authorized agents may carry out
the instructions and/or respond to the inquiry consistent with the shareholder’s
previously established account service options. For joint accounts, instructions
or inquiries from either party will be carried out without prior notice to the
other account owners. In acting upon telephone instructions, the Fund and its
agents use procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that such
instructions are genuine. These include recording all telephone calls, requiring
pertinent information about the account and sending written confirmation of each
transaction to the registered owner.
The
transfer agent will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine. If the transfer agent fails to employ
reasonable procedures, the Fund and the transfer agent may be liable for any
losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. If these procedures are
followed, however, that to the extent permitted by applicable law, neither the
Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense
arising out of any redemption request, including any fraudulent or unauthorized
request. For additional information, contact the transfer agent.
Redemptions
In-Kind
The
Trust has filed an election under Rule 18f-1 of the 1940 Act committing to pay
in cash all redemptions by a shareholder of record up to amounts specified by
the rule (in excess of the lesser of (1) $250,000 or (2) 1% of the
Fund’s assets). The Fund has reserved the right to pay the redemption price of
its shares in excess of the amounts specified by the rule, either totally or
partially, by a distribution in-kind of portfolio securities (instead of cash).
The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that
assigned to them in calculating the NAV for the shares being sold. If the Fund
pays your redemption proceeds by a distribution of securities, you could incur
brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash and will bear
any market risks associated with such securities until they are converted into
cash. A redemption in-kind may be paid in the form of pro-rata slices of the
Fund’s portfolio, individual securities or a representative basket of
securities. An in-kind redemption is generally treated for U.S. federal income
tax purposes as a taxable sale of the redeemed shares, the consequences of which
are described below in “Tax Information.”
The
Fund may not purchase or otherwise acquire any illiquid investments if,
immediately after the acquisition, the value of illiquid investments held by the
Fund would exceed 15% of its net assets. In the unlikely event the Fund were to
elect to make an in-kind redemption, the Fund expects that it would follow the
normal protocol of making such distribution by way of a pro rata distribution
based on its entire portfolio. Because the Fund may hold illiquid investments,
such distribution may contain a pro rata portion of such illiquid investments or
the Fund may determine, based on a materiality assessment, not to include
illiquid investments in the in-kind redemption. The Fund does not anticipate
that it would ever selectively distribute a greater than pro rata portion of any
illiquid investments to satisfy a redemption request. If such securities are
included in the distribution, shareholders may not be able to liquidate such
securities and may be required to hold such securities indefinitely.
Shareholders’ ability to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind may be
restricted by resale limitations or substantial restrictions on transfer imposed
by the issuers of the securities or by law. Shareholders may only be able to
liquidate such securities distributed in-kind at a substantial discount from
their value, and there may be higher brokerage costs associated with any
subsequent disposition of these securities by the recipient.
DISTRIBUTIONS
AND TAX INFORMATION
Distributions
The
Fund intends to pay dividends from net investment income at least quarterly, and
to distribute all net realized capital gains at least annually, as described in
the Prospectus. The Fund typically distributes any undistributed net investment
income on or about December 31 of each year. Any net capital gains realized
through the period ended October 31 of each year will also typically be
distributed by December 31 of each year.
All
distributions generally reduce the NAV of the Fund’s shares by the amount of the
distribution. If you purchase shares prior to a distribution, the distribution
will be taxable to you even though economically it may represent a return on
your investment.
Each
distribution by the Fund is accompanied by a brief explanation of the form and
character of the distribution. In January of each year, the Fund will issue to
each shareholder a statement addressing the U.S. federal income tax status of
all distributions that relate to the previous year. You are responsible for the
payment of taxes with respect to your investment in the Fund.
Tax
Information
The
following summary describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to
United States Holders (as defined below) of shares in the Fund. This summary is
based upon the Code, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative
pronouncements and judicial decisions, all as in effect as of the date of this
SAI and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.
This summary addresses only shares that are held as capital assets within the
meaning of Section 1221 of the Code and does not address all of the tax
consequences that may be relevant to shareholders in light of their particular
circumstances or to certain types of Shareholders subject to special treatment
under the Code, including, without limitation, certain financial institutions,
dealers in securities or commodities, traders in securities who elect to apply a
mark-to-market method of accounting, insurance companies, tax-exempt
organizations, partnerships or S-corporations (and persons who own their
interest in shares through a partnership or S-corporation), expatriates of the
United States, persons who are subject to alternative minimum tax, persons that
have a “functional currency” other than the United States dollar, persons who
hold shares as a position in a “straddle” or as a part of a “hedging,”
“conversion” or “constructive sale” transaction for U.S. federal income tax
purposes or persons who received their shares as compensation. This summary also
does not address the state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment
in the Fund.
For
purposes of this discussion, a “United States Holder” means a holder of shares
that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is:
•a
citizen or resident of the United States;
•a
corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income
tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the
United States, any State or the District of Columbia;
•an
estate, the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal
income tax purposes regardless of its source; or
•a
trust whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a United
States court and which has one or more United States persons who have the
authority to control all of its substantial decisions, or which has a valid
election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a
United States person.
If
a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income
tax purposes) holds shares, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend
upon the status of such person and the activities of the limited liability
company or partnership. A shareholder that is a partnership should consult its
own tax advisors regarding the treatment of its partners.
Prospective
shareholders are urged to consult with their own tax advisors and financial
planners regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in
the Fund, the application of state, local, or foreign laws, and the effect of
any possible changes in applicable tax laws on their investment in the
Fund.
Tax
Treatment of the Fund
Each
series of the Trust is treated as a separate entity for U.S. federal income tax
purposes. The Fund has elected to qualify and intends to continue to qualify
annually as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code,
requiring it to comply with all applicable requirements regarding its income,
assets and distributions. Provided that the Fund qualifies as a regulated
investment company, it is eligible for a dividends paid deduction, allowing it
to offset dividends it pays to shareholders against its taxable income; if the
Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M, it
will be taxed as a regular corporation. The Board reserves the right not to
maintain the qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company if it
determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.
The
Fund’s policy is to distribute to its shareholders all of its taxable income,
including any net realized capital gains (taking into account any capital loss
carry-forward of the Fund), each year in a manner that complies with the
distribution requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under the
Code, and results in the Fund not being subject to any U.S. federal income or
excise taxes. In particular, in order to avoid the non-deductible 4% excise tax,
the Fund must also distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by
December 31 of each calendar year (1) at least 98% of its ordinary
income for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its realized
capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12-month period ending on
October 31 during such year and (3) any amounts from the prior
calendar year that were not distributed and on which the Fund paid no federal
income tax. However, the Fund can give no assurances that its distributions will
be sufficient to eliminate all U.S. federal income taxes. The Fund are not
required to consider tax consequences in making or disposing of
investments.
As
of October 31, 2023, the Fund did not have any capital loss carryovers. A
regulated investment company may elect for any taxable year to treat any portion
of any qualified late year loss as arising on the first day of the next taxable
year. For the taxable year ended October 31, 2023, the Fund does not plan to
defer any qualified late year losses. Qualified late year losses are certain
ordinary losses which occur during the portion of the Fund’s taxable year
subsequent to December 31.
The
Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it
had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s
taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and
profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year
loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in
characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A “qualified late year
loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net
short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year
(commonly referred to as “post-October losses”) and certain other late-year
losses.
In
order to qualify as a regulated investment company, the Fund must, among other
things, derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from dividends,
interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or
other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income
(including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward
contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in stock,
securities or currencies, and net income derived from an interest in a qualified
publicly traded partnership. The Fund must also satisfy the following two asset
diversification tests. At the end of each quarter of each taxable year, (i) at
least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets must be represented by cash
and cash items (including receivables), U.S. Government securities, the
securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities, with
such other securities being limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount
not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not more than
10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than
25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested, including through
corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or greater voting interest, in the
securities of any one issuer (other than U.S.
Government
securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies), the
securities of any two or more issuers (other than the securities of other
regulated investment companies) that the Fund controls (by owning 20% or more of
their outstanding voting stock) and which are determined under Treasury
regulations to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related
trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded
partnerships. The Fund must also distribute sufficient dividends to its
shareholders each taxable year to claim a dividends paid deduction equal to at
least the sum of 90% of the Fund’s investment company taxable income (as
adjusted under Section 852(b)(2) of the Code, but not taking into account the
Fund’s dividends paid deduction; in the case of the Fund generally consisting of
interest and dividend income, less expenses) and 90% of the Fund’s net
tax-exempt interest, if any.
If
the Fund fails to satisfy the requisite tests for qualification as a regulated
investment company in any taxable year, such Fund may be eligible for relief
provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect
and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the
applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis
failures of the diversification requirements where the Fund corrects the failure
within a specified period. If the Fund fails to maintain qualification as a
regulated investment company for a tax year, and the relief provisions are not
available, such Fund will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate
rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In such case, its
shareholders would be taxed as if they received ordinary dividends, although
corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends received deduction
(subject to certain limitations) and individuals may be able to benefit from the
lower tax rates available to qualified dividend income. In addition, the Fund
could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and
interest, and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a regulated
investment company.
The
Fund’s ordinary income generally consists of interest and dividend income, less
expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal period are computed by taking
into account any capital loss carry-forward of the Fund.
Distributions
of net investment income and net short-term capital gains are taxable to
shareholders as ordinary income. For individual shareholders, a portion of the
distributions paid by the Fund may be qualified dividends currently eligible for
federal income taxation at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the Fund
reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain holding
period requirements are met. In the case of corporate shareholders, a portion of
the distributions may qualify for the inter-corporate dividends-received
deduction to the extent the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying
dividend and certain holding period requirements are met. The aggregate amount
so reported to either individual or corporate shareholders cannot, however,
exceed the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for its
taxable year. In view of the Fund’s investment policy, it is expected that
dividends from domestic corporations will be part of the Fund’s gross income and
that, accordingly, part of the distributions by the Fund may be eligible for
treatment as qualified dividend income by individual shareholders, or for the
dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders under federal tax law.
However, the portion of the Fund’s gross income attributable to qualifying
dividends is largely dependent on such Fund’s investment activities for a
particular year and therefore cannot be predicted with any certainty. The
qualified dividend treatment may be eliminated if the Fund’s shares held by an
individual investor are held for less than 61 days, and the corporate-dividends
received deduction may be eliminated if the Fund’s shares held by a corporate
investor are treated as debt-financed or are held for less than 46 days.
Distributions will be taxable to you even if the share price of the Fund has
declined.
The
sale or exchange of Fund shares is a taxable transaction for federal income tax
purposes. You will generally recognize a gain or loss on such transactions equal
to the difference, if any, between the amount of your net sales proceeds and
your adjusted tax basis in the Fund’s shares. Such gain or loss will be capital
gain or loss if you held your Fund shares as capital assets. Any capital gain or
loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if you held the Fund
shares for more than one year at the time of the sale or exchange. Any capital
loss arising from the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less,
however, will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount
of net long-term capital gain distributions with regard to these shares.
Tax
Treatment of Certain Fund Investments
The
Fund may invest in complex securities. These investments may be subject to
numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect the Fund’s
ability to qualify as a regulated investment company, affect whether gains and
losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or loss or capital
gain or loss, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund and/or defer such
Fund’s ability to recognize losses, and, in limited cases, subject to the Fund
to U.S. federal income tax on income from certain of their foreign securities.
In turn, those rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income
distributed to you by such Fund.
The
Fund is required for federal income tax purposes to mark-to-market and recognize
as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on certain
futures contracts as of the end of the year, as well as those actually realized
during the year. Premiums earned by the Fund from its written call options on
equity securities are treated as short-term capital gains and are taxable as
ordinary income when paid through to shareholders as part of a dividend. The tax
treatment of certain securities, including futures and options on broad-based
indices, which may be purchased or written by the Fund, will be governed by
Section 1256 of the Code (Section 1256 Contracts). Gains or losses on Section
1256 Contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term (60/40
Treatment) capital gains or losses. Additionally, any Section 1256 Contract held
by the Fund at the end of each taxable year is marked to market, whereby
unrealized gains or losses are treated as if they were realized and will receive
60/40 Treatment. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of
distributions to shareholders. The Fund may be required to defer the recognition
of losses on futures contracts, options contracts and swaps to the extent of any
unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by such Fund. The Fund
distributes to shareholders at least annually any net capital gains which have
been recognized for federal income tax purposes, including unrealized gains at
the end of the Fund’s fiscal year on futures or options transactions. Such
distributions are combined with distributions of capital gains realized on the
Fund’s other investments and shareholders are advised on the nature of the
distributions.
If
the Fund invests in certain positions, such as zero coupon securities, deferred
interest securities or, in general, any other securities with original issue
discount (or with market discount if the Fund elects to include market discount
in income currently), the Fund must accrue income on such investments for each
taxable year, which will generally be prior to the receipt of the corresponding
cash payments. However, the Fund must distribute, at least annually, all or
substantially all of its net investment income, including such accrued income,
to avoid U.S. federal income and excise taxes. Therefore, the Fund may have to
dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to
generate cash or may have to leverage itself by borrowing cash to satisfy
distribution requirements.
The
Fund may acquire market discount bonds. A market discount bond is a security
acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value (or its
adjusted issue price if it is also an original issue discount bond). If the Fund
invests in a market discount bond, it will be required to treat any gain
recognized on the disposition of such market discount bond as ordinary income
(instead of capital gain) to
the
extent of the accrued market discount, unless such Fund elects to include the
market discount in income as it accrues as discussed above.
Tax
Treatment of United States Holders – Taxation of Distributions
Distributions
paid out of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are
generally dividends taxable at ordinary income rates to each shareholder.
Dividends will be taxable to you even if the share price of the Fund has
declined. Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings
and profits will first be treated as a nontaxable return of capital up to the
amount of a shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, and then as capital gain.
For
individual shareholders, a portion of the dividends paid by the Fund may be
qualified dividends currently eligible for U.S. federal income taxation at
long-term capital gain rates to the extent the Fund reports the amount
distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain shareholder level holding
period requirements (discussed further below) are met. In the case of corporate
shareholders, subject to certain limitations (not all of which are discussed
herein), a portion of the distributions may qualify for the inter-corporate
dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund reports the amount
distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain shareholder level holding
period requirements (discussed further below) are met. The aggregate amount so
reported to either individual or corporate shareholders cannot exceed the
aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for its taxable
year. Although no assurances can be provided, the Fund generally expect that
dividends from domestic corporations will be part of the Fund’s gross income and
that, accordingly, part of the distributions by the Fund may be eligible for
treatment as qualified dividend income by individual shareholders, or for the
dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. Qualified dividend
treatment may be eliminated if Fund shares held by an individual investor are
held for less than 61 days, and the corporate dividends-received deduction may
be eliminated if Fund shares held by a corporate investor are treated as
debt-financed or are held for less than 46 days. Distributions that the Fund
receives from an ETF or an underlying fund taxable as a regulated investment
company will be treated as qualified dividend income only to the extent so
reported by such ETF or underlying fund.
To
the extent that the Fund makes a distribution of income received by such Fund in
lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan
pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute
qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible
for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.
Distributions
properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (Capital Gain Dividends)
will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain (to the extent such
distributions do not exceed the Fund’s actual net long-term capital gain for the
taxable year), regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares, and do
not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction or as
qualified dividend income. The Fund will report Capital Gain Dividends, if any,
in written statements furnished to its shareholders.
Dividends
declared to shareholders of record in October, November or December and actually
paid in January of the following year will be treated as having been received by
shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which declared. Under this
rule, therefore, a shareholder may be taxed in one year on dividends or
distributions actually received in January of the following year.
Tax
Treatment of United States Holders - Sales and Dispositions of
Shares
The
sale or exchange of Fund shares, including a redemption of Fund shares treated
as a sale or exchange, is a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax
purposes. A shareholder will generally recognize a
capital
gain or loss on any such transaction equal to the difference, if any, between
the amount of its net sales proceeds and its adjusted tax basis in its Fund
shares. Any capital gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or
loss if you held Fund shares for more than one year at the time of the sale or
exchange. Any capital loss arising from the sale or exchange of shares held for
six months or less, however, will be treated as long-term capital loss to the
extent of the amount of net long-term capital gain distributions with regard to
these shares.
Under
U.S. Treasury regulations, generally, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2
million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a
corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure
statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many
cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance,
shareholders of a regulated investment company such as the Fund are not
excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting
requirement to shareholders of most or all regulated investment companies. The
fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal
determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper.
Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of
these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Tax
Treatment of United States Holders - Medicare Tax
A
3.8% Medicare tax is currently imposed on net investment income earned by
certain individuals, estates and trusts. “Net investment income,” for these
purposes, means investment income, including ordinary and Capital Gain dividends
and net gains from taxable dispositions of Fund shares, reduced by the
deductions properly allocable to such income. In the case of an individual, the
tax will be imposed on the lesser of (1) the shareholder’s net investment
income or (2) the amount by which the shareholder’s modified adjusted gross
income exceeds $250,000 (if the shareholder is married and filing jointly or a
surviving spouse), $125,000 (if the shareholder is married and filing
separately) or $200,000 (in any other case). This Medicare tax, if applicable,
is reported by you on, and paid with, your U.S. federal income tax return.
Tax
Treatment of Non-U.S. Shareholders
The
foregoing discussion of U.S. federal income tax law relates solely to the
application of that law to U.S. citizens or residents and U.S. domestic
corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each shareholder who is not a
U.S. person should consider the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of ownership
of shares of the Fund, including the possibility that such a shareholder may be
subject to a U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate under an
applicable income tax treaty) on amounts constituting ordinary
income.
Tax
Treatment of Tax-Exempt Shareholders.
The
Fund’s shares held in a tax-qualified retirement account will generally not be
subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distribution from the
Fund until a shareholder begins receiving payments from his or her retirement
account. Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans,
individual retirement accounts, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k)s and other
tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except
with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Under current
law, the Fund generally serve to block UBTI from being realized by their
tax-exempt shareholders. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, the tax-exempt
shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of an investment in the Fund where, for
example: (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of REMICs; (ii) the Fund
invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (TMP) or that has a subsidiary
that is TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC; or (iii) shares
in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt
shareholder within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable
remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult
their
tax advisor. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and
prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are encouraged
to consult their tax advisors regarding these issues.
Backup
Withholding
The
Fund may be required to withhold 24% of certain payments to a shareholder unless
the shareholder has completed and submitted to the Fund a Form W-9 providing the
shareholder’s taxpayer identification number and certifying under penalties of
perjury: (i) that such number is correct, (ii) that (A) the shareholder is
exempt from backup withholding, (B) the shareholder has not been notified by the
IRS that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of an
under-reporting of interest or dividends, or (C) the IRS has notified the
shareholder that the shareholder is no longer subject to backup withholding, and
(iii) the shareholder is a U.S. citizen or other U.S. person (as defined in IRS
Form W-9); or (b) an exception applies under applicable law and Treasury
regulations. Backup withholding is not an additional tax, and any amounts
withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s ultimate U.S. federal income
tax liability if proper documentation is provided. The Fund reserves the right
to refuse to open an account for any person failing to provide a certified
taxpayer identification number.
FATCA
and Similar Foreign Rules
The
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, (“FATCA”) provisions of the Code impose a
withholding tax of 30% on certain types of U.S. sourced income (e.g., dividends,
interest, and other types of passive income) paid, and will be required to
impose a 30% withholding tax on proceeds from the sale or other disposition of
property producing U.S. sourced income paid effective January 1, 2019 to (i)
foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”), including non-U.S. investment funds,
unless they agree to collect and disclose to the IRS information regarding their
direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain nonfinancial foreign
entities (“NFFEs”), unless they certify certain information regarding their
direct and indirect U.S. owners. FATCA withholding will apply to any shareholder
that does not properly certify its status as a U.S. person, or, in the case of a
non-U.S. shareholder, the basis for its exemption from FATCA withholding. If the
Fund is required to withhold amounts from payments pursuant to FATCA, investors
will receive distributions that are reduced by such withholding
amounts.
To
implement FATCA, the U.S. government has entered into agreements with non-U.S.
governments (and is otherwise bound via automatic exchange of information
agreements in treaties) to provide reciprocal exchanges of taxpayer information
to non-U.S. governments. The Fund will be required to perform due diligence
reviews to classify non-U.S. entity investors for FATCA purposes. Shareholders
agree to provide information necessary to allow the Fund to comply with the
FATCA and similar foreign rules.
PRINCIPAL
UNDERWRITER AND DISTRIBUTOR
Quasar
Distributors, LLC, 3 Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101, serves as
the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributor in a continuous public offering
of the Fund’s shares. Pursuant to a distribution agreement between the Trust, on
behalf of the Fund, and the Distributor (the “Distribution Agreement”), the
Distributor acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributor and
provides certain administrative services and arranges for the sale of the Fund’s
shares. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is a member of FINRA.
The
Distribution Agreement will continue in effect only if such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of
the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of
the Independent Trustees. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without
penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund on a 60-day written notice when
authorized either by a
majority
vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board, including
a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by the Distributor upon a 60-day
written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its
“assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).
MARKETING
AND SUPPORT PAYMENTS
The
Adviser, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its
shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or other compensation to
certain financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These payments may
be divided into categories as follows:
Support
Payments
Payments
may be made by the Adviser to certain financial intermediaries in connection
with the eligibility of the Fund to be offered in certain programs and/or in
connection with meetings between the Fund’s representatives and Financial
Intermediaries and their sales representatives. Such meetings may be held for
various purposes, including providing education and training about the Fund and
other general financial topics to assist financial intermediaries’ sales
representatives in making informed recommendations to, and decisions on behalf
of, their clients.
Entertainment,
Conferences and Events
The
Adviser also may pay cash or non-cash compensation to sales representatives of
Financial Intermediaries in the form of (1) occasional gifts;
(2) occasional meals, tickets or other entertainments; and/or
(3) sponsorship support for the Financial Intermediaries’ client seminars
and cooperative advertising. In addition, the Adviser pays for exhibit space or
sponsorships at regional or national events of Financial
Intermediaries.
The
prospect of receiving, or the receipt of additional payments or other
compensation as described above by Financial Intermediaries may provide such
Financial Intermediaries and/or their salespersons with an incentive to favor
sales of shares of the Fund, and other mutual funds whose affiliates make
similar compensation available, over sale of shares of mutual funds (or
non-mutual fund investments) not making such payments. You may wish to take such
payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any
recommendations relating to Fund shares.
As
of the date of this SAI, the Advisor does not have agreements with any firms to
pay such support payments. Future support payments may be structured in three
ways: (1) as a percentage of net sales; (2) as a percentage of net
assets; and/or (3) a flat fee.
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
The
audited financial statements and financial highlights of the Fund for the fiscal
year ended October 31, 2023, as set forth in the Trust’s annual
report
to shareholders, including the notes thereto and the report of the registered
independent public accounting firm, are incorporated by reference into this SAI.
You can obtain a copy of the financial statements contained in the Fund’s annual
or semi-annual report without charge by calling the Fund at (888)
898-2024.
APPENDIX
A – PROXY VOTING POLICY
PROXY
VOTING
Policy
Teramo,
in its role as investment adviser to its Fund Clients, will have the
responsibility to vote proxies for portfolio securities held on behalf of its
Fund Clients. Due to the underlying investment strategies anticipated by the
Firm, where portfolio securities will consist primarily of listed exchange
traded funds (“ETFs”), the frequency in which the Firm expects to vote proxies
is minimal, as the voting on behalf of the securities held in the ETFs will be
done by the respective managers of each ETF, and not Teramo. In certain
instances, the ETFS may issue shareholder proxies as the result corporate
governance matters that may arise within each respective ETF. When prompted to
vote a proxy for any of the ETFs, Teramo will follow the policy and procedures
adopted herein.
The
Firm’s policy and practice includes the responsibility to receive and vote
Client proxies where authorized and disclose any potential conflicts of interest
as well as making information available to Clients about the voting of proxies
for their portfolio securities and maintaining relevant and required
records.
Responsibility
The
Chief Operating Officer is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of
Teramo’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, including associated practices,
disclosures and recordkeeping. The Chief Operating Officer may delegate
responsibility for the performance of these activities (provided that he or she
maintains records evidencing individuals to whom authority has been delegated)
but oversight and ultimate responsibility remain with the Chief Operating
Officer.
Procedures
Teramo
has adopted various procedures to implement the firm’s Proxy Voting policy and
reviews to monitor and ensure that the firm’s policy is observed, implemented
properly and amended or updated, as appropriate. The procedures are as
follows:
PROXY
VOTING GUIDELINES
The
guiding principle by which Teramo votes on all matters submitted to security
holders is the maximization of the ultimate economic value of our Clients’
holdings. Teramo does not permit voting decisions to be influenced in any manner
that is contrary to, or dilutive of, the guiding principle set forth above. It
is our policy to avoid situations where there is any conflict of interest or
perceived conflict of interest affecting our voting decisions. Any conflicts of
interest, regardless of whether actual or perceived, will be addressed in
accordance with these policies and procedures.
It
is the general policy of the Firm to vote on all matters presented to security
holders in any Proxy, and these policies and procedures have been designed with
that in mind. However, Teramo reserves the right to abstain on any particular
vote or otherwise withhold its vote on any matter if, in its judgement, the
costs associated with voting such Proxy outweigh the benefits to Clients or if
the circumstances make such an abstention or withholding otherwise advisable and
in the best interest of our Clients.
While
the guidelines included in the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark
for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis,
taking into consideration Teramo’s contractual
obligations
to our Clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the
vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent Adviser
believes appropriate).
As
Teramo provides investment advisory services to registered, open-end investment
companies, it will vote any proxies for the Fund clients in accordance with any
applicable investment restrictions of the Fund client, if
applicable.
CONFLICTS
OF INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH PROXY VOTING
The
COO has responsibility to monitor proxy voting decisions for any conflicts of
interests, regardless of whether they are actual or perceived. In addition, all
Covered Persons are expected to perform their tasks relating to the voting of
Proxies in accordance with the principles set forth above, according the first
priority to the economic interests of Teramo’s Clients. If at any time any
Covered Person becomes aware of any potential or actual conflict of interest or
perceived conflict of interest regarding the voting policies and procedures
described herein or any particular vote on behalf of any Client, he or she
should contact Teramo’s CCO. If any Covered Person is pressured or lobbied
either from within or outside of the Firm with respect to any particular voting
decision, he or she should contact Teramo’s CCO. The CCO will use his or her
best judgment to address any such conflict of interest and ensure that it is
resolved in the best interest of the Clients.
RECORDKEEPING
& REGULATORY REPORTING
For
all proxies voted, Teramo will retain all records related the manner in which it
voted proxies for securities held by its Fund clients. The COO will be
responsible for maintaining all records related to the Firm’s proxy
voting.
Form
N-PX: On
an annual basis, following the end of the 12-month period ending June 30, Teramo
will furnish to the administrator of its Fund clients a full record detailing
all how the Firm voted all proxies for the prior 12-month period.