485APOS 1 d485apos.htm ALPS ETF TRUST ALPS ETF Trust
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 2, 2011

Securities Act File No. 333-148826            

Investment Company Act File No. 811-22175            

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933   x

 

Pre-Effective Amendment No.

  ¨
Post Effective Amendment No. 32   x

 

and/or

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

  x

 

Amendment No. 33

  x

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

ALPS ETF TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

1290 Broadway

Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(303) 623-2577

Registrant’s Telephone Number

Tané T. Tyler, Esq.

ALPS Fund Services, Inc.

1290 Broadway

Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:

Stuart M. Strauss, Esq.

Dechert LLP

1095 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10036

It is proposed that this filing will become effective:

 

¨

Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

¨

On May 1, 2011 pursuant to paragraph (b)

¨

60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

x

75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

¨

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

¨

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment

 

 


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The information in this Prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The Trust may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion

Preliminary Prospectus dated May 2, 2011

ALPS ETF TRUST

ALERIAN PLUS MLP INFRASTRUCTURE ETF (Ticker: [    ])

ALERIAN NATURAL GAS MLP ETF (Ticker: [    ])

PRINCIPAL LISTING EXCHANGE FOR THE ETFS: [NYSE Arca, Inc.]

Prospectus

            , 2011

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


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page      

SUMMARY INFORMATION

     1   

ALERIAN PLUS MLP INFRASTRUCTURE ETF

     1   

ALERIAN NATURAL GAS MLP ETF

     7   

INTRODUCTION – ALPS ETF TRUST

     14   

WHO SHOULD INVEST

     14   

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

     14   

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE INDEX

     14   

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUNDS

     15   

SECONDARY INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

     18   

ADDITIONAL RISK CONSIDERATIONS

     18   

INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES

     19   

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

     20   

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

     20   

FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS

     21   

FUND SERVICE PROVIDERS

     21   

INDEX PROVIDER

     21   

DISCLAIMERS

     21   

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

     22   

FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION

     23   

OTHER INFORMATION

     27   

CONTINUOUS OFFERING

     28   

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

     28   


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SUMMARY INFORMATION

ALERIAN PLUS MLP INFRASTRUCTURE ETF (the “Fund”)

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Fund seeks investment results that correspond (before fees and expenses) generally to the price and yield performance of its underlying index, the Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index (the “Index”).

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund (“Shares”). Investors purchasing Shares in the secondary market may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker. These costs are not included in the expense example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of

your investment):

  

Management Fees

     [    ]%   

Other Expenses(1)

     [    ]%   

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [    ]%   

(1)         “Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year and calculated as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets, and include estimated interest payments on borrowed amounts. Since the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, a tax expense of 0.00% has been assumed since it cannot be predicted whether the Fund will incur a benefit or liability in the future.

Example:

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in other funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same each year. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

 

1 Year

    

3 Years

 $  [             ]

      $  [             ]

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, may affect the Fund’s performance. The Fund has not yet commenced operations. Thus, no portfolio turnover rate is provided for the Fund.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund employs a “passive management” - or indexing - investment approach designed to track the performance of the Index. The Index is a rules based, modified capitalization weighted, float adjusted index intended to give investors a means of tracking the overall performance of the United States energy infrastructure Master Limited Partnership (“MLP”) asset class. The Index was developed by Alerian, a leading provider of objective MLP benchmarks, data and analytics. The Index is comprised of 25 energy

 

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infrastructure MLPs that earn a majority of their cash flow from the transportation and storage of energy commodities. As of March 31, 2011, the U.S. dollar-denominated market capitalizations of the Index Components ranged from approximately $         million to approximately $         billion.

The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Index (or depositary receipts based on such securities). The Fund generally will invest in all of the securities that comprise the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index; however, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the securities in the Index in those weightings. In those circumstances, the Fund may purchase a sample of the securities in the Index or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques in seeking performance which corresponds to the performance of the Index.

As discussed in more detail under         , due to the nature of the Fund’s investments, the Fund will not qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As a result, the Fund will be taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes. The Fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its investments. This is referred to as a deferred tax liability. The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is reduced by the amount of any such deferred tax liability. Also, to the extent underlying MLP investments decline in value, the Fund accrues a deferred tax asset and the Fund’s NAV is increased by the amount of such deferred tax asset. By contrast, the performance of the Index is not adjusted for taxes. Therefore, the Fund’s daily tax accruals will create tracking error between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index. The Fund will seek to minimize such tracking error by borrowing money from a bank and investing the proceeds in component securities of the Index. The Fund may borrow up to the maximum amount permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (currently up to 1/3 of total assets) for this purpose. The returns on borrowed funds (positive or negative) are expected to help reduce the differences between the performance of the Fund and the performance of the Index caused by the daily accrual of a deferred tax liability or asset. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund’s investment of borrowed funds will achieve its intended result.

MLPs are publicly traded partnerships engaged in the transportation, storage and processing of minerals and natural resources. By confining their operations to these specific activities, their interests, or units, are able to trade on public securities exchanges exactly like the shares of a corporation, without entity level taxation. Of the seventy MLPs eligible for inclusion in the Index, approximately two-thirds trade on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and the rest trade on the NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”).

To qualify as a MLP and to not be taxed as a corporation, a partnership must receive at least 90% of its income from qualifying sources as set forth in Section 7704(d) of the Code. These qualifying sources include natural resource-based activities such as the processing, transportation and storage of mineral or natural resources. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. The general partner of an MLP is typically owned by a major energy company, an investment fund, the direct management of the MLP, or is an entity owned by one or more of such parties. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an up to 2% equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners typically own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership’s operations and management.

MLPs are typically structured such that common units and general partner interests have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to an established minimum amount (“minimum quarterly distributions” or “MQD”). Common and general partner interests also accrue arrearages in distributions to the extent the MQD is not paid. Once common and general partner interests have been paid, subordinated units receive distributions of up to the MQD; however, subordinated units do not accrue arrearages. Distributable cash in excess of the MQD is paid to both common and subordinated units and is distributed to both common and subordinated units generally on a pro rata basis. The general partner is also eligible to

 

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receive incentive distributions if the general partner operates the business in a manner which results in distributions paid per common unit surpassing specified target levels. As the general partner increases cash distributions to the limited partners, the general partner receives an increasingly higher percentage of the incremental cash distributions.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Investors should consider the following risk factors associated with investing in the Fund which may cause you to lose money.

Investment Risk. An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest.

Market Risk. The market value of a security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. A security’s market value also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry.

Tax Status of the Fund. The Fund is taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes. This differs from most investment companies, which elect to be treated as “regulated investment companies” under the Code in order to avoid paying entity level income taxes. Under current law, the Fund is not eligible to elect treatment as a regulated investment company due to its investments primarily in MLPs invested in energy assets. As a result, the Fund will be obligated to pay applicable federal and state corporate income taxes on its taxable income as opposed to most other investment companies which are not so obligated. As discussed below, the Fund expects that a portion of the distributions it receives from MLPs may be treated as a tax-deferred return of capital, thus reducing the Fund's current tax liability. However, the amount of taxes currently paid by the Fund will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from investments and/or sales of MLP interests and such taxes will reduce your return from an investment in the Fund.

Borrowing. The Fund expects to borrow money from a bank and invest the proceeds in component securities of the Index in seeking to reduce the impact of deferred tax liabilities or assets on tracking error. The Fund may borrow up to the maximum amount permitted under the 1940 Act (currently up to 1/3 of total assets). The Fund’s borrowing is a form of leveraging. Leverage is a speculative technique which increases investment risk. Since substantially all of a Fund’s assets will fluctuate in value, whereas the interest obligations on borrowings may be fixed, the NAV per Share of the Fund will fluctuate more when the Fund is using leverage than would otherwise be the case. Leverage also creates interest expenses for the Fund and may involve additional costs and expenses. Borrowing may cause the Fund to sell a portion of its investments when it may be disadvantageous to do so, in order to maintain the required asset coverage.

Deferred Tax Liability. Cash distributions from an MLP to the Fund that exceed such Fund’s allocable share of such MLP’s net taxable income are considered a tax-deferred return of capital that will reduce the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in such Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities. The Fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its investments. Upon the sale of a MLP security, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by the MLPs, which is not necessarily timely, to estimate deferred tax liability for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining the NAV. From time to time, ALPS Advisors, Inc. (the “Investment Adviser”) will modify the estimates or assumptions regarding the Fund’s deferred tax liability as new information becomes available. The Fund will generally compute deferred income taxes

 

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based on the federal income tax rate applicable to corporations currently 35% and an assumed rate attributable to state taxes.

Potential Substantial After-Tax Tracking Error From Index Performance. As discussed above, the Fund will be subject to taxation on its taxable income. The Fund’s after tax performance could differ from the Index even if the pretax performance of the Fund and the performance of the Index are closely correlated. The NAV of Fund Shares will be reduced by the accrual of any deferred tax liabilities. The Index, however, is calculated without any deductions for taxes. As a result, the Fund’s after tax performance could differ significantly from the Index even if the pretax performance of the Fund and the performance of the Index are closely correlated.

Returns of Capital Distributions From the Fund Reduce the Tax Basis of Fund Shares. A portion of the Fund’s distributions are expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Returns of capital distribution are not taxable income to you but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares. Such a reduction in tax basis will result in larger taxable gains and/or lower tax losses on a subsequent sale of Fund Shares.

Shareholders who periodically receive the payment of dividends or other distributions consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits from the Fund when, in fact, they are not. Shareholders should not assume that the source of the distributions is from the net profits of the Fund.

Tax-Favored Treatment of Qualified Dividends is Scheduled to Expire. Distributions by the Fund will be treated as dividends for tax purposes to the extent of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits. Under current federal income tax law, if applicable holding period requirements are met, qualified dividend income received by individuals and other non corporate shareholders is taxed at long-term capital gain rates, which currently reach a maximum of 15%. However, the favorable tax treatment applicable to qualified dividends is scheduled to expire for tax years beginning after December 31, 2012 and, unless further Congressional action is taken, dividend income will thereafter be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to ordinary income (which rates are scheduled to increase at that time to a maximum rate of 39.6%).

Industry Specific Risks. The Fund invests primarily in energy infrastructure companies. Energy infrastructure companies are subject to risks specific to the industry they serve including, but not limited to, the following:

 

n

  

reduced volumes of natural gas or other energy commodities available for transporting, processing or storing;

n

  

new construction risks and acquisition risk which can limit growth potential;

n

  

a sustained reduced demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products resulting from a recession or an increase in market price or higher taxes;

n

  

fluctuations in the price of energy commodities;

n

  

changes in the regulatory environment;

n

  

extreme weather;

n

  

rising interest rates which could result in a higher cost of capital and drive investors into other investment opportunities; and

n

  

threats of attack by terrorists.

 

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MLP Risk. Investments in securities of MLPs involve risks that differ from investments in common stock including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, cash flow risks, as described in more detail in the Prospectus. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by macro-economic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, expectations of interest rates, investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). Prices of common units of individual MLPs and other equity securities also can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios.

MLP Tax Risk. MLPs do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, if any of the MLPs owned by the Fund were treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of your investment in the Fund and lower income.

Liquidity Risk. Although common units of MLPs trade on the NYSE and the NASDAQ, certain MLP securities may trade less frequently than those of larger companies due to their smaller capitalizations. In the event certain MLP securities experience limited trading volumes, the prices of such MLPs may display abrupt or erratic movements at times. Additionally, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell significant amounts of such securities without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices. As a result, these securities may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Investment Adviser believes it is desirable to do so. The Fund’s investment in securities that are less actively traded or over time experience decreased trading volume may restrict its ability to take advantage of other market opportunities or to dispose of securities. This also may affect adversely the Fund’s ability to make dividend distributions to you.

Risk of Cash Transactions. Unlike many exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), the Fund expects to effect redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind. Because the Fund may effect redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind distributions, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. Such cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees. These brokerage fees, which will be higher than if the Fund redeemed its Shares in-kind, will be passed on to redeemers of Creation Units in the form of redemption transaction fees. In addition, these factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of the Fund's Shares than for more conventional ETFs.

Issuer Specific Changes. The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of securities of smaller issues can be more volatile than that of larger issues.

Non-Diversified Fund Risk. The Fund is considered non-diversified and can invest a greater portion of assets in securities of individual issuers than a diversified fund. As a result, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in share price than would occur in a diversified fund.

Replication Management Risk. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund is not “actively” managed. Therefore, it would not necessarily sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble unless that security is removed from the Index.

Non-Correlation Risk. In addition to the risk of tracking error due to the effect of taxes, the Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for other reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of

 

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operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index.

The Fund may not be fully invested at times, either as a result of cash flows into the Fund or reserves of cash held by the Fund to meet redemptions and expenses. If the Fund utilizes a sampling approach or futures or other derivative positions, its return may not correlate as well with the return on the Index, as would be the case if it purchased all of the stocks in the Index with the same weightings as the Index.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund has not yet commenced operations and therefore does not report its performance information.

INVESTMENT ADVISER

ALPS Advisors, Inc. is the investment adviser to the Fund.

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Michael Akins, Vice President of Product Risk Management & Portfolio Analytics of ALPS Advisors, Inc. and Daniel Franciscus, Senior Investment Analyst of ALPS Advisors, Inc. are responsible for the day to day management of the Fund since its inception.

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares and taxes, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales and Tax Information” on page      of this Prospectus.

 

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SUMMARY INFORMATION

ALERIAN NATURAL GAS MLP ETF (the “Fund”)

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Fund seeks investment results that correspond (before fees and expenses) generally to the price and yield performance of its underlying index, the Alerian Natural Gas MLP Index (the “Index”).

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund (“Shares”). Investors purchasing Shares in the secondary market may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker. These costs are not included in the expense example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

  

Management Fees

  

[    ]%

Other Expenses(1)

  

[    ]%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

  

[    ]%

(1) “Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year and calculated as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets, and include estimated interest payments on borrowed amounts. Since the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, a tax expense of 0.00% has been assumed since it cannot be predicted whether the Fund will incur a benefit or liability in the future.

Example:

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in other funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same each year. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

 

1 Year

    

3 Years

$ [            ]

     $ [            ]

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, may affect the Fund’s performance. The Fund has not yet commenced operations. Thus, no portfolio turnover rate is provided for the Fund.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund employs a “passive management” - or indexing - investment approach designed to track the performance of the Index. The Index is a rules based, equal-weighted index intended to give investors a means of tracking the overall performance of the United States natural gas infrastructure Master Limited Partnership (“MLP”) asset class. The Index was developed by Alerian, a leading provider of objective MLP benchmarks, data and analytics. The Index is comprised of [    ] natural gas infrastructure MLPs that earn a majority of their cash flow from the transportation, storage, and processing of natural gas and natural gas liquids (“NGLs”). As of March 31, 2011, the U.S. dollar-denominated market capitalizations of the Index Components ranged from approximately $         million to approximately $         billion.

 

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The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Index (or depositary receipts based on such securities). The Fund generally will invest in all of the securities that comprise the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index; however, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the securities in the Index in those weightings. In those circumstances, the Fund may purchase a sample of the securities in the Index or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques in seeking performance which corresponds to the performance of the Index.

As discussed in more detail under         , due to the nature of the Fund’s investments, the Fund will not qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As a result, the Fund will be taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes. The Fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its investments. This is referred to as a deferred tax liability. The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is reduced by the amount of any such deferred tax liability. Also, to the extent underlying MLP investments decline in value, the Fund accrues a deferred tax asset and the Fund’s NAV is increased by the amount of such deferred tax asset. By contrast, the performance of the Index is not adjusted for taxes. Therefore, the Fund’s daily tax accruals will create tracking error between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index. The Fund will seek to minimize such tracking error by borrowing money from a bank and investing the proceeds in component securities of the Index. The Fund may borrow up to the maximum amount permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (currently up to 1/3 of total assets) for this purpose. The returns on borrowed funds (positive or negative) are expected to help reduce the differences between the performance of the Fund and the performance of the Index caused by the daily accrual of a deferred tax liability or asset. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund’s investment of borrowed funds will achieve its intended result.

MLPs are publicly traded partnerships engaged in the transportation, storage and processing of minerals and natural resources. By confining their operations to these specific activities, their interests, or units, are able to trade on public securities exchanges exactly like the shares of a corporation, without entity level taxation. Of the          MLPs eligible for inclusion in the Index, approximately          trade on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and the rest trade on the NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”).

To qualify as a MLP and to not be taxed as a corporation, a partnership must receive at least 90% of its income from qualifying sources as set forth in Section 7704(d) of the Code. These qualifying sources include natural resource-based activities such as the processing, transportation and storage of natural gas and NGLs. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. The general partner of an MLP is typically owned by a major energy company, an investment fund, the direct management of the MLP, or is an entity owned by one or more of such parties. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an up to 2% equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners typically own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership’s operations and management.

MLPs are typically structured such that common units and general partner interests have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to an established minimum amount (“minimum quarterly distributions” or “MQD”). Common and general partner interests also accrue arrearages in distributions to the extent the MQD is not paid. Once common and general partner interests have been paid, subordinated units receive distributions of up to the MQD; however, subordinated units do not accrue arrearages. Distributable cash in excess of the MQD is paid to both common and subordinated units and is distributed to both common and subordinated units generally on a pro rata basis. The general partner is also eligible to receive incentive distributions if the general partner operates the business in a manner which results in distributions paid per common unit surpassing specified target levels. As the general partner increases cash distributions to the limited partners, the general partner receives an increasingly higher percentage of the incremental cash distributions.

 

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PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

Investors should consider the following risk factors associated with investing in the Fund which may cause you to lose money.

Investment Risk. An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest.

Market Risk. The market value of a security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. A security’s market value also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry.

Tax Status of the Fund. The Fund is taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes. This differs from most investment companies, which elect to be treated as "regulated investment companies" under the Code in order to avoid paying entity level income taxes. Under current law, the Fund is not eligible to elect treatment as a regulated investment company due to its investments primarily in MLPs invested in natural gas assets. As a result, the Fund will be obligated to pay applicable federal and state corporate income taxes on its taxable income as opposed to most other investment companies which are not so obligated. As discussed below, the Fund expects that a portion of the distributions it receives from MLPs may be treated as a tax-deferred return of capital, thus reducing the Fund's current tax liability. However, the amount of taxes currently paid by the Fund will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from investments and/or sales of MLP interests and such taxes will reduce your return from an investment in the Fund.

Borrowing. The Fund expects to borrow money from a bank and invest the proceeds in component securities of the Index in seeking to reduce the impact of deferred tax liabilities or assets on tracking error. The Fund may borrow up to the maximum amount permitted under the 1940 Act (currently up to 1/3 of total assets). The Fund’s borrowing is a form of leveraging. Leverage is a speculative technique which increases investment risk. Since substantially all of a Fund’s assets will fluctuate in value, whereas the interest obligations on borrowings may be fixed, the NAV per Share of the Fund will fluctuate more when the Fund is using leverage than would otherwise be the case. Leverage also creates interest expenses for the Fund and may involve additional costs and expenses. Borrowing may cause the Fund to sell a portion of its investments when it may be disadvantageous to do so, in order to maintain the required asset coverage.

Deferred Tax Liability. Cash distributions from an MLP to the Fund that exceed such Fund’s allocable share of such MLP’s net taxable income are considered a tax-deferred return of capital that will reduce the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in such Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities. The Fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its investments. Upon the sale of a MLP security, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by the MLPs, which is not necessarily timely, to estimate deferred tax liability for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining the NAV. From time to time, ALPS Advisors, Inc. (the “Investment Adviser”) will modify the estimates or assumptions regarding the Fund’s deferred tax liability as new information becomes available. The Fund will generally compute deferred income taxes based on the federal income tax rate applicable to corporations currently 35% and an assumed rate attributable to state taxes.

Potential Substantial After-Tax Tracking Error From Index Performance. As discussed above, the Fund will be subject to taxation on its taxable income. The Fund’s after tax performance could differ from the

 

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Index even if the pretax performance of the Fund and the performance of the Index are closely correlated. The NAV of Fund Shares will be reduced by the accrual of any deferred tax liabilities. The Index, however, is calculated without any deductions for taxes. As a result, the Fund’s after tax performance could differ significantly from the Index even if the pretax performance of the Fund and the performance of the Index are closely correlated.

Returns of Capital Distributions From the Fund Reduce the Tax Basis of Fund Shares. A portion of the Fund’s distributions are expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Returns of capital distribution are not taxable income to you but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares. Such a reduction in tax basis will result in larger taxable gains and/or lower tax losses on a subsequent sale of Fund Shares.

Shareholders who periodically receive the payment of dividends or other distributions consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits from the Fund when, in fact, they are not. Shareholders should not assume that the source of the distributions is from the net profits of the Fund.

Tax-Favored Treatment of Qualified Dividends is Scheduled to Expire. Distributions by the Fund will be treated as dividends for tax purposes to the extent of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits. Under current federal income tax law, if applicable holding period requirements are met, qualified dividend income received by individuals and other non corporate shareholders is taxed at long-term capital gain rates, which currently reach a maximum of 15%. However, the favorable tax treatment applicable to qualified dividends is scheduled to expire for tax years beginning after December 31, 2012 and, unless further Congressional action is taken, dividend income will thereafter be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to ordinary income (which rates are scheduled to increase at that time to a maximum rate of 39.6%).

Industry Specific Risks. The Fund invests primarily in natural gas infrastructure companies. Natural gas infrastructure companies are subject to risks specific to the industry they serve including, but not limited to, the following:

 

  n  

reduced volumes of natural gas available for transporting, processing or storing;

 

  n  

new construction risks and acquisition risk which can limit growth potential;

 

  n  

a sustained reduced demand for natural gas resulting from a recession or an increase in market price or higher taxes;

 

  n  

fluctuations in the price of natural gas;

 

  n  

delays or stoppages in drilling operations or production caused by unexpected drilling conditions, pressure or irregularities in formations, equipment failures or repairs, fires or other accidents, pipeline ruptures or spills and shortages or delays in the availability of drilling rigs and the delivery of equipment.

 

  n  

changes in the regulatory environment;

 

  n  

extreme weather;

 

  n  

rising interest rates which could result in a higher cost of capital and drive investors into other investment opportunities; and

 

  n  

threats of attack by terrorists.

MLP Risk. Investments in securities of MLPs involve risks that differ from investments in common stock including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks

 

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related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, cash flow risks, as described in more detail in the Prospectus. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by macro-economic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, expectations of interest rates, investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). Prices of common units of individual MLPs and other equity securities also can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios.

MLP Tax Risk. MLPs do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, if any of the MLPs owned by the Fund were treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of your investment in the Fund and lower income.

Liquidity Risk. Although common units of MLPs trade on the NYSE and the NASDAQ, certain MLP securities may trade less frequently than those of larger companies due to their smaller capitalizations. In the event certain MLP securities experience limited trading volumes, the prices of such MLPs may display abrupt or erratic movements at times. Additionally, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell significant amounts of such securities without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices. As a result, these securities may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Investment Adviser believes it is desirable to do so. The Fund’s investment in securities that are less actively traded or over time experience decreased trading volume may restrict its ability to take advantage of other market opportunities or to dispose of securities. This also may affect adversely the Fund’s ability to make dividend distributions to you.

Risk of Cash Transactions. Unlike many exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), the Fund expects to effect redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind. Because the Fund may effect redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind distributions, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. Such cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees. These brokerage fees, which will be higher than if the Fund redeemed its Shares in-kind, will be passed on to redeemers of Creation Units in the form of redemption transaction fees. In addition, these factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of the Fund’s Shares than for more conventional ETFs.

Issuer Specific Changes. The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of securities of smaller issues can be more volatile than that of larger issues.

Non-Diversified Fund Risk. The Fund is considered non-diversified and can invest a greater portion of assets in securities of individual issuers than a diversified fund. As a result, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in share price than would occur in a diversified fund.

Replication Management Risk. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund is not “actively” managed. Therefore, it would not necessarily sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble unless that security is removed from the Index.

Non-Correlation Risk. In addition to the risk of tracking error due to the effect of taxes, the Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for other reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index.

 

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The Fund may not be fully invested at times, either as a result of cash flows into the Fund or reserves of cash held by the Fund to meet redemptions and expenses. If the Fund utilizes a sampling approach or futures or other derivative positions, its return may not correlate as well with the return on the Index, as would be the case if it purchased all of the stocks in the Index with the same weightings as the Index.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund has not yet commenced operations and therefore does not report its performance information.

INVESTMENT ADVISER

ALPS Advisors, Inc. is the investment adviser to the Fund.

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Michael Akins, Vice President of Product Risk Management & Portfolio Analytics of ALPS Advisors, Inc. and Daniel Franciscus, Senior Investment Analyst of ALPS Advisors, Inc. are responsible for the day to day management of the Fund since its inception.

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares and taxes, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales and Tax Information” on page      of this Prospectus.

 

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PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION

ALPS ETF Trust (the “Trust”) will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in a large specified number of Shares called a “Creation Unit” or multiples thereof. A Creation Unit consists of 50,000 Shares. The consideration for a purchase of Creation Units of a Fund is the deposit or delivery of in-kind securities and/or cash constituting a substantial replication, or a representation, of the securities included in its respective Index. Redemptions of Creation Units are effected principally for cash.

Individual Shares of a Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Funds are expected to be listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) under the trading symbols “        ” and “        .” Because Shares will trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares of the Funds may trade at a price greater than or less than NAV.

TAX INFORMATION

The Funds’ taxable distributions will generally be taxed as ordinary income. A portion of the Funds’ distributions are also expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Return of capital distributions are not taxable to you, but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares.

 

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INTRODUCTION – ALPS ETF Trust

The Trust is an investment company currently consisting of          separate exchange traded index funds. This Prospectus relates to the Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF.

The Funds’ Shares are expected to be listed on the NYSE Arca. The Funds’ Shares will trade at market prices that may differ to some degree from the NAV of the Shares.

Unlike conventional mutual funds, a Fund will issue and redeem Shares on a continuous basis, at NAV, only in large specified blocks of 50,000 Shares, each of which is called a “Creation Unit.” Creation Units will be issued in exchange for an in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities and/or for cash. Creation Units will be redeemed for cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of a Fund.

WHO SHOULD INVEST

The Funds are designed for investors who seek a relatively low-cost “passive” approach for investing in a portfolio of securities of companies in a specified index. The Funds may be suitable for long-term investment in the market represented by a specified index and may also be used as an asset allocation tool or as a speculative trading instrument.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

Each Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the performance before fees and expenses of its respective Index. Each Fund’s investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE INDEXES

Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index Construction

An MLP must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Index:

 

   

Earn at least 50% of its distributable cash flow from energy infrastructure hard assets that are not directly exposed to changes in commodity prices

   

Be a publicly traded partnership or limited liability company (“LLC”) exempt from corporate taxation

   

Trade on the NYSE or NASDAQ

   

Represent the primary limited partner interests of a partnership or LLC that is an operating company

   

Have two consecutive quarters of distributions equal to or greater than the partnership’s MQD

   

Have a median daily trading volume for each of the trailing six full months of at least 25,000 units

   

Have an adjusted market capitalization of at least $250 million

An independent advisory board of auditors, MLP executives, institutional fund managers, legal partners, and other senior financial professionals reviews all constituent changes to the Index as well as all modifications to methodology to ensure that they are made objectively and without bias. The board is comprised of a minimum of five members and a maximum of 13 members, all of whom must be independent. Any material modification to index methodology, introduction of a new index, or interim constituent change, such as that caused by merger and acquisition activity, will result in interim meetings of the board.

 

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Index Components are selected quarterly in connection with the reconstitution of the Index. Their respective weights are rebalanced quarterly using a modified capitalization weighted, float adjusted methodology in connection with the rebalancing of the Index. The Index rebalancing occurs quarterly on the third Friday of the last month of each calendar quarter. Share weights of the Index Components remain constant between quarters, except in the event of certain types of corporate actions, including stock splits and reverse stock splits. Share weights of the Index are not adjusted between rebalancing dates for shares issued or shares repurchased. Their respective weights are rebalanced quarterly in connection with the rebalancing of the Index.

The information contained herein regarding the Index was provided by Alerian.

Alerian Natural Gas MLP Index Construction

An MLP must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Index:

 

   

Earn at least 50% of its distributable cash flow from the transportation, storage and processing of natural gas and NGLs

   

Be a publicly traded partnership or LLC exempt from corporate taxation

   

Trade on the NYSE or NASDAQ

   

Represent the primary limited partner interests of a partnership or LLC that is an operating company

   

Have two consecutive quarters of distributions equal to or greater than the partnership’s MQD

   

Have a median daily trading volume for each of the trailing six full months of at least 25,000 units

   

Have an adjusted market capitalization of at least $250 million

An independent advisory board of auditors, MLP executives, institutional fund managers, legal partners, and other senior financial professionals reviews all constituent changes to the Index as well as all modifications to methodology to ensure that they are made objectively and without bias. The board is comprised of a minimum of five members and a maximum of 13 members, all of whom must be independent. Any material modification to index methodology, introduction of a new index, or interim constituent change, such as that caused by merger and acquisition activity, will result in interim meetings of the board.

Index Components are selected quarterly in connection with the reconstitution of the Index. Their respective weights are rebalanced quarterly using an equal-weighted methodology with each constituent assigned a weight of six-and-two-thirds percent in connection with the rebalancing of the Index. The Index rebalancing occurs quarterly on the third Friday of the last month of each calendar quarter. Share weights of the Index Components remain constant between quarters, except in the event of certain types of corporate actions, including stock splits and reverse stock splits. Share weights of the Index are not adjusted between rebalancing dates for shares issued or shares repurchased. Their respective weights are rebalanced quarterly in connection with the rebalancing of the Index.

The information contained herein regarding the Index was provided by Alerian.

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUNDS

The following section provides additional information regarding certain of the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” in the Fund’s Summary Information Section along with additional risk information.

 

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Industry Specific Risk

Energy and natural gas infrastructure companies also are subject to risks specific to the industry they serve. Risks inherent in the energy and natural gas infrastructure business of these types of MLPs include the following:

Pipeline MLPs are not subject to direct commodity price exposure because they do not own the underlying energy commodity. However, the MLP sector can be hurt by market perception that MLPs’ performance and distributions are directly tied to commodity prices. Also, a significant decrease in the production of natural gas, oil, or other energy commodities, due to a decline in production from existing facilities, import supply disruption, or otherwise, would reduce revenue and operating income of MLPs and, therefore, the ability of MLPs to make distributions to partners.

MLPs employ a variety of means of increasing cash flow, including increasing utilization of existing facilities, expanding operations through new construction, expanding operations through acquisitions, or securing additional long-term contracts. Thus, some MLPs may be subject to construction risk, acquisition risk or other risk factors arising from their specific business strategies. A significant slowdown in large energy companies’ disposition of energy or natural gas infrastructure assets and other merger and acquisition activity in the energy or natural gas MLP industry could reduce the growth rate of cash flows received by the Fund from MLPs that grow through acquisitions.

A sustained decline in demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products could adversely affect MLP revenues and cash flows. Factors that could lead to a decrease in market demand include a recession or other adverse economic conditions, competition from alternative fuels, an increase in the market price of the underlying commodity, higher taxes or other regulatory actions that increase costs, or a shift in consumer demand for such products. Demand may also be adversely impacted by consumer sentiment with respect to global warming, increases in energy efficiency and energy conservation and/or by any state or federal legislation intended to promote the use of alternative energy sources, such as bio-fuels.

There are inherent risks in energy MLP industry that may cause the price of energy commodities to widely fluctuate. Swift price fluctuations can be caused by events relating to international politics, energy conservation, the success of energy source exploration projects, and tax and other government regulations. In addition to the inherent risks associated with investing in energy infrastructure companies discussed above, there are additional risks and hazards that are inherent in the natural gas industry. Some risks include, but are not limited to: unexpected drilling conditions; pressure or irregularities in formations; equipment failures or repairs; fires or other accidents; pipeline ruptures or spills; and shortages or delays in the availability of drilling rigs and the delivery of equipment.

The profitability of MLPs could be adversely affected by changes in the regulatory environment. Most MLPs’ assets are heavily regulated by federal and state governments in diverse matters, such as the way in which certain MLP assets are constructed, maintained and operated and the prices MLPs may charge for their services. Such regulation can change over time in scope and intensity. For example, a particular by-product of an MLP process may be declared hazardous by a regulatory agency and unexpectedly increase production costs. Moreover, many state and federal environmental laws provide for civil as well as regulatory remediation, thus adding to the potential exposure an MLP may face.

Extreme weather patterns, such as hurricane Ivan in 2004 and hurricane Katrina in 2005, could result in significant volatility in the supply of energy and power and could adversely impact the value of the securities in which the Funds invest. For example, a warmer winter could decrease the amount of natural gas used by heating customers. This volatility may create fluctuations in commodity prices and earnings of companies in the energy and natural gas infrastructure industry.

A rising interest rate environment could adversely impact the performance of MLPs. Rising interest rates could limit the capital appreciation of equity units of MLPs as a result of the increased availability of alternative investments at competitive yields with MLPs. Rising interest rates also may increase an MLP’s

 

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cost of capital. A higher cost of capital could limit growth from acquisition/expansion projects and limit MLP distribution growth rates.

Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. Government has issued public warnings indicating that energy assets, specifically those related to pipeline infrastructure, production facilities, and transmission and distribution facilities, might be specific targets of terrorist activity. The continued threat of terrorism and related military activity likely will increase volatility for prices in natural gas and oil and could affect the market for products of MLPs.

MLP Risk

Investments in securities of MLPs involve risks that differ from an investment in common stock.

Holders of units of MLPs have more limited control rights and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP as compared to holders of stock of a corporation. For example, MLP unit holders may not elect the general partner or the directors of the general partner and the MLP unit holders have limited ability to remove an MLP’s general partner.

MLPs are controlled by their general partners, which generally have conflicts of interest and limited fiduciary duties to the MLP, which may permit the general partner to favor its own interests over the MLPs.

The Funds derive substantially all of their cash flow from investments in equity securities of MLPs. The amount of cash that a Fund will have available to pay or distribute to you depends entirely on the ability of the MLPs that a Fund owns to make distributions to their partners and the tax character of those distributions. Neither the Fund nor the Investment Adviser has control over the actions of underlying MLPs. The amount of cash that each individual MLP can distribute to its partners will depend on the amount of cash it generates from operations, which will vary from quarter to quarter depending on factors affecting the natural gas infrastructure market generally and on factors affecting the particular business lines of the MLP. Available cash will also depend on the MLPs’ level of operating costs (including incentive distributions to the general partner), level of capital expenditures, debt service requirements, acquisition costs (if any), fluctuations in working capital needs, and other factors. The Funds expect to generate significant investment income, and the Funds’ investments may not distribute the expected or anticipated levels of cash, resulting in the risk that the Funds may not have the ability to make cash distributions as investors expect from MLP-focused investments.

MLP Tax Risks

The benefit you are expected to derive from the Funds’ investment in MLPs depends largely on the MLPs being treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a partnership, an MLP has no federal income tax liability at the entity level. If, as a result of a change in current law or a change in an MLP’s business, an MLP were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, the MLP would be obligated to pay federal income tax on its income at the corporate tax rate. If an MLP were classified as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, the amount of cash available for distribution would be reduced and part or all of the distributions the Funds receive might be taxed entirely as dividend income. Therefore, treatment of one or more MLPs as a corporation for federal income tax purposes could affect a Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective and would reduce the amount of cash available to pay or distribute to you.

The tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships could be subject to potential legislative, judicial, or administrative changes and differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in MLPs and therefore the value of your investment in a Fund.

Non-Diversification Risk

The Funds are non-diversified investment companies under the 1940 Act and will not elect to be treated as regulated investment companies under the Code. As a result, there are no regulatory requirements under the

 

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1940 Act or the Code that limit the proportion of a Fund’s assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer. Accordingly, the Funds may invest a greater portion of its assets in a more limited number of issuers than a diversified fund. The Funds will select its investments from the small pool of energy infrastructure MLPs consistent with its investment objective and policies. An investment in the Funds may present greater risk to an investor than an investment in a diversified portfolio because changes in the financial condition or market assessment of a single issuer may cause greater fluctuations in the value of the Funds’ Shares.

SECONDARY INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Each Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in component securities that comprise its respective Index. Each Fund may invest its remaining assets in securities not included in its respective Index, money market instruments, including repurchase agreements or other funds which invest exclusively in money market instruments, convertible securities, structured notes (notes on which the amount of principal repayment and interest payments are based on the movement of one or more specified factors, such as the movement of a particular stock or stock index), forward foreign currency exchange contracts and in swaps, options and futures contracts. Swaps, options and futures contracts (and convertible securities and structured notes) may be used by a Fund in seeking performance that corresponds to its respective Index, and in managing cash flows. The Funds will not invest in money market instruments as part of a temporary defensive strategy to protect against potential stock market declines. The Investment Adviser anticipates that it may take approximately three business days (i.e., each day the NYSE is open) for additions and deletions to the respective Index to be reflected in the portfolio composition of a Fund.

The Funds will not lend their portfolio securities.

ADDITIONAL RISK CONSIDERATIONS

In addition to the risks described previously, there are certain other risks related to investing in the Funds.

Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the NYSE Arca may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the NYSE Arca, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the NYSE Arca is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the NYSE Arca “Circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the NYSE Arca necessary to maintain the listing of the Funds will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value. The NAV of the Funds’ Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Funds’ holdings. The market prices of the Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the NYSE Arca. The Investment Adviser cannot predict whether the Shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for the Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the stocks of the Index trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time.

These risks are described further in the Statement of Additional Information.

 

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INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES

Investment Adviser

ALPS Advisors, Inc. acts as the Funds’ investment adviser pursuant to an advisory agreement with the Trust on behalf of each Fund (the “Advisory Agreement”). The Investment Adviser, located at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203, is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser. The Investment Adviser currently employs four investment professionals with more than 70 years combined industry experience managing sub-advisers. As of             , 2011, the Investment Adviser provided supervisory and management services on approximately $         billion in assets through closed-end funds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Investment Adviser manages the investment and reinvestment of the Funds’ assets and administers the affairs of the Funds to the extent requested by the Board of Trustees.

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, each Fund pays the Investment Adviser a unitary fee for the services and facilities it provides payable on a monthly basis at the annual rate of     % of the Fund’s average daily net assets. From time to time, the Investment Adviser may waive all or a portion of its fee.

Out of the unitary management fee, the Investment Adviser pays the expenses of the Funds, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services, other than taxes, interest expenses, distribution fees or expenses, brokerage expenses, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation not incurred in the ordinary course of the Funds’ business.

Approval of Advisory Agreement

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Advisory Agreement will be available in the Funds’ annual report to shareholders for the period ending June 30, 2011.

Portfolio Management

The Investment Adviser supervises and manages the investment portfolio of the Funds and directs the purchase and sale of the Funds’ investment securities based on the Indexes. The team meets regularly to review portfolio holdings and to discuss purchase and sale activity. The following members of the team are responsible for the day to day management of each Fund’s portfolio:

Michael Akins is Vice President of Product Risk Management & Portfolio Analytics. Mr. Akins heads the Index Management team covering domestic and international passive equity funds and is also responsible for the refinement and implementation of the equity portfolio management process. Prior to joining ALPS Advisors, Mr. Akins served as Deputy Chief Compliance Officer for ALPS Fund Services. Before joining ALPS, Mr. Akins was AVP and Compliance Officer for UMB Financial Corporation and prior to UMB, he was an Account Manager at State Street Corporation. Mr. Akins has over 10 years financial services experience, is a Certified Securities Compliance Professional®, Certified Internal Auditor ®, Honor Graduate from the Fiduciary and Investment Risk Management School and graduated from Briar Cliff University with a B.A. in Business Administration.

Daniel Franciscus, Senior Investment Analyst of ALPS Advisors joined ALPS in 2006 from Banc of America Investment Advisors (BAIA). Mr. Franciscus is a senior member of the Index Mgmt. team covering domestic and international passive equity funds and is also responsible for the refinement and implementation of the equity portfolio management process. Prior to joining BAIA in 1999, Mr. Franciscus was a Mutual Fund Analyst for Evergreen Investments and prior to Evergreen, he worked as Senior International Fund Accountant for Scudder, Stevens & Clark. Mr. Franciscus holds a B.S. in Occupational Safety & Health from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Northeastern University.

 

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The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities of the Funds.

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

Book Entry

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

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

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

Most investors will buy and sell Shares of the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Funds will be listed for trading on the secondary market on NYSE Arca. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares. There is no minimum investment. Although Shares are generally purchased and sold in “round lots” of 100 Shares, brokerage firms typically permit investors to purchase or sell Shares in smaller “oddlots” at no per-share price differential. When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The Funds’ Shares are expected to be approved for listing on NYSE Arca, subject to notice of issuance, under the symbol “        ” and “        .”

Pricing Fund Shares

The trading price of the Funds’ Shares on the NYSE Arca may differ from the Funds’ daily NAV and can be affected by market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors.

The NYSE Arca intends to disseminate the approximate value of Shares of the Funds every fifteen seconds. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV per Share of the Funds because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day. The Funds are not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value and the Funds do not make any warranty as to its accuracy.

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

Equity securities are valued at the last reported sale price on the principal exchange on which such securities are traded, as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca on the day the securities are being valued or, if there are no sales, at the mean of the most recent bid and asked prices. Equity securities that are traded in over-the-counter markets are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca on the day the securities are valued or, if there are no sales, at the mean

 

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of the most recent bid and asked prices. Debt securities are valued at the mean between the last available bid and asked prices for such securities or, if such prices are not available, at prices for securities of comparable maturity, quality, and type. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available, including restricted securities, are valued by a method that the Trustees believe accurately reflects fair value. Securities will be valued at fair value when market quotations are not readily available or are deemed unreliable, such as when a security’s value or meaningful portion of the Funds’ portfolio is believed to have been materially affected by a significant event. Such events may include a natural disaster, an economic event like a bankruptcy filing, a trading halt in a security, an unscheduled early market close or a substantial fluctuation in domestic and foreign markets that has occurred between the close of the principal exchange and the NYSE Arca. In such a case, the value for a security is likely to be different from the last quoted market price. In addition, due to the subjective and variable nature of fair market value pricing, it is possible that the value determined for a particular asset may be materially different from the value realized upon such asset’s sale.

FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS

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

FUND SERVICE PROVIDERS

ALPS Fund Services, Inc. is the administrator of the Funds.

The Bank of New York Mellon is the custodian, fund accounting agent and transfer agent for the Funds.

Dechert LLP serves as counsel to the Funds.

[            ] serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Funds.

INDEX PROVIDER

Alerian is the index provider for the Funds. Alerian is an independent company that provides objective market information and is a leader of MLP-market intelligence, providing benchmarks, data sets, and analytics that are used extensively by a range of stakeholders such as investment banks, stock exchanges, investment professionals and consultants, and Master Limited Partnerships. The company started its business of developing and maintaining financial indexes, including the Indexes, on June 1, 2006. Alerian has entered into an index licensing agreement (the “Licensing Agreement”) with the Investment Adviser to allow the Investment Adviser’s use of each Index for the operation of the Funds. The Investment Adviser pays licensing fees to Alerian from the Investment Adviser’s management fees or other resources. The Investment Adviser has, in turn, entered into a sub-licensing agreement (the “Sub-Licensing Agreement”) with the Trust to allow each Fund to utilize its respective Index. The Funds pay no fees to Alerian or the Investment Adviser under the Sub-Licensing Agreement.

DISCLAIMERS

Alerian is the designer of the construction and methodology for each Index. “Alerian,” “Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index,” “Alerian Natural Gas MLP Index,” “Alerian Index Series,” “AMZI” and “ANGI” are service marks or trademarks of Alerian. Alerian acts as brand licensor for each Index. Alerian is not responsible for the descriptions of the Indexes or the Funds that appear herein. Alerian is not affiliated with the Trust, the Investment Adviser or the Distributor.

 

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The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by the Index Parties. The Index Parties make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities or commodities generally or in the Funds particularly and do not guarantee the quality, accuracy or completeness of each Index or any Index data included herein or derived therefrom and assume no liability in connection with their use. Each Index is determined and composed without regard to the Investment Adviser or the Funds. The Index Parties have no obligation to take the needs of the Investment Adviser, the Funds or the shareholders of the Funds into consideration in connection with the foregoing. The Index Parties are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of pricing or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Shares of the Funds or in the determination or calculation of the NAV of the Funds. The Index Parties have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration or trading of the Funds.

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

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

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

Net Investment Income and Capital Gains

As a shareholder of the Funds, you are entitled to your share of the Funds’ distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains on its investments. The Funds pay out substantially all of their net earnings to their shareholders as “distributions.”

It is the policy of the Trust each fiscal year to distribute substantially all of the Funds’ net investment income (i.e., generally, the income that they earn from cash distributions and interest on their investments, and any capital gains, net of the Funds’ expenses). A portion of the Funds’ distributions are also expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes.

The Trust is an open-end registered investment company under the 1940 Act. As such, the Funds are generally limited under the 1940 Act to one distribution in any one taxable year of long-term capital gains realized by the Funds. In this regard, that portion of the Funds’ income which consists of gain realized by the Funds on a sale of equity units in an MLP (other than the portion of such gain representing recapture income) may constitute long-term capital gain subject to this limitation. Cash distributions received by the Funds from the MLPs in which the Funds invest generally will not constitute long-term capital gain, except to the extent that (i) such MLP distributions relate to long-term capital gain realized by the MLP on a sale by the MLP of its assets or (ii) the distributions received from a particular MLP exceed such Fund’s tax basis in its equity units in such MLP. The Funds do not expect that a material portion of the cash distributions they receive from MLPs in which they invest will constitute long-term capital gain.

 

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The Funds may determine to distribute at least annually amounts representing the full dividend yield net of expenses on the underlying investment securities, as if the Funds owned the underlying investment securities for the entire dividend period in which case some portion of each distribution may result in a return of capital. You will be notified regarding the portion of the distribution which represents a return of capital.

Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional Shares of the Funds only if the broker through which you purchased Shares makes such option available.

FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION

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

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

 

   

The Funds make distributions,

 

   

You sell your Shares listed on NYSE Arca, and

 

   

You purchase or redeem Creation Units.

Please note that you are still subject to taxes on withdrawals that you make from an IRA plan.

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in Shares of the Funds. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this Prospectus and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, this summary assumes that shareholders of the Funds hold Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Code and does not hold Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Shares of the Funds, to shareholders of the Funds that are, or that are holding Shares through, a partnership (or other pass-through entity) or to shareholders of the Funds subject to special tax rules. Prospective shareholders of the Funds are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in Fund Shares.

The following discussion is based upon the Code, Treasury Regulations, judicial authorities, published positions of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other applicable authorities, all as in effect on the date of this Prospectus and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations (possibly with retroactive effect). No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS regarding any matter discussed in this Prospectus. Counsel to the Funds has not rendered any legal opinion regarding any tax consequences relating to the Funds or your investment in the Funds. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax information set out below.

Tax matters are complicated, and the tax consequences of an investment in and holding of the Funds’ Shares will depend on the particular facts of each investor’s situation. You are advised to consult your own tax advisors with respect to the application to your own circumstances of the general federal income tax rules described below and with respect to other federal, state, local, or foreign tax consequences to you before making an investment in the Funds’ Shares.

Federal Income Taxation of the Fund

The Funds are taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes and as such is obligated to pay federal and applicable state and foreign corporate taxes on its taxable income. This differs from most investment companies, which elect to be treated as “regulated investment companies” under the Code in order to avoid paying entity level income taxes. Under current law, the Funds are not eligible to elect

 

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treatment as regulated investment companies due to their investments primarily in MLPs invested in energy assets. As a result, the Funds will be obligated to pay federal and state taxes on their taxable income as opposed to most other investment companies which are not so obligated.

As discussed below, the Funds expect that a portion of the distribution they receive from MLPs may be treated as a tax-deferred return of capital, thus reducing the Funds’ current tax liability. However, the amount of taxes currently paid by the Funds will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from investments and/or sales of MLP interests and such taxes will reduce your return from an investment in the Funds.

The Funds invest their assets primarily in MLPs, which generally are treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a partner in the MLPs, the Funds must report their allocable share of the MLPs’ taxable income in computing their taxable income, regardless of the extent (if any) to which the MLPs make distributions. Based upon the Investment Adviser’s review of the historic results of the types of MLPs in which the Funds invest, the Investment Adviser expects that the cash flow received by the Funds with respect to their MLP investments will generally exceed the taxable income allocated to the Funds (and this excess generally will not be currently taxable to the Funds but, rather, will result in a reduction of the Funds’ adjusted tax basis in each MLP as described in the following paragraph). This is the result of a variety of factors, including significant non-cash deductions, such as accelerated depreciation. There is no assurance that the Investment Adviser’s expectation regarding the tax character of MLP distributions will be realized. If this expectation is not realized, there may be greater tax expense borne by the Funds and less cash available to distribute to you or to pay to expenses.

The Funds will also be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular graduated corporate tax rates on any gain recognized by the applicable Funds on any sale of equity securities of an MLP. Cash distributions from an MLP to the Funds that exceed such Fund’s allocable share of such MLP’s net taxable income will reduce the Funds’ adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in the Funds’ adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of any taxable gain (or decrease the amount of any tax loss) recognized by the Funds on a subsequent sale of the securities.

The Funds will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its investments. Upon the sale of a MLP security, the Funds may be liable for previously deferred taxes. The Funds will rely to some extent on information provided by the MLPs which is not necessarily timely, to estimate deferred tax liability for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining the NAV. From time to time, the Investment Adviser will modify the estimates or assumptions regarding the Funds’ deferred tax liability as new information becomes available. The Funds will generally compute deferred income taxes based on the federal income tax rate applicable to corporations currently 35% and an assumed rate attributable to state taxes.

Federal Income Taxation of Holders of the Funds’ Shares — U.S. Shareholders

Receipt of Distributions

Distributions made to you by the Funds (other than distributions in redemption of shares subject to Section 302(b) of the Code) will generally constitute dividends to the extent of your allocable share of the Funds’ current or accumulated earnings and profits, as calculated for federal income tax purposes. Generally, a corporation’s earnings and profits are computed based upon taxable income, with certain specified adjustments. As explained above, based upon the historic performance of the types of MLPs in which the Funds intend to invest, the Investment Adviser anticipates that the distributed cash from the MLPs generally will exceed the Funds’ Share of the MLPs’ taxable income. Consequently, the Investment Adviser anticipates that only a portion of the Funds’ distributions will be treated as dividend income to you. To the extent that distributions to you exceed your allocable share of the Funds’ current and accumulated earnings and profits, your tax basis in the Funds’ Shares with respect to which the distribution is made will be reduced, which will increase the amount of any taxable gain (or decrease the amount of any tax loss) realized upon a subsequent sale or redemption of such shares. To the extent you hold such shares as a

 

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capital asset and have no further basis in the shares to offset the distribution, you will report the excess as capital gain.

Distributions treated as dividends under the foregoing rules generally will be taxable as ordinary income to you but may be treated as “qualified dividend income.” Under current federal income tax law, qualified dividend income received by individuals and other non corporate shareholders is taxed at long-term capital gain rates, which currently reach a maximum of 15% (scheduled to increase to 20% for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013). However, the favorable tax treatment applicable to qualified dividends is set to expire for tax years beginning after December 31, 2012 and, thus, qualifying dividend income will thereafter be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to ordinary income (which rates are scheduled to increase at that time to a maximum rate of 39.6%), unless further Congressional action is taken. For a dividend to constitute qualified dividend income, the shareholder generally must hold the shares paying the dividend for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date, although a longer period may apply if the shareholder engages in certain risk reduction transactions with respect to the common stock.

Dividends paid by the Funds are expected to be eligible for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders under Section 243 of the Code. However, corporate shareholders should be aware that certain limitations apply to the availability of the dividends received deduction, including rules which limit the deduction in cases where (i) certain holding period requirements are not met, (ii) the corporate shareholder is obligated (e.g., pursuant to a short sale) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, or (iii) the corporate shareholder’s investment in shares of a particular Fund is financed with indebtedness. Corporate shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of these limitations to their particular situations.

Redemptions and Sales of Shares

A redemption of common shares will be treated as a sale or exchange of such shares, provided the redemption either is not essentially equivalent to a dividend, is a substantially disproportionate redemption, is a complete redemption of a shareholder’s entire interest in a Fund, or is in partial liquidation of such Fund. Redemptions that do not qualify for sale or exchange treatment will be treated as described in “Receipt of Distributions” above.

Upon a redemption treated as a sale or exchange under the foregoing rules, or upon a sale of your shares to a third party, you generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the cost of your shares and the amount you receive when you sell them. An exchange of shares of the Funds for shares of another fund will be treated as a taxable sale of such Fund’s Shares with an amount realized equal to the fair market value of the shares received in the exchange. Any such capital gain or loss will be a long-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares for more than one year at the time of disposition. Long-term capital gains of certain non-corporate common shareholders (including individuals) are currently subject to U.S. federal income taxation at a maximum rate of 15% (scheduled to increase to 20% for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013). The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations under the Code.

Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on their unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI. Because the Funds are corporations for federal income tax purposes, an owner of any of the Funds’ Shares will not report on its federal income tax return any items of income, gain, loss, and deduction that are allocated to the Funds from the MLPs in which the Funds invest. Moreover, dividend income from, and gain from the sale of, corporate stock generally does not constitute UBTI unless the corporate stock is debt-financed. Therefore, a tax-exempt investor will not have UBTI attributable to its ownership, sale, or the redemption of such Fund’s Shares unless its ownership is debt-financed. In general, shares are considered to be debt-financed if the tax-exempt owner of the shares incurred debt to acquire the shares or otherwise incurred a debt that would not have been incurred if the shares had not been acquired.

 

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Similarly, the income and gain realized from an investment in the Funds’ Shares by an investor that is a regulated investment company will constitute qualifying income for the regulated investment company. Furthermore, the Funds’ Shares will constitute “qualifying assets” to regulated investment companies, which generally must own at least 50% in qualifying assets at the end of each quarter, provided that the amount of the Funds’ Shares owned by the regulated investment company does not constitute more than 5% of the value of the total assets held by the regulated investment company or more than 10% of the Funds’ outstanding voting securities.

Federal Income Taxation of Holders of the Fund’s Shares — Non-U.S. Shareholders

For purposes of this summary, the term “Non-U.S. Shareholder” means a beneficial owner of the Funds’ Shares that is not a U.S. Shareholder.

Receipt of Distributions.

Distributions by the Funds will be treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from such Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Dividends paid by the Funds to a Non-U.S. Shareholder generally will be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty. If an income tax treaty applies to a Non-U.S. Shareholder, the Non-U.S. Shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under the treaty in order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding tax.

If the amount of a distribution exceeds a Non-U.S. Shareholder’s allocable share of the Funds’ current and accumulated earnings and profits, such excess will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the Non-U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis in such Fund’s Shares. To the extent that any distribution received by a Non-U.S. Shareholder exceeds the sum of (i) such Non-U.S. Shareholder’s allocable share of the Funds’ current and accumulated earnings and profits and (ii) such Non-U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis in such Fund’s Shares, such excess will be treated as gain from the sale of the shares and will be taxed as described in “Redemptions and Sales of Shares” below.

Redemptions and Sales of Shares

A redemption of common shares will be treated as a sale or exchange of such shares, provided the redemption either is not essentially equivalent to a dividend, is a substantially disproportionate redemption, is a complete redemption of a shareholder’s entire interest in the Funds, or is in partial liquidation of such Fund. Redemptions that do not qualify for sale or exchange treatment will be treated as described in “Receipt of Distributions” above.

A Non-U.S. Shareholder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized on a redemption that is treated as a sale or exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or on gain realized on the sale, exchange or other non-redemption disposition of the Fund’s Shares, except in the following cases:

- the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business of the Non-U.S. Shareholder in the U.S. or, if the Non-U.S. Shareholder is a qualifying resident of a country with which the U.S. has a tax treaty, such gain is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by such Non-U.S. Shareholder in the U.S.,

- the Non-U.S. Shareholder is an individual who is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and who has a “tax home” in the U.S., or

- the Funds are or have been U.S. real property holding corporations, as defined below, at any time within the five-year period preceding the date of disposition of the common shares or, if shorter, within the period during which the Non-U.S. Shareholder has held the common shares. Generally, a corporation is a U.S. real property holding corporation if the fair market value of its U.S. real property interests, as defined in the Code and applicable regulations, equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. The Funds may be, or

 

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may prior to a Non-U.S. Shareholder’s disposition of common shares become, a U.S. real property holding corporation.

Any Non-U.S. Shareholder who is described in one of the foregoing cases is urged to consult his, her or its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the redemption, sale, exchange or other disposition of common shares.

Backup Withholding

Federal regulations generally require the Funds to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a “backup withholding” tax with respect to dividends and the proceeds of any redemption paid to you if you fail to furnish the applicable Fund or the Funds’ paying agent with a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-9, Form W-8BEN, or other applicable form. Furthermore, the IRS may notify the applicable Fund to institute backup withholding if the IRS determines that your TIN is incorrect or if you have failed to properly report taxable dividends or interest on a federal tax return. A TIN is either the Social Security number or employer identification number of the record owner of the account. Any tax withheld as a result of backup withholding does not constitute an additional tax imposed on the record owner of the account and may be claimed as a credit on the record owner’s federal income tax return. The backup withholding rate is currently 28% and is scheduled to increase to 31% on January 1, 2013. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.

Taxes on Exchange-Listed Shares Sales

Currently, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year, and treated as short-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for one year or less.

Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

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

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

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

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Funds. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You may also be subject to state and local taxation on Fund distributions, and sales of Fund Shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Fund Shares under all applicable tax laws.

OTHER INFORMATION

For purposes of the 1940 Act, the Funds are treated as registered investment companies. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including Shares of the Funds. The SEC has issued an exemptive order to the Trust permitting registered investment companies to invest in exchange-traded funds offered by the Trust beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions, including that such registered investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust.

 

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CONTINUOUS OFFERING

The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the Prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into individual Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to categorization as an underwriter.

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available with respect to such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer-firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an over-allotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(a) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Funds are reminded that under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the NYSE Arca is satisfied by the fact that such Fund’s Prospectus is available at the NYSE Arca upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

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

Premium/Discount Information

Information regarding how often the Shares of the Funds traded on the NYSE Arca at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Funds during the past calendar year can be found at www.alpsetfs.com.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The Funds have not yet commenced operations and therefore do not have a financial history.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Existing Shareholders or Prospective Investors

 

   

Call your financial professional

 

   

www.alpsetfs.com; www.mlpetf.com

 

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Dealers

 

   

www.alpsetfs.com; www.mlpetf.com

 

   

Distributor Telephone: 866.675.2639; 877.526.9298

 

 

Investment Adviser

  

Transfer Agent

ALPS Advisors, Inc.

  

The Bank of New York Mellon

1290 Broadway

  

101 Barclay Street

Suite 1100

  

New York, New York 10286

Denver, Colorado 80203

  
  

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Distributor

  

ALPS Distributors, Inc.

  

1290 Broadway

  

Suite 1100

  

Denver, Colorado 80203

  

Custodian

  

The Bank of New York Mellon

  

101 Barclay Street

  

New York, New York 10286

  

Legal Counsel

  

Dechert LLP

  

1095 Avenue of the Americas

  

New York, New York 10036

  

 

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A Statement of Additional Information dated             , 2011, which contains more details about the Funds, is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus.

You will find additional information about the Funds in their annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, when available. The annual report will explain the market conditions and investment strategies affecting the Funds’ performance during its last fiscal year.

You can ask questions or obtain a free copy of the Funds’ shareholder reports or the Statement of Additional Information by calling 866.675.2639 or 877.526.9298. Free copies of the Funds’ shareholder reports and the Statement of Additional Information are available from our website at www.alpsetfs.com.

The Funds send only one report to a household if more than one account has the same address. Contact the transfer agent if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Information about the Funds, including its reports and the Statement of Additional Information, has been filed with the SEC. It can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC or on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 202.551.8090. You can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC’s e-mail address (publicinfo@sec.gov) or by writing the Public Reference section of the SEC, 100 F Street NE, Room 1580, Washington, DC 20549-1520.

PROSPECTUS

Distributor

ALPS Distributors, Inc.

1290 Broadway

Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

            , 2011

Investment Company Act File No. 811-22175.

 

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The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. The Trust may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion

Preliminary Statement of Additional Information dated May 2, 2011

ALPS ETF Trust

Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF (Ticker:             )

Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (Ticker:             )

Statement of Additional Information

Dated             , 2011

PRINCIPAL LISTING EXCHANGE FOR THE ETFS: NYSE Arca, Inc.

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus dated             , 2011 for the Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF, each a series of the ALPS ETF Trust (the “Trust”), as it may be revised from time to time. Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by writing to the Trust’s Distributor, ALPS Distributors, Inc., or by calling toll free 866.513.5856.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUNDS

     1   

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND RESTRICTIONS

  

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS

     3   

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

     6   

MANAGEMENT

     7   

AGGREGATIONS

     18   

PROXY VOTING POLICIES

     18   

QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO SCHEDULE

     18   

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS POLICY

     19   

CODE OF ETHICS

     19   


Table of Contents

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST

  

19

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

  

20

CONTROL PERSONS

  

20

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

  

20

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS

  

21

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

  

28

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

  

28

TAXATION

  

29

INDICATIVE INTRA-DAY VALUE

  

31

OTHER INFORMATION

  

31

LICENSE AGREEMENT AND DISCLAIMERS

  

32


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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUNDS

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on September 13, 2007 and is authorized to have multiple series or portfolios. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Trust currently consists of              investment portfolios. This SAI relates to the Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”). The shares of the Funds are referred to herein as “Shares” or “Fund Shares.”

Each Fund will offer and issue Shares at net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each a “Creation Unit” or a “Creation Unit Aggregation”), generally in exchange for a basket of securities included in its underlying index (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”). Each Fund’s Shares are expected to be listed on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”). Fund Shares trade on NYSE Arca at market prices that may be below, at, or above NAV. Shares will be redeemable only in Creation Unit Aggregations and, principally, for cash. Creation Units are aggregations of 50,000 Shares. In the event of the liquidation of the Funds, the Trust may lower the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.

The Trust reserves the right to offer a “cash” option for creations and redemptions of Fund Shares. Fund Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash at least equal to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. See the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations” section. In each instance of such cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees may be imposed that will be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

Investment Objectives

The Funds have distinct investment objectives and policies. There can be no assurance that a Fund’s objective will be achieved. The investment objective of each Fund is to seek investment results that correspond (before fees and expenses) generally to the price and yield performance of its underlying index. The Indexes were created by Alerian (“Alerian”)

All investment objectives and investment policies not specifically designated as fundamental may be changed without shareholder approval. Additional information about the Fund, its policies, and the investment instruments it may hold is provided below.

A Fund’s Share prices will fluctuate with market, economic and, to the extent applicable, foreign exchange conditions. The Funds should not be relied upon as a complete investment program.

Investment Restrictions

The investment restrictions set forth below have been adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) as fundamental policies that cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Funds. The investment objective of the Funds and all other investment policies or practices of the Funds are considered by the Trust not to be fundamental and accordingly may be changed without shareholder approval. For purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of the outstanding voting securities” means the lesser of the vote of (i) 67% or more of the Shares of a Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares of a Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the Shares of a Fund.

Except for restriction (2), any limitation which involves a maximum percentage shall not be considered violated unless an excess over the percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition or

 

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encumbrance of securities or assets of, or borrowings by, the Funds. With respect to the Funds’ fundamental investment restriction 7, asset coverage of at least 300% (as defined in the 1940 Act), inclusive of any amounts borrowed, must be maintained at all times.

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Funds (except as otherwise noted below) may not:

(1) Invest 25% of its total assets in the securities of issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry or group of industries (excluding the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities). Nonetheless, to the extent a Fund’s Index is concentrated in a particular industry or group of industries, a Fund’s investments will exceed this 25% limitation to the extent that it is necessary to gain exposure to Index Components (as defined below) to track its Index.

(2) Borrow money, except (1) to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act (which currently limits borrowing to no more than 33 1/3% of the value of a Fund’s total assets) and (ii) to enter into other investments or engage in other transactions permissible under the 1940 Act that may involve a borrowing, provided that the combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of a Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed), less the Fund’s liabilities (other than borrowings).

(3) Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that a Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.

(4) Make loans to other persons, except through (i) the purchase of debt securities permissible under a Fund’s investment policies, (ii) repurchase agreements or (iii) the lending of portfolio securities, provided that no such loan of portfolio securities may be made by a Fund if, as a result, the aggregate of such loans would exceed 33 1/3% of the value of a Fund’s total assets.

(5) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent a Fund (i) from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts or other derivative instruments, or (ii) from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

(6) Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prohibit a Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other instruments backed by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate activities).

(7) Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

Except for restriction (2), if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a later increase in percentage resulting from a change in market value of the investment or the total assets, or the sale of a security out of the portfolio, will not constitute a violation of that restriction.

In addition to the foregoing fundamental investment policies, the Funds are also subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions and policies, which may be changed at any time by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. The Funds may not:

(1) Sell securities short, unless a Fund owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short at no added cost, and provided that transactions in options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, or other derivative instruments are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

(2) Purchase securities on margin, except that a Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions; and provided that margin deposits in connection with futures contracts, options on futures contracts or other derivative instruments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

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(3) Purchase securities of open-end or closed-end investment companies except in compliance with the 1940 Act.

(4) Invest in illiquid securities if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of a Fund’s net assets would be invested in illiquid securities.

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS

A discussion of the risks associated with an investment in the Funds is contained in the Funds’ Prospectus under the headings “Principal Investment Risks,” “Principal Risks of Investing in the Funds” and “Additional Risk Considerations.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Funds’ Prospectus.

General Considerations and Risks

Investment in the Funds should be made with an understanding that the value of the portfolio of securities held by the Funds may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of common stocks generally and other factors.

The Funds are not actively managed by traditional methods and therefore the adverse financial condition of any one issuer will not result in the elimination of its securities from the portfolio securities held by the Funds unless the securities of such issuer are removed from the respective Index.

An investment in the Funds should also be made with an understanding that the Funds will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the respective Index because the total return generated by its portfolio securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of such securities and other Fund expenses, whereas such transaction costs and expenses are not included in the calculation of the Index. It is also possible that for short periods of time, the Funds may not fully replicate the performance of the respective Index due to the temporary unavailability of certain Index securities in the Secondary Market or due to other extraordinary circumstances. Such events are unlikely to continue for an extended period of time because the Funds are required to correct such imbalances by means of adjusting the composition of its portfolio securities.

Each Index consists of a number of components (the “Index Components”) selected in accordance with Alerian’s rules-based methodology for such Index. Each qualification of an Index Component set forth below is measured as of each quarterly rebalance date.

Under normal circumstances, at least 90% of each Fund’s net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes will be invested in its Index Components. In addition, each Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in investments not included in its respective Index, but which the Investment Adviser (as defined below) believes will help the Fund track its Index. For example, there may be instances in which the Investment Adviser may choose to purchase (or sell) securities not in the Index which the Investment Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for one or more Index Components in seeking to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index.

Furthermore, the Funds may invest in one or more financial instruments, including but not limited to futures contracts, swap agreements and forward contracts, reverse repurchase agreements, and options on securities, indices and futures contracts (collectively, “Financial Instruments”). As an example of the use of such Financial Instruments, the Funds may use total return swaps on one or more Index Components in order to achieve exposures that are similar to those of the respective Index.

Loans of Portfolio Securities. The Fund swill not lend their portfolio securities.

Senior Securities. In general, the Funds may not issue any class of senior security, except within the limitations of the 1940 Act. These limitations allow the Funds to (i) borrow from banks, provided that immediately following any such borrowing there is an asset coverage of at least 300% (the “Asset

 

3


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Coverage Requirement”) for all Fund borrowings, and (ii) engage in trading practices which could be deemed to involve the issuance of a senior security, including but not limited to options, futures, forward contracts, and reverse repurchase agreements, provided that the Fund earmarks or segregates liquid assets in accordance with applicable SEC regulations and interpretations.

Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements, which are agreements pursuant to which securities are acquired by the Funds from a third party with the understanding that they will be repurchased by the seller at a fixed price on an agreed date. These agreements may be made with respect to any of the portfolio securities in which the Funds are authorized to invest. Repurchase agreements may be characterized as loans secured by the underlying securities. The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements with (i) member banks of the Federal Reserve System having total assets in excess of $500 million and (ii) securities dealers (“Qualified Institutions”). The Investment Adviser will monitor the continued creditworthiness of Qualified Institutions.

The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the seller of securities under a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities, as a result of its bankruptcy or otherwise, the Funds will seek to dispose of such securities, which action could involve costs or delays. If the seller becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under applicable bankruptcy or other laws, the Funds’ ability to dispose of the underlying securities may be restricted. Finally, it is possible that the Funds may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying securities. To minimize this risk, the securities underlying the repurchase agreement will be held by the custodian at all times in an amount at least equal to the repurchase price, including accrued interest. If the seller fails to repurchase the securities, the Funds may suffer a loss to the extent proceeds from the sale of the underlying securities are less than the repurchase price.

The resale price reflects the purchase price plus an agreed upon market rate of interest. The collateral is marked-to-market daily.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of securities with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment and have the characteristics of borrowing. The securities purchased with the funds obtained from the agreement and securities collateralizing the agreement will have maturity dates no later than the repayment date. Generally, the effect of such transactions is that the Funds can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while in many cases the Funds are able to keep some of the interest income associated with those securities. Such transactions are only advantageous if the Funds have an opportunity to earn a greater rate of return on the cash derived from these transactions than the interest cost of obtaining the same amount of cash. Opportunities to realize earnings from the use of the proceeds equal to or greater than the interest required to be paid may not always be available and the Funds intend to use the reverse repurchase technique only when the Investment Adviser believes it will be advantageous to the Funds. The use of reverse repurchase agreements may exaggerate any interim increase or decrease in the value of the Funds’ assets. The custodian bank will maintain a separate account for the Funds with securities having a value equal to or greater than such commitments. Under the 1940 Act, reverse repurchase agreements are considered loans.

Money Market Instruments. The Funds may invest a portion of their assets in high-quality money market instruments on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity. The instruments in which the Funds may invest include: (i) short-term obligations issued by the U.S. Government; (ii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of U.S. and foreign banks and similar institutions; (iii) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or “A-1+” or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Investment Adviser; (iv) repurchase agreements; and (v) money market mutual funds. CDs are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Banker’s acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.

 

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Investment Companies. The Funds may invest in the securities of other investment companies (including money market funds). Under the 1940 Act, the Funds’ investment in investment companies is limited to, subject to certain exceptions, (i) 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the Funds’ total assets with respect to any one investment company and (iii) 10% of the Funds’ total assets of investment companies in the aggregate.

Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets.

Futures and Options. The Funds may utilize exchange-traded futures and options contracts.

Futures contracts generally provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified commodity at a specified future time and at a specified price. Stock index futures contracts are settled daily with a payment by one party to the other of a cash amount based on the difference between the level of the stock index specified in the contract from one day to the next. Futures contracts are standardized as to maturity date and underlying instrument and are traded on futures exchanges.

Futures traders are required to make a good faith margin deposit in cash or U.S. government securities with a broker or custodian to initiate and maintain open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit is intended to assure completion of the contract (delivery or acceptance of the underlying commodity or payment of the cash settlement amount) if it is not terminated prior to the specified delivery date. Brokers may establish deposit requirements which are higher than the exchange minimums. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin deposits which may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.

After a futures contract position is opened, the value of the contract is marked-to-market daily. If the futures contract price changes to the extent that the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, payment of additional “variation” margin will be required. Conversely, a change in the contract value may reduce the required margin, resulting in a repayment of excess margin to the contract holder. Variation margin payments are made to and from the futures broker for as long as the contract remains open. In such case, the Funds would expect to earn interest income on its margin deposits. Closing out an open futures position is done by taking an opposite position (“buying” a contract which has previously been “sold,” or “selling” a contract previously “purchased”) in an identical contract to terminate the position. Brokerage commissions are incurred when a futures contract position is opened or closed.

The Funds may use exchange-traded futures and options, together with positions in cash and money market instruments, to simulate full investment in its Underlying Index. Under such circumstances, the Investment Adviser may seek to utilize other instruments that it believes to be correlated to the Underlying Index components or a subset of the components.

An option on a futures contract, as contrasted with the direct investment in such a contract, gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the underlying futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option. Upon exercise of an option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account that represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. The potential for loss related to the purchase of an option on a futures contract is limited to the premium paid for the option plus transaction costs. Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of purchase, there are no daily cash payments by the purchaser to reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option changes daily and that change would be reflected in the NAV of the Funds. The potential for loss related to writing call options on equity securities or indices is unlimited. The potential for loss related to writing put options is limited only by the aggregate strike price of the put option less the premium received.

 

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The Funds may purchase and write put and call options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange as a hedge against changes in value of its portfolio securities, or in anticipation of the purchase of securities, and may enter into closing transactions with respect to such options to terminate existing positions. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected.

Restrictions on the Use of Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has eliminated limitations on futures trading by certain regulated entities, including registered investment companies, and consequently registered investment companies may engage in unlimited futures transactions and options thereon provided that the investment adviser to the company claims an exclusion from regulation as a commodity pool operator. In connection with its management of the Trust, the Investment Adviser has claimed such an exclusion from registration as a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”). Therefore, it is not subject to the registration and regulatory requirements of the CEA. Therefore, there are no limitations on the extent to which the Funds may engage in non-hedging transactions involving futures and options thereon, except as set forth in the Funds’ Prospectus and this SAI.

Swap Agreements. Swap agreements are contracts between parties in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to the other party (the “Counterparty”) based on the change in market value or level of a specified rate, index or asset. In return, the Counterparty agrees to make periodic payments to the first party based on the return of a different specified rate, index or asset. Swap agreements will usually be done on a net basis, the Funds receiving or paying only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Funds’ obligations over its entitlements with respect to each swap is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or highly liquid securities having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained in an account at the Trust’s custodian bank.

The use of interest rate and index swaps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. These transactions generally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal.

The use of swap agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the Counterparty under a swap agreement defaults on its obligation to make payments due from it, as a result of its bankruptcy or otherwise, the Funds may lose such payments altogether, or collect only a portion thereof, which collection could involve costs or delays.

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

There can be no assurance that the requirements of NYSE Arca necessary to maintain the listing of Shares of the Funds will continue to be met. NYSE Arca may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of the Funds from listing if (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the Shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (ii) the value of the Underlying Index is no longer calculated or available; or (iii) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of NYSE Arca, makes further dealings on NYSE Arca inadvisable. NYSE Arca will remove the Shares of the Funds from listing and trading upon termination of the Funds.

The Funds’ continued listing on the Exchange or another stock exchange or market system is a condition of the exemptive relief the Funds obtained from the SEC to operate as exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Funds’ failure to be so listed would result in the termination of the Funds.

As in the case of other stocks traded on NYSE Arca, broker’s commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the price levels of the Shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

 

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MANAGEMENT

The business of the Trust is managed under the direction of the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Subject to the provisions of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws and Delaware law, the Trustees have all powers necessary and convenient to carry out this responsibility. The Board elects the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the Trust’s day-to-day operations. Each Trustee serves until his or her successor is duly elected or appointed and qualified.

The general supervision of the duties performed by the Investment Adviser for the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreement is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. The Trust currently has four Trustees. Three Trustees have no affiliation or business connection with the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliated persons and do not own any stock or other securities issued by the Investment Adviser. These are the “non-interested” or “independent” Trustees (“Independent Trustees”). The other Trustee (the “Interested Trustee”) is affiliated with the Investment Adviser.

The Independent Trustees of the Trust, their term of office and length of time served, their principal business occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex (defined below) overseen by each Independent Trustee, and other directorships, if any, held by the Trustee are shown below.

 

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Independent Trustees

 

Name, Address

and Age of

Independent

Trustees*

  

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

  

Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served**

  

Principal

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trustees***

  

Other

Directorships

Held by

Trustees

Mary K. Anstine, age 70    Trustee    Since March 2008   

Ms. Anstine was President/Chief Executive Officer of HealthONE Alliance, Denver, Colorado, and former Executive Vice President of First Interstate Bank of Denver. Ms. Anstine is also Trustee/Director of the following: AV

Hunter Trust; Colorado Uplift Board. Ms. Anstine was formerly a Director of the Trust Bank of Colorado (later purchased and now known as Northern Trust Bank), HealthONE and Denver Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and a member of the American Bankers Association Trust Executive Committee.

   25   

Ms. Anstine is a Trustee of Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust (5 funds); Financial Investors Trust (11 funds); Reaves Utility Income Fund; and

Westcore Trust (12 funds).

 

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Name, Address

and Age of

Independent

Trustees*

  

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

  

Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served**

  

Principal

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trustees***

  

Other

Directorships

Held by

Trustees

Jeremy W.

Deems, age 34

   Trustee    Since March 2008    Mr. Deems is the Co-Founder, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Green Alpha Advisors, LLC. Prior to joining Green Alpha Advisors, Mr. Deems was CFO and Treasurer of Forward Management, LLC, an investment management company, ReFlow Management Co., LLC, ReFlow Fund, LLC, a liquidity resourcing company, a private investment fund, and Sutton Place Management, LLC, an administrative services company, from 2004 to June 2007. Prior to this, Mr. Deems served as Controller of Forward Management, LLC, ReFlow Management Co., LLC, ReFlow Fund, LLC and Sutton Place Management, LLC.    25    Mr. Deems is a Trustee of Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust (5 funds); Financial Investors Trust (11 funds); and Reaves Utility Income Fund.

 

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Name, Address

and Age of

Independent

Trustees*

  

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

  

Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served**

  

Principal

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trustees***

  

Other

Directorships

Held by

Trustees

Rick A. Pederson, age 58    Trustee    Since March 2008   

President, Foundation Properties, Inc. (a real estate investment management company), 1994 - present;

Partner, Bow River Capital Partners (investment manager), 2003 - present; Principal, The Pauls Corporation (real estate development), 2008 - present; Director, Guaranty Bank and Trust (a community bank), 1999 - 2007; Winter Park Recreational Association (an entity that operates, maintains and develops Winter Park Resort), 2002-2008; Neenan Co. (an integrated real estate development, architecture and construction company), 2002-present; NexCore Properties LLC (a real estate investment company), 2004-present; Urban Land Conservancy (a not-for-profit organization), 2004-present.

   11    Mr. Pederson is Trustee of Westcore Trust (12 funds)

 

*

The business address of the Trustee is c/o ALPS Advisors, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

 

**

This is the period for which the Trustee began serving the Trust. Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his successor is elected.

 

***

The Fund Complex includes all series of the Trust and any other investment companies for which ALPS Advisors, Inc. provides investment advisory services.

 

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Interested Trustee

The Trustee who is affiliated with the Investment Adviser or affiliates of the Investment Adviser and executive officers of the Trust, his term of office and length of time served, his principal business occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex overseen by the Interested Trustee and the other directorships, if any, held by the Trustee, are shown below.

 

Name, Address and

Age of Interested
Trustee*

  

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

  

Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served**

  

Principal

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustees

  

Other

Directorships

Held by

Trustees

Thomas A. Carter,

age 44

   Trustee and President    Since March 2008    Mr. Carter joined ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (“ALPS Fund Services”) in 1994 and is currently President and Director of ALPS Advisors, Inc. (“AAI”), ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ADI”) and FTAM Funds Distributor, Inc. and Executive Vice President and Director of ALPS Fund Services and ALPS Holdings, Inc. Because of his position with ALPS Fund Services, ADI and AAI, Mr. Carter is deemed an affiliate of the Funds as defined under the 1940 Act. Before joining ALPS Fund Services, Mr. Carter was with Deloitte & Touche LLP, where he worked with a diverse group of clients, primarily within the financial services industry. Mr. Carter is a Certified Public Accountant and received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Colorado at Boulder.    16    Mr. Carter is a Trustee of Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust (5 funds)

 

*

The business address of the Trustee is c/o ALPS Advisors, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

 

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**

This is the period for which the Trustee began serving the Trust. Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his successor is elected.

 

***

Mr. Carter is an interested person of the Trust because of his affiliation with ALPS Fund Services.

Officers

The Officers of the Trust, their addresses, positions with the Trust, ages and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below.

 

Name, Address and Age of

Executive Officer

  

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

  

Length of Time

Served*

  

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5

Years

Melanie Zimdars, age 34    Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”)    Since December 2009    Ms. Zimdars currently serves as a Deputy Chief Compliance Officer with ALPS. Prior to joining ALPS in September 2009, Ms. Zimdars served as Principal Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary for the Wasatch Funds from February 2007 to December 2008. From November 2006 to February 2007, she served as Assistant Treasurer for the Wasatch Funds and served as a Senior Compliance Officer for Wasatch Advisors, Inc. since 2005. From 2001 until joining Wasatch in 2005, she was a Compliance Officer for U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC. Because of her position with ALPS, Ms. Zimdars is deemed an affiliate of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act. Ms. Zimdars is also the CCO of EGA Emerging Global Shares Trust, Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust, Grail Advisors ETF Trust, Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc. and Liberty All-Star Equity Fund.
Kimberly R. Storms, age 38    Treasurer    Since March 2008    Ms. Storms is Director of Fund Administration and Senior Vice President of ALPS. Ms. Storms joined ALPS in 1998 as Assistant Controller. Because of her position with ALPS, Ms. Storms is deemed an affiliate of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act. Ms. Storms is also Assistant Treasurer of the Liberty All-Star Equity Fund, Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, and Financial Investors Trust; and Assistant Secretary of Ameristock Mutual Fund, Inc.
William Parmentier, age 58    Vice President    Since March 2008    Mr. Parmentier is Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, ALPS Advisors, Inc. (since 2006); President and Chief Executive Officer of the Liberty All-Star Funds (since April 1999); Senior Vice President (2005-2006), Banc of America Investment Advisors, Inc.
Tané T. Tyler, age 46    Secretary    Since December 2008    Ms. Tyler is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of ALPS. Ms. Tyler joined ALPS in 2004. Secretary, Liberty All-Star Equity Fund and Liberty All-Star Growth Fund from December 2006-2008; Secretary, Reaves Utility Income Fund from December 2004—2007; Secretary, Westcore Funds from February 2005—2007; Secretary, First Funds from November 2004 to January 2007; Secretary, Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust from December 2004—December 2006; Vice President and Associate Counsel, Oppenheimer Funds from January 2004 to August 2004; Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, INVESCO Funds from September 1991 to December 2003.

 

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Monette R. Nickels, age 39    Tax Officer    Since December
2009
   Ms. Nickels is Senior Vice President and Director Tax Administration at ALPS. Ms. Nickels joined ALPS in 2004 as Director of Tax Administration. Because of her position with ALPS, Ms. Nickels is deemed an affiliate of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act. Ms. Nickels is also Tax Officer of Financial Investors Trust, Liberty All-Star Equity Fund, Liberty All-Star Growth Fund and Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust.

 

*

The business address of each Officer is c/o ALPS Advisors, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

 

**

This is the period for which the Officer began serving the Trust. Each Officer serves an indefinite term, until his successor is elected.

Additional Information About the Trustees’ Qualifications and Experience

The following is a brief discussion of the specific education, experience, qualifications, or skills that led to the conclusion, as of the date of this SAI, that each person identified below should serve as a Trustee for the Trust.

Mary K. Anstine

Ms. Anstine has been an Independent Trustee of the Trust since March 25, 2008. Currently retired, Ms. Anstine has over 30 years of financial services experience. Most recently, she was President and CEO of HealthONE Alliance, Denver, Colorado from 1994 through 2004. From 1964 to 1994, Ms. Anstine held positions leading up to Executive Vice President of First Interstate Bank. She was selected to serve as a Trustee of the Trust based on her business and financial services experience.

Jeremy W. Deems

Mr. Deems has been an Independent Trustee of the Trust since March 25, 2008. In 2007, Mr. Deems co-founded Green Alpha Advisors, LLC, a registered investment adviser, for which he currently serves as Co-President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to co-founding Green Alpha Advisors, Mr. Deems was CFO of Forward Management, LLC, investment advisor to the Forward Funds and Sierra Club Mutual Funds, where he was also co-portfolio manager to the Sierra Club Stock Fund. In addition, he was the CFO of ReFlow Management Co., LLC. Prior to joining Forward and ReFlow, he served as Regional Marketing Assistant within the Investment Consulting Services Group at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Mr. Deems received a B.S. and a MBA in finance from Saint Mary’s College of California and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He was selected to serve as a Trustee of the Trust based on his business, financial services, accounting and investment management experience.

Rick A. Pederson

Mr. Pederson has been an Independent Trustee of the Trust since March 25, 2008. He currently serves as President of Foundation Properties, Inc., a real estate investment manager, is a Partner at Western Capital Partners, a prime lending company, and Bow River Capital Partners, an investment manager. Mr. Pederson is also Principal of the Pauls Corporation, a real estate development, and Director of Neenan Co., an integrated real estate development, architecture and construction company, NexCore Properties LLC, a real estate investment company, and Urban Land Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization. He has previously served as a Director at Guaranty Bank and Trust, a community bank, and Winter Park Recreational Association, an entity that operates, maintains and develops Winter Park Resort. He was selected to serve as a Trustee of the Trust based on his business and financial services experience.

Thomas A. Carter

 

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Mr. Carter has been an Interested Trustee and Chairman of the Trust since March 25, 2008. Since joining ALPS Fund Services, Inc. in 1994, Mr. Carter joined ALPS Fund Services, Inc., the Funds’ administrator, in 1994 and currently serves as President of ALPS Distributors, Inc., the Funds’ principal underwriter, and ALPS Advisors, Inc., the Funds’ investment adviser. Before joining ALPS, Mr. Carter was with Deloitte & Touche LLP, where he worked with a diverse group of clients, primarily within the financial services industry. Mr. Carter is a Certified Public Accountant and received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He was selected to serve as a Trustee of the Trust based on his business, accounting, financial services and investment management experience.

Leadership Structure and Oversight Responsibilities

Overall responsibility for oversight of the Funds rests with the Trustees. The Trust has engaged the Investment Adviser to manage the Funds on a day-to day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Investment Adviser and other service providers in the operations of the Funds in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable provisions of state and other laws and the Trust’s charter. The Board is currently composed of four members, three of whom are Independent Trustees. The Board meets at regularly scheduled quarterly meetings each year. In addition, the Board may hold special in-person or telephonic meetings or informal conference calls to discuss specific matters that may arise or require action between regular meetings. As described below, the Board has established a Nominating and Governance Committee and an Audit Committee, and may establish ad hoc committees or working groups from time to time, to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. The Independent Trustees have also engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.

The Board has appointed Thomas A. Carter, an Interested Trustee, to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman’s role is to preside at all meetings of the Board and to act as a liaison with the Investment Adviser, other service providers, counsel and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman and may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board from time to time. The Board has determined not to appoint a lead independent trustee. The Board reviews matters related to its leadership structure annually. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate given the Trust’s characteristics and circumstances. These include the Trust’s multiple series of fund shares, each fund’s single portfolio of assets, each fund’s net assets and the services provided by the Funds’ service providers.

Risk oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of the Funds and is addressed as part of various Board and Committee activities. As part of its regular oversight of the Funds, the Board, directly or through a Committee, interacts with and reviews reports from, among others, Fund management, the Investment Adviser, the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer, the Funds’ legal counsel and the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds regarding risks faced by the Funds. The Board, with the assistance of Fund management and the Investment Adviser, reviews investment policies and risks in connection with its review of the Funds’ performance. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer who oversees the implementation and testing of the Funds’ compliance program and reports to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Funds and its principal service providers. In addition, as part of the Board’s periodic review of the Funds’ advisory and other service provider agreements, the Board may consider risk management aspects of these service providers’ operations and the functions for which they are responsible.

None of the Independent Trustees own securities in the Investment Adviser or the Distributor, nor do they own securities in any entity directly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Adviser or the Distributor.

Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee which considers such matters pertaining to the Trust’s books of account, financial records, internal accounting controls and changes in accounting principles or practices as the Trustees may from time to time determine. The Audit Committee also considers the engagement and compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm (“Firm”) and ensures receipt from the Firm of a formal written statement delineating relationships between the Firm and the Trust, consistent with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Rule 3526. The Audit Committee also meets privately with the representatives of the Firm to review the scope and results of audits and other duties as set forth in the Audit Committee’s Charter. The Audit Committee members, each

 

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of whom are Independent Trustees are: Ms. Anstine and Messrs. Deems (Chairman) and Pederson. The Audit Committee met [ ] times during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.

Nominating and Corporate Governance CommitteeThe Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee meets periodically to advise and assist the Board in selecting nominees to serve as trustees of the Trust. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee believes the Board generally benefits from diversity of background, experience and views among its members, and considers this a factor in evaluating the composition of the Board, but has not adopted any specific policy in this regard. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also advises and assists the Board in establishing, implementing and executing policies, procedures and practices that assure orderly and effective governance of the Trust and effective and efficient management of all business and financial affairs of the Trust. Members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are currently: Ms. Anstine (Chairman) and Messrs. Deems and Pederson. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board met [ ] during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.

Shareholder Nominations. The Board will consider shareholder nominees for Trustees. All nominees must possess the appropriate characteristics, skills and experience for serving on the Board. In particular, the Board and its Independent Trustees will consider each nominee’s integrity, educational, professional background, understanding of the Trust’s business on a technical level and commitment to devote the time and attention necessary to fulfill a Trustee’s duties. All shareholders who wish to recommend nominees for consideration as Trustees shall submit the names and qualifications of the candidates to the Secretary of the Trust by writing to: Financial Investors Trust, 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado, 80203.

Remuneration of Trustees and Officers. Each Independent Trustee receives (1) a quarterly retainer of $3,500, (2) a per meeting fee of $1,500, (3) $750 for any special meeting held outside of a regularly scheduled board meeting and (4) reimbursement for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at meetings. The following chart provides certain information about the Trustee fees paid by the Trust for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010:

 

   

Aggregate

Compensation

From the Trust

 

Pension Or

Retirement

Benefits Accrued

As Part of

Portfolio

Expenses

 

Estimated

Annual

Benefits Upon

Retirement

 

Aggregate

Compensation

From The Trust And

Portfolio Complex

Paid To

Trustees(1)

Mary K. Anstine,

Trustee

       

Jeremy W. Deems,

Trustee

       

Rick A. Pederson,

Trustee

       

 

(1)

The Fund Complex includes all series of the Trust and any other investment companies for which ALPS Advisors, Inc. provides investment advisory services.

Officers who are employed by ALPS Advisors, Inc. (the “Investment Adviser”) receive no compensation or expense reimbursements from the Trust.

Investment Adviser. The Funds are managed by the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser, a wholly owned subsidiary of ALPS Holdings, Inc. (“ALPS Holdings”), subject to the authority of the Board, is responsible for the overall management and administration of the Funds’ business affairs. The Investment Adviser commenced business operations in December 2006 upon the acquisition of an existing investment advisory operation and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. The Investment Adviser’s principal address is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, CO 80203. The Investment Adviser is an affiliate of ALPS Fund Services, Inc., who serves as the Funds’ administrator, and ALPS Distributors, Inc., who serves as Distributor to the Funds.

Located in Denver, Colorado, ALPS Holdings was founded in 2005 and assumed the business of ALPS Financial Services, which was founded in 1985 as a provider of fund administration and fund distribution services. Since then, ALPS Holdings has added additional services, including fund accounting, transfer agency, shareholder services, active distribution, legal, tax and compliance services. ALPS Holdings and

 

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its affiliates provide fund administration services to funds with assets in excess of $         billion and distribution services to funds with assets of more than $         billion.

Alerian has agreed to make certain payments to the Investment Adviser to facilitate the development of the Funds. The Investment Adviser’s receipt of payments from Alerian could be deemed to give the Investment Adviser an incentive to consider the input of Alerian when making recommendations to the Board with respect to such matters as the structure and marketing of the Funds.

Investment Advisory Agreement. Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Investment Adviser and the Trust, the Investment Adviser is responsible for all expenses of each Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services, except interest expenses, distribution fees or expenses, brokerage expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Funds’ business. For the Investment Adviser’s services to the Funds, each Fund has agreed to pay an annual management fee equal to     % of its average daily net assets.

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Investment Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Funds in connection with the performance of the Investment Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of the Investment Adviser in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder. The initial term of the Investment Advisory Agreement is two years and continues thereafter only if approved annually by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Investment Advisory Agreement terminates automatically upon assignment and is terminable at any time without penalty as to the Funds by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by vote of the holders of a majority of that Funds’ outstanding voting securities on 60 days written notice to the Investment Adviser, or by the Investment Adviser on 60 days written notice to the Fund.

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers; Compensation of the Portfolio Managers.

Information regarding the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers is set forth below:

 

     Accounts Managed  

Name of Portfolio

Managers

   Category
of
Account
         

Number of

Accounts
in

Category

    

Total Assets
in

Accounts in

Category

 

Michael Akins

    
 
 
Registered
Investment
Companies
  
  
  
      
         

Daniel Franciscus

    
 
 
Registered
Investment
Companies
  
  
  
      

Portfolio managers who are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds are paid a base salary, plus a discretionary bonus. The bonus is determined by the business unit’s revenue and profitability as well as the individual’s contribution to the business unit. The bonus is discretionary and is not based specifically on portfolio performance.

Ownership of Securities

Because the Funds are newly organized, the portfolio managers do not own shares of the Funds.

Material Conflicts Of Interest.

Because the portfolio managers manage multiple portfolios for multiple clients, the potential for conflicts of interest exists. Each portfolio manager may manage portfolios having substantially the same investment style as the Funds. However, the portfolios managed by a portfolio manager may not have portfolio compositions identical to those of the Funds managed by the portfolio manager due, for example, to

 

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specific investment limitations or guidelines present in some portfolios or accounts, but not others. The portfolio managers may purchase securities for one portfolio and not another portfolio, and the performance of securities purchased for one portfolio may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other portfolios. A portfolio manager may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of the Funds, or make investment decisions that are similar to those made for the Funds, both of which have the potential to adversely impact the Funds depending on market conditions. For example, a portfolio manager may purchase a security in one portfolio while appropriately selling that same security in another portfolio. In addition, some of these portfolios have fee structures that are or have the potential to be higher than the advisory fees paid by the Funds, which can cause potential conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities between the Funds and the other accounts. However, the compensation structure for portfolio managers does not generally provide incentive to favor one account over another because that part of a manager’s bonus based on performance is not based on the performance of one account to the exclusion of others. There are many other factors considered in determining the portfolio manager’s bonus and there is no formula that is applied to weight the factors listed (see “Compensation”). In addition, current trading practices do not allow the Investment Adviser to intentionally favor one portfolio over another as trades are executed as trade orders are received. Portfolio’s rebalancing dates also generally vary between fund families. Program trades created from the portfolio rebalance are executed at market on close.

Administrator

ALPS Fund Services serves as the Trust’s administrator. Pursuant to an administration agreement, ALPS Fund Services provides certain administrative, bookkeeping, and accounting services to the Trust. For the services, ALPS Fund Services receives a fee, accrued daily and paid monthly by the Investment Adviser from the management fee. ALPS Fund Services is located at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY”), also serves as custodian for the Funds pursuant to a Custodian Agreement. As custodian, BNY holds the Funds’ assets, calculates the NAV of Shares and calculates net income and realized capital gains or losses. BNY also serves as transfer agent of the Funds pursuant to a Transfer Agency Agreement. As compensation for the foregoing services, BNY receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid monthly by the Investment Adviser from the management fee.

Distributor

ALPS Distributors, Inc. is the distributor of the Funds’ Shares. Its principal address is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203. The Distributor has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes Fund Shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Funds through the Distributor only in Creation Unit Aggregations, as described in the Prospectus and below under the heading “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units.”

Index Provider

Alerian is the index provider for the Funds (“Index Provider”). Alerian is an independent company that provides objective market information, and is a leader of MLP-market intelligence, providing benchmarks, data sets, and analytics that are used extensively by a range of stakeholders such as investment banks, stock exchanges, investment professionals and consultants, and Master Limited Partnerships. The company started its business of developing and maintaining financial indexes, including the Indexes, on June 1, 2006. Alerian has entered into an index licensing agreement (the “Licensing Agreement”) with the Investment Adviser to allow the Investment Adviser’s use of the Indexes for the operation of the Funds. The Investment Adviser pays licensing fees to Alerian from the Investment Adviser’s management fees or other resources. The Investment Adviser has, in turn, entered into a sub-licensing agreement (the “Sub-Licensing Agreement”) with the Trust to allow each Fund to utilize its respective Index. The Fund pays no fees to Alerian or the Investment Adviser under the Sub-Licensing Agreement.

 

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Alerian uses a rules-based methodology (the “Index Methodology”) to construct and maintain each Index. Each Index and the Index Methodology, including a list of the component securities of the Index, can be found on the Index Provider’s website at www.alerian.com.

Counsel

Dechert LLP, 1095 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, is counsel to the Trust.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

[            ], [insert address], serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. [            ] audits the Funds’ financial statements and performs other related audit services.

AGGREGATIONS

Fund Shares in less than Creation Unit Aggregations are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Unit Aggregations and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

The Distribution Agreement for the Funds provides that it may be terminated as to the Funds at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least 60 days written notice by the Trust to the Distributor (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Unit Aggregations of Fund Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Participating Parties (as defined in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations” below) and DTC Participants (as defined in “DTC Acts as Securities Depository” below).

PROXY VOTING POLICIES

The Board believes that the voting of proxies on securities held by the Funds is an important element of the overall investment process. As such, the Board has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Funds to the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with their proxy policies and procedures, a summary of which is included in Appendix A to this Statement of Additional Information. The Board will periodically review the Funds’ proxy voting record.

The Trust is required to disclose annually the Funds’ complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX covering the period July 1 through June 30 and file it with the SEC no later than August 31. Form N-PX for the Funds will be available at no charge upon request by calling 866.513.5856 or by writing to ALPS ETF Trust at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203. The Funds’ Form N-PX will also be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO SCHEDULE

The Trust is required to disclose, after its first and third fiscal quarters, the complete schedule of the Funds’ portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-Q. The Trust will also disclose a complete schedule of the Funds’ portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-CSR after its second and fourth quarters. Form N-Q and Form N-CSR for the Funds will be available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Funds’ Form N-Q and Form N-CSR may also be reviewed and copied, when available, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 202.551. 8090. The Funds’ Form N-Q and Form N-CSR will be available without

 

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charge, upon request, by calling 866.513.5856 or by writing to ALPS ETF Trust at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS POLICY

The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Trust’s portfolio holdings. The Funds and their service providers may not receive compensation or any other consideration (which includes any agreement to maintain assets in the Funds or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or any affiliated person of the Investment Adviser) in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information of the Funds. The Trust’s policy is implemented and overseen by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Funds, subject to the oversight of the Board of Trustees. Periodic reports regarding these procedures will be provided to the Board of Trustees of the Trust. The Board of Trustees of the Trust must approve all material amendments to this policy. The Funds’ complete portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Funds are open for business through financial reporting and news services, including publicly accessible Internet web sites. In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for Fund shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of NYSE Arca via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”). The basket represents one Creation Unit of the Funds. The Trust and ALPS will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust.

CODE OF ETHICS

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Board of Trustees has adopted a Code of Ethics for the Trust and approved Codes of Ethics adopted by the Investment Adviser and the Distributor (collectively the “Codes”). The Codes are intended to ensure that the interests of shareholders and other clients are placed ahead of any personal interest, that no undue personal benefit is obtained from the person’s employment activities and that actual and potential conflicts of interest are avoided.

The Codes apply to the personal investing activities of Trustees and officers of the Trust, the Investment Adviser and the Distributor (“Access Persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by Access Persons. Under the Codes, Access Persons are permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, but are required to report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. The Codes permit personnel subject to the Codes to invest in securities subject to certain limitations, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. In addition, certain Access Persons are required to obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements. The Codes are on file with the SEC, and are available to the public.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST

The Trust is an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on September 13, 2007.

The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares in one or more series or “funds.” The Trust currently is comprised of              funds. The Board of Trustees of the Trust has the right to establish additional series in the future, to determine the preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges thereof and to modify such preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges without shareholder approval.

Each Share issued by the fund has a pro rata interest in the assets of the Funds. Fund Shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and are freely transferable. Each Share is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared by the Board with respect to the fund, and in the net distributable assets of the Funds on liquidation.

Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all funds, including the Funds, of the Trust vote together as a single class except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, or if the

 

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matter being voted on affects only a particular fund, and, if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, the shares of that fund will vote separately on such matter.

The Declaration of Trust may, except in limited circumstances, be amended or supplemented by the Trustees without shareholder vote. The holders of Fund shares are required to disclose information on direct or indirect ownership of Fund shares as may be required to comply with various laws applicable to the Funds, and ownership of Fund shares may be disclosed by the Funds if so required by law or regulation.

The Trust is not required and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Shareholders owning more than 51% of the outstanding shares of the Trust have the right to call a special meeting to remove one or more Trustees or for any other purpose.

The Trust does not have information concerning the beneficial ownership of Shares held by DTC Participants (as defined below).

Shareholders may make inquiries by writing to the Trust, c/o the Distributor, 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Trust’s policy is to pay commissions that are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Investment Adviser relies upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers. The sale of Fund Shares by a broker-dealer is not a factor in the selection of broker-dealers.

In seeking to implement the Trust’s policies, the Investment Adviser effects transactions with those brokers and dealers that the Investment Adviser believes provide the most favorable prices and are capable of providing efficient executions. The Investment Adviser and its affiliates do not currently participate in soft dollar transactions.

The Investment Adviser assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Funds for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities by the Funds and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Investment Adviser are considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities may be allocated among the Funds, the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all by the Investment Adviser. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Funds are concerned. However, in other cases, it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions and to negotiate lower brokerage commissions will be beneficial to the Funds. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.

CONTROL PERSONS

As of the date of this SAI, no entity owns of record 5% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Funds.

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Book Entry.”

DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Fund Shares. Shares of the Funds are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to

 

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facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), NYSE Arca and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).

Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase and sale of Shares.

Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the Shares of the Funds held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

Fund distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Fund Shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in Shares of the Funds as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such Shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.

DTC may decide to discontinue providing its service with respect to Shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS

Creation. The Trust will issue and sell Shares of the Funds only in Creation Unit Aggregations on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at its NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order in proper form.

 

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A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Deposit of Securities and Deposit or Delivery of Cash. The consideration for purchase of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Funds generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of equity securities—the “Deposit Securities”—per each Creation Unit Aggregation constituting a substantial replication of the stocks included in its respective Underlying Index (“Fund Securities”) and an amount of cash—the “Cash Component”—computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit Aggregation of the Funds.

The Cash Component is sometimes also referred to as the Balancing Amount. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit Aggregation and the Deposit Amount (as defined below). The Cash Component is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of Fund Shares (per Creation Unit Aggregation) and the “Deposit Amount”—an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit Aggregation exceeds the Deposit Amount), the creator will deliver the Cash Component. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit Aggregation is less than the Deposit Amount), the creator will receive the Cash Component.

The Custodian, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on NYSE Arca (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Funds.

Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, in order to effect creations of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Funds until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities is made available.

The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities required for a Fund Deposit for the Funds change as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected within the Funds from time to time by the Investment Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Funds. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component stocks of a Fund’s respective Underlying Index. In addition, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash—i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount—to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process (discussed below), or which might not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting or other relevant reason. Brokerage commissions incurred in connection with the acquisition of Deposit Securities not eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC and hence not eligible for transfer through the Clearing Process will be at the expense of the Funds and will affect the value of all Shares; but the Investment Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, may adjust the transaction fee within the parameters described above to protect ongoing shareholders. The adjustments described above will reflect changes known to the Investment Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, in the composition of such Fund’s respective Underlying Index or resulting from certain corporate actions.

In addition to the list of names and numbers of securities constituting the current Deposit Securities of a Fund Deposit, the Custodian, through the NSCC, also makes available on each Business Day, the estimated Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per outstanding Creation Unit Aggregation of the Funds.

Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit Aggregation of the Funds, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a

 

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broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see the Book Entry Only System section), and, in each case, must have executed an agreement with the Distributor, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations (“Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party and DTC Participant are collectively referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” Investors should contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants that have signed a Participant Agreement. All Fund Shares, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

All orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations, whether through the Clearing Process (through a Participating Party) or outside the Clearing Process (through a DTC Participant), must be received by the Distributor no later than the closing time of the regular trading session on the NYSE (“Closing Time”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) in each case on the date such order is placed in order for creation of Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected based on the NAV of Shares of the Funds as next determined on such date after receipt of the order in proper form. In the case of custom orders, the order must be received by the Distributor no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date. A custom order may be placed by an Authorized Participant in the event that the Trust permits or requires the substitution of an amount of cash to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for trading by such Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting or other relevant reason. The date on which an order to create Creation Unit Aggregations (or an order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations, as discussed below) is placed is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, as described below (see the “Placement of Creation Orders Using Clearing Process” and the “Placement of Creation Orders Outside Clearing Process” sections). Severe economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.

All orders from investors who are not Authorized Participants to create Creation Unit Aggregations shall be placed with an Authorized Participant, as applicable, in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, the Authorized Participant may request the investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations of the Funds have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases, there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement. Those placing orders for Creation Unit Aggregations through the Clearing Process should afford sufficient time to permit proper submission of the order to the Distributor prior to the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date. Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations that are effected outside the Clearing Process are likely to require transmittal by the DTC Participant earlier on the Transmittal Date than orders effected using the Clearing Process. Those persons placing orders outside the Clearing Process should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Securities and Cash Component.

Placement of Creation Orders Using Clearing Process. The Clearing Process is the process of creating or redeeming Creation Unit Aggregations through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC. Fund Deposits made through the Clearing Process must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed a Participant Agreement. The Participant Agreement authorizes the Distributor to transmit through the Custodian to NSCC, on behalf of the Participating Party, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the Participating Party’s creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions to NSCC, the Participating Party agrees to deliver the requisite Deposit Securities and the Cash Component to the Trust, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. An order to create Creation Unit Aggregations through the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.

 

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Placement of Creation Orders Outside Clearing Process. Fund Deposits made outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement pre-approved by the Investment Adviser and the Distributor. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order creating Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected outside the Clearing Process does not need to be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Unit Aggregations will instead be effected through a transfer of securities and cash directly through DTC. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of the relevant Fund by no later than 11:00 a.m. Eastern time of the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date.

All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern time, on the next Business Day immediately following such Transmittal Date. An order to create Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. However, if the Custodian does not receive both the required Deposit Securities and the Cash Component by 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Eastern time, respectively, on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date, such order will be canceled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current Deposit Securities and Cash Component. The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations so created will occur no later than the third (3rd) Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor.

Additional transaction fees may be imposed with respect to transactions effected outside the Clearing Process (through a DTC Participant) and in the limited circumstances in which any cash can be used in lieu of Deposit Securities to create Creation Units. (See Creation Transaction Fee section below.)

Creation Unit Aggregations may be created in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of the Fund Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) 15% of the market value of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”). The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on such date, and federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited with the Custodian by 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, the following Business Day. If the order is not placed in proper form by 4:00 p.m. or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 11:00 a.m. Eastern time the next Business Day, then the order may be deemed to be canceled and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the relevant Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to 15% of the daily marked-to-market value of the missing Deposit Securities. To the extent that missing Deposit Securities are not received by 1:00 p.m. Eastern time, on the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor or in the event a marked-to-market payment is not made within one Business Day following notification by the Distributor that such a payment is required, the Trust may use the cash on deposit to purchase the missing Deposit Securities. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust and the relevant Fund for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have

 

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been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee, as listed below, will be charged in all cases. The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations so created will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor.

Acceptance of Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of the Funds if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Fund Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of any Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered are not as disseminated for that date by the Custodian, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to a Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or the Investment Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Distributor and the Investment Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process creation orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Investment Adviser, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the Custodian or sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process, and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such prospective creator of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.

Creation Transaction Fee. Investors will be required to pay a fixed creation transaction fee, described below, payable regardless of the number of creations made each day. An additional charge of up to four times the fixed transaction fee (expressed as a percentage of the value of the Deposit Securities) may be imposed for (i) creations effected outside the Clearing Process; and (ii) cash creations (to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with using cash to purchase the requisite Deposit Securities). Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Trust.

The Standard Creation/Redemption Transaction Fee will be $500 per transaction. The Maximum Creation/Redemption Transaction Fee will be $         per transaction.

Redemption of Fund Shares in Creation Units Aggregations. Fund Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Unit Aggregations at its NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Funds through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. The Funds will not redeem Shares in amounts less than Creation Unit Aggregations. Beneficial owners must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit Aggregation in order to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit Aggregation. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Fund Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit Aggregation.

Redemptions are effected principally for cash. With respect to the Funds, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on NYSE Arca (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the amount of cash (or the identity of the Fund Securities if in-kind redemptions are utilized) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as described below) on that day. To the extent redemptions are effected in-kind,

 

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Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Unit Aggregations.

If the Funds effect redemptions in-kind, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit Aggregation generally consist of Fund Securities—as announced on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form—plus or minus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Funds Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a redemption transaction fee as listed below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the Fund Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of the Funds or determination of the Funds’ NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as is permitted by the SEC.

Redemption Transaction Fee. A redemption transaction fee is imposed to offset transfer and other transaction costs that may be incurred by the Funds. An additional variable charge for cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available or specified) for the Funds may be imposed to compensate the Funds for the costs associated with selling the applicable securities. Investors will also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order. As set forth above, the Funds expect to effect redemptions principally for cash. The Funds may adjust these fees from time to time based on actual experience. As a result, in order to seek to replicate the in-kind redemption order process, the Funds expect to sell, in the secondary market, the portfolio securities that will not be delivered as part of an in-kind redemption order (“Market Sales”). In such cases where the Funds make Market Sales, the Authorized Participant will reimburse the Funds for, among other things, any difference between the market value at which the securities were sold by the Funds and the cash in lieu amount (which amount, at the Investment Adviser's discretion, may be capped), applicable registration fees, brokerage commissions and taxes. To the extent applicable, brokerage commissions incurred in connection with the Funds’ sale of portfolio securities will be at the expense of the Funds and will affect the value of all Shares of the Funds; but the Investment Adviser may adjust the transaction fee to the extent the composition of the redemption securities changes or cash in lieu is added to the Cash Redemption Amount to protect ongoing shareholders. The redemption transaction fees for the Funds otherwise are the same as the creation fees set forth above.

Placement of Redemption Orders Using Clearing Process. The Clearing Process is only available for in-kind redemptions and will not be used for cash redemptions. To the extent redemptions are effected in-kind, orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations through the Clearing Process must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed the Participant Agreement. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations using the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Transfer Agent not later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on such Transmittal Date, and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed; such order will be effected based on the NAV of the Funds as next determined. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations using the Clearing Process made in proper form but received by the Trust after 4:00 p.m. Eastern time will be deemed received on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date and will be effected at the NAV next determined on such next Business Day. The requisite Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount will be transferred by the third NSCC Business Day following the date on which such request for redemption is deemed received.

Placement of Redemption Orders Outside Clearing Process. The Funds expect to redeem Fund Shares in cash. As a result, the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. The investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Fund Shares based on the NAV of Shares of the relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus

 

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a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Funds’ brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities).

To the extent redemptions are effected in-kind, orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed the Participant Agreement. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order for redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected outside the Clearing Process does not need to be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations will instead be effected through transfer of Fund Shares directly through DTC. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Transfer Agent not later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on such Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the requisite number of Shares of the Funds, which delivery must be made through DTC to the Custodian no later than 11:00 a.m. Eastern time (for the Fund Shares), on the next Business Day immediately following such Transmittal Date (the “DTC Cut-Off-Time”) and 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time for any Cash Component, if any owed to the Funds; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. After the Trust has deemed an order for redemption outside the Clearing Process received, the Trust will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Fund Securities which are expected to be delivered within three Business Days and the Cash Redemption Amount, if any, owed to the redeeming Beneficial Owner to the Authorized Participant on behalf of the redeeming Beneficial Owner by the third Business Day following the Transmittal Date on which such redemption order is deemed received by the Trust.

The calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received upon redemption will be made by the Custodian according to the procedures set forth under “Determination of NAV” computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to the Transfer Agent by a DTC Participant not later than Closing Time on the Transmittal Date, and the requisite number of Shares of the Funds are delivered to the Custodian prior to the DTC Cut-Off-Time, then the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received will be determined by the Custodian on such Transmittal Date. If, however, either (i) the requisite number of Shares of the relevant Fund are not delivered by the DTC Cut-Off-Time, as described above, or (ii) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Transmittal Date. In such case, the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received will be computed on the Business Day following the Transmittal Date provided that the Fund Shares of the relevant Fund are delivered through DTC to the Custodian by 11:00 a.m. Eastern time the following Business Day pursuant to a properly submitted redemption order.

The Funds may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities, or cash in lieu of some securities added to the Cash Component, but in no event will the total value of the securities delivered and the cash transmitted differ from the NAV. Redemptions of Fund Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Funds (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular stock included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming Beneficial Owner of the Fund Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment, beneficial ownership of shares or delivery instructions.

Regular Holidays. The Funds generally intend to effect deliveries of Creation Units and Portfolio Securities on a basis of “T” plus three Business Days (i.e., days on which the national securities exchange is open). The Funds may effect deliveries of Creation Units and Portfolio Securities on a basis other than T plus three or T plus two in order to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment

 

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among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates, or under certain other circumstances. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within three Business Days of receipt of an order in good form is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within normal settlement period.

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday except for the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Holidays are subject to change without notice.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Net Asset Value.”

The NAV per Share of a Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares of the Fund outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including without limitation, the management and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV per Share is calculated by the Custodian and determined as of the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that such exchange is open.

In computing the Funds’ NAV, the Funds’ securities holdings traded on a national securities exchange are valued based on their last sale price. Price information on listed securities is taken from the exchange where the security is primarily traded. Securities regularly traded in an over-the-counter market are valued at the latest quoted sale price in such market or in the case of the NASDAQ, at the NASDAQ official closing price. Other portfolio securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available are valued based on fair value as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”

General Policies. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid quarterly. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis. The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of the Funds as RICs or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.

Dividends and other distributions on Fund Shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Funds.

Dividend Reinvestment Service. No reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Funds for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial Owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require Beneficial Owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.

 

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TAXATION

Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Funds and the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares. It is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial authorities, and administrative rulings and practices as in effect as of the date of this SAI, all of which are subject to change, including the following information which also supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in Fund Shares. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, this summary assumes that the Fund shareholder holds Fund Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Code, and does not hold Fund Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Fund Shares, to Fund shareholders holding Fund Shares through a partnership (or other pass-through entity) or to Fund shareholders subject to special tax rules. Prospective Fund shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in Fund Shares.

The Funds are taxed as regular corporations for federal income tax purposes and as such is obligated to pay federal and applicable state and foreign corporate taxes on their taxable income. This differs from most investment companies, which elect to be treated as “regulated investment companies” under the Code in order to avoid paying entity level income taxes. Under current law, the Funds are not eligible to elect treatment as a regulated investment company due to its investments primarily in MLPs invested in energy assets. As a result, the Funds will be obligated to pay federal and state taxes on their taxable income as opposed to most other investment companies which are not so obligated.

As discussed below, the Funds expect that a portion of the distribution they receives from MLPs may be treated as a tax-deferred return of capital, thus reducing the Funds’ current tax liability. However, the amount of taxes currently paid by the Funds will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from investments and/or sales of MLP interests and such taxes will reduce your return from an investment in the Funds.

The Funds invest their assets primarily in MLPs, which generally are treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a partner in the MLPs, the fund must report its allocable share of the MLPs’ taxable income in computing its taxable income, regardless of the extent (if any) to which the MLPs make distributions. Based upon the Investment Adviser’s review of the historic results of the types of MLPs in which the Funds invest, the Investment Adviser expects that the cash flow received by the fund with respect to its MLP investments will generally exceed the taxable income allocated to the Funds (and this excess generally will not be currently taxable to the Funds but, rather, will result in a reduction of the Funds’ adjusted tax basis in each MLP as described in the following paragraph). This is the result of a variety of factors, including significant non-cash deductions, such as accelerated depreciation. There is no assurance that the Investment Adviser’s expectation regarding the tax character of MLP distributions will be realized. If this expectation is not realized, there may be greater tax expense borne by the Funds and less cash available to distribute to you or to pay to expenses.

The Funds will also be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular graduated corporate tax rates on any gain recognized by the applicable Fund on any sale of equity securities of an MLP. Cash distributions from an MLP to the Funds that exceed such Funds’ allocable share of such MLP’s net taxable income will reduce the Funds’ adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in such Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of any taxable gain (or decrease the amount of any tax loss) recognized by the Funds on a subsequent sale of the securities.

The Funds will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its

 

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investments. Upon the sale of a MLP security, the Funds may be liable for previously deferred taxes. The Funds will rely to some extent on information provided by the MLPs which is not necessarily timely, to estimate deferred tax liability for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining the NAV. From time to time, the Investment Adviser will modify the estimates or assumptions regarding the Funds’ deferred tax liability as new information becomes available. The Funds will generally compute deferred income taxes based on the federal income tax rate applicable to corporations currently 35% and an assumed rate attributable to state taxes.

The sale, exchange or redemption of Shares may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. The tax basis of Shares of the Funds must be reduced by any distribution which is treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. A loss realized on a sale or exchange of Shares of the Funds may be disallowed if Fund Shares or other substantially identical shares are acquired (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a sixty-one (61) day period beginning thirty (30) days before and ending thirty (30) days after the date on which the Shares are disposed. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired must be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Distributions may also be subject to state and local taxes.

Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of the Funds through the means of the dividend reinvestment service (see above) will nevertheless be taxable dividends to shareholders acquiring such additional Shares.

Distributions by the Funds will be treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from such Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Dividends paid by the Funds to a Non-U.S. Shareholder generally will be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty. If an income tax treaty applies to a Non-U.S. Shareholder, the Non-U.S. Shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under the treaty in order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding tax.

If the amount of a distribution exceeds a Non-U.S. Shareholder’s allocable share of the Funds’ current and accumulated earnings and profits, such excess will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the Non-U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis in such Funds’ shares. To the extent that any distribution received by a Non-U.S. Shareholder exceeds the sum of (i) such Non-U.S. Shareholder’s allocable share of the Funds’ current and accumulated earnings and profits and (ii) such Non-U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis in such Funds’ shares, such excess will be treated as gain from the sale of the shares and will be taxed as described in “Redemptions and Sales of Shares” below.

A redemption of common shares will be treated as a sale or exchange of such shares, provided the redemption either is not essentially equivalent to a dividend, is a substantially disproportionate redemption, is a complete redemption of a shareholder’s entire interest in the Funds, or is in partial liquidation of such Fund. Redemptions that do not qualify for sale or exchange treatment will be treated as described in “Receipt of Distributions” above.

A Non-U.S. Shareholder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized on a redemption that is treated as a sale or exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or on gain realized on the sale, exchange or other non-redemption disposition of the Funds’ shares, except in the following cases:

- the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business of the Non-U.S. Shareholder in the U.S. or, if the Non-U.S. Shareholder is a qualifying resident of a country with which the U.S. has a tax treaty, such gain is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by such Non-U.S. Shareholder in the U.S.,

- the Non-U.S. Shareholder is an individual who is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and who has a “tax home” in the U.S., or

 

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- the Funds are or have been U.S. real property holding corporations, as defined below, at any time within the five-year period preceding the date of disposition of the common shares or, if shorter, within the period during which the Non-U.S. Shareholder has held the common shares. Generally, a corporation is a U.S. real property holding corporation if the fair market value of its U.S. real property interests, as defined in the Code and applicable regulations, equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. The Funds may be, or may prior to a Non-U.S. Shareholder’s disposition of common shares become, a U.S. real property holding corporation.

Any Non-U.S. Shareholder who is described in one of the foregoing cases is urged to consult his, her or its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the redemption, sale, exchange or other disposition of common shares.

Federal regulations generally require the Funds to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a “backup withholding” tax with respect to dividends and the proceeds of any redemption paid to you if you fail to furnish the applicable Fund or the Funds’ paying agent with a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-9, Form W-8BEN, or other applicable form. Furthermore, the Service may notify the applicable Fund to institute backup withholding if the Service determines that your TIN is incorrect or if you have failed to properly report taxable dividends or interest on a federal tax return. A TIN is either the Social Security number or employer identification number of the record owner of the account. Any tax withheld as a result of backup withholding does not constitute an additional tax imposed on the record owner of the account and may be claimed as a credit on the record owner’s federal income tax return. The backup withholding rate is currently 28% and is scheduled to increase to 31% after 2012. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.

The foregoing discussion is a summary only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Purchasers of Shares should consult their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investing in such Shares, including under federal, state, local and other tax laws. Finally, the foregoing discussion is based on applicable provisions of the Code, regulations, judicial authority and administrative interpretations in effect on the date hereof. Changes in applicable authority could materially affect the conclusions discussed above, possibly retroactively.

INDICATIVE INTRA-DAY VALUE

The approximate value of the Funds’ investments on a per-Share basis, the Indicative Intra-Day Value (“IIV”), is disseminated by the Exchange every 15 seconds during hours of trading on the Exchange. The IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of NAV because the IIV will be calculated by an independent third party calculator and may not be calculated in the exact same manner as NAV, which is computed daily.

The Exchange calculates the IIV during hours of trading on the Exchange by dividing the “Estimated Fund Value” as of the time of the calculation by the total number of outstanding Shares. “Estimated Fund Value” is the sum of the estimated amount of cash held in the Funds’ portfolio, the estimated amount of accrued interest owing to the Funds and the estimated value of the securities held in the Funds’ portfolio, minus the estimated amount of liabilities. The IIV will be calculated based on the same portfolio holdings disclosed on the Funds’ website. In determining the estimated value for each of the component securities, the IIV will use last sale, market prices or other methods that would be considered appropriate for pricing equity securities held by registered investment companies. Although Funds provide the independent third party calculator with information to calculate the IIV, the Funds are not involved in the actual calculation of the IIV and are not responsible for the calculation or dissemination of the IIV. The Funds make no warranty as to the accuracy of the IIV.

OTHER INFORMATION

The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of

 

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the Funds to achieve their objective. The Exchange has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.

For purposes of the 1940 Act, the Funds are registered investment companies, and the acquisition of Shares by other registered investment companies and companies relying on exemption from registration as investment companies under Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond those limitations.

LICENSE AGREEMENT AND DISCLAIMERS

The information contained herein regarding the Index was provided by the Index Provider, while the information contained herein regarding the securities markets and The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) was obtained from publicly available sources.

Shares of the Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Alerian. Alerian makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Shares of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of trading in the product(s). Alerian has no obligation to take the needs of ALPS Advisors (in its capacity as licensee of the Index, the “Licensee”) or the owners of the Shares of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indexes. Alerian is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Shares of the Funds to be listed or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Shares of the Funds are to be converted into cash. Alerian has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Shares of the Funds.

Alerian does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Indexes or any data included therein and Alerian shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein. Alerian makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Licensee, owners of the Shares of the Funds, or any other person or entity from the use of the Indexes or any data included therein. Alerian makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties, of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Index or any data included therein, without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall Alerian have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special or consequential damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages. There are no third party beneficiaries of any agreements or arrangements between Alerian and Licensee.

 

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APPENDIX A

Proxy Voting

POLICY

 

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Item 28.

   Exhibits      
  

(a)

   (1)    Certificate of Trust of Registrant dated September 13, 2007.(1)
      (2)    Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 13, 2007.(2)
  

(b)

      By-Laws of Registrant dated September 13, 2007.(2)
  

(c)

      Provisions of instruments defining rights of security holders are contained in Articles 4 and 7 of the Declaration of Trust (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a) of this filing).
  

(d)

   (1)    Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Cohen & Steers Global Realty Majors ETF.(4)
      (2)    Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Advisors, Inc. with respect to the ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF.(3)
      (3)    Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between ALPS Advisors, Inc. and Mellon Capital Management Corporation with respect to the Cohen & Steers Global Realty Majors ETF.(4)
      (4)    Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Advisors, Inc. with respect to Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund and Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund.(6)


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      (5)    Form of Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between ALPS Advisors, Inc. and Arrow Investment Advisors, LLC with respect to Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund and Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund.(6)
      (6)    Form of Amendment to Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Advisors, Inc. with respect to Jefferies | TR/J CRB Natural Gas Equity ETF and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity
ETF.(7)
      (7)    Form of Amendment to Sub-Advisory Agreement between ALPS Advisors, Inc. and Arrow Investment Advisors, LLC with respect to Jefferies | TR/J CRB Natural Gas Equity ETF and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity ETF.(7)
      (8)    Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Alerian MLP ETF.(10)
      (9)    Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between ALPS Advisors, Inc. and Arrow Investment Advisors, LLC with respect to the Alerian MLP ETF.(10)
      (10)    Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Grail Advisors, LLC with respect to the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
      (11)    Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between Grail Advisors, LLC and RiverFront Investment Group, LLC with respect to the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
      (12)    Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Advisors, Inc. with respect to Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (to be filed by subsequent amendment).


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   (e)    (1)    Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc.(4)
      (2)    Form of Amendment to Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. with respect to the ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF.(3)
      (3)    Form of Participant Agreement.(2)
      (4)    Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund.(7)
      (5)    Form of Amendment to Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. with respect to Jefferies | TR/J CRB Natural Gas Equity ETF and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity ETF.(7)
      (6)    Form of Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. with respect to Alerian MLP ETF.(10)
      (7)    Form of Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. with respect to RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
      (8)    Form of Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. with respect to Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
   (f)       None.
   (g)    (1)    Custody Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York.(4)


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      (2)    Form of Amendment to Custody Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York with respect to the ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF.(3)
      (3)    Foreign Custody Manager Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of
New York.(4)
      (4)    Amendment to Custody Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund.(7)
      (5)    Amendment to Foreign Custody Manager Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund.(7)
      (6)    Form of Amendment to Custody Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Natural Gas Equity ETF and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity ETF.(7)
      (7)    Form of Amendment to Foreign Custody Manager Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Natural Gas Equity ETF and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity ETF.(7)
      (8)    Form of Amendment to Custody Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to the Alerian MLP ETF and the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund.(10)


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      (9)    Form of Amendment to Foreign Custody Manager Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to the Alerian MLP ETF and the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund.(10)
      (10)    Form of Amendment to Custody Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
      (11)    Form of Amendment to Foreign Custody Manager Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
   (h)    (1)    Administration Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Fund Services, Inc.(4)
      (2)    Form of Amendment to Administration Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. with respect to the ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF.(3)
      (3)    Administration Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund.(7)
      (4)   

Form of Amendment to Administration Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Natural Gas Equity ETF and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity

ETF.(7)

      (5)    Form of Administration Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. with respect to the Alerian MLP ETF.(10)


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      (6)    Form of Administration Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. with respect to the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
      (7)    Form of Administration Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. with respect to Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
      (8)    Transfer Agency Services Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York.(4)
      (9)    Form of Amendment to Transfer Agency Services Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York with respect to the ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF.(3)
      (10)    Amendment to Transfer Agency Services Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund.(7)
      (11)    Form of Amendment to Transfer Agency Services Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Natural Gas Equity ETF and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity ETF.(7)
      (12)    Form of Amendment to Transfer Agency Services Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to the Alerian MLP ETF and the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund.(10)
      (13)    Form of Amendment to Transfer Agency Services Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (to be filed by subsequent amendment).


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      (14)    Fund Accounting Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York.(4)
      (15)    Form of Amendment to Fund Accounting Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York with respect to the ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF.(3)
      (16)    Amendment to Fund Accounting Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York with respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund.(7)
      (17)    Form of Amendment to Fund Accounting Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York respect to the Jefferies | TR/J CRB Natural Gas Equity ETF and Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity ETF.(7)
      (18)    Form of Amendment to Fund Accounting Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to the Alerian MLP ETF and the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund.(10)
      (19)    Form of Amendment to Fund Accounting Agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon with respect to Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
   (i)    (1)    Opinion and Consent of Dechert LLP with respect to the Cohen & Steers Global Realty Majors ETF, ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity ETF and Alerian MLP ETF (11).


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      (2)    Opinion and Consent of Dechert LLP with respect to the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
      (3)    Opinion and Consent of Dechert LLP with respect to Alerian Plus MLP Infrastructure ETF and Alerian Natural Gas MLP ETF (to be filed by subsequent amendment).
   (j)    (1)    Consent of independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Cohen & Steers Global Realty Majors ETF, ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Energy Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Precious Metals Equity Index Fund, Jefferies | TR/J CRB Energy Wildcatters Exploration & Production Equity ETF and Alerian MLP ETF(11).
   (k)       Not applicable.
   (l)       Not applicable.
   (m)       Not applicable.
   (n)       Not applicable.
   (p)    (1)    Code of Ethics for the Trust.(2)
      (2)    Code of Ethics for ALPS Holdings, Inc. (includes ALPS Advisors, Inc. and ALPS Distributors, Inc., each a subsidiary of ALPS Holdings, Inc.) revised as of May 1, 2010.(10)
      (3)    Code of Conduct for The Bank of New York Mellon dated May 2009.(9)
      (4)    Code of Ethics for Arrow Investment Advisors, LLC dated October 6, 2009.(9)
   (q)       Powers of Attorney for Mary K. Anstine, Jeremy W. Deems, and Rick A. Pederson.(3)


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(1)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on January 23, 2008.

(2)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on May 1, 2008.

(3)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on March 13, 2009.

(4)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on April 29, 2009.

(5)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on June 23, 2009.

(6)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 9 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on September 10, 2009.

(7)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on December 15, 2009.

(8)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on February 22, 2010.

(9)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on April 30, 2010.

(10)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on August 10, 2010.

(11)

 

Previously filed as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-148826; 811-22175), filed on April 29, 2011.

 

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant.

None.

 

Item 30. Indemnification.

Reference is made to Article Eight of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust which is incorporated by reference herein:

The Registrant (also, the “Trust”) is organized as a Delaware business trust is operated pursuant to a Declaration of Trust, dated September 13, 2007 (the “Declaration of Trust”), that permits the Registrant to indemnify every person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, including persons who serve at the


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request of the Trust as directors, trustees, officers, employees or agents of another organization in which the Trust has an interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered Person”), shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been such a Trustee, director, officer, employee or agent and against amounts paid or incurred by him in settlement thereof. This indemnification is subject to the following conditions:

No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:

(a) For any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders arising out of a final adjudication by the court of other body before which the proceeding was brought that the Covered Person engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office;

(b) With respect to any matter as to which the Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests of the Trust; or

(c) In the event of a settlement of other disposition not involving a final adjudication (as provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8.5.2) and resulting in a payment by a Covered Person, unless there has been either a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of this office by the court or other body approving the settlement or other disposition, or a reasonable determination, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that he or she did not engage in such conduct, such determination being made by : (i) a vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees (as such term is defined in Section 8.5.5) acting on the matter); or (ii) a writer opinion of independent legal counsel.

The rights of indemnification under the Declaration of Trust may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, and shall be severable, shall not affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Covered Person, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. Nothing contained in the Declaration of Trust shall affect any rights to indemnification to which Trust personnel other than Covered Persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.

Expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding subject to a claim for indemnification under Section 8.5 of the Declaration of Trust shall be advanced by the Trust prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the recipient to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification under Section 8.5 of the Declaration of Trust, provided that either: Covered Person, unless there has been either a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of this office


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by the court or other body approving the settlement or other disposition, or a reasonable determination, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that he or she did not engage in such conduct, such determination being made by : (i) a vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees (as such term is defined in Section 8.5.5) acting on the matter (provided that a majority of Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter); or (ii) a written opinion of independent legal counsel.

(a) Such undertaking is secured by a surety bond or some other appropriate security or the Trust shall be insured against losses arising out of any such advances; or

(b) A majority of the Disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter) or independent legal counsel in a written opinion shall determine, based upon a review of the readily available facts (as opposed to the facts available upon a full trial), that there is reason to believe that the recipient ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

As used in Section 8.5 of the Declaration of Trust, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below:

(a) A “Disinterested Trustee” is one (i) who is not an Interested Person of the Trust (including anyone, as such Disinterested Trustees, who has been exempted from being an Interested Person by any rule, regulation or order of the Commission), and (ii) against whom none of such actions, suits or other proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending;

(b) “Claim,” “action,” “suite” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits, proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or other, including appeals), actual or threatened; and

(c) “Liability” and “expenses” shall include without limitation, attorneys’ fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.


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Item 31.

    

Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisers

ALPS ADVISORS, INC.

Name*  

Position with

ALPS Advisors,

Inc.

 

Other Business

Connections

  Type of Business
Edmund J. Burke   Director   Chief Executive Officer and a Director of ALPS Holdings, Inc. and Director of ALPS Distributors, Inc., ALPS Fund Services, Inc. and FTAM Distributors, Inc.   Fund Servicing
Thomas A. Carter   President, Director   See Trustee and Officer Table in SAI   Fund Servicing
Jeremy O. May   Executive Vice President, Director   President and Director of ALPS Fund Services, Inc. and Director and Executive Vice President of ALPS Holdings, Inc., ALPS Distributors, Inc. and FTAM Funds Distributor, Inc.   Fund Servicing
John C. Donaldson   Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer   Chief Financial Officer, ALPS Holdings, Inc., ALPS Distributors, Inc., FTAM Funds Distributor, Inc. and ALPS Fund Services, Inc.   Fund Servicing
Diana M. Adams   Senior Vice President, Controller, Treasurer   Vice President and Controller, ALPS Holdings, Inc., ALPS Distributors, Inc., FTAM Funds Distributor, Inc. and ALPS Fund Services, Inc.   Fund Servicing
Tané T. Tyler   Senior Vice   See Trustee and   Fund Servicing


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    President, General Counsel, Secretary   Officer Table in SAI    
Bradley J. Swenson   Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer   CCO, ALPS Holdings, Inc., ALPS Distributors, Inc., FTAM Funds Distributor, Inc. and ALPS Fund Services, Inc.   Fund Servicing
Corey Dillon   Senior Vice President, Director of Institutional Advisory Services   Not Applicable   Not Applicable
Jeremy Held   Senior Vice President, Director of Research   Not Applicable   Not Applicable
Robert J. Szydlowski   Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer   Not Applicable   Not Applicable
William R. Parmentier, Jr.   Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer   See Trustee and Officer Table in SAI   Not Applicable
Mark T. Haley   Vice President   Not Applicable   Not Applicable
Erin E. Douglas   Vice President, Senior Associate Counsel   Vice President, Senior Associate Counsel, ALPS Distributors, Inc. ALPS Fund Services, Inc. and FTAM Funds Distributor, Inc.   Fund Servicing
JoEllen L. Legg   Vice President, Associate Counsel   Vice President, Associate Counsel, ALPS Distributors, Inc. ALPS Fund Services, Inc. and FTAM Funds Distributor, Inc.   Fund Servicing
Paul F. Leone   Vice President, Assistant General Counsel   Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, ALPS Distributors, Inc. ALPS Fund Services, Inc. and FTAM Funds Distributor, Inc.   Fund Servicing


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David T. Buhler

 

Vice President,

Associate Counsel

 

Vice President,

Associate Counsel,

ALPS Distributors,

Inc. ALPS Fund

Services, Inc. and

FTAM Funds

Distributor, Inc.

 

Fund Servicing

Amy E. Temkin

 

Assistant Vice

President

 

Not Applicable

 

Not Applicable

* The principal business address for each of the ALPS Advisors, Inc. representatives is: 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado, 80203.

ARROW INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC.

 

Name*

  

Position with

Arrow

Investment

Advisors,

Inc.

  

Other Business

Connections

  

 

Type of Business

Joseph Barrato

  

Chief Executive

Officer, Director of

Portfolio Strategies

   Registered Representative, Northern Lights Distributors LLC    Broker-Dealer

Jacob Griffith

  

President, Director

of Sales

   Registered Representative with Northern Lights Distributors LLC    Broker-Dealer

William Flaig

  

Chief Investment

Officer

   Not Applicable    Not Applicable

Timothy Meyer

  

Executive Vice

President

   Not Applicable    Not Applicable

Adrian Bachman

   Portfolio Manager    Not Applicable    Not Applicable

Patrick Bassett

  

Chief Compliance

Officer

   Registered Representative with Northern Lights Distributors LLC    Broker-Dealer

John Serrapere

   Director of Research    Not Applicable    Not Applicable

John Rothenberg

   Portfolio Analyst    Not Applicable    Not Applicable

* The principal business address for Arrow Investment Advisors, LLC is 2943 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Suite A, Olney MD 20832.


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RIVERFRONT INVESTMENTS, LLC

 

Name*   

Position with

RiverFront

Investments LLC

  

Other Business

Connections

  

Type of

Business

Paul Michael Jones, CFA

  

Chief Investment

Officer, Founding

Partner

  

None

  

N/A

Rod Smyth

  

Chief Investment

Strategist, Founding

Partner

  

Virginia Retirement

System (VRS) –

Chairman, Investment

Advisory Committee

  

Financial Services

Doug Sandler, CFA

  

Chief Equity

Officer, Founding

Partner

  

None

  

N/A

Peter J. Quinn, Jr

  

Chief Operating

Officer, Founding

Partner

  

Virginia Business Bank

(VBB) – Board

Member

  

Financial Services

Timothy Anderson, CFA

  

Chief Fixed Income

Strategist, Partner

  

None

  

N/A

Samuel Turner, CMT

  

Director Large Cap

Portfolio

Management, Partner

  

None

  

N/A

Paul Louie

  

Director Small/Mid

Cap Portfolio

Management, Partner

  

None

  

N/A

William Ryder, CFA, CMT

  

Director of

Quantitative

Strategy, Partner

  

None

  

N/A

Marc Cheatham

  

Director Technology

& Operations,

Partner

  

None

  

N/A

Chris Konstantinos

  

Portfolio Risk

Manager

  

None

  

N/A

*The principal business address for each of the RiverFront representatives is: 9011 Arboretum Parkway, Suite 110, Richmond, VA 23236.

Item 32.         Principal Underwriters.

(a) ALPS Distributors, Inc. acts as the distributor for the Registrant and the following investment companies: Ameristock Mutual Fund, Inc., AQR Funds, BBH Funds Trust, BLDRS Index Funds Trust, Caldwell & Orkin Funds, Inc., Campbell Multi-Strategy Trust, Cook & Bynum Funds Trust, CornerCap Group of Funds, CRM Mutual


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Fund Trust, Cullen Funds, SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust, EGA Global Shares Trust, Financial Investors Trust, Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust, Firsthand Funds, Forward Funds, GLG Investment Series Trust, Grail Advisors ETF Trust, Heartland Group, Inc., Henssler Funds, Inc., Holland Balanced Fund, IndexIQ Trust, Index IQ ETF Trust, Laudus Trust, Laudus Institutional Trust, Milestone Funds, MTB Group of Funds, Oak Associates Funds, Pax World Series Trust I, Pax World Funds trust II, PowerShares QQQ 100 Trust Series 1, RiverNorth Funds, SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust, Select Sector SPDR Trust, Stonebridge Funds, Inc., Stone Harbor Investment Funds, Transparent Value Trust, TDX Independence Funds, Inc., Trust for Professional Managers, Wasatch Funds, WesMark Funds, Westcore Trust, Williams Capital Liquid Assets Fund, and WisdomTree Trust.

(b) To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of ALPS Distributors, Inc., are as follows:

 

 Name and Principal

  Business Address*

 

Positions and

Offices with

Underwriter

 

Positions and

Offices with

Registrant

Edmund J. Burke

 

Director

 

  None

Spencer Hoffman

 

Director

 

  None

Thomas A. Carter

 

President

 

  President, Trustee

Jeremy O. May

  Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer   None

John C. Donaldson

 

Executive Vice President

 

  None

Diana M. Adams

  Senior Vice President, Controller, Treasurer   None

Kevin J. Ireland

  Senior Vice President, Director of Institutional Sales   None

Mark R. Kiniry

  Senior Vice President, National Sales Director-Investments   None

Bradley J. Swenson

  Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer   None

Robert J. Szydlowski

  Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer   None

Tané T. Tyler

  Senior Vice President, Secretary, General Counsel   Secretary

Erin Douglas

  Vice President, Senior Associate Counsel   None

JoEllen Legg

  Vice President, Associate Counsel   None


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Paul F. Leone

  Vice President, Assistant General Counsel   None

David T. Buhler

  Vice President, Associate Counsel   None

Steven Price

  Vice President, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer   None

James Stegall

  Vice President, Institutional Sales Manager   None
*

The principal business address for each of the above directors and executive officers is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

 

  (c)

Not applicable.

 

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records

All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder are maintained at the following offices: (1) ALPS Distributors, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203; (2) ALPS Advisors, Inc. at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203; (3) The Bank of New York, 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286; (4) Arrow Investment Advisors, LLC, 2943 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Suite A, Olney MD 20832; and (5) 9011 Arboretum Parkway, Suite 110, Richmond, VA 23236.

 

Item 34. Management Services

Not applicable.

 

Item 35. Undertakings.

Not applicable.


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 of its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Denver, and State of Colorado, on the 2nd day of May, 2011.

 

ALPS ETF TRUST

By:

 

  /s/ Thomas A. Carter

 

  Thomas A. Carter

 

  President

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signatures

  

Title

   Date

  /s/ Mary K. Anstine

  

Trustee

  

May 2, 2011

  Mary K. Anstine*

     

  /s/ Jeremy W. Deems

  

Trustee

  

May 2, 2011

  Jeremy W. Deems*

     

  /s/ Rick A. Pederson

  

Trustee

  

May 2, 2011

  Rick A. Pederson*

     

  /s/ Thomas A. Carter

  

Trustee and President

  

May 2, 2011

  Thomas A. Carter

     

  /s/ Kimberly R. Storms

  

Treasurer

  

May 2, 2011

  Kimberly R. Storms

     

*Signature affixed by Tané T. Tyler pursuant to a power of attorney dated December 8, 2008.


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EXHIBIT INDEX

None