485APOS 1 burroughs485a.htm BURROUGHS HUTCHINSON 485APOS Burroughs Hutchinson 485APOS


Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 16, 2005
 
1933 Act Registration File No. 333-17391
1940 Act File No. 811-07959
 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549

FORM N-1A
 
 
 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933    

 x

   
 Pre-Effective Amendment No.  ___    

¨

   
 Post-Effective Amendment No. _176_     

x

   
 and  
   
 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940    

x

   
 Amendment No.  _178_    

x

 
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
 
 
ADVISORS SERIES TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
 
(Registrant’s Telephone Numbers, Including Area Code) (414) 765-5340
 
Eric M. Banhazl
Advisors Series Trust
2020 E. Financial Way, Suite 100
Glendora, CA 91741
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
 
Copies to:
 
Julie Allecta, Esq.
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
55 Second Street, 24th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
 
As soon as practical after the effective date of this Registration Statement
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering
 
It is proposed that this filing will become effective
 
 __    immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
 
 __    on _______________________ pursuant to paragraph (b)
 
 __    60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
 
 __    on   pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
 
_X     75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
 
 __    on   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.
 
 

 
     

 


Subject to Completion, Dated, February 16, 2005
 
The information in this Prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We 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 state where the offer or sale is not permitted.






PROSPECTUS
________________________________________________________________________






TABLEROCK FUND







________________________________________________________________________

May  ___, 2005





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

  
     

 


TABLEROCK FUND

A series of Advisors Series Trust

Tablerock Fund is a mutual fund that seeks to obtain the majority of the returns associated with an investment in the stock market, while exposing holders of the fund to significantly less risk than an un-hedged portfolio.



Burroughs Hutchinson (the “Advisor”) is the investment advisor to the Fund.



Table of Contents


 
 AN OVERVIEW OF THE FUND

 2

 PERFORMANCE

 2

 FEES AND EXPENSES

 2

 INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

 4

 PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

 5

 MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 6

 YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE FUND

 7

 DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 16

 TAX CONSEQUENCES

 17

 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 17

 PRIVACY NOTICE

 18






This Prospectus sets forth basic information about the Tablerock Fund (the “Fund”) that you should know before investing. It should be read and retained for future reference.





The date of this Prospectus is May ___, 2005




     

 


AN OVERVIEW OF THE FUND
 
 

What is the Fund’s Investment Objective?

The investment objective of the Fund is to obtain the majority of the returns associated with an investment in the stock market, while exposing holders of the Fund to significantly less risk than an un-hedged portfolio.
   
What is the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies?
The Advisor generally invests the Fund’s assets in  equity securities that have historically produced greater returns than fixed income investments. However, these securities are accompanied by greater volatility. The Fund seeks to reduce this volatility by selling covered call options. Under normal market circumstances, at least 65% of the Fund’s portfolio will be hedged using covered call options. By selling call options the Fund seeks to obtain the higher returns associated with investing in the stock market, while exposing holders of the Fund to significantly less risk than an un-hedged portfolio.
   
What are the Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund? The value of the Fund will go up and down as the stocks held in the Fund change in price. Risks that could have a negative impact on the value of your investment include:
   

 

·      Stock prices may decline over short or even extended periods of time;

 

·       The Fund’s covered call strategy may not fully protect against declines in the underlying common stocks;

 

·       Securities of small capitalization companies generally involve greater volatility than larger more established companies; and

 

·       Because a large portion of the portfolio will be hedged, the Fund may underperform in a strong bull market.
   
  Because the Fund is new, its success cannot be guaranteed. There is a risk that the Fund will be liquidated if it does not attract enough assets to support its continued existence.
 
By itself, the Fund is not a complete, balanced investment plan and no fund can guarantee that it will achieve its goal. When you sell your shares, you may lose money.
   
 Who may want to Invest in the Fund?  The Fund may be appropriate for investors who:
 
·       Are pursuing a long-term goal such as retirement;
 
·       Appreciate a lower volatility approach to investing in the stock markets;
 
·       Are conservative investors looking to outperform fixed income investments but want less risk than outright equity investing; or
 
·       Are looking for additional ways to diversify their investment portfolio.
   
  The Fund may not be appropriate for investors who:
   
  ·    Are pursuing a short term goal; or
  ·    Are seeking a steady level of income.
 

 
   

 

PERFORMANCE

While the Advisor has been in business since 1967, and has used covered calls to enhance their clients’ risk adjusted returns, this Fund is newly organized. Because the Fund has been in operation for less than a calendar year, there is no performance information available at this time.
 
FEES AND EXPENSES 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees1
(fees paid directly from your investment)
 
 
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases
None
Maximum deferred sales charge (load)
None
Redemption fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed)1
2.00%
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
 
 
Management Fees
 
1.00%
 
Other Expenses 2
 
***%
 
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
 
***%
 
Less: Expense waiver/reimbursement3
 
-***%
 
Net Expenses
 
1.50%
   
1 Shareholders will be charged 2.00% fee on redemptions made within three months of purchase. The Fund’s transfer agent charges a $15 fee for wire redemptions.
2 These expenses, which include custodian, transfer agency, and other customary Fund expenses, are based on estimated amounts for the Fund’s current fiscal year.
3 The Fund’s investment advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund to ensure that Total Annual Operating Expenses do not exceed 1.50% of average net assets of the Fund. This contract’s term is indefinite and may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees. In turn, the Advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid. The Advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund for three years from the date fees were waived or reimbursed.

EXAMPLE

This Example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual 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, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same.

Please note that the one-year figure below is based on the Fund’s net expenses resulting from the expense limitation agreement described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
$
$


INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Principal Strategy

The investment objective of the Fund is to obtain the majority of the returns associated with an investment in the stock market, while exposing holders of the Fund to significantly less risk than an un-hedged portfolio.
 
The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of domestic companies. The Advisor will use fundamental research and analysis to determine which stocks are selling at attractive valuations relative to their intrinsic value. The intrinsic value of each company will be calculated by the Advisor. Covered calls will then be written against at least 65% of these stocks to further reduce the net purchase price. A call option is “covered” if the Fund owns the security underlying the call option or has an absolute right to acquire the security without additional cash considerations.

As the seller of the covered call option, the Fund receives cash (the “premium”) from the purchaser up front, which will act as cushion against downward moves in the underlying stock and provide incremental returns in a flat or modestly up market. The purchaser of the call option has the right to buy that security at a predetermined price (the “exercise price”) during the life of the option contract. If the purchaser exercises the option, the Fund must sell the stock to the purchaser at the exercise price.

The Fund can also repurchase the call option prior to the expiration date, thus ending its obligation. In this case, the cost of repurchasing the option will determine the gain or loss realized by the Fund.

Selling covered call options should reduce the volatility of the Fund because the premiums received from selling the options will reduce any losses on the underlying securities, but only by the amount of the premiums. However, selling the options will also limit the Fund’s gain, if any, on the underlying securities.

There is no assurance that the Fund’s objective will be achieved. As prices of common stocks and other securities fluctuate, the value of an investment in the Fund will change.
 

 
   4  

 

Portfolio Turnover
The Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate indicates changes in its portfolio investments. The Advisor will sell a security when appropriate and consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies regardless of the effect on the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate.

Please note that buying and selling securities generally involves some expense to the Fund, such as broker commissions and other transaction costs, and a high turnover rate in any year will result in payment by the Fund of above-average transaction costs and could result in the payment by shareholders of above-average amounts of taxes on realized investment gains. Buying and selling securities could result in payment by shareholders of an ordinary income tax on short-term capital gains or a higher tax on long-term capital gains.

The Fund cannot accurately predict its future annual portfolio turnover rate. Securities may be replaced as they mature; however, the Fund expects that the actual trading turnover will be generally less than 100% except in times of significant market volatility or excessive redemption. It may vary substantially from year to year since portfolio adjustments are made when conditions affecting relevant markets, particular industries or individual issues warrant such action. In addition, portfolio turnover may also be affected by sales of portfolio securities necessary to meet cash requirements for redemptions of shares.

Temporary or Cash Investments
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will stay fully invested according to its principal investment strategies as noted above. The Fund may, however, temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies by making short-term investments in cash, cash equivalents and/or money market instruments in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions. This may result in the Fund not achieving their investment objective.

For longer periods of time, the Fund may hold a substantial cash position. If the market advances during periods when the Fund are holding a large cash position, the Fund may not participate as much as it would have if it had been more fully invested. To the extent the Fund use a money market fund for its cash position, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of such money market fund’s advisory fees and operational expenses.

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

The principal risks that may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value or total return have previously been summarized under “An Overview of the Fund.” These risks are discussed in more detail below.

Market Risk. Market risk means that the market value of a security may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. These fluctuations may cause a security to be worth less than the price originally paid for it, or less than it was worth at an earlier time.

Management Risk. Management risk means that your investment in the Fund varies with the effectiveness of the Advisor’s investment strategies and the Advisor’s research, analysis and securities selection. If the Advisor’s investment strategies do not produce the expected results, your investment could be diminished or even lost.


 
   5  

 

Selling Covered Call Options. Selling covered call options reduces the risk of owning stocks, but it limits the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of stocks in exchange for up-front cash at the time of selling the call option.

Closing Option Transactions. Unusual market conditions or the lack of a ready market for any particular option at a specific time may reduce the effectiveness of the Fund's option strategies.

Small and Medium Companies Risk. Investing in securities of small and medium-sized companies may involve greater volatility than investing in larger and more established companies because they can be subject to more abrupt or erratic share price changes than larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources and their management may be dependent on a limited number of key individuals. Securities of those companies may have limited market liquidity and their prices may be more volatile.

Equity Risk. The risks that could affect the value of the Fund’s shares and the total return on your investment include the possibility that the equity securities held by the Fund will experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect the securities market generally, such as adverse changes in economic conditions, the general outlook for corporate earnings, interest rates or investor sentiment. Equity securities may also lose value because of factors affecting an entire industry or sector, such as increases in production costs, or factors directly related to a specific company, such as decisions made by its management. This risk is greater for small and medium-sized companies, which tend to be more vulnerable to adverse developments than larger companies.

Foreign Risks. Foreign investing poses additional risks such as currency fluctuation and political instability. Political, social and economic events as well as natural disasters may all impact a country’s economy and cause investments in issues located in that country to decline in value. Additionally, the value of foreign securities could increase or decrease due to variations in the buying power of U.S. and foreign currencies.

Portfolio Holdings Information
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. Currently, disclosure of the Fund’s holdings is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter in the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q. The Annual and Semi-Annual Reports will be available by contacting the Tablerock Fund c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701 or calling 1-8**-***-****.

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND 

Investment Advisor
Burroughs Hutchinson (the “Advisor”) is the investment advisor to the Fund. The Advisor’s address is 877 West Main Street, Suite 602, Boise, Idaho 83702. The Advisor has provided investment advisory services to individual and institutional accounts since 1967. The Advisor currently manages over $285 million in assets. The Advisor has extensive experience using covered call options to enhance their client’s risk adjusted returns.


 
   6  

 

The Advisor provides the Fund with advice on buying and selling securities. The Advisor also furnishes the Fund with office space and certain administrative services and provides most of the personnel needed by the Fund. For its services, the Advisor is entitled to receive an annual management fee, calculated daily and payable monthly, equal to 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

Portfolio Managers
Mark Matsko and Steven Devejian are co-portfolio managers and are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio.

Mark Matsko, CFA — President and Chief Executive Officer - Mr. Matsko is a graduate of the University of Montana. His work experience includes general management, tax accounting, brokerage, portfolio management, and securities analysis. Mr. Matsko was a CPA and currently holds the CFA charter. He has 16 years of industry experience and has been with the firm since 1996.

Steven Devejian, CFA — Vice President and Portfolio Manager - Mr. Devejian is an applied mathematics and economics graduate from Purdue University. His work experience includes statistical analysis, portfolio management, and securities analysis. Mr. Devejian holds the CFA charter. He has 12 years of industry experience and has been with the firm since 2002.

The SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers and the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of securities in the Fund.

Fund Expenses
The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses. The Advisor has contractually agreed, however, to reduce its fees and/or pay expenses of the Fund to ensure that the total annual fund operating expenses (excluding interest and tax expenses) will not exceed 1.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Any reduction in advisory fees or payment of expenses made by the Advisor may be reimbursed by the Fund in subsequent fiscal years if the Advisor so requests. This reimbursement may be requested if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) does not exceed the applicable limitation on Fund expenses. The Advisor is permitted to be reimbursed for fee reductions and/or expense payments made in the prior three fiscal years from the date the expenses were incurred. Any such reimbursement will be reviewed by the Trustees. The Fund must pay its current ordinary operating expenses before the Advisor is entitled to any reimbursement of fees and/or expenses.

YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE FUND

Share Price
Shares of the Fund are sold at net asset value per share (NAV), which is determined by the Fund as of the close of regular trading (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for unrestricted business. However, the Fund’s NAV may be calculated earlier if trading on the NYSE is restricted or as permitted by the SEC. The NYSE is closed on weekends and most national holidays.

Purchase and redemption requests are priced at the next NAV calculated after receipt of such requests. The NAV is determined by dividing the value of the Fund’s securities, cash and other assets, minus all expenses and liabilities, by the number of shares outstanding (assets - liabilities/ # of shares = NAV). The NAV takes into account the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management, administration and shareholder servicing fees, which are accrued daily.


 
   

 

The Fund’s investments are valued according to market value. When a market quote is not readily available, the security’s value is based on “fair value” as determined by procedures adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.

Buying Fund Shares
To purchase shares of the Fund, you must invest at least the minimum amount.

Minimum Investments
To Open
Your Account
To Add to
Your Account
Regular Accounts
$2,500
$1,000
Retirement and Tax-Deferred Accounts
$2,500
$1,000

Shares of the Fund may be purchased by check or by wire transfer of funds through a bank or through one or more brokers authorized by the Fund to receive purchase orders. The Fund’s minimum initial investment (as well as subsequent additional investments) depends on the nature of the account as shown in the table above. For regular accounts, the Fund requires an initial investment of $2,500. For retirement and other non-taxable accounts (IRAs, SEP-IRAs, pension and profit sharing plans, etc.), the Fund requires an initial investment of $2,500. Minimum investment amounts may be made in any amount in excess of this amount and may be waived from time to time by the Fund.

Short-term or excessive trading into and out of the Fund may harm performance by disrupting management strategies and by increasing expenses. Funds that invest in small cap and other types of investments which are not frequently traded, may be targets of market timers. Accordingly, the Fund may reject your purchase order if in the Advisor’s opinion, you have a pattern of short-term or excessive trading, your trading has been or may be disruptive to the Fund, or rejection otherwise would be in the Fund’s best interest.

In compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, please note that the Fund’s Transfer Agent will verify certain information on your account application as part of the Fund’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. As requested on the application, you should provide your full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address. Mailing addresses containing only a P.O. Box will not be accepted. Please contact the Fund’s Transfer Agent at 1-8**-***-**** if you need additional assistance when completing your application.
 
If we do not have a reasonable belief of the identity of a shareholder, the account will be rejected or you will not be allowed to perform a transaction on the account until such information is received. The Fund may also reserve the right to close the account within five business days if clarifying information/documentation is not received.
 
Timing and Nature of Requests
Your share price will be the next NAV calculated after the Transfer Agent or your authorized financial intermediary receives your request in good order. Good order means that your purchase request includes: (1) the name of the Fund, (2) the dollar amount of shares to be purchased, (3) your purchase application or investment stub, and (4) a check payable to the “Tablerock Fund.” All requests received in good order before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be processed on that same day. Requests received after 4:00 p.m. will receive the next business day’s NAV. The Fund reserves the right to refuse any purchase order.
 

 
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Methods of Buying
Through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary
 
 
You can purchase shares of the Fund through any broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (sales agent) that has been authorized by the Fund. These sales agents are further authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf. A purchase order is deemed received by the Fund when an authorized sales agent, or, if applicable, a sales agent’s authorized designee, receives the request in good order. Please keep in mind that a sales agent may charge additional fees for its services.
   
By mail
The Fund will not accept payment in cash, including cashier’s check or money orders, unless the cashier’s checks or money orders are in excess of $10,000. Also, to prevent check fraud, the Fund will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares.
 
To buy shares of the Fund, complete an account application form and send it together with your check for the amount you wish to invest in a Fund to the address below. To make additional investments once you have opened your account, write your account number on the check and send it together with the most recent confirmation statement received from the Transfer Agent. If your check is returned for any reason, your purchase will be canceled and a $25 fee will be assessed against your account by the Transfer Agent.
     
 
Regular Mail
Tablerock Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701
Overnight Delivery
Tablerock Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 E. Michigan Street, Third Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
   
 
NOTE: The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents.
   
By telephone
To make additional investments by telephone, you must check the appropriate box on your account application form authorizing telephone purchases. If you have given authorization for telephone transactions and your account has been open for at least 15 days, call the Transfer Agent toll free at 1-8**-***-**** and you will be allowed to move money from your bank account to your Fund account upon request. Only bank accounts held at U.S. institutions that are Automated Clearing House (ACH) members may be used for telephone transactions. For security reasons, requests by telephone will be recorded.
   
By wire
If you wish to open an account or to make additional investments by wire, call 1-8**-***-**** to obtain a shareholder account number and instructions. You should then instruct your bank to wire transfer the intended amount in federal funds to:
 
U.S. Bank, National Association
777 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
ABA #: 075000022
Credit: U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
Account #: 112-952-137
Further Credit: (name of the Fund)
(your name or the title on the account)
(your account #)
   


 
   10  

 

Selling (Redeeming) Fund Shares
 
Through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary
 
 
 
If you purchased your shares through a sales agent (e.g., broker-dealer or other financial intermediary), your redemption order must be placed through the same sales agent. The sales agent must receive and transmit your redemption order to the Fund’s Transfer Agent prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for the redemption to be processed at the current day’s NAV. Orders received after 4:00 p.m. Eastern time will receive the next business day’s NAV. Please keep in mind that your sales agent may charge additional fees for its services.
   
By mail
You can redeem shares purchased directly from the Fund by mail. Send your written redemption request to the Transfer Agent at the address below. Your request should be in good order and contain the Fund’s name, the name(s) on the account, your account number and the dollar amount or the number of shares to be redeemed. Be sure to have all shareholders sign the letter. Additional documents are required for certain types of shareholders, such as corporations, partnerships, executors, trustees, administrators, or guardians (i.e., corporate resolutions, or trust documents indicating proper authorization).
     
 
Regular Mail
Tablerock Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701
Overnight Delivery
Tablerock Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 E. Michigan Street, Third Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
   
 
A signature guarantee must be included if any of the following situations apply:
 
·    You wish to redeem more than $100,000 worth of shares;
 
·    The redemption is being mailed to a different address from the one on your account (record address); or
 
·    The redemption is being made payable to someone other than the account owner.
 
·    The redemption is being sent by federal wire transfer to a bank other than the bank of record of the account owner.
 
·    A change of address request has been received by the Transfer Agent within the last 15 days.
 
Shareholders redeeming their shares by mail should submit written instructions with a guarantee of their signature(s) by an eligible institution acceptable to the Fund’s Transfer Agent, such as a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association, who are participants in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three recognized medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees that are not part of these programs will not be accepted. A notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee.
   
By telephone
If you are authorized to perform telephone transactions (either through your account application form or by subsequent arrangement in writing with the Fund) you may redeem shares in any amount, by instructing the Fund by phone at 1-8**-***-****. Unless noted on the initial application, a signature guarantee is required of all shareholders in order to qualify for or to change telephone redemption privileges.
 
Note: Neither the Fund nor its service providers will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. To confirm that all telephone instructions are genuine, the Fund will use reasonable procedures, such as requesting:
 
§    that you correctly state the Fund account number
§    the name in which your account is registered
§    the social security or tax identification number under which the account is registered
§    the address of the account holder, as stated in the account application form
   
By Wire
 
To redeem shares by wire, call the Fund at 1-8**-***-**** and specify the amount of money you wish to be wired. Your bank may charge a fee to receive wired funds. The Transfer Agent charges a $15 outgoing wire fee.

Payment of Redemption Proceeds
You may redeem the Fund’s shares at a price equal to the NAV next determined after the Fund’s Transfer Agent receives your redemption request in good order. Generally, your redemption request cannot be processed on days the NYSE is closed. All requests received in good order by the Fund before the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) will usually be wired to the bank you indicate or mailed on the following day to the address of record. In all cases, proceeds will be processed within seven calendar days and wired or mailed to you after the Fund receive your redemption request.
 

 
   12  

 

If you purchase shares using a check and soon after request a redemption, the Fund will honor the redemption request, but will not mail the proceeds until your purchase check has cleared (usually within 12 days). Furthermore, there are certain times when you may be unable to sell the Fund shares or receive proceeds.

Specifically, we may suspend the right to redeem shares or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than three business days (1) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend or holiday closings) or trading on the NYSE is restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund’s shareholders.

Other Redemption Information
The Fund generally pays sale (redemption) proceeds in cash. However, under unusual conditions that make the payment of cash unwise (and for the protection of the Fund’s remaining shareholders) the Fund might pay all or part of a shareholder’s redemption proceeds in liquid securities with a market value equal to the redemption price (redemption in kind).

Specifically, if the amount you are redeeming is in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund’s NAV, the Fund has the right to redeem your shares by giving you the amount that exceeds $250,000 or 1% of the Fund’s NAV in securities instead of cash. If the Fund pays your redemption proceeds by a distribution of securities, you could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash, and will bear any market risks associated with such securities until they are converted into cash.

The Fund charges a 2.00% redemption fee on the redemption of Fund shares held for less than three months.
 
Tools to Combat Frequent Transactions
The Fund does not accommodate "market timers."  The Fund is intended for long-term investors and does not accommodate frequent transactions. Short-term “market-timers” who engage in frequent purchases and redemptions can disrupt a Fund’s investment program and create additional transaction costs that are borne by all shareholders. Funds that invest in overseas securities, where market timers may seek to take advantage of time zone differences, and funds that invest in small cap and other types of investments which are not frequently traded, may be targets of market timers.

 The Fund discourages excessive, short-term trading and other abusive trading practices that may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm fund performance. The Board of Trustees has developed a market timing policy, which takes steps to reduce the frequency and effect of these activities in the Fund. These steps include monitoring trading activity, imposing redemption fees and using fair value pricing, as determined by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, when the Advisor determines current market prices are not readily available. Although these efforts are designed to discourage abusive trading practices, these tools cannot eliminate the possibility that such activity will occur. Further, while the Fund makes efforts to identify and restrict frequent trading, the Fund receives purchase and sale orders through financial intermediaries and cannot always know or detect frequent trading that may be facilitated by the use of intermediaries or the use of group or omnibus accounts by those intermediaries. The Fund seeks to exercise its judgment in implementing these tools to the best of its abilities in a manner that it believes is consistent with shareholder interests.


 
  13   

 

The Fund uses a variety of techniques to monitor for and detect abusive trading practices. These techniques may change from time to time as determined by the Fund in its sole discretion. To minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order from any shareholder the Fund believes has a history of abusive trading or whose trading, in its judgment, has been or may be disruptive to the Fund. In making this judgment, the Fund may consider trading done in multiple accounts under common ownership or control.

Trading Practices
Currently, the Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to identify trading practices as abusive. The Fund may deem the sale of all or a substantial portion of a shareholder’s purchase of fund shares to be abusive. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to accept purchases and exchanges if it believes that such transactions would be consistent with the best interests of fund shareholders or this policy.

The Fund monitors selected trades in an effort to detect excessive short-term trading activities. If, as a result of this monitoring, the Fund believes that a shareholder has engaged in excessive short-term trading, it may, in its discretion, ask the shareholder to stop such activities or refuse to process purchases or exchanges in the shareholder’s accounts other than exchanges into a money market fund. In making such judgments, the Fund seeks to act in a manner that it believes is consistent with the best interests of shareholders.

Due to the complexity and subjectivity involved in identifying abusive trading activity and the volume of shareholder transactions the Fund handles, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s efforts will identify all trades or trading practices that may be considered abusive. In addition, the Fund’s ability to monitor trades that are placed by individual shareholders within group, or omnibus, accounts maintained by financial intermediaries is severely limited because the Fund does not have access to the underlying shareholder account information. However, the Fund and financial intermediaries attempt to monitor aggregate trades placed in omnibus accounts and the Fund seeks to work with financial intermediaries to discourage shareholders from engaging in abusive trading practices and to impose restrictions on excessive trades. There may be limitations on the ability of financial intermediaries to impose restrictions on the trading practices of their clients. As a result, the Fund’s ability to monitor and discourage abusive trading practices in omnibus accounts may be limited.

Redemption Fees
The Fund charges a 2.00% redemption fee on the redemption of Fund shares held for less than three months. This fee is imposed in order to help offset the transaction costs and administrative expenses associated with the activities of short-term “market timers” that engage in the frequent purchase and sale of Fund shares. The “first in, first out” (FIFO) method is used to determine the holding period; this means that if you bought shares on different days, the shares purchased first will be redeemed first for the purpose of determining whether the redemption fee applies. The redemption fee is deducted from your proceeds and is retained by the Fund for the benefit of its long-term shareholders. Redemption fees will not apply to shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends. Although the Fund has the goal of applying this redemption fee to most such redemptions, the redemption fee may not apply in certain circumstances where it is not currently practicable for the Fund to impose the fee, such as redemptions of shares held in certain omnibus accounts or retirement plans.


 
   14  

 

Fair Value Pricing
The Board of Trustees has developed procedures which specify the fair value methodology used by third party pricing services. These procedures utilize fair value procedures when any assets for which reliable market quotations are not readily available or for which the Fund’s pricing service does not provide a valuation or provides a valuation that in the judgment of the Advisor to the Fund holding such assets does not represent fair value. The Fund may also fair value a security if the Fund or the Advisor believes that the market price is stale.

Other types of securities that the Fund may hold for which fair value pricing might be required include, but are not limited to: (a) investments which are not frequently traded; (b) illiquid securities, including “restricted” securities and private placements for which there is no public market; (c) securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring; and (d) securities whose trading has been halted or suspended. Further, if events occur that materially affect the value of a security between the time trading ends on that particular security and the close of the normal trading session of the New York Stock Exchange, the Fund may value the security at its fair value. Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than securities that have readily available market quotations. There can be no assurance that the Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Fund determines its net asset value per share.

Fair value determinations are made in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Fund. The Board of Trustees has also developed procedures to monitor pricing policies and operations under the fair value procedures.

General Transaction Policies
Some of the following policies are mentioned above. In general, the Fund reserves the right to:
 
  · Vary or waive any minimum investment requirement.
  · Refuse, change, discontinue, or temporarily suspend account services, including purchase, or telephone redemption privileges, for any reason.
  · Reject any purchase request for any reason. Generally, the Fund does this if the purchase is disruptive to the efficient management of the Fund (due to the timing of the investment or an investor’s history of excessive trading).
  · Redeem all shares in your account if your balance falls below the Fund’s minimum initial investment requirement due to redemption activity. If, within 30 days of the Fund’s written request, you have not increased your account balance, you may be required to redeem your shares. The Fund will not require you to redeem shares if the value of your account drops below the investment minimum due to fluctuations of NAV.
  · Delay paying redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days after receiving a request, if an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund.
  · Reject any purchase or redemption request that does not contain all required documentation.

If you elect telephone privileges on the account application or in a letter to the Fund, you may be responsible for any fraudulent telephone orders as long as the Fund has taken reasonable precautions to verify your identity. In addition, once you place a telephone transaction request, it cannot be canceled or modified.


 
   15  

 

During periods of significant economic or market change, telephone transactions may be difficult to complete. If you are unable to contact the Fund by telephone, you may also mail the requests to the Fund at the address listed under “Methods of Buying.”

Your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary may establish policies that differ from those of the Fund. For example, the organization may charge transaction fees, set higher minimum investments, or impose certain limitations on buying or selling shares in addition to those identified in this Prospectus. Contact your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary for details.

SERVICE FEES - OTHER PAYMENTS TO THIRD PARTIES

The Fund may pay service fees to intermediaries such as banks, broker-dealers, financial advisors or other financial institutions, including affiliates of the advisor, for sub-administration, sub-transfer agency and other shareholder services associated with shareholders whose shares are held of record in omnibus, other group accounts or accounts traded through registered securities clearing agents.

The Advisor, out of its own resources, and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or non-cash compensation to intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. Such payments and compensation are in addition to service fees paid by the Fund. These additional cash payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. Cash compensation may also be paid to intermediaries for inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, in other sales programs or as an expense reimbursement in cases where the intermediary provides shareholder services to the Fund’s shareholders. The Fund’s advisor may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder’s fees that vary depending on the Fund and the dollar amount of the shares sold.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund will make distributions of dividends and capital gains, if any, at least annually, typically in December. The Fund may make an additional payment of dividends or distributions if it deems it desirable at another time during any year.

All distributions will be reinvested in Fund shares unless you choose one of the following options: (1) receive dividends in cash, while reinvesting capital gain distributions in additional Fund shares; or (2) receive all distributions in cash. If you wish to change your distribution option, write to the Transfer Agent in advance of the payment date of the distribution. If you elect to have dividends and/or capital gains paid in cash, the Fund will automatically reinvest all distributions under $10 in additional shares of a Fund.

If an investor elects to receive distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver your check, or if a check remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in the shareholder’s account at a Fund’s then current net asset value and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.


 
   16  

 

TAX CONSEQUENCES

The Fund intends to make distributions of dividends and capital gains. Dividends are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. The rate you pay on capital gain distributions will depend on how long the Fund held the securities that generated the gains, not on how long you owned your Fund shares. You will be taxed in the same manner whether you receive your dividends and capital gain distributions in cash or reinvest them in additional Fund shares.

By law, the Fund must withhold a percentage of your taxable distributions and redemption proceeds if you do not provide your correct social security or taxpayer identification number and certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, or if the IRS instructs the Fund to do so.

If you sell your Fund shares, it is considered a taxable event for you. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a gain or a loss on the transaction. You are responsible for any tax liabilities generated by your transaction.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 

Because the Fund has recently commenced operations, there are no financial highlights available at this time.


 
  17   

 



PRIVACY NOTICE

The Fund collects non-public information about you from the following sources:

· Information we receive about you on applications or other forms;
· Information you give us orally; and/or
· Information about your transactions with us or others.

We do not disclose any non-public personal information about our customers or former customers without the customer’s authorization, except as permitted by law or in response to inquiries from governmental authorities. We may share information with affiliated and unaffiliated third parties with whom we have contracts for servicing the Fund. We will provide unaffiliated third parties with only the information necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to guard your non-public personal information and require third parties to treat your personal information with the same high degree of confidentiality.

In the event that you hold shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, including, but not limited to, a broker-dealer, bank, or trust company, the privacy policy of your financial intermediary would govern how your non-public personal information would be shared by those entities with unaffiliated third parties. 























THIS IS NOT A PART OF THE PROSPECTUS.


 

 

 
   18  

 




Investment Advisor
Burroughs Hutchinson
877 West Main Street, Suite 602
Boise, Idaho 83702


Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Tait, Weller & Baker
1818 Market Street, Suite 2400
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103


Legal Counsel
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
55 Second Street, 24th Floor
San Francisco, California 94105


Custodian
U.S. Bank, National Association
425 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202


Transfer Agent, Fund Accountant and Fund Administrator
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202


Distributor
Quasar Distributors, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202



 
   19  

 

TABLEROCK FUND
A series of Advisors Series Trust



FOR MORE INFORMATION

You can find more information about the Fund in the following documents:

Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
The SAI of the Fund provides additional details about the investments and techniques of the Fund and certain other additional information. A current SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. This means that the SAI is legally considered a part of this Prospectus even though it is not physically within this Prospectus.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports
The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports provide the most recent financial reports and portfolio listings. The annual report contains a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that affected the Fund’s performance during the Fund’s last fiscal year.

You can obtain a free copy of these documents, request other information, or make general inquires about the Fund by calling the Fund (toll-free) at 1-8**-***-**** or by writing to:

TABLEROCK FUND
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701


You can review and copy information including the Fund’s reports and SAI at the Public Reference Room of the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC. You can obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling (202) 942-8090. Reports and other information about the Fund are also available:

· Free of charge from the Commission’s EDGAR database on the Commission’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov, or
· For a fee, by writing to the Public Reference Room of the Commission, Washington, DC 20549-0102, or
· For a fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.






(The Trust’s SEC Investment Company Act file number is 811-07959)

 
  20   

 


Subject to Completion, Dated, February 16, 2005
 
The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We 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 state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Statement of Additional Information
May  __, 2005

TABLEROCK FUND
a series of Advisors Series Trust


This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus, and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus dated May  __, 2005, as may be amended from time to time, of the Tablerock Fund (the “Fund”), a series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”). Burroughs Hutchinson (the “Advisor”) is the Advisor to the Fund. A copy of the Fund’s Prospectus may be obtained by contacting the Fund at the address or telephone number below.

Tablerock Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701
1-8**-***-****

 
 
 The Trust

 2

 Investment Objective and Policies

 2

 Management

 12

 Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

 22

 Portfolio Turnover

 23

 Proxy Voting Policy

 24

 Anti-Money Laundering Program

 24

 Portfolio Holdings Information

 25

 Determination of Net Asset Value

 26

 Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares

 27

 Tax Matters

 28

 Dividends and Distributions

 30

 Performance Information

 31

 General Information

 32

 Financial Statements

 34

 Appendix "A"

 35

 

 
  B-1   

 


THE TRUST

The Trust is an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 3, 1996. The Trust currently consists of numerous series of shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share. This SAI relates only to the Fund and not to any other series of the Trust.

The Trust is registered with the SEC as a management investment company. Such a registration does not involve supervision of the management or policies of the Fund. The Prospectus of the Fund and this SAI omit certain of the information contained in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC. Copies of such information may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the prescribed fee.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES

The investment objective of the Fund is to obtain the majority of the returns associated with an investment in the stock market, while exposing holders of the fund to significantly less risk than an un-hedged portfolio. The Fund is diversified. Under applicable federal laws, the diversification of a mutual fund’s holdings is measured at the time the fund purchases a security. However, if a fund purchases a security and holds it for a period of time, the security may become a larger percentage of the fund’s total assets due to movements in the financial markets. If the market affects several securities held by a fund, the fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers. Then a fund is subject to the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities despite the fund qualifying as a diversified fund under applicable federal laws. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its objective. The discussion below supplements information contained in the Fund’s Prospectus as to investment policies of the Fund.

Short-Term Investments

The Fund may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:

Bank Certificates or Deposit, Bankers’ Acceptances and Time Deposits. The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against monies deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances acquired by the Fund will be dollar-denominated obligations of domestic or foreign banks or financial institutions which at the time of purchase have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured by the U.S. Government. If the Fund holds instruments of foreign banks or financial institutions, it may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred by a fund that invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. See “Foreign Investments” below. Such risks include future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes by the particular country in which the issuer is located on interest income payable on the securities, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, the possible establishment of exchange controls, or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on these securities.


 
   B-2  

 

Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans that may be made and interest rates that may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operations of the banking industry.

As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, domestic banks are, among other things, required to maintain specified levels of reserves, limited in the amount that they can loan to a single borrower, and subject to other regulations designed to promote financial soundness. However, such laws and regulations do not necessarily apply to foreign bank obligations that the Fund may acquire.

In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, to the extent permitted under its investment objectives and policies stated above and in its Prospectus, the Fund may make interest-bearing time or other interest-bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.

Savings Association Obligations. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (interest-bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. Government.

Commercial Paper, Short-Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in commercial paper and short-term notes. Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Issues of commercial paper and short-term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.


 
   B-3  

 

Commercial paper and short-term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase “A-2” or higher by S&P, “Prime-1” or “Prime-2” by Moody’s, or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, will be determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality. These rating symbols are described in the Appendix.

Corporate obligations include bonds and notes issued by corporations to finance longer-term credit needs than supported by commercial paper. While such obligations generally have maturities of ten years or more, the Fund may purchase corporate obligations which have remaining maturities of one year or less from the date of purchase and which are rated “AA” or higher by S&P or “Aa” or higher by Moody’s.

Investment Company Securities

The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies. The Fund may invest in money market mutual funds in connection with its management of daily cash positions. The Fund currently intends to limit its investments in securities issued by other investment companies so that not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by the Fund, or its affiliated persons, as a whole. In addition to the advisory and operational fees a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation, the Fund would also bear its pro rata portions of each other investment company’s advisory and operational expenses.

Government Obligations

The Fund may make short-term investments in U.S. Government obligations. Such obligations include Treasury bills, certificates of indebtedness, notes and bonds, and issues of such entities as the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), Export-Import Bank of the United States, Tennessee Valley Authority, Resolution Funding Corporation, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, Federal Housing Administration, Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and the Student Loan Marketing Association.

Some of these obligations, such as those of the GNMA, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the Export-Import Bank of United States, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; others, such as those of the FNMA, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations; still others, such as those of the Student Loan Marketing Association, are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to U.S. Government-sponsored instrumentalities if it is not obligated to do so by law.


 
  B-4   

 

The Fund may invest in sovereign debt obligations of foreign countries. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal and interest in a timely manner may be affected by a number of factors, including its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy toward principal international lenders and the political constraints to which it may be subject. Emerging market governments could default on their sovereign debt. Such sovereign debtors also may be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and other entities abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitments on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on a sovereign debtor’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor’s obligations. Failure to meet such conditions could result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the sovereign debtor, which may further impair such debtor’s ability or willingness to service its debt in a timely manner.

Options on Securities

Writing Call Options. The Fund will write covered call options. A call option is “covered” if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute right to acquire the security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or cash equivalents in such amounts as are held in a segregated account by the Custodian). The writer of a call option receives a premium and gives the purchaser the right to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price. The writer has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security against payment of the exercise price during the option period. If the writer of an exchange-traded option wishes to terminate his obligation, he may effect a “closing purchase transaction.” This is accomplished by buying an option of the same series as the option previously written. A writer may not effect a closing purchase transaction after it has been notified of the exercise of an option.

Effecting a closing transaction in the case of a written call option will permit the Fund to write another call option on the underlying security with either a different exercise price, expiration date or both. Also, effecting a closing transaction will permit the cash or proceeds from the concurrent sale of any securities subject to the option to be used for other investments of the Fund. If the Fund desires to sell a particular security from its portfolio on which it has written a call option, it will effect a closing transaction prior to or concurrent with the sale of the security.

The Fund will realize a gain from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is less than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are more than the premium paid to purchase the option. The Fund will realize a loss from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is more than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are less than the premium paid to purchase the option. However, because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security, any loss to the Fund resulting from the repurchase of a call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security owned by the Fund.


 
  B-5   

 

In addition to covered call options, the Fund may write uncovered (or “naked”) call options on securities, including Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”), and indices; however, SEC rules require that the Fund segregates assets on its books and records with a value equal to the value of the securities or the index that the holder of the option is entitled to call. The Fund will comply with guidelines established by the SEC. Segregated securities cannot be sold while the option strategy is outstanding, unless they are replaced with other suitable assets. As a result, there is a possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Fund’s assets could impede portfolio management of the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

Writing Covered Index Call Options. The Fund may sell index call options. The Fund executes a closing purchase transaction with respect to the option it has sold and sells another option (with either a different exercise price or expiration date or both). The Fund’s objective in entering into such closing transactions is to increase option premium income, to limit losses or to protect anticipated gains in underlying stocks. The cost of a closing transaction, while reducing the premium income realized from the sale of the option, should be offset, at least in part, by appreciation in the value of the underlying index, and by the opportunity to realize additional premium income from selling a new option.

When the Fund sells an index call option, it does not deliver the underlying stocks or cash to the broker through whom the transaction is effected. In the case of an exchange-traded option, the Fund establishes an escrow account. The Trust’s Custodian (or a securities depository acting for the Custodian) acts as the Trust’s escrow agent. The escrow agent enters into documents known as escrow receipts with respect to the stocks included in the Fund (or escrow receipts with respect to other acceptable securities). The escrow agent releases the stocks from the escrow account when the call option expires or the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction. Until such release, the underlying stocks cannot be sold by the Fund. The Fund may enter into similar collateral arrangements with the counterparty when it sells over-the-counter index call options.

When the Fund sells an index call option, it is also required to “cover” the option pursuant to requirements enunciated by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The staff has indicated that a mutual fund may “cover” an index call option by (1) owning and holding for the term of the option a portfolio of stocks substantially replicating the movement of the index underlying the call option; (2) purchasing an American-style call option on the same index with an exercise price no greater than the exercise price of the written option; or (3) establishing and maintaining for the term of the option a segregated account consisting of cash, U. S. government securities or other high-grade debt securities, equal in value to the aggregate contract price of the call option (the current index value times the specific multiple). The Fund generally “covers” the index options it has sold by owning and holding stocks substantially replicating the movement of the applicable index. As an alternative method of “covering” the option, the Fund may purchase an appropriate offsetting option.


 
   B-6  

 

The purchaser of an index call option sold by the Fund may exercise the option at a price fixed as of the closing level of the index on the date of exercise. Unless the Fund has liquid assets sufficient to satisfy the exercise of the index call option, the Fund would be required to liquidate portfolio securities to satisfy the exercise. The market value of such securities may decline between the time the option is exercised and the time the Fund is able to sell the securities. If the Fund fails to anticipate an exercise, it may have to borrow from a bank (in amounts not exceeding 5% of the Fund’s total assets) pending settlement of the sale of the portfolio securities and thereby incur interest charges. If trading were interrupted on the index, the Fund would not be able to close out its option positions.

Risks of Transactions in Options. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and indices. Options may be more volatile than the underlying securities and, therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying securities themselves. There are also significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objective. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options of underlying securities; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or clearing corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by a clearing corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events. The extent to which the Fund may enter into options transactions may be limited by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) requirements for qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company. See “Dividends and Distributions” and “Taxation.”


 
   B-7  

 

Dealer Options. The Fund may engage in transactions involving dealer options as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to dealer options. While the Fund might look to a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, if the Fund were to purchase a dealer option it would need to rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option to perform if the option were exercised. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by the Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.

Exchange-traded options generally have a continuous liquid market while dealer options may not. Consequently, the Fund may generally be able to realize the value of a dealer option it has purchased only by exercising or reselling the option to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when the Fund writes a dealer option, the Fund may generally be able to close out the option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to whom the Fund originally wrote the option. While the Fund will seek to enter into dealer options only with dealers who will agree to and which are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will at any time be able to liquidate a dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. Unless the Fund, as a covered dealer call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used as cover until the option expires or is exercised. In the event of insolvency of the other party, the Fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option. With respect to options written by the Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the Fund. For example, because the Fund must maintain a secured position with respect to any call option on a security it writes, the Fund may not sell the assets which it has segregated to secure the position while it is obligated under the option. This requirement may impair the Fund’s ability to sell portfolio securities at a time when such sale might be advantageous.

The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that purchased dealer options are illiquid securities. The Fund may treat the cover used for written dealer options as liquid if the dealer agrees that the Fund may repurchase the dealer option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In such cases, the dealer option would be considered illiquid only to the extent the maximum purchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option. Accordingly, the Fund will treat dealer options as subject to the Fund's limitation on illiquid securities. If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of dealer options, the Fund will change its treatment of such instruments accordingly.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio securities. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund acquires securities from financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers as are deemed to be creditworthy by the Advisor, subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase and the Fund’s agreement to resell such securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price. The repurchase price generally equals the price paid by the Fund plus interest negotiated on the basis of current short-term rates (which may be more or less than the rate on the underlying portfolio security). Securities subject to repurchase agreements will be held by the Custodian or in the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book-Entry System or an equivalent foreign system. The seller under a repurchase agreement will be required to maintain the value of the underlying securities at not less than 102% of the repurchase price under the agreement. If the seller defaults on its repurchase obligation, the Fund will suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from a sale of the underlying securities are less than the repurchase price under the agreement. Bankruptcy or insolvency of such a defaulting seller may cause the Fund’s rights with respect to such securities to be delayed or limited. Repurchase agreements are considered to be loans under the 1940 Act.


 
  B-8   

 

Illiquid Securities

Typically, the Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including (i) securities for which there is no readily available market; (ii) securities the disposition of which would be subject to legal restrictions (so called, “restricted securities”); and (iii) repurchase agreements having more than seven days to maturity. A considerable period of time may elapse between the Fund's decision to dispose of such securities and the time when the Fund is able to dispose of them, during which time the value of the securities could decline.

Restricted securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 that have a readily available market usually are not deemed illiquid for purposes of this limitation by the Fund. However, investing in Rule 144A securities could result in increasing the level of the Fund’s illiquidity if qualified institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing these securities.

Lending Portfolio Securities

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not exceeding one-third of its total assets to financial institutions such as banks and brokers if the loan is collateralized in accordance with applicable regulations. Under the present regulatory requirements which govern loans of portfolio securities, the loan collateral must, on each business day, at least equal the value of the loaned securities and must consist of cash, letters of credit of domestic banks or domestic branches of foreign banks, or securities of the U.S. Government or its agencies. To be acceptable as collateral, letters of credit must obligate a bank to pay amounts demanded by the Fund if the demand meets the terms of the letter. Such terms and the issuing bank would have to be satisfactory to the Fund. Any loan might be secured by any one or more of the three types of collateral. The terms of the Fund’s loans must permit the Fund to reacquire loaned securities on five days’ notice or in time to vote on any serious matter and must meet certain tests under the Code.


 
  B-9   

 

Short Sales

Currently, the Fund does not engage in short selling, but the Board has authorized it to engage in short selling involving commitments (on a daily marked-to-market basis) not to exceed 25% of its net assets. In a short sale, the Fund sells a security that it does not own, in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security. To complete the sale, the Fund must borrow the security (generally from the broker through which the short sale is made) in order to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund is then obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The Fund is said to have a “short position” in the securities sold until it delivers them to the broker. The period during which the Fund has a short position can range from one day to more than a year. Until the security is replaced, the proceeds of the short sale are retained by the broker, and the Fund is required to pay to the broker a negotiated portion of any dividends or interest which accrue during the period of the loan. To meet current margin requirements, the Fund is also required to deposit with the broker additional cash or securities so that the total deposit with the broker is maintained daily at 150% of the current market value of the securities sold short (100% of the current market value if a security is held in the account that is convertible or exchangeable into the security sold short within 90 days without restriction other than the payment of money).

Short sales by the Fund create opportunities to increase the Fund’s return but, at the same time, involve specific risk considerations and may be considered a speculative technique. Since the Fund in effect profits from a decline in the price of the securities sold short without the need to invest the full purchase price of the securities on the date of the short sale, the Fund’s net asset value per share will tend to increase more when the securities it has sold short decrease in value, and to decrease more when the securities it has sold short increase in value, than would otherwise be the case if it had not engaged in such short sales. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any premium, dividends or interest the Fund may be required to pay in connection with the short sale. Furthermore, under adverse market conditions the Fund might have difficulty purchasing securities to meet its short sale delivery obligations, and might have to sell portfolio securities to raise the capital necessary to meet its short sale obligations at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales.

Investment Restrictions

The Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the favorable vote of the holders of a “majority,” as defined in the 1940 Act, of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, the “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.


 
  B-10   

 

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund is diversified. The Fund’s investment objective is also fundamental.

In addition, the Fund may not:

1. Issue senior securities, borrow money or pledge its assets, except that (i) the Fund may borrow from banks in amounts not exceeding one-third of its total assets (including the amount borrowed); and (ii) this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in options transactions or short sales;

2. Purchase securities on margin, except such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of transactions and except that the Fund may borrow money from banks to purchase securities;

3. Act as underwriter (except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its investment portfolio);

4. Invest 25% or more of its total assets, calculated at the time of purchase and taken at market value, in any one industry (other than U.S. Government securities);

5. Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate or real estate limited partnerships (although the Fund may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities of companies which invest or deal in real estate);

6. Purchase or sell commodities or commodity futures contracts, except that the Fund may purchase and sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission;

7. Make loans of money (except for purchases of debt securities consistent with the investment policies of the Fund and except for repurchase agreements); or

8.         Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management.

The Fund observes the following restrictions as a matter of operating but not fundamental policy, pursuant to positions taken by federal regulatory authorities:

The Fund may not:

1. Invest in the securities of other investment companies or purchase any other investment company’s voting securities or make any other investment in other investment companies except to the extent permitted by federal law;


 
  B-11   

 

2. Invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in securities with legal or contractual restrictions on resale, securities that are not readily marketable and repurchase agreements with more than seven days to maturity; or

3. Purchase or sell futures contracts.

Except with respect to borrowing, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation.

MANAGEMENT

The overall management of the business and affairs of the Trust is vested with its Board of Trustees (the “Board”). The Board approves all significant agreements between the Trust and persons or companies furnishing services to it, including the agreements with the Advisor, Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent. The day-to-day operations of the Trust are delegated to its officers, subject to the Fund’s investment objectives, strategies, and policies and to general supervision by the Board.

The Trustees and officers of the Trust, their birth dates and positions with the Trust, term of office with the Trust and length of time served, their business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years and other directorships held are listed in the table below. Unless noted otherwise, each person has held the position listed for a minimum of five years.

 
 
 
Name, Address
and Age
 
 
Position with
The Trust
 
Term of Office and Length of Time Served
 
 
Principal Occupation
During Past Five Years
 
Number of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by Trustees***
 
 
Other Directorships Held
Independent Trustees
 
Walter E. Auch*
(born 1921)
2020 E. Financial Way
Glendora, CA 91741
Trustee
Indefinite term since February 1997.
Management Consultant. Former Chairman, CEO of Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and former President of Paine Webber.
1
Director, Nicholas-Applegate Funds, Citigroup Funds, Pimco Advisors LLP, Senele Group and UBS Capital Management.
 
Donald E. O’Connor*
(born 1936)
2020 E. Financial Way
Glendora, CA 91741
Trustee
Indefinite term since February 1997.
Financial Consultant; formerly Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ICI Mutual Insurance Company (until January 1997).
 
1
Independent Director, The Forward Funds.
George T. Wofford III*
(born 1939)
2020 E. Financial Way
Glendora, CA 91741
Trustee
Indefinite term since February 1997.
Senior Vice President, Information Services, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.
1
None.
James Clayburn LaForce*
(born 1928)
2020 E. Financial Way
Glendora, CA 91741
Trustee
Indefinite term since May 2002.
Dean Emeritus, John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles.
1
Director, The Payden & Rygel Investment Group, The Metzler/Payden Investment Group, BlackRock Funds, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Cancervax.
 
George J. Rebhan*
(born 1934)
2020 E. Financial Way
Glendora, CA 91741
Trustee
Indefinite term since May 2002.
Retired; formerly President, Hotchkis and Wiley Funds (mutual funds) from 1985 to 1993.
1
Trustee, E*TRADE Funds.
Interested Trustee of the Trust
Eric M. Banhazl**
(born 1957)
2020 E. Financial Way
Glendora, CA 91741
Trustee
Indefinite term since February 1997.
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC since July 2001; formerly, Executive Vice President, Investment Company Administration, LLC; (“ICA”) (mutual fund administrator and the Fund’s former administrator).
 
1
None.
Officers of the Trust
Eric M. Banhazl
(see above)
President (Interested Trustee - see above.)
Indefinite term since February 1997.
See Above.
1
See Above.
 Robert M. Slotky
(born 1947)
2020 E. Financial Way, Suite 100
Glendora, CA 91741
Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer Indefinite term since September 2004 Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC since July 2001, formerly Senior Vice President, ICA (May 1997 - July 2001).
1
 
None.
Douglas G. Hess
(born 1967)
615 East Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Treasurer
Indefinite term since June 2003.
Vice President, Compliance and Administration, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC since March 1997.
1
None.
Rodney A. DeWalt
(born 1967)
615 East Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Secretary
Indefinite term since December 2003.
Legal and Compliance Administrator, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC since January 2003. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans from 2000 to 2003, Attorney Private Practice 1997 to 2000.
1
None.
   
* Denotes those Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act.
** Denotes Trustee who is an “interested person” of the Trust under the 1940 Act. Mr. Banhazl is an interested person of the Trust by virtue of his position as President of the Trust. He is also an officer of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, the administrator for the Fund.
*** The Trust is comprised of numerous portfolios managed by unaffiliated investment advisors. The term “Fund Complex” applies only to the Fund. The Fund does not hold itself out as related to any other series within the Trust for investment purposes, nor does it share the same investment advisor with any other series.
 

Compensation

The independent trustees receive an annual trustee fee of $28,000 per year with no additional fee for special meetings. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan. No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation to the Trustees.

 
 
 
Name of Person/Position
 
Aggregate Compensation From the Trust1
Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses
Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement
Total Compensation from Trust Paid to Trustees2
Independent Trustees
       
 
Walter E. Auch, Trustee
 
 
$
 
None
 
None
 
$
 
Donald E. O’Connor, Trustee
 
$
 
None
 
None
 
$
 
George T. Wofford III, Trustee
 
$
 
None
 
None
 
$
 
James Clayburn LaForce, Trustee
 
$
 
None
 
None
 
$
 
George J. Rebhan, Trustee
 
$
 
None
 
None
 
$
1 For the fiscal year ended   30, 2004.
2 There are currently numerous portfolios comprising the Trust. For the fiscal year ended    30, 2004, trustees fees and expenses were not allocated to the Fund.


 
  B-15   

 

Board Committees

The Trust has four standing committees: The Audit Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee and the Valuation Committee. The Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Independent Trustees. It does not include any interested Trustees. The Audit Committee typically meets once per year with respect to the various series of the Trust. The function of the Audit Committee, with respect to each series of the Trust, is to review the scope and results of the audit and any matters bearing on the audit or a Fund’s financial statements and to ensure the integrity of the Fund’s pricing and financial reporting. The Audit Committee has not met with respect to the Fund.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for Trustees as is considered necessary from time to time and meets only as necessary. The Nominating Committee has not met with respect to the Fund. The Independent Trustees comprise the Nominating Committee.

The Audit Committee also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (“QLCC”) for the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Rules 205.2(k) and 205.3(c) of the Code of Federal Regulations, regarding alternative reporting procedures for attorneys retained or employed by an issuer who appear and practice before the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of the issuer (the “issuer attorneys”). An issuer attorney who becomes aware of evidence of a material violation by the Trust, or by any officer, director, employee, or agent of the Trust, may report evidence of such material violation to the QLCC as an alternative to the reporting requirements of Rule 205.3(b) (which requires reporting to the chief legal officer and potentially “up the ladder” to other entities). The QLCC meets as needed. The QLCC has not met with respect to the Fund.

The Trust’s Board has delegated day-to-day valuation issues to a Valuation Committee that is comprised of at least one representative from the Administrator’s staff who is knowledgeable about the Fund and at least one Trustee. The function of the Valuation Committee is to value securities held by any series of the Trust for which current and reliable market quotations are not readily available. Such securities are valued at their respective fair values as determined in good faith by the Valuation Committee and the actions of the Valuation Committee are subsequently reviewed and ratified by the Board of Trustees. The Valuation Committee meets as needed. The Valuation Committee has not met with respect to the Fund.
 

 
   B-16  

 

Fund Shares Beneficially Owned by Trustees. As of December 31, 2004, no Trustee, including the Independent Trustees, beneficially owned shares of the Fund.

Name of Trustee
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds
(None, $1-$10,000, $10,001-$50,000, $50,001-$100,000, Over $100,000)
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies
       
Walter E. Auch, Independent Trustee
None
 
None
Eric M. Banhazl, Interested Trustee
None
 
None
Donald E. O’Connor, Independent Trustee
None
 
None
George T. Wofford III, Independent Trustee
None
 
None
James Clayburn LaForce, Independent Trustee
None
 
None
George J. Rebhan, Independent Trustee
None
 
None

Control Persons, Principal Shareholders, and Management Ownership

A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control.

As of the date of this SAI, there were no principal shareholders nor control persons of the Fund and the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a group did not own more than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Furthermore, neither the Trustees who are “not interested” persons of the Fund, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, nor members of their immediate family, own securities beneficially or of record in the Advisor, the Distributor or an affiliate of the Advisor or Distributor. Accordingly, neither the Trustees who are “not interested” persons of the Fund nor members of their immediate family, have direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $60,000, in the Advisor, the Distributor or any of their affiliates.


 
  B-17   

 

The Advisor

Burroughs Hutchinson, 877 West Main Street, Suite 602, Boise, Idaho 83702, acts as investment advisor to the Fund pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”). Subject to such policies as the Board of Trustees may determine, the Advisor is ultimately responsible for investment decisions for the Fund. Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor provides the Fund with such investment advice and supervision, as it deems necessary for the proper supervision of the Fund’s investments. The Advisor also continuously monitors and maintains the Fund’s social investment criteria and determines from time to time what securities may be purchased by the Fund.

After the initial two years, the Advisory Agreement will continue in effect from year to year only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities and by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Advisory Agreement. The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund on not more than 60 days’, nor less than 30 days’, written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of a Fund’s shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, or by the Advisor on not more than 60 days’, nor less than 30 days’, written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).  The Advisory Agreement provides that the Advisor under such agreement shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of portfolio transactions for the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties thereunder.

In approving the Advisory Agreement on behalf of the Fund, the full Board, including the Independent Trustees, took into consideration, among other things: (a) the nature and quality of the services to be provided by the Advisor; (b) the appropriateness of the fees paid to be by the Fund to the Advisor; (c) the level of Fund expenses; (d) the reasonableness of the potential profitability of the Advisory Agreement to the Advisor; and (e) the nature of the Fund’s investments. Specifically, in fulfilling the requirements outlined in Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act, the Board noted, among other things, that the advisory fees to be paid by the Fund and the proposed expenses of the Fund were reasonable and generally consistent in relation to the relevant peer groups and that the Advisor’s brokerage practices were reasonably efficient. The Board also noted that (a) the Advisor’s staff had previously provided quality investment service to private accounts with similar investment objectives and strategies; (b) the Advisor would provide the Fund with a reasonable potential for profitability and (c) that the nature of the Advisor’s investments was acceptable.

Based on their review, the Board concluded that the Advisor had the capabilities, resources and personnel necessary to manage the Fund. The Board also concluded that based on the services to be provided by the Advisor to the Fund and the estimated expenses to be incurred by the Advisor in the performance of such services, the compensation to be paid to the Advisor was fair and equitable for the Fund.


 
  B-18   

 

In consideration of the services to be provided by the Advisor pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor is entitled to receive from the Fund an investment advisory fee computed daily and paid monthly based on a rate equal to a percentage of a Fund’s average daily net assets specified in the Prospectus.

The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses. The Advisor has contractually agreed to reduce fees payable to it by each Fund and/or to pay Fund operating expenses to the extent necessary to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses (excluding interest and tax expenses) to the limit set forth in the Expense Table (the “expense cap”). Any such reductions made by the Advisor in its fees or payment of expenses which are the Fund’s obligation are subject to reimbursement by the Fund to the Advisor, if so requested by the Advisor, in subsequent fiscal years if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward the operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) does not exceed the applicable limitation on Fund expenses. The Advisor is permitted to be reimbursed only for fee reductions and expense payments made in the previous three fiscal years from the date the expense was incurred.  Any such reimbursement is also contingent upon Board of Trustees’ subsequent review and ratification of the reimbursed amounts. Such reimbursement may not be paid prior to the Fund’s payment of current ordinary operating expenses.

Portfolio Manager

Mark Matsko and Steven Devejian are the portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. The following table shows the number of other accounts managed by Mr. Matsko and Mr. Devejian and the total assets in the accounts managed within various categories.

Mark Matsko

     
With Advisory Fee based on performance
 
Type of Accounts
Number of
Accounts
Total
Assets
Number of
Accounts
Total
Assets
Registered Investment Companies
None
None
None
None
Other Pooled Investments
1
10.8 million
1
10.8 million
Other Accounts
61
114.5 million
None
None


 
   B-19  

 

Steven Devejian

     
With Advisory Fee based on performance
 
Type of Accounts
Number of
Accounts
Total
Assets
Number of
Accounts
Total
Assets
Registered Investment Companies
None
None
None
None
Other Pooled Investments
None
None
None
None
Other Accounts
27
42.8 million
None
None

Material Conflict of Interest. Where conflicts of interest arise between the Fund and other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, Mr. Matsko and Mr. Devejian will proceed in a manner that ensures that the Fund will not be treated materially less favorably. There may be instances where similar portfolio transactions may be executed for the same security for numerous accounts managed by Mr. Matsko and Mr. Devejian. In such instances, securities will be allocated in accordance with the Advisor’s trade allocation policy.

Compensation. Mr. Matsko’s compensation is made up of a fixed salary, a percentage of the Advisor’s business profits and performance fees from a hedge fund. Mr. Matsko manages a hedge fund from which he receives 20% of the hedge fund’s net before tax returns.  Mr. Devejian’s compensation is made up of a fixed salary and a percentage of the Advisor’s business profits.

Securities Owned in the Fund by Portfolio Managers. As of the date of this SAI, the portfolio managers owned the following equity securities in the Fund:


Name of Portfolio Manager
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund
(None, $1-$10,000, $10,001-$50,000, $50,001-$100,000, Over $100,000)
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Portfolio Manager in Family of Investment Companies
Mark Matsko
None
None
Steven Devejian
None
None




 
   B-20  

 

Service Providers

Pursuant to an Administration Agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“USBFS”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202 (the “Administrator”), acts as administrator for the Fund. The Administrator provides certain administrative services to the Fund, including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Fund’s independent contractors and agents; preparation for signature by an officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance by the Trust and the Fund with applicable laws and regulations excluding those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including net asset value and yield; responding to shareholder inquiries; and arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Fund, and providing, at its own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out its duties. In this capacity, the Administrator does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Fund, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares.

USBFS also acts as fund accountant, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent under separate agreements.

U.S. Bank, National Association, an affiliate of USBFS, is the custodian of the assets of the Fund (the “Custodian”) pursuant to a custody agreement between the Custodian and the Trust, whereby the Custodian provides for fees on a transactional basis plus out-of-pocket expenses. The Custodian’s address is 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202. The Custodian does not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of securities by the Fund.

Tait, Weller & Baker, 1818 Market Street, Suite 2400, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103 is the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund whose services include auditing the Fund’s financial statements and the performance of related tax services.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, 55 Second Street, 24th floor, San Francisco, California, 94105, is independent counsel to the Fund and provides counsel on legal matters relating to the Fund.

Distribution Agreement

The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Quasar Distributors, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (the “Distributor”), pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund’s distributor, provides certain administration services and promotes and arranges for the sale of the Fund’s shares. The offering of the Fund’s shares is continuous. The Distributor, Administrator, Transfer Agent and Custodian are affiliated companies. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”).


 
  B-21   

 

The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of a Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions. The purchases and sales of securities in the over-the-counter market will generally be executed by using a broker for the transaction.

Purchases of portfolio securities for the Fund also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters. Where possible, purchase and sale transactions will be effected through dealers (including banks) that specialize in the types of securities, which the Fund will be holding, unless better executions are available elsewhere. Dealers and underwriters usually act as principal for their own accounts. Purchases from underwriters will include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter that has provided research or other services as discussed below.

In placing portfolio transactions, the Advisor will use its reasonable efforts to choose broker-dealers capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable price and execution available. The full range and quality of services available will be considered in making these determinations, such as the size of the order, the difficulty of execution, the operational facilities of the firm involved, the firm’s risk in positioning a block of securities, and other factors. In those instances where it is reasonably determined that more than one broker-dealer can offer the services needed to obtain the most favorable price and execution available, consideration may be given to those broker-dealers which furnish or supply research and statistical information to the Advisor that they may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment advisory capacities, as well as provide other services in addition to execution services.  The Advisor considers such information, which is in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its Agreement with the Fund, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable value.


 
   B-22  

 

While it is the Fund’s general policy to seek first to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services as it is defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to the Fund or to the Advisor, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and may be useful to the Advisor in advising other clients. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith by the Advisor to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer. The standard of reasonableness is to be measured in light of the Advisor’s overall responsibilities to the Fund.

Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of other client accounts that may be managed or advised by the Advisor. Nevertheless, it is possible that at times identical securities will be acceptable for both the Fund and one or more of such client accounts. In such event, the position of the Fund and such client accounts in the same issuer may vary and the length of time that each may choose to hold its investment in the same issuer may likewise vary. However, to the extent any of these client accounts seeks to acquire the same security as the Fund at the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a portion of such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher price or obtain a lower yield for such security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as high a price for, or as large an execution of, an order to sell any particular security at the same time. If one or more of such client accounts simultaneously purchases or sells the same security that a Fund is purchasing or selling, each day’s transactions in such security will be allocated between the Fund and all such client accounts in a manner deemed equitable by the Advisor, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount being purchased or sold. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Fund is concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the ability of the Fund to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions for the Fund.

The Fund does not effect securities transactions through brokers in accordance with any formula, nor does it effect securities transactions through brokers for selling shares of the Fund. However, broker-dealers who execute brokerage transactions may effect purchase of shares of the Fund for their customers.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
 
Although the Fund generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Advisor, investment considerations warrant such action. Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in a Fund’s portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions.
 

 
   B-23  

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY
 
The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Policies”) on behalf of the Trust, which delegates the responsibility for voting proxies to the Advisor, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. The Policies require that the Advisor vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Policies also require the Advisor to present to the Board, at least annually, the Advisor’s Proxy Policies and a record of each proxy voted by the Advisor on behalf of the Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Advisor as involving a conflict of interest.

The Advisor has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Advisor’s Proxy Policies”) which underscores the Advisor’s concern that all proxies voting decisions be made in the best interests of the Fund and that the Advisor will act in a prudent and diligent manner intended to enhance the economic value of the assets of the Fund.

The Advisor has established a general statement of voting policy and specific voting positions. This policy is intended to serve as a guideline and to further the economic value of each security held by the Fund. There will be regular review of this policy. Each proxy will be considered individually, taking into account the relevant circumstances at the time of each vote.

Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the Advisor’s interests and the Fund’s interests, the Advisor will resolve the conflict by following the policy guidelines or the recommendation of an independent third party.

The Trust is required to annually file Form N-PX, which lists the Fund’s complete proxy voting record for the 12-month period ending June 30. Once filed, the Fund’s proxy voting record will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1-8**-***-**** and on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM
 

The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). In order to ensure compliance with this law, the Trust’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.


 
   B-24  

 

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Fund’s Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, checking shareholder names against designated government lists, including Office of Foreign Asset Control (“OFAC”), and a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications. The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

The Advisor and the Fund maintain portfolio holdings disclosure policies that govern the timing and circumstances of disclosure to shareholders and third parties of information regarding the portfolio investments held by the Fund. These portfolio holdings disclosure policies have been approved by the Board of Trustees of the Fund. Disclosure of the Fund’s complete holdings is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter in the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q. These reports are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

From time to time rating and ranking organizations such as Standard & Poor’s and Morningstar, Inc. may request complete portfolio holdings information in connection with rating the Fund. Similarly, pension plan sponsors and/or their consultants may request a complete list of portfolio holdings in order to assess the risks of the Fund’s portfolio along with related performance attribution statistics. The Fund believes that these third parties have legitimate objectives in requesting such portfolio holdings information. To prevent such parties from potentially misusing portfolio holdings information, the Fund will generally only disclose such information as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter, with a lag of at least five to ten business days. In addition, the Chief Compliance Officer or any designated officer of the Trust, may grant exceptions to permit additional disclosure of portfolio holdings information at differing times and with differing lag times to rating agencies and to pension plan sponsors and/or their consultants, provided that (1) the recipient is subject to a confidentiality agreement, (2) the recipient will utilize the information to reach certain conclusions about the investment management characteristics of the Fund and will not use the information to facilitate or assist in any investment program, and (3) the recipient will not provide access to third parties to this information.

The Fund provides portfolio holdings information to the following rating and ranking organizations and pension plan consultants:

In addition, the Fund’s administrator, fund accountant, custodian, and transfer agent may receive portfolio holdings information in connection with their services to the Fund. In no event shall the Advisor, its affiliates or employees, or the Fund receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings.


 
  B-25   

 

The furnishing of nonpublic portfolio holdings information to any third party (other than authorized governmental and regulatory personnel) requires that the approval of the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer. The Chief Compliance Officer or designated officer of the Trust will approve the furnishing of non-public portfolio holdings to a third party only if they consider the furnishing of such information to be in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders and if no material conflict of interest exists regarding such disclosure between shareholders interest and those of the Advisor, Distributor or any affiliated person of the Fund. No consideration may be received by the Fund, the Advisor, any affiliate of the Advisor or its employees in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information. The Board receives and reviews annually a list of the persons who receive nonpublic portfolio holdings information and the purpose for which it is furnished.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
 

The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate and is determined as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) each business day. The NYSE annually announces the days on which it will not be open for trading. The most recent announcement indicates that it will not be open 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. However, the NYSE may close on days not included in that announcement.

The net asset value per share is computed by dividing the value of the securities held by the Fund plus any cash or other assets (including interest and dividends accrued but not yet received) minus all liabilities (including accrued expenses) by the total number of shares in the Fund outstanding at such time.

Net Assets
=
Net Asset Value Per Share
Shares Outstanding

Generally, the Fund’s investments are valued at market value or, in the absence of a market value, at fair value as determined in good faith by the Advisor and the Trust’s Valuation Committee pursuant to procedures approved by or under the direction of the Board. Pursuant to those procedures, the Board considers, among other things: 1) the last sale price on the securities exchange, if any, on which a security is primarily traded; 2) the mean between the bid and asked prices; 3) price quotations from an approved pricing service, and 4) other factors as necessary to determine a fair value under certain circumstances.


 
   B-26  

 

The Fund’s securities which are traded on securities exchanges are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which such securities are traded, as of the close of business on the day the securities are being valued or, lacking any reported sales, at the mean between the last available bid and asked price.

Securities that are traded on more than one exchange are valued on the exchange determined by the Advisor to be the primary market. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (“NASDAQ”) National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has been no sale on such day, at the mean between the bid and asked prices. Over-the-counter (“OTC”) securities which are not traded in the NASDAQ National Market System shall be valued at the most recent trade price.

Short-term debt obligations with remaining maturities in excess of 60 days are valued at current market prices, as discussed above. Short-term securities with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are, unless conditions indicate otherwise, amortized to maturity based on their cost to a Fund if acquired within 60 days of maturity or, if already held by the Fund on the 60th day, based on the value determined on the 61st day.

All other assets of the Fund are valued in such manner as the Board in good faith deems appropriate to reflect their fair value.

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES

Detailed information on the purchase and redemption of shares is included in the Fund’s Prospectus. Shares of the Fund are sold without a sales charge at the next price calculated after receipt of an order for purchase. In order to purchase shares of the Fund, you must invest the initial minimum investment for the relevant class of shares. However, the Trust reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive the minimum initial investment amount for certain investors, or to waive or reduce the minimum initial investment for 401(k)s or other tax-deferred retirement plans. You may purchase shares on any day that the NYSE is open for business by placing orders with the Fund.

The Fund reserves the right to refuse any purchase requests, particularly those that would not be in the best interests of the Fund or its shareholders and could adversely affect the Fund or its operations. This includes those from any individual or group who, in the Fund’s view, is likely to engage in or has a history of excessive trading (usually defined as more than four transactions out of the Fund within a calendar year). Furthermore, the Trust may suspend the right to redeem its shares or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than three business days (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend or holiday closings) or trading on the NYSE is restricted; (ii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or (iii) for such other periods as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund’s shareholders.


 
   B-27  

 

Redemption in Kind. The Fund does not intend to redeem shares in any form except cash. The Trust, however, has filed a notice of election under Rule 18f-1 of the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to redeem in-kind redemption requests of a certain amount. Specifically, if the amount you are redeeming is over the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund’s net asset value, the Fund has the right to redeem your shares by giving you the amount that exceeds $250,000 or 1% of a Fund’s net asset value in securities instead of cash.

TAX MATTERS

Each series of the Trust is treated as a separate entity for federal income tax purposes. The Fund, as a series of the Trust, intends to qualify and elect to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), provided it complies with all applicable requirements regarding the source of its income, diversification of its assets and timing of distributions. The Fund’s policy is to distribute to its shareholders all of its investment company taxable income and any net realized long-term capital gains for each fiscal year in a manner that complies with the distribution requirements of the Code, so that the Fund will not be subject to any federal income or excise taxes. To comply with the requirements, the Fund must also distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year (i) at least 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) at least 98% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12-month period ending on October 31 during such year and (iii) any amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which the Fund paid no federal income tax.

Net investment income consists of interest and dividend income, less expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal period are computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund.

Distributions of net investment income and net short-term capital gains are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income or as qualified dividend income. In the case of corporate shareholders, a portion of the distributions may qualify for the intercorporate dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund designates the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend. This designated amount cannot, however, exceed the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by a Fund for its taxable year. In view of the Fund’s investment policies, it is expected that dividends from domestic corporations will be part of the a Fund's gross income and that, accordingly, part of the distributions by the Fund may be eligible for the dividends- received deduction for corporate shareholders. However, the portion of the Fund’s gross income attributable to qualifying dividends is largely dependent on the Fund’s investment activities for a particular year and therefore cannot be predicted with any certainty. The deduction may be reduced or eliminated if the Fund shares held by a corporate investor are treated as debt-financed or are held for less than 46 days.


 
   B-28  

 

Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains regardless of the length of time shares have been held. Capital gains distributions are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction referred to in the previous paragraph. Distributions of any net investment income and net realized capital gains will be taxable as described above, whether received in shares or in cash. Shareholders who choose to receive distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment date. Distributions are generally taxable when received.  However, distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record on a date in such a month and paid the following January are taxable as if received on December 31. Distributions are includable in alternative minimum taxable income in computing a shareholder's liability for the alternative minimum tax.

A redemption of Fund shares may result in recognition of a taxable gain or loss. Any loss realized upon a redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gains during such six-month period. Any loss realized upon a redemption may be disallowed under certain wash sale rules to the extent shares of the same Fund are purchased (through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the redemption.

Under the Code, the Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption of Fund shares, except in the case of exempt shareholders, which includes most corporations. Pursuant to the backup withholding provisions of the Code distributions of any taxable income and capital gains and proceeds from the redemption of Fund shares may be subject to withholding of federal income tax in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the Fund with their taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their status under the federal income tax law. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Corporate and other exempt shareholders should provide the Fund with their taxpayer identification numbers or certify their exempt status in order to avoid possible erroneous application of backup withholding. The Fund reserves the right to refuse to open an account for any person failing to provide a certified taxpayer identification number.

The foregoing discussion of U.S. federal income tax law relates solely to the application of that law to U.S. citizens or residents and U.S. domestic corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each shareholder who is not a U.S. person should consider the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of ownership of shares of the Fund, including the possibility that such a shareholder may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30 percent (or at a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on amounts constituting ordinary income.


 
   B-29  

 

This discussion and the related discussion in the Prospectus have been prepared by Fund management, and counsel to the Fund has expressed no opinion in respect thereof.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund will receive income in the form of dividends and interest earned on its investments in securities. This income, less the expenses incurred in its operations, is a Fund’s net investment income, substantially all of which will be declared as dividends to the Fund’s shareholders.

The amount of income dividend payments by the Fund is dependent upon the amount of net investment income received by the Fund from its portfolio holdings, is not guaranteed and is subject to the discretion of the Board. The Fund does not pay “interest” or guarantee any fixed rate of return on an investment in its shares.

The Fund also may derive capital gains or losses in connection with sales or other dispositions of its portfolio securities. Any net gain the Fund may realize from transactions involving investments held less than the period required for long- term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing short-term capital gains and losses (taking into account any carryover of capital losses from the eight previous taxable years), although a distribution from capital gains, will be distributed to shareholders with and as a part of dividends giving rise to ordinary income. If during any year the Fund realizes a net gain on transactions involving investments held more than the period required for long-term gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing long-term capital gains and losses, the Fund will have a net long-term capital gain. After deduction of the amount of any net short-term capital loss, the balance (to the extent not offset by any capital losses carried over from the eight previous taxable years) will be distributed and treated as long-term capital gains in the hands of the shareholders regardless of the length of time a Fund’s shares may have been held by the shareholders. For more information concerning applicable capital gains tax rates, see your tax advisor.

Any dividend or distribution paid by the Fund reduces the Fund’s net asset value per share on the date paid by the amount of the dividend or distribution per share. Accordingly, a dividend or distribution paid shortly after a purchase of shares by a shareholder would represent, in substance, a partial return of capital (to the extent it is paid on the shares so purchased), even though it would be subject to income taxes.

Dividends and other distributions will be made in the form of additional shares of the Fund unless the shareholder has otherwise indicated. Investors have the right to change their elections with respect to the reinvestment of dividends and distributions by notifying the Transfer Agent in writing, but any such change will be effective only as to dividends and other distributions for which the record date is seven or more business days after the Transfer Agent has received the written request.


 
   B-30  

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Fund will calculate its performance in accordance with the following formulas:

Yield

The yield calculation reflected in the Prospectus is based on a hypothetical account having a balance of exactly one share of a Fund at the beginning of the seven-day period. The base period return is the net change in the value of the hypothetical account during the seven-day period, including dividends declared on any shares purchased with dividends on the shares but excluding any capital changes. Yield will vary as interest rates and other conditions change. Yields also depend on the quality, length of maturity and type of instruments held and operating expenses of a Fund.

Effective yield is computed by compounding the unannualized seven-day period return as follows: by adding 1 to the unannualized seven-day base period return, raising the sum to a power equal to 365 divided by 7, and subtracting 1 from the result.

Effective yield = [(base period return + 1) 365/7] - l

The tax equivalent yield of a fund is computed by dividing that portion of the yield of the fund (computed as described above) that is tax-exempt by an amount equal to one minus the stated federal income tax rate (normally assumed to be the maximum applicable marginal tax bracket rate) and adding the result to that portion, if any, of the yield of a Fund that is not tax-exempt.

The Fund’s quotations of average annual total return (after taxes on distributions) and average annual total return (after taxes on distributions and redemptions) are calculated using the historically highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Average Annual Total Return

Average annual total return quotations used in the Fund’s Prospectus are calculated according to the following formula:

P (1 + T)n = ERV

where “P” equals a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000; “T” equals average annual total return; “n” equals the number of years; and “ERV” equals the ending redeemable value at the end of the period of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of the period.


 
   B-31  

 

Under the foregoing formula, the time periods used in the Prospectus will be based on rolling calendar quarters. Average annual total return, or “T” in the above formula, is computed by finding the average annual compounded rates of return over the period that would equate the initial amount invested to the ending redeemable value. Average annual total return assumes the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions.

Average Annual Total Return (after Taxes on Distributions):

The Fund’s quotations of average annual total return (after taxes on distributions) are calculated according to the following formula:

P(1 + T)n = ATVD

where “P” equals a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000; “T” equals average annual total return; “n” equals the number of years; and “ATVD” equals the ending redeemable value at the end of the period of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of the period after taxes on distributions, not after taxes on redemption. Dividends and other distributions are assumed to be reinvested in shares at the prices in effect on the reinvestment dates. ATVD will be adjusted to reflect the effect of any absorption of Fund expenses by the Advisor.


Average Annual Total Return (after Taxes on Distributions and Redemptions):

The Fund’s quotations of average annual total return (after taxes on distributions and redemption) are calculated according to the following formula:

P(1 + T)n = ATVDR

where “P” equals a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000; “T” equals average annual total return; “n” equals the number of years; and “ATVDR” equals the ending redeemable value at the end of the period of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of the period after taxes on distributions and redemption. Dividends and other distributions are assumed to be reinvested in shares at the prices in effect on the reinvestment dates. ATVDR will be adjusted to reflect the effect of any absorption of Fund expenses by the Advisor.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Advisors Series Trust is an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 3, 1996. The Trust currently consists of numerous series of shares of beneficial interest, par value of 0.01 per share. The Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest and to divide or combine the shares into a greater or lesser number of shares without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in the Fund. Each share represents an interest in the Fund proportionately equal to the interest of each other share. Upon the Fund’s liquidation, all shareholders would share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to shareholders.


 
  B-32   

 

With respect to the Fund, the Trust may offer more than one class of shares. The Trust has reserved the right to create and issue additional series or classes. Each share of a series or class represents an equal proportionate interest in that series or class with each other share of that series or class. Currently, the Fund has only one class of shares.

The shares of each series or class participate equally in the earnings, dividends and assets of the particular series or class. Expenses of the Trust, which are not attributable to a specific series or class, are allocated among all the series in a manner believed by management of the Trust to be fair and equitable. Shares have no pre-emptive or conversion rights. Shares when issued are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below. Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each share held. Shares of each series or class generally vote together, except when required under federal securities laws to vote separately on matters that only affect a particular class, such as the approval of distribution plans for a particular class.

The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders but will hold special meetings of shareholders of a series or class when, in the judgment of the Trustees, it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for a shareholder vote. Shareholders have, under certain circumstances, the right to communicate with other shareholders in connection with requesting a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of removing one or more Trustees. Shareholders also have, in certain circumstances, the right to remove one or more Trustees without a meeting. No material amendment may be made to the Trust’s Declaration of Trust without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each portfolio affected by the amendment. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust provides that, at any meeting of shareholders of the Trust or of any series or class, a Shareholder Servicing Agent may vote any shares as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record and which are not represented in person or by proxy at the meeting, proportionately in accordance with the votes cast by holders of all shares of that portfolio otherwise represented at the meeting in person or by proxy as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record. Any shares so voted by a Shareholder Servicing Agent will be deemed represented at the meeting for purposes of quorum requirements. Shares have no preemptive or conversion rights. Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below. Any series or class may be terminated (i) upon the merger or consolidation with, or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of its assets to, another entity, if approved by the vote of the holders of two-thirds of its outstanding shares, except that if the Board of Trustees recommends such merger, consolidation or sale or disposition of assets, the approval by vote of the holders of a majority of the series’ or class’ outstanding shares will be sufficient, or (ii) by the vote of the holders of a majority of its outstanding shares, or (iii) by the Board of Trustees by written notice to the series’ or class’ shareholders. Unless each series and class is so terminated, the Trust will continue indefinitely.


 
   B-33  

 

The Trust’s Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Trust, its shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents covering possible tort and other liabilities. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust itself was unable to meet its obligations.

The Declaration of Trust does not require the issuance of stock certificates. If stock certificates are issued, they must be returned by the registered owners prior to the transfer or redemption of shares represented by such certificates.

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that as to any investment company which has two or more series outstanding and as to any matter required to be submitted to shareholder vote, such matter is not deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a “majority” (as defined in the Rule) of the voting securities of each series affected by the matter. Such separate voting requirements do not apply to the election of Trustees or the ratification of the selection of accountants.  The Rule contains special provisions for cases in which an advisory contract is approved by one or more, but not all, series. A change in investment policy may go into effect as to one or more series whose holders so approve the change even though the required vote is not obtained as to the holders of other affected series.

The Boards of the Trust, the Advisor and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These Codes permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of the Advisor and Distributor to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As the Fund has recently commenced operations, there are no financial statements available at this time. Shareholders of the Fund will be informed of the Fund’s progress through periodic reports when those reports become available. Financial statements certified by the independent registered public accounting firm will be submitted to shareholders at least annually.

 
   B-34  

 

APPENDIX “A”
DESCRIPTION OF BOND RATINGS

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group. A Standard & Poor’s corporate bond rating is a current assessment of the credit worthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific obligation. This assessment of credit worthiness may take into consideration obligors, such as guarantors, insurers or lessees. The debt rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a security, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor.

The ratings are based on current information furnished to Standard & Poor’s by the issuer or obtained by Standard & Poor’s from other sources it considers reliable. Standard & Poor’s does not perform any audit in connection with the ratings and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. The ratings may be changed, suspended or withdrawn as a result of changes in, unavailability of such information, or for other circumstances.

The ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations:

1. Likelihood of default-capacity and willingness of the obligor as to the timely payment of interest and repayment of principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation.

2. Nature of and provisions of the obligation.

3. Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization or their arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.

AAA - This is the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s to a debt obligation and indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay interest and repay any principal.

AA - Debt rated AA also qualifies as high quality debt obligations. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is very strong and in the majority of instances they differ from AAA issues only in small degree.

A - Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.

BBB - Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally exhibit protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for debt in this category than in higher rated categories.

BB, B, CCC, CC, C - Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded, on a balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation.

BB indicates the lowest degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.

BB - Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments. The BB rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied BBB rating.


 
   B-35  

 

B - Debt rated B has greater vulnerability to default but currently has the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair capacity or willingness to pay interest and repay principal. The B rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied BB or BB-rating.

CCC - Debt rated CCC has a currently indefinable vulnerability to default, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to meet timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. In the event of adverse business, financial or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The CCC rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied B or B- rating.

CC - The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.

C - The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating. The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed, but debt service payments are continued.

C1 - The rating C1 is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being paid.

D - Debt rated D is in payment default. It is used when interest payments or principal payments are not made on a due date even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace periods; it will also be used upon a filing of a bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are jeopardized.

Plus (+) or Minus (-) - To provide more detailed indications of credit quality, the ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

NR - indicates that no public rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor’s does not rate a particular type of obligation as a matter of policy. Debt obligations of issuers outside the United States and its territories are rated on the same basis as domestic corporate issues. The ratings measure the credit worthiness of the obligor but do not take into account currency exchange and related uncertainties.

Bond Investment Quality Standards: Under present commercial bank regulations issued by the Comptroller of the Currency, bonds rated in the top four categories (AAA, AA, A, BBB, commonly known as “Investment Grade” ratings) are generally regarded as eligible for bank investment. In addition, the Legal Investment Laws of various states may impose certain rating or other standards for obligations eligible for investment by savings banks, trust companies, insurance companies and fiduciaries generally.

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. A brief description of the applicable Moody’s rating symbols and their meanings follows:

Aaa - Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edge”. Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.

Aa - Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuations of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.


 
  B-36   

 

A - Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.

Baa - Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured.

Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Some bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.

NOTE: Bonds within the above categories which possess the strongest investment attributes are designated by the symbol “1” following the rating.

Ba - Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.

B - Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.

Caa - Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.

Ca - Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.

C - Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and issue so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.

Duff & Phelps, Inc.: AAA -- highest credit quality, with negligible risk factors; AA -- high credit quality, with strong protection factors and modest risk, which may vary very slightly from time to time because of economic conditions; A-- average credit quality with adequate protection factors, but with greater and more variable risk factors in periods of economic stress. The indicators “+” and “-” to the AA and A categories indicate the relative position of a credit within those rating categories.

Fitch Investors Service LLP.: AAA -- highest credit quality, with an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay principal; AA --very high credit quality, with very strong ability to pay interest and repay principal; A -- high credit quality, considered strong as regards principal and interest protection, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances. The indicators “+” and “-” to the AA, A and BBB categories indicate the relative position of credit within those rating categories.

DESCRIPTION OF NOTE RATINGS

A Standard & Poor’s note rating reflects the liquidity concerns and market access risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment.

- Amortization schedule (the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities the more likely it will be treated as a note).


 
  B-37   

 

- Source of Payment (the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.) Note rating symbols are as follows:

- SP-1 Very strong or strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics will be given a plus (+) designation.

-   SP-2 Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest.

- SP-3 Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

Moody’s Short-Term Loan Ratings - Moody’s ratings for state and municipal short-term obligations will be designated Moody’s Investment Grade (MIG). This distinction is in recognition of the differences between short-term credit risk and long-term risk. Factors affecting the liquidity of the borrower are uppermost in importance in short-term borrowing, while various factors of major importance in bond risk are of lesser importance over the short run.

Rating symbols and their meanings follow:

- MIG 1 - This designation denotes best quality. There is present strong protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

- MIG 2 - This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample although not so large as in the preceding group.

- MIG 3 - This designation denotes favorable quality. All security elements are accounted for but this is lacking the undeniable strength of the preceding grades. Liquidity and cash flow protection may be narrow and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well established.

- MIG 4 - This designation denotes adequate quality. Protection commonly regarded as required of an investment security is present and although not distinctly or predominantly speculative, there is specific risk.

 
 
  B-38   

 

PART C
(Tablerock Fund)

OTHER INFORMATION

Item 23. Exhibits

(a)   Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 3, 1996 was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on December 6, 1996 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(b)  Amended and Restated Bylaws dated June 27, 2002 was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on January 28, 2003 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(c)   Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders is incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Declaration of Trust and Bylaws.
 
(d)   Form of Investment Advisory Agreement was filed previously with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on February 12, 2002 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(e)   Form of Distribution Agreement was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on February 12, 2002 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(f)   Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts is not applicable.
 
(g)   Form of Custody Agreement was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on February 12, 2002 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(h)   Other Material Contracts
 
(i)   Form of Fund Administration Servicing Agreement was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on February 12, 2002 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(ii)   Form of Transfer Agency Service Agreement was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on February 12, 2002 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(iii)   Form of Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on February 12, 2002 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(iv)   Form of Operating Expenses Limitation Agreement was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on February 12, 2002 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(v)   Power of Attorney was previously filed with the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) on July 29, 2004, and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(vi)   Form of Shareholder Servicing Plan is not applicable.
 
(i)   Opinion of Counsel to be filed by amendment.
 
(j)   Consent of Independent Public Accountants is not applicable.
    
(k)    Omitted Financial Statements is not applicable.
 
(l)   Agreement Relating to Initial Capital is not applicable.
 
(m)   Rule 12b-1 Plan is not applicable.
 
(n)   Rule 18f-3 Plan is not applicable.
 
(o)   Reserved.
 
(p)   Code of Ethics
 
(i)    Code of Ethics for Registrant was previously filed with Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 173 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-17391) with the SEC on January 28, 2005 and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(ii)   Code of Ethics for the Advisor is to be filed by amendment.

Item 24. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant. 
No person is directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.

Item 25. Indemnification.
Reference is made to Article VII of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust, Article VI of Registrant’s Bylaws and Paragraph 6 of the Distribution Agreement.

Pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant furnishes the following undertaking: “Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”) may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.”

Item 26. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser

With respect to the Advisor, the response to this Item will be incorporated by reference to the Advisor’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (Form ADV) on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), dated June 30, 2004. The Advisor’s Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
.

Item 27. Principal Underwriter.

(a)    Quasar Distributors, LLC, the Registrant’s principal underwriter, acts as principal underwriter for the following investment companies:

Advisors Series Trust
Harding, Loevner Funds, Inc.
AHA Investment Funds
The Hennessy Funds, Inc.
Allied Asset Advisors Funds
The Hennessy Mutual Funds, Inc.
Alpine Equity Trust
Intrepid Capital Management
Alpine Series Trust
Jacob Internet Fund Inc.
Alpine Income Trust
The Jensen Portfolio, Inc.
AIP Alternative Strategies Funds
Julius Baer Funds
Brandes Investment Trust
Kensington Funds
Brandywine Blue Funds, Inc.
Kirr Marbach Partners, Funds, Inc.
Brazos Mutual Funds
Light Revolution Fund
Bridges Fund
LKCM Funds
Buffalo Funds
Masters’ Select Funds
Buffalo Balanced Fund
Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc.
Buffalo High Yield Fund
Monetta Fund, Inc.
Buffalo Large Cap Fund
Monetta Trust
Buffalo Small Cap Fund
MP63 Fund
Buffalo U.S.A. Global Fund
MUTUALS.com
CCM Advisors Funds
NorCap Funds
CCMA Select Investment Trust
Optimum Q Funds
Country Mutual Funds Trust
Permanent Portfolio Funds
Cullen Funds Trust
Primecap Odyssey Funds
Everest Funds
Professionally Managed Portfolios
First American Funds, Inc.
Prudent Bear Funds, Inc.
First American Investment Funds, Inc.
Rainier Funds
First American Strategy Funds, Inc.
Summit Funds
FFTW Funds, Inc.
Thompson Plumb
Fort Pitt Capital Funds
TIFF Investment Program, Inc.
Glenmede Fund, Inc.
Trust For Professional Managers
Guinness Atkinson Funds
Wexford Trust

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

Name and Principal
Business Address
Position and Offices with Quasar Distributors, LLC
Positions and Offices with Registrant
 
James R. Schoenike
 
 
President, Board Member
 
 
None
 
 
Donna J. Berth
 
 
Treasurer
 
 
None
 
 
Joe Redwine
 
 
Board Member
 
 
None
 
 
Bob Kern
 
 
Board Member
 
 
None
 
 
Eric W. Falkeis
 
 
Board Member
 
 
None
 
 
Teresa Cowan
 
 
Assistant Secretary
 
 
None
 
 
The address of each of the foregoing is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202.
 

(c)    Not applicable.

Item 28. Location of Accounts and Records.

The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are maintained at the following locations:
 
Records Relating to:
Are located at:
Registrant’s Fund Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street, 3rd Floor
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
Registrant’s Custodian
U.S. Bank, National Association
425 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
 
Registrant’s Investment Adviser
Burroughs Hutchinson
877 West Main Street, Suite 602
Boise, Idaho 83702


Item 29. Management Services Not Discussed in Parts A and B.

Not Applicable.

Item 30. Undertakings.

Not Applicable.

  
     

 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Advisors Series Trust to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, on the 16th day of February 2005.
 
ADVISORS SERIES TRUST
 
By: /s/ Eric M. Banhazl*
Eric M. Banhazl
President

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement on Form N-1A of Advisors Series Trust has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on February 16, 2005.

Signature
Title
/s/ Eric M. Banhazl    *
Eric M. Banhazl
 
President and Trustee
 
/s. Walter E. Auch     *
Walter E. Auch
 
Trustee
 
/s/ Donald E. O’Connor    *
Donald E. O’Connor
 
Trustee
 
/s/ George T. Wofford III    *
George T. Wofford III
 
Trustee
 
/s/ George J. Rebhan    *
George J. Rebhan
 
Trustee
 
/s/ James Clayburn LaForce                               *
James Clayburn LaForce
 
Trustee
 
/s/ Douglas G. Hess                                                    
Douglas G. Hess
 
Treasurer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer
 
 
* /s/ Douglas G. Hess    
Douglas G. Hess
Attorney-in-Fact pursuant to Power of Attorney.

  
     

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Exhibit No.