485BPOS 1 ast-aasgard_485b.htm POST EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT - RULE 485B

Filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2018
 
1933 Act Registration File No. 333-17391
1940 Act File No. 811-07959
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549

FORM N‑1A
 
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre‑Effective Amendment No.          
Post‑Effective Amendment No. 847
and
 
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 849
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
 
 
ADVISORS SERIES TRUST
 (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
 
(Registrant’s Telephone Numbers, Including Area Code) (414) 765-6872
 
Douglas G. Hess, President and Chief Executive Officer
Advisors Series Trust
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 5th Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
 
Copies to:
 
Domenick Pugliese, Esq.
Schiff Hardin LLP
666 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1700
New York, New York 10103
 
 
It is proposed that this filing will become effective
 
[  ]
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[x]
on July 29, 2018 pursuant to paragraph (b)
[  ]
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[  ]
on                       pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[  ]
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[  ]
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box

[   ]
this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

Explanatory Note:  This Post-Effective Amendment No. 847 to the Registration Statement of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”) is being filed for the purpose of adding the audited financial statements and certain related financial information for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, for the Trust’s series: Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund.


 


AASGARD DIVIDEND GROWTH SMALL & MID-CAP FUND

No Load Class
AADGX


A series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”)

www.coldstream.com/mutual-fund-home


Prospectus
July 29, 201 8






The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

 


SUMMARY SECTION

Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund (the “Fund”)

Investment Objectives
The Fund seeks a combination of dividend income and capital appreciation, with a secondary focus on lower than market volatility.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold No Load Shares of the Fund.

SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.85%
Other Expenses
0.57%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
0.08%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)
1.50%
   Less: Fee Waiver (2)
-0.17%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver
1.33%
(1)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the Ratio of Operating Expenses to Average Net Assets Before Advisory Fee Waiver in the Financial Highlights section of the statutory prospectus, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include expenses attributed to acquired fund fees and expenses (“AFFE”).
(2)
Coldstream Capital Management, Inc., marketed as, “Coldstream Wealth Management” (the “Advisor”) has contractually agreed to waive a portion or all of its management fees and pay Fund expenses in order to ensure Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding AFFE, taxes, interest expense and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 1.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Expense Cap”).  The Expense Cap will remain in effect through at least July 28, 2019, and may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Trust.  The Advisor may request recoupment of previously waived fees and expenses from the Fund for three years from the date they were waived or paid, subject to the Expense Cap.

Example.  This Example is intended to help you compare the cost 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 and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the Expense Cap only in the first year).  Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
$135
$457
$802
$1,776

Portfolio Turnover.  The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio).  A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account.  These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.  During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 53% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in dividend-paying common stocks of small- and medium-sized companies.  The Fund invests primarily in the common stocks of domestic small and medium capitalization companies with market capitalizations under $15 billion that the Advisor believes have strong growth potential and attractive dividend and yield opportunities.  The Fund may also invest up to 15% of its net assets in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).
 

The Advisor employs a proprietary ranking system to evaluate the universe of U.S. small- and medium-sized capitalization companies that are traded on U.S. exchanges.  Companies are ranked within their sectors according to the relative dividend yield, dividend growth, dividend consistency, valuation, free-cash flow, and payout ratio.  Each stock considered for purchase must have (i) a current yield of at least 1.00% and (ii) issuer’s five year projected dividend growth rate of at least 5%.  Holdings are reviewed for sale if they have fallen more than 10% since their purchase and may be replaced with stocks the Advisor believes have a higher potential for gain.  This often has the additional benefit of realizing taxable losses that can be used to offset future realized gains.  The Fund’s strategy strives to reduce volatility by limiting individual positions sizes to 5% of the Fund’s total assets and by limiting single industry exposure to less than 20% of the Fund’s total assets.

Target prices are developed for each security, but the Advisor does not have a strict sell discipline.  The Advisor believes that in times of extreme market volatility, a strict sell discipline would require wholesale liquidations resulting in extremely large cash positions.  Under most circumstances, the Advisor will not hold cash positions in excess of 15% of the Fund’s net assets in order to maintain participation in growth opportunities in the overall market but will consider cash positions in excess of this threshold under certain market or economic conditions.

Principal Investment Risks
Losing all or a portion of your investment is a risk of investing in the Fund.  The following risks could affect the value of your investment:

·
Management Risk – If the Advisor’s investment strategies do not produce the expected results, the value of the Fund may decrease.
·
Market and Regulatory Risk – Events in the financial markets and economy may cause volatility and uncertainty and adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Market events may affect a single issuer, industry, sector, or the market as a whole. Traditionally liquid investments may experience periods of diminished liquidity. Governmental and regulatory actions, including tax law changes, may also impair portfolio management and have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments.
·
Equity Securities Risk – The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the Fund’s portfolio or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions.
·
Small- and Medium-Sized Companies Risk – Small- and medium-sized companies often have less predictable earnings, more limited product lines, markets, distribution channels or financial resources and the management of such companies may be dependent upon one or few key people.  The market movements of equity securities of small- and medium-sized companies may be more abrupt and volatile than the market movements of equity securities of larger, more established companies or the stock market in general and small-sized companies in particular, are generally less liquid than the equity securities of larger companies.
·
Investment Style Risk – The Fund’s investments in dividend-paying common stocks may cause the Fund to underperform funds that do not limit their investments to dividend-paying common stocks during periods when dividend-paying stocks underperform other types of stocks.  In addition, if stocks held by the Fund reduce or stop paying dividends, the Fund’s ability to generate income may be affected.
·
Growth Stock Risk – Over time, a growth oriented investing style may go in and out of favor, which may cause the Fund to underperform other equity funds that use different investing styles.
 
 
·
Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Risk – Investments in REITs will be subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate.  Risks commonly associated with the direct ownership of real estate include fluctuations in the value of underlying properties, defaults by borrowers or tenants, changes in interest rates and risks related to general or local economic conditions.  REITs have their own expenses, and the Fund will bear a proportionate share of those expenses.  In addition, the value of an individual REIT’s securities can decline if the REIT fails to continue qualifying for special tax treatment.

Performance
The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.  The bar chart shows the annual return for the Fund for one year.  The table shows how the Fund’s average annual returns for the 1-year and since inception periods compare with broad measures of market performance.  The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.  Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website www.coldstream.com/mutual-fund-home or by calling the Fund toll-free at 1-877-476-1909.

Calendar Year Total Returns as of December 31,


The Fund’s calendar year-to-date return as of June 30, 2018 was 4.77%.  During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return was 5.18% for the quarter ended December 31, 2017, and the lowest quarterly return was 2.72% for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the period ended December 31, 2017)
1 Year
Since Inception
(4/1/2016)
Return Before Taxes
15.49%
17.97%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
14.17%
16.96%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
9.24%
13.65%
S&P MidCap® 400 Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
16.24%
18.51%

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.  Actual after-tax returns depend on your situation and may differ from those shown.  Furthermore, the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to those who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”).

Management
Investment Advisor.  Coldstream Capital Management, Inc., marketed as, “Coldstream Wealth Management” is the Fund’s investment advisor.

Portfolio Manager.  James Walsh, CFA©, Portfolio Manager, is the portfolio manager primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.  Mr. Walsh has managed the Fund since its inception in April 2016.
 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem Fund shares on any business day by written request via mail (Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid Cap Fund, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701), by telephone at 1‑877-476-1909, or through a financial intermediary.  You may also purchase or redeem Fund shares by wire transfer.  Investors who wish to purchase or redeem Fund shares through a financial intermediary should contact the financial intermediary directly.  The minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts are shown below.

Type of Account
To Open Your Account
To Add to Your Account
Regular Accounts
$2,500
$500
Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”)
$2,500
$500
(Traditional, Roth, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs)

Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (“IRA”).  Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Fund and/or the Advisor may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services.  These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment.  Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund’s investment objective is to seek a combination of dividend income and capital appreciation, with a focus on lower than market volatility.  The Fund’s investment objective, including its policy of investing at least 80% of the value of its net assets in the particular type of investments suggested by the Fund’s name, is a non-fundamental policy and can be changed upon approval by the Board without shareholder approval.  If the Fund’s investment objective changes, or if its 80% policy changes, the Fund will provide 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders before implementing the changes and shareholders should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of the changes.  There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in dividend-paying common stocks of small- and medium-sized companies.  The Fund invests primarily in the common stocks of domestic small and medium capitalization companies with market capitalizations under $15 billion that the Advisor believes have strong growth potential and attractive dividend and yield opportunities.  The Fund may also invest up to 15% of its net assets in REITs.

The Advisor employs a proprietary ranking system to evaluate the universe of U.S. small- and medium-sized capitalization companies that are traded on U.S. exchanges.  Companies are ranked within their sectors according to the relative dividend yield, dividend growth, dividend consistency, valuation, free-cash flow, and payout ratio.  Each stock considered for purchase must have (i) a current yield of at least 1.00% and (ii) issuer’s five year projected dividend growth rate of at least 5%.  Holdings are reviewed for sale if they have fallen more than 10% since their purchase and may be replaced with stocks the Advisor believes have a higher potential for gain. This often has the additional benefit of realizing taxable losses that can be used to offset future realized gains.  The Fund’s strategy strives to reduce volatility by limiting individual positions sizes to 5% of the Fund’s total assets and by limiting single industry exposure to less than 20% of the Fund’s total assets.

Target prices are developed for each security, but the Advisor does not have a strict sell discipline.  The Advisor believes that in times of extreme market volatility, a strict sell discipline would require wholesale liquidations resulting in extremely large cash positions.  Under most circumstances, the Advisor will not hold cash positions in excess of 15% of the Fund’s net assets in order to maintain participation in growth opportunities in the overall market but will consider cash positions in excess of this threshold under certain market or economic conditions.

Cash or Temporary Investments
Under normal circumstances, cash and cash equivalent securities will typically comprise no more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets.  However, the Fund may invest in excess of 15% of its net assets in cash, cash equivalents, and high-quality, short-term debt securities and money market instruments for temporary defensive purposes in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions.

This may result in the Fund not achieving its investment objective and the Fund’s performance may be negatively affected as a result.  To the extent that the Fund uses money market funds for its cash positions, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of such money market fund’s management fees and operational expenses.

Principal Risks
The principal risks of investing in the Fund that may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) or total return were previously summarized and are discussed in more detail below.  There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

Management Risk.  The skill of the Advisor plays a significant role in the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.  The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends on the ability of the Advisor to correctly identify economic trends, especially with regard to accurately forecasting projected dividend and growth rates and inflationary and deflationary periods.  In addition, the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends on the Advisor’s ability to select stocks, particularly in volatile stock markets.  The Advisor could be incorrect in its analysis of industries, companies’ projected dividends and growth rates and the relative attractiveness of growth and value stocks and other matters.
 

Market and Regulatory Risk.  Events in the financial markets and economy may cause volatility and uncertainty and adversely affect performance. Such adverse effect on performance could include a decline in the value and liquidity of securities held by the Fund, unusually high and unanticipated levels of redemptions, an increase in portfolio turnover, a decrease in NAV, and an increase in Fund expenses.  It may also be unusually difficult to identify both investment risks and opportunities, in which case investment goals may not be met.  Market events may affect a single issuer, industry, sector, or the market as a whole.  In addition, because of interdependencies between markets, events in one market may adversely impact markets or issuers in which the Fund invests in unforeseen ways.  Traditionally liquid investments may experience periods of diminished liquidity.  During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value and the Fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests.  It is impossible to predict whether or for how long such market events will continue, particularly if they are unprecedented, unforeseen or widespread events or conditions.  Therefore it is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply and for extended periods, and you could lose money. Governmental and regulatory actions, including tax law changes, may also impair portfolio management and have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments.

Equity Securities Risk.  The Fund is designed for long-term investors who can accept the risks of investing in a portfolio with significant common stock holdings.  Common stocks tend to be more volatile than other investment choices such as bonds and money market instruments.  The value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate as a result of the movement of the overall stock market or of the value of the individual securities held by the Fund, and you could lose money.  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, such as common stocks, held by the Fund will experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value.  This fluctuation 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.

Growth Stock Risk.  Growth stocks can perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks.  Growth stocks may be designated as such and purchased based on the premise that the market will eventually reward a given company’s long-term earnings growth with a higher stock price when that company’s earnings grow faster than both inflation and the economy in general.  Thus, a growth style investment strategy attempts to identify companies whose earnings may or are growing at a rate faster than inflation and the economy. While growth stocks may react differently to issuer, political, market and economic developments than the market as a whole and other types of stocks by rising in price in certain environments, growth stocks also tend to be sensitive to changes in the earnings of their underlying companies and more volatile than other types of stocks, particularly over the short term.  Furthermore, growth stocks may be more expensive relative to their current earnings or assets compared to the values of other stocks, and if earnings growth expectations moderate, their valuations may return to more typical norms, causing their stock prices to fall.  Finally, during periods of adverse economic and market conditions, the stock prices of growth stocks may fall despite favorable earnings trends.

Investment Style Risk.  The Fund primarily invests in dividend-paying common stocks.  This may cause the Fund to underperform funds that do not limit their investments to dividend-paying common stocks during periods when dividend-paying stocks underperform other types of stocks.  In addition, if stocks held by the Fund reduce or stop paying dividends, the Fund’s ability to generate income may be affected.  Dividend-paying common stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better (or worse) than the stock market in general.  These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.
 

REIT Risk.  Investments in REITs will be subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate.  Risks commonly associated with the direct ownership of real estate include fluctuations in the value of underlying properties, defaults by borrowers or tenants, changes in interest rates and risks related to general or local economic conditions.  REITs are more dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, generally dependent on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.  REITs are subject to complex tax qualification and compliance rules.  In addition, REITs have their own expenses, and the Fund will indirectly bear a proportionate share of those expenses.

Small- and Medium-Sized Companies Risk.  The securities of smaller or medium-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger-sized companies or the market averages in general.  In addition, such companies typically are subject to a greater degree of change in earnings and business prospects than are larger companies.  Thus, to the extent the Fund invests in smaller or medium-sized companies, the Fund may be subject to greater investment risk than that assumed through investment in the equity securities of larger-sized companies.

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 (“SAI”).  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 are available by contacting the Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid- Cap Fund, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701, or calling 1‑877-476-1909 and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

Investment Advisor
Coldstream Capital Management, Inc., marketed as, “Coldstream Wealth Management” is the Fund’s investment advisor and is located at One – 100th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bellevue, Washington 98004.  The Advisor is an SEC-registered investment advisory firm formed in 1996 providing investment management services to institutions, individuals, high net worth individuals, charitable organizations, pension and profit sharing plans and other pooled investment vehicles.

The Advisor is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies.  The Advisor also furnishes the Fund with office space and certain administrative services and provides most of the personnel needed to fulfill its obligations under its advisory agreement.  For its services, the Advisor is entitled to receive a monthly management fee that is calculated at the annual rate of 0.85% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.  For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, the Advisor received 0.68% in management fees from the Fund, after waivers.

A discussion regarding the basis of the Trust’s Board of Trustees’ (the “Board”) approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Fund’s semi-annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

The Fund, as a series of the Trust, does not hold itself out as related to any other series of the Trust for purposes of investment and investor services, nor does it share the same investment advisor with any other series.
 

Portfolio Manager
James Walsh, CFA©, Portfolio Manager
Mr. Walsh joined the Advisor in 2006 and has managed the Fund since April 2016.  Mr. Walsh has 18 years of experience in the investment management industry.  Mr. Walsh received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University, San Marcos and received his Masters in Business Administration degree from the University of California, Irvine.

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and his ownership of securities in the Fund.

Similarly Managed Account Performance
The Fund is managed in a manner that is substantially similar to certain other accounts (the “Composite”) managed by the Advisor.  The Composite has investment objectives, policies, strategies and risks substantially similar to those of the Fund.  The individuals responsible for the management of the Composite are the same individuals responsible for the management of the Fund.  You should not consider the past performance of the Composite as indicative of the future performance of the Fund.

The following table sets forth performance data relating to the historical performance of the Composite which represents all accounts managed by the Advisor, for the periods indicated, in a substantially similar manner to the portfolio of the Fund.  The data is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Advisor and portfolio managers in managing substantially similar accounts as measured against appropriate indices, and does not represent the performance of the Fund.  The Composite shown is not subject to the same types of expenses to which the Fund is subject, the Composite is rebalanced differently and less frequently than the Fund which will affect, among other things, transactions costs and may affect the comparability of performance, nor is the Composite subject to the diversification requirements, specific tax restrictions and investment limitations imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act or Subchapter M of the Code.  Consequently, the performance results for the Composite expressed below could have been adversely affected if it had been regulated as an investment company under the federal securities laws.

 
 
Performance Results
Average Annual Returns
for the Periods
Ended December 31, 201 7 (1)
1 Year
Since Inception
(1/1/2014)
Coldstream Dividend Growth Small & Midcap Composite (gross of fees)
17.37%
13.15%
Coldstream Dividend Growth Small & Midcap Composite (net of fees)
16.37%
12.15%
S&P 500® Index(2)
21.84%
12.13%
S&P 600 SmallCap 600® Index(3)
13.23%
11.75%
S&P 400 MidCap 400® Index(4)
16.24%
11.65%
 
(1)
As of December 31, 2017, the Composite was comprised of 69 accounts with approximately $33,400,000 in assets.
 
 
(2)
The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to represent the broad domestic market.  The Index includes the reinvestment of dividends.
 
 
(3)
The S&P SmallCap 600® Index measures the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity market. The index is designed to track companies that meet specific inclusion criteria to ensure that they are liquid and financially viable.
 
 
(4)
The S&P MidCap 400® Index provides investors with a benchmark for mid-sized companies.  The index, which is distinct from the large-cap S&P 500®, measures the performance of mid-sized companies, reflecting the distinctive risk and return characteristics of this market segment.
 

The management fee and operating expenses charged to institutional separate accounts in the Composite are 1.00% on the first $5 million, 0.85% on the next $10 million, 0.75% on the next $10 million and after $25 million the fees are negotiable.  The performance results shown are both gross and net of all fees.  The fees of the Composite differ from the fees of the Fund.  The fees and expenses associated with an investment in the Composite are lower than the fees and expenses (after taking into account the Expense Cap) associated with an investment in the Fund, so that if the Composite’s expenses were adjusted for these Fund expenses, its performance would have been lower.
 

Fund Expenses
The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses.  However, the Advisor has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fees and pay Fund expenses in order to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses (excluding AFFE, taxes, interest expense and extraordinary expenses) to 1.25% of average daily net assets (the “Expense Cap”) through at least July 28, 2019.  The term of the Fund’s operating expense limitation agreement is indefinite, and it can only be terminated by the Board.  The Advisor may request recoupment of previously waived fees and paid expenses in any subsequent month in the three-year period from the date of the management fee reduction and expense payment if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward the operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) will not cause the Fund to exceed the lesser of: (1) the expense limitation in place at the time of the management fee reduction and expense payment; or (2) the expense limitation in place at the time of the reimbursement.  Any such recoupment is contingent upon the subsequent review and approval of the recouped amounts by the Board.

DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES

Distributor
Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor” or “Quasar”), an affiliate of the Fund’s transfer agent, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Transfer Agent”), is located at 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 6th floor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, and is the distributor for the shares of the Fund.  Quasar is a registered broker-dealer and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.  Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis.

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 Fund has policies and procedures in place for the monitoring of payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries for the following non-distribution activities: sub-transfer agent, administrative, and other shareholder services.

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.  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 Advisor may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder’s fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of the shares sold.

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

Pricing of Fund Shares
Shares of the Fund are sold at NAV per share, which is calculated 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, including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  The NAV will not be calculated on days when the NYSE is closed for trading.
 

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

In calculating the NAV, portfolio securities are valued using current market values or official closing prices, if available.  Each security owned by the Fund that is listed on a securities exchange is valued at its last sale price on that exchange on the date as of which assets are valued.  Where the security is listed on more than one exchange, the Fund will use the price of the exchange that the Fund generally considers to be the principal exchange on which the security is traded.

When market quotations are not readily available, a security or other asset is valued at its fair value as determined under procedures approved by the Board.  These fair value procedures will also be used to price a security when corporate events, events in the securities market and/or world events cause the Advisor to believe that a security’s last sale price may not reflect its actual market value.  The intended effect of using fair value pricing procedures is to ensure that the Fund is accurately priced.  The Board will regularly evaluate whether the Fund’s fair valuation pricing procedures continue to be appropriate in light of the specific circumstances of the Fund and the quality of prices obtained through their application by the Trust’s Valuation Committee.

Trading in Foreign Securities.  In the case of foreign securities, the occurrence of certain events after the close of foreign markets, but prior to the time the Fund’s NAV per share is calculated (such as a significant surge or decline in the U.S. or other markets) often will result in an adjustment to the trading prices of foreign securities when foreign markets open on the following business day.  If such events occur, the Fund will value foreign securities at fair value, taking into account such events, in calculating the NAV per share.  In such cases, use of fair valuation can reduce an investor’s ability to seek to profit by estimating the Fund’s NAV per share in advance of the time the NAV per share is calculated.  The Advisor anticipates that the Fund’s portfolio holdings will be fair valued when market quotations for those holdings are considered unreliable.

How to Purchase Fund Shares
You may purchase shares of the Fund by check, by wire transfer, via electronic funds transfer through the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) network, provided your bank is a member, or through one or more brokers authorized by the Fund to receive purchase orders.  If you have any questions or need further information about how to purchase shares of the Fund, you may call a customer service representative of the Fund toll-free at 1‑877‑476‑1909.  The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order.  For example, a purchase order may be refused if, in the Advisor’s opinion, it is so large that it would disrupt the management of the Fund.  Orders may also be rejected from persons believed by the Fund to be “market timers.”

All checks must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a domestic financial institution.  The Fund will not accept payment in cash or money orders.  To prevent check fraud, the Fund will not accept third party checks, U.S. Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares.  The Fund is unable to accept post-dated checks or any conditional order or payment.

To buy shares of the Fund, complete an account application and send it together with your check for the amount you wish to invest in the 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 remittance stub from the most recent confirmation statement received from the Transfer Agent.  If your payment is returned for any reason, your purchase will be canceled and a $25 fee will be assessed against your account by the Transfer Agent.  You may also be responsible for any loss sustained by the Fund.
 

In addition to cash purchases, Fund shares may be purchased by tendering payment in-kind in the form of shares of stock, bonds or other securities.  Any securities used to buy Fund shares must be readily marketable, their acquisition consistent with the applicable Fund’s investment objective and otherwise acceptable to the Advisor and the Board.  For further information, you may call a customer service representative of the Fund toll-free at 1‑877-476-1909.

In compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, please note that the Transfer Agent will verify certain information on your account application as part of the Trust’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. As requested on the account application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address.  If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. Mailing addresses containing only a P. O. Box will not be accepted. Please contact the Transfer Agent at 1‑877‑476‑1909 if you need additional assistance when completing your account application.

If the Transfer Agent does not have a reasonable belief of the identity of an investor, the account application will be rejected or the investor 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.

Shares of the Fund have not been registered for sale outside of the United States.  The Trust generally does not sell shares to investors residing outside of the United States, even if they are United States citizens or lawful permanent residents, except to investors with United States military APO or FPO addresses.

Purchasing Shares by Mail
Please complete the account application and mail it with your check, payable to the Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund, to the Transfer Agent at the following address:

Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701

You may not send an account application via overnight delivery to a United States Postal Service post office box.  The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be their agents.  Therefore, a deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent.  Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices.  If you wish to use an overnight delivery service, send your account application and check to the Transfer Agent at the following address:

Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street, 3rd Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

Purchasing Shares by Telephone
If you have been authorized to perform telephone transactions (either by completing the required portion of your account application or by subsequent arrangement in writing with the Fund), and your account has been open for at least 15 calendar days, you may purchase additional shares by calling the Fund toll-free at 1‑877-476-1909.  You may not make your initial purchase of the Fund shares by telephone.  Telephone orders will be accepted via electronic funds transfer from your pre-designated bank account through the ACH network.  You must have banking information established on your account prior to making a telephone purchase.  Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for telephone transactions.  If your order is received prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, shares will be purchased at the NAV next calculated.  For security reasons, requests by telephone may be recorded.  Once a telephone transaction has been placed, it cannot be cancelled or modified after the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time).
 

Purchasing Shares by Wire
If you are making your initial investment in the Fund, the Transfer Agent must have previously received a completed account application before you can send in your wire purchase.  You can mail or overnight deliver your account application to the Transfer Agent at the above address.  Upon receipt of your completed account application, the Transfer Agent will establish an account on your behalf.  Once your account is established, you may instruct your bank to send the wire.  Your bank must include the name of the Fund, your name and your account number so that monies can be correctly applied.  Your bank should transmit immediately available funds by wire to:

U.S. Bank National Association
777 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
ABA No. 075000022
Credit: U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
A/C No. 112-952-137
FFC: [Name of the Fund]
Shareholder Registration
Shareholder Account Number

If you are making a subsequent purchase, your bank should wire funds as indicated above.  Before each wire purchase, you should be sure to notify the Transfer Agent.  It is essential that your bank include complete information about your account in all wire transactions.  If you have questions about how to invest by wire, you may call the Transfer Agent at 1‑877‑476‑1909.  Your bank may charge you a fee for sending a wire payment to the Fund.

Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time to be eligible for same day pricing.  Neither the Fund nor U.S. Bank N.A. is responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system or from incomplete wiring instructions.

Automatic Investment Plan
Once your account has been opened with the initial minimum investment, you may make additional purchases of shares at regular intervals through the Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”).  The AIP provides a convenient method to have monies deducted from your bank account, for investment into the Fund, on a monthly or quarterly basis.  In order to participate in the AIP, each purchase must be in the amount of $100 or more and your financial institution must be a member of the ACH network.  If your bank rejects your payment, the Transfer Agent will charge a $25 fee to your account.  To begin participating in the AIP, please complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application or call the Transfer Agent at 1‑877‑476‑1909.  Any request to change or terminate your AIP should be submitted to the Transfer Agent at least five calendar days prior to the automatic investment date.

Retirement Accounts
The Fund offers prototype documents for a variety of retirement accounts for individuals and small businesses.  Please call 1‑877-476-1909 for information on:

Individual Retirement Plans, including Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs.
 
 
Small Business Retirement Plans, including Simple IRAs and SEP IRAs.

There may be special distribution requirements for a retirement account, such as required distributions or mandatory Federal income tax withholdings.  For more information, call the number listed above. You may be charged a $15 annual account maintenance fee for each retirement account up to a maximum of $30 annually and a $25 fee for transferring assets to another custodian or for closing a retirement account.  Fees charged by institutions may vary.

Purchasing and Selling Shares through a Broker
You may buy and sell shares of the Fund through certain brokers and financial intermediaries (and their agents) (collectively, “Brokers”) that have made arrangements with the Fund to sell its shares.  When you place your order with such a Broker, your order is treated as if you had placed it directly with the Transfer Agent, and you will pay or receive the next price calculated by the applicable Fund.  Brokers may be authorized by the Fund’s principal underwriter to designate other brokers and financial intermediaries to accept orders on the Fund’s behalf.  An order is deemed to be received when the Fund, a Broker or, if applicable, a Broker’s authorized designee accepts the order.  The Broker holds your shares in an omnibus account in the Broker’s name, and the Broker maintains your individual ownership records.  The Advisor may pay the Broker for maintaining these records as well as providing other shareholder services.  The Broker may charge you a fee for handling your order.  The Broker is responsible for processing your order correctly and promptly, keeping you advised regarding the status of your individual account, confirming your transactions and ensuring that you receive copies of the Fund’s Prospectus.

How to Sell Fund Shares
You may sell (redeem) your Fund shares on any day the Fund and the NYSE are open for business either directly to the Fund or through your financial intermediary.

In Writing
You may redeem your shares by simply sending a written request to the Transfer Agent.  You should provide your account number and state whether you want all or some of your shares redeemed.  The letter should be signed by all of the shareholders whose names appear on the account registration and include a signature guarantee(s), if necessary.  No redemption requests will become effective until all documents have been received in good order by the Transfer Agent. “Good order” means your redemption request includes: (1) the name of the Fund, (2) the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, (3) the account number and (4) signatures by all of the shareholders whose names appear on the account registration.  Shareholders who have an IRA or other retirement plan must indicate on their redemption request whether to withhold federal income tax.  Redemption requests failing to indicate an election not to have tax withheld will generally be subject to 10% withholding.  You should send your redemption request to:
 
Regular Mail
Overnight Express Mail
Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund
Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
615 East Michigan Street, 3rd Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

NOTE:
The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents.  Therefore, a deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent.  Receipt of redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s office.
 
 
By Telephone
If you accepted telephone options on your account application, you may redeem your shares, up to $50,000, by calling the Transfer Agent at 1‑877-476-1909 before the close of trading on the NYSE (which is generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time).  Telephone redemptions cannot be made if you notified the Transfer Agent of a change of address within 15 calendar days before the redemption request.  If you have a retirement account, you may not redeem your shares by telephone.  If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, the Fund will accept telephone instructions from any one owner or authorized person.

You may request telephone redemption privileges after your account is opened by calling the Transfer Agent at 1‑877-476-1909 for instructions.

You may encounter higher than usual call wait times during periods of high market activity.  Please allow sufficient time to ensure that you will be able to complete your telephone transaction prior to market close.  If you are unable to contact the Fund by telephone, you may mail your redemption request in writing to the address noted above.  Once a telephone transaction has been accepted, it may not be canceled or modified after the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time).

Redemption proceeds can be sent by check to the address of record or via ACH to a previously established bank account.  If you request, redemption proceeds will be wired on the next business day to the bank account you designated on the account application.  If you did not purchase your shares with a wire payment, the Fund may delay payment of your redemption proceeds for up to 15 calendar days from purchase or until your payment for the purchase cleared, whichever occurs first.  The minimum amount that may be wired is $1,000.  A wire fee of $15 will be deducted from your redemption proceeds for complete and share specific redemptions.  In the case of a partial redemption, the fee will be deducted from the remaining account balance.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan
As another convenience, you may redeem your shares through the Systematic Withdrawal Plan (“SWP”).  Under the SWP, shareholders or their financial intermediaries may request that a payment drawn in a predetermined amount be sent to them on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.  In order to participate in the SWP, your account balance must be at least $5,000 and each withdrawal amount must be for a minimum of $100.  If you elect this method of redemption, the Fund will send a check directly to your address of record or will send the payment directly to your bank account via electronic funds transfer through the ACH network.  For payment through the ACH network, your bank must be an ACH member and your bank account information must be previously established on your account.  The SWP may be terminated at any time by the Fund.  You may also elect to terminate your participation in the SWP by communicating in writing or by telephone to the Transfer Agent no later than five calendar days before the next scheduled withdrawal at the addresses shown above or at 1‑877-476-1909.

A withdrawal under the SWP involves a redemption of shares and may result in a gain or loss for federal income tax purposes.  In addition, if the amount withdrawn exceeds the dividends credited to your account, the account ultimately may be depleted.  To establish a SWP, an investor must complete the appropriate sections of the account application.  For additional information on the SWP, please call the Transfer Agent at 1‑877-476-1909.

Redemption “In-Kind”
The Fund reserves the right to pay redemption proceeds to you in whole or in part by a distribution of securities from the Fund’s portfolio (a “redemption in-kind”).  It is not expected that the Fund would do so except during unusual market conditions.  If the Fund pays your redemption proceeds by a distribution of securities, you could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash and will bear any market risks associated with such securities until they are converted into cash.  A redemption, whether in cash or in-kind, is a taxable event for you.
 

Signature Guarantees
Signature guarantees will generally be accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program and the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program.  A notary public is not an acceptable signature guarantor.

A signature guarantee, from either a Medallion program member or a non-Medallion program member, is required in the following situations:

·
When ownership is being changed on your account;
·
When redemption proceeds are payable or sent to any person, address or bank account not on record;
·
When a redemption is received by the Transfer Agent and the account address has changed within the last 15 calendar days; and
·
For all redemptions in excess of $50,000 from any shareholder account.

Non-financial transactions, including establishing or modifying certain services on an account, may require a signature guarantee, signature verification from a Signature Validation Program member or other acceptable form of authentication from a financial institution source.
 
In addition to the situations described above, the Fund and/or the Transfer Agent may require a signature guarantee or signature validation program stamp in other instances based on the facts and circumstances.

Payment of Redemption Proceeds
Generally, the Fund typically expects that it will take one to three days following the receipt of your redemption request to pay out redemption proceeds; however, while not expected, payment of redemption proceeds may take up to seven days.  As described above, you may receive proceeds of your sale in a check, ACH, or federal wire transfer.

The Fund typically expects that it will hold cash or cash equivalents to meet redemption requests. The Fund may also use the proceeds from the sale of portfolio securities to meet redemption requests if consistent with the management of the Fund. These redemption methods will be used regularly and may also be used in unusual market conditions.  The Fund may delay paying redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days after receiving a request, if an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund.

The Fund reserves the right to redeem in-kind as described above. Redemptions in-kind are typically used to meet redemption requests that represent a large percentage of a Fund’s net assets in order to minimize the effect of large redemptions on the fund and its remaining shareholders. As noted, redemptions in-kind are typically used in unusual market conditions.

Other Information about Redemptions
The Fund may redeem the shares in your account if the value of your account is less than $2,500 as a result of redemptions you have made.  This does not apply to retirement plan accounts.  You will be notified that the value of your account is less than $2,500 before the Fund makes an involuntary redemption.  You will then have 30 days in which to make an additional investment to bring the value of your account to at least $2,500 before the Fund takes any action.

General Transaction Policies
Some of the following policies are mentioned above.  In general, the Fund reserves the right to:
 
 
·
Refuse, change, discontinue, or temporarily suspend account services, including telephone 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; and
·
Reject any purchase or redemption request that does not contain all required documentation.

Additionally, the Fund’s minimum investment requirements may be waived from time to time by the Advisor, and for the following types of shareholders:
·
current and retired employees, directors/trustees and officers of the Trust, the Advisor and its affiliates and certain family members of each of them (i.e., spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, grandchild and grandparent, in each case including in-law, step and adoptive relationships);
·
any trust, pension, profit sharing or other benefit plan for current and retired employees, directors/trustees and officers of the Advisor and its affiliates;
·
current employees of the Transfer Agent, broker-dealers who act as selling agents for the Fund, intermediaries that have marketing agreements in place with the Advisor and the immediate family members of any of them;
·
existing clients of the Advisor, their employees and immediate family members of such employees;
·
registered investment advisers who buy through a broker-dealer or service agent who has entered into an agreement with the Distributor;
·
qualified broker-dealers who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor; and
·
401(k) plans or other tax-deferred retirement plans.

Fund Mailings
Statements and reports that the Fund sends to you include the following:

·
confirmation statements (after every transaction that affects your account balance or your account registration);
·
annual and semi-annual shareholder reports (every six months); and
·
quarterly account statements.

Householding
In an effort to decrease costs, the Fund intends to reduce the number of duplicate prospectuses, annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements and other similar documents you receive by sending only one copy of each to those addresses shared by two or more accounts and to shareholders the Transfer Agent reasonably believes are from the same family or household.  Once implemented, if you would like to discontinue householding for your accounts, please call toll-free at 1‑877-476-1909 to request individual copies of these documents.  Once the Transfer Agent receives notice to stop householding, the Transfer Agent will begin sending individual copies thirty days after receiving your request.  This policy does not apply to account statements.

Lost Shareholders, Inactive Accounts and Unclaimed Property.  It is important that the Fund maintain a correct address for each shareholder.  An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned to the Fund.  Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, the Fund will attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account.  If the Fund is unable to locate the shareholder, then it will determine whether the shareholder’s account can legally be considered abandoned.  Your mutual fund account may be transferred to the state government of your state of residence if no activity occurs within your account during the “inactivity period” specified in your state’s abandoned property laws.  The Fund is  legally obligated to escheat (or transfer) abandoned property to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements.  The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction.  Please proactively contact the Transfer Agent toll-free at 1‑877-476-1909 at least annually to ensure your account remains in active status.
 

If you are a resident of the state of Texas, you may designate a representative to receive notifications that, due to inactivity, your mutual fund account assets may be delivered to the Texas Comptroller.  Please contact the Transfer Agent if you wish to complete a Texas Designation of Representative form.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund will make distributions of dividends from net investment income on a quarterly basis, typically in March, June, September and December.  The Fund will make distributions of capital gains, if any, on an annual basis.  The Fund may make an additional payment of dividends or distributions of capital gains if it deems it desirable at any other time of the 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; (2) reinvest dividends in additional Fund shares and receive capital gains in cash; or (3) receive all distributions in cash.  Reinvestment of distributions does not avoid or defer taxable income to you.

If you elect to receive distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the check, or if a check remains outstanding for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account, at the Fund’s current NAV per share, and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.  If you wish to change your distribution option, notify the Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone at least five (5) calendar days in advance of the payment date for the distribution.

Any dividend or capital gain distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend or capital gain distribution.  You should note that a dividend or capital gain distribution paid on shares purchased shortly before that dividend or capital gain distribution was declared will be subject to income taxes even though the dividend or capital gain distribution represents, in an economic sense, a partial return of capital to you.

TOOLS TO COMBAT FREQUENT TRANSACTIONS

The Board has adopted policies and procedures to prevent frequent transactions in the Fund.  The Fund discourages excessive, short-term trading and other abusive trading practices that may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm the Fund’s performance.  The Fund takes steps to reduce the frequency and effect of these activities in the Fund.  These steps include monitoring trading practices and using fair value pricing.  Although these efforts (which are described in more detail below) are designed to discourage abusive trading practices, these tools cannot eliminate the possibility that such activity may 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 the Fund believes is consistent with shareholder interests.
 

Monitoring Trading Practices.  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 in the shareholder’s accounts.  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 limited because the Fund does not have simultaneous access to the underlying shareholder account information.

In compliance with Rule 22c-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Fund’s Distributor, on behalf of the Fund, has entered into written agreements with each of the Fund’s financial intermediaries, under which the intermediary must, upon request, provide the Fund with certain shareholder and identity trading information so that the Fund can enforce its market timing policies.

Fair Value Pricing.  The Fund employs fair value pricing selectively to ensure greater accuracy in its daily NAV and to prevent dilution by frequent traders or market timers who seek to take advantage of temporary market anomalies.  The Board has developed procedures which utilize fair value pricing when reliable market quotations are not readily available or the Fund’s pricing service does not provide a valuation (or provides a valuation that in the judgment of the Advisor to the Fund does not represent the security’s fair value), or when, in the judgment of the Advisor, events have rendered the market value unreliable.  Valuing securities at fair value involves reliance on judgment.  Fair value determinations are made in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board and valuation procedures are reviewed annually by the Board.  There can be no assurance that the Fund will 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 NAV per share.

Fair value pricing may be applied to non-U.S. securities.  The trading hours for most non-U.S. securities end prior to the close of the NYSE, the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated.  The occurrence of certain events after the close of non-U.S. markets, but prior to the close of the NYSE (such as a significant surge or decline in the U.S. market) often will result in an adjustment to the trading prices of non-U.S. securities when non-U.S. markets open on the following business day.  If such events occur, each Fund may value non-U.S. securities at fair value, taking into account such events, when it calculates its NAV.  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 frequently traded and/or the market price of which the Advisor believes may be stale; (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; (d) securities whose trading has been halted or suspended; and (e) fixed income securities that have gone into default and for which there is not a current market value quotation.

More detailed information regarding fair value pricing can be found under the heading titled, “Pricing of Fund Shares.”

TAX CONSEQUENCES

The Fund has elected and intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  As a regulated investment company, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax if it distributes its taxable income as required by the tax law and satisfies certain other requirements that are described in the SAI.

The Fund typically makes distributions of dividends and capital gains.  Dividends are taxable to you as ordinary income or, under current law, as qualified dividend income, depending on the source of such income to the distributing Fund and the holding period of the Fund for its dividend-paying securities and of you for your Fund shares.  Fund distributions of short-term capital gains are taxable as ordinary 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.  Generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid to you as a result of the Fund’s investment in REITs is anticipated to be qualified dividend income eligible for taxation by individuals at long-term capital gain tax rates.  An additional federal surtax of 3.8% applies to the net investment income (which generally will include dividends and capital gains from an investment in the Fund) of shareholders with adjusted gross income over $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married joint filers.  Although distributions are generally taxable when received, certain distributions declared in October, November, or December to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month but paid in January are taxable as if received the prior December.
 

By law, the Fund must withhold, as backup withholding, a percentage (currently 24%), at a rate under Section 3406 of the Code for U.S. residents, 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 Internal Revenue Service instructs the Fund to do so.

If you sell your Fund shares, it is 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.  The Code limits the deductibility of capital losses in certain circumstances.

Additional information concerning the taxation of the Fund and its shareholders is contained in the SAI.  Tax consequences are not the primary consideration of the Fund when making its investment decision.  You should consult your own tax advisor concerning federal, state and local taxation of distributions from the Fund.

INDEX DESCRIPTIONS

The S&P MidCap 400® Index provides investors with a benchmark for mid-sized companies. The index, which is distinct from the large-cap S&P 500® Index, measures the performance of mid-sized companies, reflecting the distinctive risk and return characteristics of this market segment.
 


FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the period of the Fund’s operations.  Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share.  The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).  This information has been audited by Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, are included in the Fund’s annual report, which is available upon request.

   
Year Ended
March 31,
2018
   
Year Ended
March 31,
2017*
 
Net asset value, beginning of year
 
$
11.67
   
$
10.00
 
                 
Income from investment operations:
               
  Net investment income
   
0.14
     
0.20
 
  Net realized and unrealized gain on investments
   
1.32
     
1.66
 
Total from investment operations
   
1.46
     
1.86
 
                 
Less distributions:
               
  From net investment income
   
(0.14
)
   
(0.19
)
  From net realized gain on investments
   
(0.33
)
   
--
 
Total distributions
   
(0.47
)
   
(0.19
)
                 
Net asset value, end of year
 
$
12.66
   
$
11.67
 
                 
Total return
   
12.54
%
   
18.79
%
                 
Ratios/supplemental data:
               
Net assets, end of year (thousands)
 
$
37,384
   
$
29,354
 
                 
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
               
  Before advisory fee waiver
   
1.42
%
   
1.54
%
  After advisory fee waiver
   
1.25
%
   
1.25
%
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets:
               
  Before advisory fee waiver
   
0.93
%
   
1.67
%
  After advisory fee waiver
   
1.10
%
   
1.96
%
Portfolio turnover rate
   
53.19
%
   
41.73
%
* Commencement of operations on April 1, 2016.
 
 

Investment Advisor
Coldstream Capital Management, Inc.
One – 100th Avenue NE, Suite 102
Bellevue, Washington 98004


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


Legal Counsel
Schiff Hardin LLP
666 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1700
New York, New York 10103


Custodian
U.S. Bank National Association
Custody Operations
1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212


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


Distributor
Quasar Distributors, LLC
777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 6th Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202


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.


AASGARD DIVIDEND GROWTH SMALL & MID-CAP FUND
A series of Advisors Series Trust
www.coldstream.com/mutual-fund-home

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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

Statement of Additional Information
The SAI 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 (collectively, the “Shareholder 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 previous fiscal year.

The SAI and Shareholder Reports are available free of charge on the Fund’s website at www.coldstream.com/mutual-fund-home.  You can obtain a free copy of the SAI and Shareholder Reports, request other information, or make general inquiries about the Fund by calling the Fund (toll-free) at 1‑877-476-1909 or by writing to:

Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701

You may review and copy information about the Fund, including the SAI and Shareholder Reports, at the Public Reference Room of the SEC in Washington, D.C.  You can obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling (202) 551-8090.  Reports and other information about the Fund are also available:

Free of charge from the SEC’s EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov;
For a fee, by writing to the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520; 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.)
 
 


AASGARD DIVIDEND GROWTH SMALL & MID-CAP FUND

No Load Class
AADGX


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
July 29, 201 8



This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus dated July 29, 2018, as may be revised, of the Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund (the “Fund”), a series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”).  Coldstream Capital Management, Inc., marketed as, “Coldstream Wealth Management” (the “Advisor”) is the Fund’s investment advisor.  A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained: on the Fund’s website at www.coldstream.com/mutual-fund-home; by writing to the Fund’s transfer agent at U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Transfer Agent”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202; or by calling 1‑877-476-1909.

The Fund’s audited financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, are contained in the Fund’s annual report and are incorporated by reference into this SAI.  A copy of the annual report may be obtained without charge on the Fund’s website or by calling or writing the Fund as shown above.




TABLE OF CONTENTS

 


THE TRUST

The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 3, 1996, and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as an open-end management investment company.  The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) permits the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or the “Trustees”) to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share, which may be issued in any number of series.  The Trust consists of various series that represent separate investment portfolios.  The Board may from time to time issue other series, the assets and liabilities of which will be separate and distinct from any other series.  This SAI relates only to the Fund.

Registration with the SEC 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 or may be accessed free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

The Fund commenced operations on April 1, 2016.

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The discussion below supplements information contained in the Fund’s Prospectus as to the investment policies and risks of the Fund.

Diversification
The Fund is diversified under applicable federal securities laws.  This means that as to 75% of its total assets (1) no more than 5% may be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) it may not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer.  However, the diversification of a mutual fund’s holdings is measured at the time the fund purchases a security and if the Fund purchases a security and holds it for a period of time, the security may become a larger percentage of the Fund’s total assets due to movements in the financial markets.  If the market affects several securities held by the Fund, the Fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers.  Accordingly, the Fund is subject to the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities despite qualifying as a diversified fund.

Percentage Limitations
Whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition or sale of such security or other asset.  Accordingly, except with respect to borrowing and illiquid securities, any subsequent change in values, net assets or other circumstances will not be considered in determining whether an investment complies with the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.  In addition, if a bankruptcy or other extraordinary event occurs concerning a particular investment by the Fund, the Fund may receive stock, real estate or other investments that the Fund would not, or could not buy.  If this happens the Fund would sell such investments as soon as practicable while trying to maximize the return to its shareholders.

Market and Regulatory Risk
Events in the financial markets and economy may cause volatility and uncertainty and affect performance.  Such adverse effect on performance could include a decline in the value and liquidity of securities held by the Fund, unusually high and unanticipated levels of redemptions, an increase in portfolio turnover, a decrease in net asset value (“NAV”), and an increase in Fund expenses.  It may also be unusually difficult to identify both investment risks and opportunities, in which case investment objectives may not be met.  Market events may affect a single issuer, industry, sector, or the market as a whole.  Traditionally liquid investments may experience periods of diminished liquidity.  During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value and the Fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests.  It is impossible to predict whether or for how long such market events will continue, particularly if they are unprecedented, unforeseen or widespread events or conditions.  Therefore it is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply and for extended periods, and you could lose money.
 

Governmental and regulatory actions, including tax law changes, may also impair portfolio management and have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments.  Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and may in some instances contribute to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the financial markets.  The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.  In addition, economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected.  As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected.

The Fund may invest in the following types of investments, each of which is subject to certain risks, as discussed below:

Equity Securities
Common stocks, American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”), and Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”) are examples of equity securities in which the Fund may invest.

All investments in equity securities are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time.  Historically, the equity markets have moved in cycles and the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may fluctuate substantially from day to day.  Owning an equity security can also subject the Fund to the risk that the issuer may discontinue paying dividends.

Common Stocks.  A common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company and its value is based on the success of the company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of its assets, and general market conditions.  In addition to the general risks set forth above, investments in common stocks are subject to the risk that in the event a company in which the Fund invests is liquidated, the holders of preferred stock and creditors of that company will be paid in full before any payments are made to the Fund as a holder of common stock.  It is possible that all assets of that company will be exhausted before any payments are made to the Fund.

Foreign Investments
The Fund may make investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers (“foreign securities”) through Depositary Receipts (“DRs”).

Depositary Receipts.  Depositary Receipts include ADRs, EDRs, GDRs or other forms of DRs.  DRs are receipts typically issued in connection with a U.S. or foreign bank or trust company which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a non-U.S. company.

ADRs are depositary receipts for foreign securities denominated in U.S. dollars and traded on U.S. securities markets.  ADRs evidence ownership of, and represent the right to receive, securities of foreign issuers deposited in a domestic bank or trust company or a foreign correspondent bank. Prices of ADRs are quoted in U.S. dollars, and ADRs are traded in the U.S. on exchanges or over-the-counter. While ADRs do not eliminate all the risks associated with foreign investments, by investing in ADRs rather than directly in the stock of foreign issuers, the Fund will avoid currency and certain foreign market trading risks during the settlement period for either purchases or sales. In general, there is a large, liquid market in the U.S. for ADRs quoted on a national securities exchange. The information available for ADRs is subject to the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards of the U.S. market or exchange on which they are traded, which standards are generally more uniform and more exacting than those to which many foreign issuers may be subject.
 

In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depositary receipts. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information about an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program. There may be an increased possibility of untimely responses to certain corporate actions of the issuer, such as stock splits and rights offerings, in an unsponsored program. Accordingly, there may be less information available regarding issuers of securities underlying unsponsored programs and there may not be a correlation between this information and the market value of the depositary receipts. If the Fund’s investment depends on obligations being met by the arranger as well as the issuer of an unsponsored program, the Fund will be exposed to additional credit risk.  EDRs and GDRs are receipts evidencing an arrangement with a non-U.S. bank similar to that for ADRs and are designed for use in the non-U.S. securities markets.

Risks of Investing in Foreign Securities.  Investments in foreign securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:

Political and Economic Factors.  Individual economies of certain countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the United States’ economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, diversification and balance of payments position.  The internal politics of certain foreign countries may not be as stable as those of the United States.  Governments in certain foreign countries also continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies.  Action by these governments could include restrictions on foreign investment, nationalization, expropriation of goods or imposition of taxes, and could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of interest.  The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by the trade policies and economic conditions of their trading partners.  Enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.

Legal and Regulatory Matters.  Certain foreign countries may have less supervision of securities markets, brokers and issuers of securities, and less financial information available to issuers, than is available in the United States.

Currency Fluctuations.  A change in the value of any foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of an ADR’s, EDR’s or GDR’s underlying portfolio securities denominated in that currency.  Such changes will affect the Fund to the extent that the Fund is invested in ADRs comprised of foreign securities.

Taxes.  The interest and dividends payable to the Fund on certain of the Fund’s foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes or withholding, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to Fund shareholders.  The Fund may not be eligible to pass through to their shareholders any tax credits or deductions with respect to such foreign taxes or withholding.

In considering whether to invest in the securities of a non-U.S. company, the Advisor considers such factors as the characteristics of the particular company, differences between economic trends and the performance of securities markets within the U.S. and those within other countries, and also factors relating to the general economic, governmental and social conditions of the country or countries where the company is located.  The extent to which the Fund invest in non-U.S. companies, foreign countries and depositary receipts will fluctuate from time to time within any limitations described in the Prospectus, depending on the Advisor’s assessment of prevailing market, economic and other conditions.
 

Brexit.  In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom (UK) voted by a narrow majority to leave the European Union (“Brexit”).  For the time being, the UK remains a member of the European Union (EU), and all existing EU-derived laws and regulations continue to apply in the UK.  However, the uncertainty as to the timing and nature of the UK’s exit and future relationship with the EU has resulted in market and currency volatility, and there are potentially major implications for business and issuers. Brexit adds to the structural stresses in the countries which use the Euro as currency (“Eurozone”), and the EU, generally, that have contributed to global economic and market uncertainty over several years.  A central issue for the UK in negotiating the terms of its exit will be its relationship with the EU going-forward.  The resulting uncertainty may adversely affect business activity and economic conditions across the Eurozone and the EU, generally. This uncertainty may increase as one or more EU countries may come under pressure to leave the EU as well.  The exit of other countries from the EU, or the perception that other countries may leave, could have a material adverse effect on economic growth or business activity in the UK, the Eurozone and the entire EU.  Whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments.

Small- and Medium-Sized Companies
To the extent the Fund invests in the equity securities of small- and medium-sized companies, it will be exposed to the risks of smaller sized companies.  Small- and medium-sized companies may have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and may have more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies.  Furthermore, such companies may have limited product lines, services, markets, or financial resources or may be dependent on a small management group.  In addition, because these stocks may not be well-known to the investing public, do not have significant institutional ownership or are typically followed by fewer security analysts, there will normally be less publicly available information concerning these securities compared to what is available for the securities of larger companies.  Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, can decrease the value and liquidity of securities of small- and medium- sized companies held by the Fund.  As a result, the performance of these securities can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of the Fund’s portfolio.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”)
The Fund may invest in shares of REITs.  REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in real estate or real estate-related loans.  REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs.  Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents.  Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value.  Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments.  Like regulated investment companies such as the Fund, REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with certain requirements under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  The Fund will indirectly bear their proportionate share of any expenses paid by REITs in which they invest in addition to the expenses paid by the Fund.  Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks.  Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by such REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended.  REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified (except to the extent the Code requires), and are subject to the risks of financing projects.  REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibilities of failing to qualify for the exemption from tax for distributed income under the Code and failing to maintain their exemptions from the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).  REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks.
 

Options Contracts
The Fund may invest in options, specifically; put options, for hedging purposes as well as direct investment.  There are risks involved in the use of options, including the risk that the prices of the hedging vehicles may not correlate perfectly with the securities held by the Fund.  This may cause the options to react differently from the Fund’s securities to market changes.  In addition, the Advisor could be incorrect in its expectations for the direction or extent of market movements.  In these events, the Fund could lose money on the options contracts.  It is also not certain that a secondary market for positions in options contracts will exist at all times in which event the Fund will not be able to liquidate its positions without potentially incurring significant transactions costs.

Options on Securities.  The Fund may purchase and write put options on securities.

Put Options. The Fund may write and purchase put options (“puts”).  If the Fund purchases a put option, the Fund acquires the right to sell the underlying security at a specified price at any time during the term of the option (for “American-style” options) or on the option expiration date (for “European-style” options).  Purchasing put options may be used as a portfolio investment strategy when the Advisor perceives significant short-term risk but substantial long-term appreciation for the underlying security.  The put option acts as an insurance policy, as it protects against significant downward price movement while it allows full participation in any upward movement less the premium paid to purchase the option.  If the Fund is holding a security which the Advisor feels has strong fundamentals, but for some reason may be weak in the near term, the Fund may purchase a put option on such security, thereby giving the Fund the right to sell such security at a certain strike price throughout the term of the option.  Consequently, the Fund will exercise the put only if the price of such security falls below the strike price of the put.  The difference between the put’s strike price and the market price of the underlying security on the date the Fund exercises the put, less transaction costs, will be the amount by which the Fund will be able to hedge against a decline in the underlying security.  If during the period of the option the market price for the underlying security remains at or above the put’s strike price, the put will expire worthless, representing a loss of the price the Fund paid for the put, plus transaction costs.  If the price of the underlying security increases, the profit the Fund realizes on the sale of the security will be reduced by the premium paid for the put option less any amount for which the put may be sold.

When the Fund writes a put, it receives a premium and gives the purchaser of the put the right to sell the underlying security to the Fund at the exercise price at any time during the option period.  If the Fund writes a put option it assumes an obligation to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date.  The Fund may terminate its position in an exchange-traded put option before exercise by buying an option identical to the one it has written.  Similarly, the Fund may cancel an over-the-counter option by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counter-party to the option.

Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in shares of other registered investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), closed-end funds, money market mutual funds and other mutual funds in pursuit of its investment objective, in accordance with the limitations established under the as 1940 Act. This may include investments in money market mutual funds in connection with the Fund’s management of daily cash positions and temporary defensive purposes.  Investments in the securities of other investment companies may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses.  By investing in another investment company, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company.  As a result, the Fund shareholder indirectly will bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by shareholders of the other investment company, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations.

Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act generally prohibits the Fund from purchasing (1) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of another fund; (2) securities of another fund having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the acquiring fund; and (3) securities of the other fund and all other funds having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the acquiring fund.  There are some exceptions, however, to these limitations pursuant to various rules promulgated by the SEC.

The Fund may rely on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and Rule 12d1-3 of the 1940 Act, which provide an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows the Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions: (a) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on the Fund’s shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2341 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) applicable to a fund of funds (e.g., 8.5%).  In accordance with Rule 12d1-1 under the 1940 Act, the provisions of Section 12(d)(1) shall not apply to shares of money market funds purchased by the Fund, whether or not for temporary defensive purposes, provided that the Fund does not pay a sales charge, distribution fee or service fee as defined in Rule 2341 of the Conduct Rules of FINRA on acquired money market fund shares (or the Advisor must waive its advisory fees in an amount necessary to offset any sales charge, distribution fee or service fee).

Exchange-Traded Fund.  ETFs are open-end investment companies whose shares are listed on a national securities exchange.  An ETF is similar to a traditional mutual fund, but trades at different prices during the day on a security exchange like a stock.  Similar to investments in other investment companies discussed above, the Fund’s investments in ETFs will involve duplication of advisory fees and other expenses since the Fund will be investing in another investment company.  In addition, the Fund’s investments in ETFs are also subject to their limitations on investments in investment companies discussed above.  To the extent the Fund invests in ETFs which focus on a particular market segment or industry, the Fund will also be subject to the risks associated with investing in those sectors or industries.  The shares of the ETFs in which the Fund invests will be listed on a national securities exchange and the Fund will purchase or sell these shares on the secondary market at its current market price, which may be more or less than its net asset value (“NAV”) per share.

As a purchaser of ETF shares on the secondary market, the Fund is subject to the market risk associated with owning any security whose value is based on market price.  ETF shares historically have tended to trade at or near their NAV, but there is no guarantee that they will continue to do so.  Unlike traditional mutual funds, shares of an ETF may be purchased and redeemed directly from the ETFs only in large blocks (typically 50,000 shares or more) and only through participating organizations that have entered into contractual agreements with the ETF.  The Fund does not expect to enter into such agreements and therefore will not be able to purchase and redeem its ETF shares directly from the ETF.

Master Limited Partnerships
The Fund may invest in publicly traded master limited partnerships (“MLPs”).  MLPs are businesses organized as limited partnerships that trade their proportionate shares of the partnership (units) on a public exchange.  MLPs are required to pay out most or all of their earnings in distributions.  Generally speaking, MLP investment returns are enhanced during periods of declining or low interest rates and tend to be negatively influenced when interest rates are rising.  As an income vehicle, the unit price may be influenced by general interest rate trends independent of specific underlying fundamentals.  In addition, most MLPs are fairly leveraged and typically carry a portion of “floating” rate debt.  As such, a significant upward swing in interest rates would drive interest expense higher.  Furthermore, most MLPs grow by acquisitions partly financed by debt, and higher interest rates could make it more difficult to make acquisitions.

Short-Term Cash Investments
The Fund may invest in various money market securities for cash management purposes or when assuming a temporary defensive position, which among others may include commercial paper, money market mutual funds, bankers’ acceptances, bank obligations, corporate debt securities, certificates of deposit, U.S. government securities, obligations of savings institutions and repurchase agreements.

Illiquid and Restricted Securities
As a non-principal strategy, the Fund may hold up to 15% of its net assets in securities that are illiquid.  The Advisor will determine a security to be illiquid if it cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at the value at which the Fund has valued the security.  Illiquid securities present the risks that the Fund may have difficulty valuing these holdings and/or may be unable to sell these holdings at the time or price desired.
 

There are generally no restrictions on the Fund’s ability to invest in restricted securities (that is, securities that are not registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)), except to the extent such securities may be considered illiquid.  These securities are sometimes referred to as private placements.  The Fund may also purchase certain commercial paper issued in reliance on the exemption from regulations in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (“4(2) Paper”).  Securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities Act (“Rule 144A securities”) and 4(2) Paper will be considered liquid if determined to be so under procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees.  The Advisor is responsible for making the determination as to the liquidity of restricted securities (pursuant to the procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees).

Borrowing
Though the Fund does not currently intend to borrow money, the Fund is authorized to borrow money from time to time for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or for clearance of transactions, and not for the purpose of leveraging its investments, in amounts not to exceed at any time 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets at the time of such borrowings, as allowed under the 1940 Act.  The use of borrowing by the Fund involves special risk considerations that may not be associated with other funds having similar objectives and policies.  Since substantially all of the Fund’s assets fluctuate in value, while the interest obligation resulting from a borrowing will be fixed by the terms of the Fund’s agreement with its lender, the NAV per share of the Fund will tend to increase more when its portfolio securities increase in value and to decrease more when its portfolio assets decrease in value than would otherwise be the case if the Fund did not borrow.  In addition, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the return earned on borrowed funds.  Under adverse market conditions, the Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales.

Special Risks Related to Cyber Security
The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to cyber security risks that include, among other things, theft, unauthorized monitoring, release, misuse, loss, destruction or corruption of confidential and highly restricted data; denial of service attacks; unauthorized access to relevant systems, compromises to networks or devices that the Fund and their service providers use to service the Fund’s operations; or operational disruption or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Fund and their service providers.  Cyber attacks against or security breakdowns of the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact the Fund and its shareholders, potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses; the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Fund to process transactions; inability to calculate the Fund’s NAV; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs; and/or additional compliance costs.  The Fund may incur additional costs for cyber security risk management and remediation purposes.  In addition, cyber security risks may also impact issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause the Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Fund or their service providers will not suffer losses relating to cyber attacks or other information security breaches in the future.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

The Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a “majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities” as defined in the 1940 Act.  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.
 

The Fund may not:

1.
With respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of a single issuer or hold more than 10% of the voting securities of such issuer.  (Does not apply to investments in the securities of other investment companies or securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.)
2.
Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
3.
Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
4.
Engage in the business of underwriting securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in the disposition of restricted securities.
5.
Invest 25% or more of the market value of its total assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry.  (Does not apply to investments in the securities of other investment companies or securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.)
6.
Purchase or sell real estate, which term does not include securities of companies which deal in real estate and/or mortgages or investments secured by real estate, or interests therein, except that the Fund reserves freedom of action to hold and to sell real estate acquired as a result of the Fund’s ownership of securities.
7.
Purchase or sell physical commodities or contracts relating to physical commodities.
8.
Make loans to others, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

The Fund observes the following policies, which are not deemed fundamental and which may be changed without shareholder vote.  The Fund may not:

1.
Invest in any issuer for purposes of exercising control or management.
2.
Purchase securities on margin or make short sales.
3.
Hold, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
4.
Lend portfolio securities.
5.
Make any change to the Fund’s investment policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets in investments suggested by the Fund’s name without first providing the Fund’s shareholders with at least 60-days prior written notice.

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 the 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.

High portfolio turnover generally results in the distribution of short-term capital gains which are taxed at the higher ordinary income tax rates.
 

The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was as follows for the most recent fiscal years ended March 31:

2018
2017*
53.19%
41.73%
          * The Aasgard Fund commenced operations on April 1, 2016.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS POLICY

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.  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.

Pursuant to the Trust’s portfolio holdings disclosure policies, information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings is not distributed to any person unless:

§
The disclosure is required pursuant to a regulatory request, court order or is legally required in the context of other legal proceedings;
§
The disclosure is made to a mutual fund rating and/or ranking organization, or person performing similar functions, who is subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on any non-public information;
§
The disclosure is made to internal parties involved in the investment process, administration, operation or custody of the Fund, including, but not limited to U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC and the Trust’s Board of Trustees, attorneys, auditors or accountants;
§
The disclosure is made: (a) in connection with a quarterly, semi-annual or annual report that is available to the public; or (b) relates to information that is otherwise available to the public; or
§
The disclosure is made with the prior written approval of either the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) or his or her designee.

Certain of the persons listed above receive information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings on an ongoing basis.  The Fund believes that these third parties have legitimate objectives in requesting such portfolio holdings information and operate in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders.  These persons include:

§
A mutual fund rating and/or ranking organization, or person performing similar functions, who is subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on any non-public information;
§
Rating and/or ranking organizations, specifically: Lipper; Morningstar; Standard & Poor’s; Bloomberg; Vickers-Stock Research Corporation; Thomson Financial; and Capital-Bridge, all of which currently receive such information between the fifth and tenth business day of the month following the end of a calendar quarter; or
§
Internal parties involved in the investment process, administration, operation or custody of the Fund, specifically: USBFS; the Trust’s Board of Trustees; and the Trust’s attorneys and independent registered public accounting firm (currently, Schiff Hardin LLP (“Schiff Hardin”)) and Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, (“Tait”), all of which typically receive such information after it is generated.
 

 
Any disclosures to additional parties not described above is made with the prior written approval of either the Trust’s CCO or his or her designee, pursuant to the Trust’s Policy and Procedures Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings.

The CCO 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 their employees in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information.  The Board receives and reviews annually a list of the persons who receive non-public portfolio holdings information and the purpose for which it is furnished.

MANAGEMENT

The overall management of the Trust’s business and affairs is invested with its 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, each as defined herein.  The day-to-day operations of the Trust are delegated to its officers, subject to the Fund’s investment objective, strategies and policies and to the general supervision of the Board. The Trustees and officers of the Trust, their ages and positions with the Trust, terms 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 during the past five years are set forth in the table below.

Independent Trustees(1)
Name, Address
and Age
Position
Held
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
Trustee(2)
Other
Directorships
Held During
Past Five
Years(3)
Gail S. Duree
(age 71 )
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Trustee
Indefinite term; since March 2014.
Director, Alpha Gamma Delta Housing Corporation (collegiate housing management) (2012 to present); Trustee and Chair (2000 to 2012), New Covenant Mutual Funds (1999 to 2012); Director and Board Member, Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation (philanthropic organization) (2005 to 2011).
1
Trustee, Advisors Series Trust (for series not affiliated with the Fund); Independent Trustee from 1999 to 2012, New Covenant Mutual Funds (an open-end investment company with 4 portfolios.
 
 
 
Name, Address
and Age
Position
Held
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
Trustee(2)
Other
Directorships
Held During
Past Five
Years(3)
David G. Mertens
(age 57 )
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
Trustee
Indefinite term*;
since March 2017.
Retired; formerly, Managing Director and Vice President, Jensen Investment Management, Inc. (a privately-held investment advisory firm) (2002 to 2017).
1
Trustee, Advisors Series Trust (for series not affiliated with the Fund).
George J. Rebhan
(age 83 )
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
Chairman of the Board and Trustee
Indefinite term;
since May 2002.
Retired; formerly President, Hotchkis and Wiley Funds (mutual funds) (1985 to 1993).
1
Trustee, Advisors Series Trust (for series not affiliated with the Fund); Independent Trustee from 1999 to 2009, E*TRADE Funds.
Joe D. Redwine(4)
(age 70)
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
Trustee
Indefinite term;
since January
2018.
Retired, formerly, President, CEO, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (May 1991 to July 2017); Manager, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (1998 to July 2017).
1
Trustee, Advisors Series Trust (for series not affiliated with the Fund).
Raymond B. Woolson
(age 59 )
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Trustee
Indefinite term*; since January 2016.
President, Apogee Group, Inc. (financial consulting firm) (1998 to present).
1
Trustee, Advisors Series Trust (for series not affiliated with the Fund); Independent Trustee, DoubleLine Funds Trust (open-end investment company with 15 portfolios), DoubleLine Opportunistic Credit Fund and DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund, from 2010 to present; Independent Trustee, DoubleLine Equity Funds from 2010 to 2016.
 

 
Officers
Name, Address
and Age
Position Held
with the Trust
Term of Office and
Length of Time
Served
Principal Occupation
During Past Five Years
Douglas G. Hess
(age 50)
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
President, Chief
Executive Officer
and Principal
Executive Officer
Indefinite term; since
June 2003.
Senior Vice President, Compliance and Administration, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (March 1997 to present).
Cheryl L. King
(age 56 )
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
Treasurer and
Principal Financial
Officer
Indefinite term; since
December 2007.
Vice President, Compliance and Administration, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (October 1998 to present).
Kevin J. Hayden
(age 46 )
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
Assistant Treasurer
Indefinite term; since
September 2013.
Assistant Vice President, Compliance and Administration, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (June 2005 to present).
Michael L. Ceccato
(age 60 )
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
Vice President,
Chief Compliance
Officer and AML
Officer
Indefinite term; since
September 2009.
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC and Vice President, U.S. Bank N.A. (February 2008 to present).
Emily R. Enslow, Esq.
(age 31 )
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
Secretary
Indefinite term; since
December 2017.
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (July 2013 to present).
*
Under the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, a Trustee serves during the continued lifetime of the Trust until he/she dies, resigns, is declared bankrupt or incompetent by a court of appropriate jurisdiction, or is removed, or, if sooner, until the election and qualification of his/her successor.  In addition, the Trustees have designated a mandatory retirement age of 75, such that each Trustee first elected or appointed to the Board after December 1, 2015, serving as such on the date he or she reaches the age of 75, shall submit his or her resignation not later than the last day of the calendar year in which his or her 75th birthday occurs.
 
 
(1)
The Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”).
(2)
As of June 30, 2018, the Trust was comprised of 40 active 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.
(3)
“Other Directorship Held” includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Act, as amended, (that is, “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act.
(4)
Mr. Redwine became an Independent Trustee on January 1, 2018.  Previously he was an Interested Trustee.

Compensation
Effective January 1, 2018, the Independent Trustees each receive an annual retainer of $90,000 allocated among each of the various portfolios comprising the Trust, an additional $6,000 per regularly scheduled Board meeting, and an additional $500 per special telephonic meeting, paid by the Trust or applicable advisers/portfolios, as well as reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board meetings.  Prior to January 1, 2018, the annual retainer was $88,000.  The Board Chair,  chair of the Audit Committee, chair of the Nominating Committee and chair of the Governance Committee each receive a separate annual fee of $10,000, $5,000, $3,000 and $3,000 respectively, provided that the separate fee for the chair of the Audit Committee will be waived if the same individual serves as both Board Chair and Audit Committee chair.  The Trust has no pension or retirement plan.  No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation to the Trustees.  Set forth below is the compensation received by the Independent Trustees from the Fund for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

 
 
 
 
Independent Trustee
Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund
Pension or
Retirement
Benefits
Accrued as
Part of Fund
Expenses
Estimated
Annual
Benefits Upon
Retirement
Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid to
Trustees(1)
Gail S. Duree
$2,499
None
None
$2,499
David G. Mertens
$2,412
None
None
$2,412
George J. Rebhan
$2,603
None
None
$2,603
Raymond B. Woolson
$2,412
None
None
$2,412
Joe D. Redwine(2)
$0
None
None
$0
(1)
There are currently numerous portfolios comprising the Trust.  The term “Fund Complex” applies only to the Fund. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, aggregate Independent Trustees’ fees for the Trust were $474,500.
(2)
Mr. Redwine became an Independent Trustee on January 1, 2018.  Previously he was an Interested Trustee and therefore did not receive compensation from the Fund.  Mr. Redwine will begin to receive compensation as an Independent Trustee on July 1, 2018.

Additional Information Concerning Our Board of Trustees

The Role of the Board
The Board provides oversight of the management and operations of the Trust.  Like all mutual funds, the day-to-day responsibility for the management and operation of the Trust is the responsibility of various service providers to the Trust, such as the Trust’s investment advisors, distributor, administrator, custodian, and transfer agent, each of whom are discussed in greater detail in this SAI.  The Board approves all significant agreements between the Trust and its service providers, including the agreements with the advisors, distributor, administrator, custodian and transfer agent.  The Board has appointed various senior individuals of certain of these service providers as officers of the Trust, with responsibility to monitor and report to the Board on the Trust’s day-to-day operations.  In conducting this oversight, the Board receives regular reports from these officers and service providers regarding the Trust’s operations.  The Board has appointed a CCO who administers the Trust’s compliance program and regularly reports to the Board as to compliance matters.  Some of these reports are provided as part of formal “Board Meetings” which are typically held quarterly, in person, and involve the Board’s review of recent Trust operations.  From time to time one or more members of the Board may also meet with Trust officers in less formal settings, between formal “Board Meetings,” to discuss various topics.  In all cases, however, the role of the Board and of any individual Trustee is one of oversight and not of management of the day-to-day affairs of the Trust and its oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Trust’s investments, operations or activities.
 

Board Leadership Structure
The Board has structured itself in a manner that it believes allows it to effectively perform its oversight function.  It has established four standing committees, an Audit Committee, a Nominating Committee, a Governance Committee and a Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (the “QLCC”), which are discussed in greater detail under “Board Committees”, below.  Currently, all of the members of the Board are Independent Trustees, which are Trustees that are not affiliated with the Advisor or its affiliates or any other investment advisor in the Trust or with its principal underwriter. However, prior to January 1, 2018, Mr. Redwine was an “interested person” of the Trust as defined by the 1940 Act by virtue of the fact that he was an interested person of Quasar Distributors, LLC, the principal underwriter to the series of the Trust.  Therefore, until the Board has determined otherwise, for all items which require the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees under the 1940 Act, the vote of at least three of the following Trustees is required: Ms. Duree, Mr. Mertens, Mr. Rebhan, and/or Mr. Woolson (the “Supermajority Trustees”). Each of the Audit Committee, Nominating, Committee, Governance Committee and QLCC are comprised entirely of Supermajority Trustees.  The Independent Trustees have engaged their own independent counsel to advise them on matters relating to their responsibilities in connection with the Trust.

The President, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer of the Trust is not a Trustee, but rather is a senior employee of the Administrator who routinely interacts with the unaffiliated investment advisors of the Trust and comprehensively manages the operational aspects of the funds in the Trust.  The Board has appointed George J. Rebhan, an Independent Trustee, Chairman of the Board and he acts as a liaison with the Trust’s service providers, officers, legal counsel, and other Trustees between meetings, helps to set Board meeting agendas, and serves as chair during executive sessions of the Independent Trustees.

The Board reviews its structure annually.  The Trust has determined that it is appropriate to separate the Principal Executive Officer and Board Chairman positions because the day-to day responsibilities of the Principal Executive Officer are not consistent with the oversight role of the Trustees and because of the potential conflict of interest that may arise from the Administrator’s duties with the Trust.  Given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust as described above, the Trust has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate.

Board Oversight of Risk Management
As part of its oversight function, the Board receives and reviews various risk management reports and assessments and discusses these matters with appropriate management and other personnel.  Because risk management is a broad concept comprised of many elements (such as, for example, investment risk, issuer and counterparty risk, compliance risk, operational risks, business continuity risks, etc.) the oversight of different types of risks is handled in different ways.  For example, the Governance Committee meets regularly with the CCO to discuss compliance and operational risks and the Audit Committee meets with the Treasurer and the Trust’s independent public accounting firm to discuss, among other things, the internal control structure of the Trust’s financial reporting function.  The full Board receives reports from the Advisor and portfolio manager as to investment risks as well as other risks that may be also discussed in Audit Committee.

Information about Each Trustee’s Qualification, Experience, Attributes or Skills
The Board believes that each of the Trustees has the qualifications, experience, attributes and skills (“Trustee Attributes”) appropriate to their continued service as Trustees of the Trust in light of the Trust’s business and structure.  Each of the Trustees has substantial business and professional backgrounds that indicate they have the ability to critically review, evaluate and access information provided to them.  Certain of these business and professional experiences are set forth in detail in the table above.  In addition, the majority of the Trustees have served on boards for organizations other than the Trust, as well as having served on the Board of the Trust for a number of years.  They therefore have substantial board experience and, in their service to the Trust, have gained substantial insight as to the operation of the Trust.  The Board annually conducts a ‘self-assessment’ wherein the effectiveness of the Board and individual Trustees is reviewed.
 

In addition to the information provided in the table above, below is certain additional information concerning each particular Trustee and certain of their Trustee Attributes. The information provided below, and in the table above, is not all-inclusive.  Many Trustee Attributes involve intangible elements, such as intelligence, integrity, work ethic, the ability to work together, the ability to communicate effectively, the ability to exercise judgment, the ability to ask incisive questions, and commitment to shareholder interests.  In conducting its annual self-assessment, the Board has determined that the Trustees have the appropriate attributes and experience to continue to serve effectively as Trustees of the Trust.

Gail S. Duree.  Ms. Duree has served as a trustee and chair on a mutual fund board and is experienced in financial, accounting and investment matters through her experience as past audit committee chair of a mutual fund complex as well as through her service as Treasurer of a major church from 1999 to 2009.  Ms. Duree also serves as director of a collegiate housing management company and has served as a director of a philanthropic organization where she sat as chair of the finance committee.  Ms. Duree serves as the Trust’s Audit Committee Financial Expert.

David G. Mertens.  Mr. Mertens has over 30 years of financial industry experience, including serving as Managing Director and Vice President of Jensen Investment Management, Inc. (“Jensen”) from 2002 to 2017.  Prior to Jensen, Mr. Mertens held various roles in sales and marketing management with Berger Financial Group, LLC from 1995 to 2002, ending as Senior Vice President of Institutional Marketing for Berger Financial Group and President of its limited purpose broker-dealer, Berger Distributors.

George J. Rebhan.  Mr. Rebhan has served on a number of mutual fund boards and is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his prior service as a trustee of E*Trade Funds and as President of the Hotchkis and Wiley mutual fund family.  Mr. Rebhan also has substantial investment experience through his former association with a registered investment advisor.

Joe D. Redwine.  Mr. Redwine has substantial mutual fund experience and is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his experience as President and CEO of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, a full service provider to mutual funds and alternative investment products.  In addition, he has extensive experience consulting with investment advisors regarding the legal structure of mutual funds, distribution channel analysis and actual distribution of those funds.

Raymond B. Woolson.  Mr. Woolson has served on a number of mutual fund boards and is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his experience as Lead Independent Trustee and Audit Committee Chair for the DoubleLine Funds as well as through his service as President of Apogee Group, Inc., a company providing financial consulting services.  Mr. Woolson also has substantial mutual fund operations, financial and investment experience through his prior service in senior and management positions in the mutual fund industry, including service as Senior Managing Director in Investment Management for Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company, where he oversaw fund accounting, fund administration and client services and also served as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for various funds and other investment products.  Mr. Woolson has also served as a consultant for Coopers & Lybrand (now known as, “PricewaterhouseCoopers” or “PWC”) where he provided management consulting services to the mutual fund industry and the investment management areas of the banking and insurance industries.
 

Board Committees

The Trust has established the following four standing committees and the membership of each committee to assist in its oversight functions, including its oversight of the risks the Trust faces: the Audit Committee, the QLCC, the Nominating Committee and the Governance Committee.  There is no assurance, however, that the Board’s committee structure will prevent or mitigate risks in actual practice.  The Trust’s committee structure is specifically not intended or designed to prevent or mitigate the Fund’s investment risks.  The Fund is designed for investors that are prepared to accept investment risk, including the possibility that as yet unforeseen risks may emerge in the future.

The Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Supermajority Trustees.  Ms. Duree is the Chairperson of the Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee meets regularly 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 the Fund’s financial statements and to ensure the integrity of the Fund’s pricing and financial reporting.  The Audit Committee met once with respect to the Fund during the Fund’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

The Audit Committee also serves as the 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 SEC on behalf of the issuer (the “issuer attorneys”).  An issuer’s 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 did not meet with respect to the Fund during the Fund’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

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 is comprised of all of the Supermajority Trustees.  Mr. Mertens is the Chairman of the Nominating Committee.  The Nominating Committee did not meet with respect to the Fund during the Fund’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

The Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders.  Recommendations for consideration by the Nominating Committee should be sent to the President of the Trust in writing together with the appropriate biographical information concerning each such proposed Nominee, and such recommendation must comply with the notice provisions set forth in the Trust’s Amended and Restated By-Laws.  In general, to comply with such procedures, such nominations, together with all required biographical information, must be delivered to and received by the President of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust between 120 and 150 days prior to the shareholder meeting at which any such nominee would be voted on.

The Governance Committee is comprised of all of the Supermajority Trustees.  Mr. Woolson is the Chairman of the Governance Committee.  The Governance Committee meets regularly with respect to the various series of the Trust.  The Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, assisting the Board in its oversight of the Trust’s compliance program under Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act, reviewing and making recommendations regarding Independent Trustee compensation and the Trustees’ annual “self-assessment.”  The Governance Committee was created in September 2017.  The Governance Committee did not meet during the Fund’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

Additionally, the Trust’s Board has delegated day-to-day valuation issues to a Valuation Committee that is comprised of representatives from the Administrator’s staff.  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.  The Valuation Committee meets as needed.
 

Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares and Other Interests
No Trustee owned shares of the Fund as of the calendar year ended December 31, 2017.

As of December 31, 2017, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, own securities beneficially or of record in the Advisor, the Distributor, as defined below, or an affiliate of the Advisor or Distributor.  Accordingly, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, have direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $120,000, in the Advisor, the Distributor or any of their affiliates.  In addition, during the  two most recently completed calendar years, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate families have conducted any transactions (or series of transactions) in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and to which the Advisor, the Distributor or any affiliate thereof was a party.

CODES OF ETHICS

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

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) on behalf of the Trust which delegate 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 their shareholders.  The Policies also require the Advisor to present to the Board, at least annually, the Advisor’s 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.

Policy

The Advisor, as a matter of policy and as a fiduciary to our clients, has responsibility for voting proxies for portfolio securities consistent with the best economic interests of the clients.  The Advisor maintains written policies and procedures as to the handling, research, voting and reporting of proxy voting and makes appropriate disclosures about its proxy policies and practices.  The Advisor’s policy and practice includes the responsibility to monitor corporate actions, receive and vote client proxies and disclose any potential conflicts of interest as well as making information available to clients about the voting of proxies for their portfolio securities and maintaining relevant and required records.

The Advisor’s policy on proxy voting is to vote proxies consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients.  The Advisor shall vote proxies in a way that it believes will cause securities to increase the most or decline the least in value in order to maximize shareholder value.  Consideration will be given to both the short and long term implications of the proposal to be voted on when considering the optimal vote.

The Advisor has in place a written policy regarding the voting of client proxies that is designed to ensure that it fulfills its duties to monitor corporate actions and vote client proxies.  The written policy is designed to address a wide range of common business and special issues often contained in proxy statements and to vote them in the best interest of the client.  Items not specifically addressed in the policy will be dealt with on a case-by case basis by the management of the Advisor.  If a material conflict of interest does present itself, the Advisor will notify the affected clients or refrain from voting the respective shares.
 

Background

Proxy voting is an important right of shareholders and reasonable care and diligence must be undertaken to ensure that such rights are properly and timely exercised.

Investment advisers registered with the SEC, and which exercise voting authority with respect to client securities, are required by Rule 206(4)-6 of the Advisers Act to (a) adopt and implement written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that client securities are voted in the best interests of clients, which must include how an adviser addresses material conflicts that may arise between an adviser’s interests and those of its clients; (b) to disclose to clients how they may obtain information from the adviser with respect to the voting of proxies for their securities; (c) to describe to clients a summary of its proxy voting policies and procedures and, upon request, furnish a copy to its clients; and (d) maintain certain records relating to the adviser’s proxy voting activities when the adviser does have proxy voting authority.

Responsibility

The Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer has the responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of the Advisor’s proxy voting policy, practices, disclosures and record keeping, including outlining the voting guidelines in its procedures.

Procedure

The Advisor has adopted procedures to implement its policy and reviews to monitor and ensure that its policy is observed, implemented properly and amended or updated, as appropriate, which include the following:

Voting Procedures

All employees will forward any proxy materials received on behalf of clients to the Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer or CCO.
The Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer or CCO will determine which client accounts hold the security to which the proxy relates.
Absent material conflicts, the Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer will determine how the Advisor should vote the proxy in accordance with applicable voting guidelines, complete the proxy and vote the proxy in a timely and appropriate manner.
The Advisor utilizes a third party vendor, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. and its ProxyEdge voting service to process proxy votes for the firm’s clients.  In most cases, the Advisor has adopted the guidelines of and will generally vote in accordance with the recommendations of Broadridge Financial Solutions/ProxyEdge.  Broadridge utilizes the research and recommendation services of another third party provider, Glass-Lewis & Co.
As a general matter, unless otherwise restricted, the Advisor reserves the right to override the applicable Recommendations or Guidelines in any situation where it believes that following such Recommendations or Guidelines is not in its clients’ best interests.

Disclosure

The Advisor will provide conspicuously displayed information in its Disclosure Document summarizing this proxy voting policy and procedures, including a statement that clients may request information regarding how Coldstream Capital Management, Inc. voted a client’s proxies, and that clients may request a copy of its proxy policies and procedures.
 
 
The Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer or the CCO will also send a copy of this summary to all existing clients who have previously received the Advisor’s Disclosure Document; or the Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer or CCO may send each client the amended Disclosure Document.

Client Requests for Information

All client requests for information regarding proxy votes, or policies and procedures, received by any employee should be forwarded to the Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer or CCO.
In response to any request, the Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer or CCO will prepare a written response to the client with the information requested, and as applicable will include the name of the issuer, the proposal voted upon, and how the Advisor voted the client’s proxy with respect to each proposal about which client inquired.
Clients may request a copy of the firm’s Proxy Voting Guidelines by contacting the Advisor directly.  Upon request, the Advisor can also provide clients with information on how it has voted on a specific proxy item if clients identify the security and item they are interested in. Requests should be submitted in writing to assure they are clearly understood to the following address: Compliance Officer, Coldstream Capital Management, Inc. One 100th Avenue NE Ste 102 Bellevue, WA 98004.

Voting Guidelines

In the absence of specific voting guidelines from the client, the Advisor will vote proxies in the best interests of each particular client.  In most cases, the Advisor has adopted the guidelines of and will generally vote in accordance with the recommendations of Broadridge Financial Solutions/ ProxyEdge.
The Advisor’s policy is to vote all proxies from a specific issuer the same way for each client absent qualifying restrictions from a client. Clients are permitted to place reasonable restrictions on the Advisor’s voting authority in the same manner that they may place such restrictions on the actual selection of account securities.

Conflicts of Interest

The Advisor will identify any conflicts that exist between the interests of the Advisor and the client by reviewing the relationship of the Advisor with the issuer of each security to determine if the Advisor or any of its employees has any financial, business or personal relationship with the issuer.
If a material conflict of interest exists, the Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer will determine whether it is appropriate to disclose the conflict to the affected clients, to give the clients an opportunity to vote the proxies themselves, or to address the voting issue through other objective means such as voting in a manner consistent with a predetermined voting policy or receiving an independent third party voting recommendation.
The Advisor will maintain a record of the voting resolution of any conflict of interest.

Recordkeeping

The Advisor’s CCO shall retain the following proxy records in accordance with the SEC’s five-year retention requirement.

These policies and procedures and any amendments;
Each proxy statement that the Advisor receives;
A record of each vote that the Advisor casts;
 
Any document the Advisor created that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies, or that memorializes that decision including periodic reports to the Advisor’s Proxy Voting Officer or proxy committee, if applicable.
A copy of each written request from a client for information on how the Advisor voted such client’s proxies, and a copy of any written response.

The Advisor shall conduct initial due diligence reviews of any proxy service firm engaged as well as oversight on an on-going or periodic basis. These reviews of the proxy firms’ services and practices should include conflicts of interest, consistency of voting with guidelines, fees and disclosures, as relevant, among other things.  The Advisor, as a matter of best practice, shall document any initial and oversight reviews.

The Trust is required to file a Form N-PX, with the Fund’s complete proxy voting record for the 12 months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year.  The Fund’s proxy voting record will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1‑877-476-1909 and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

CONTROL PERSONS, PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS, AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP

A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 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.  Shareholders with a controlling interest could affect the outcome of voting or the direction of management of the Funds.  For control persons only, if a control person is a company, the table also indicates the control person’s parent, if any, and the jurisdiction under the laws of which the control person is organized.  As of June 30, 2018, the following shareholders were considered to be either a principal shareholder or control person of the Fund:

Name and Address
Parent
Company
Jurisdiction
%
Ownership
Type of
Ownership
National Financial Services, LLC
for the Sole Benefit of its Customers
499 Washington Blvd, 4th Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1995
 
FMR LLC
DE
45.23%
Record
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
211 Main Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
 
The Charles
Schwab
Corporation
DE
36.79%
Record
TD Ameritrade, Inc.
for the Exclusive Benefit of our Clients
P.O. Box 2226
Omaha, NE 68103-2226
N/A
N/A
17.98%
Record

Management Ownership Information.  As of June 30, 2018, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, beneficially owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

THE FUND’S INVESTMENT ADVISOR

Coldstream Capital Management, Inc., marketed as, “Coldstream Wealth Management” founded in 1996, acts as investment advisor to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with the Trust.  Kevin M. Fitzwilson is a control person of the Advisor due to his greater than 35% ownership of the Advisor.
 

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 payable monthly, based on a rate equal to 0.85% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

The Advisory Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods so long as such continuation is specifically approved at least annually by the vote of (1) the Board (or a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund), and (2) a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of any party to the Advisory Agreement, in each case, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval1.  The Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by either party to the Advisory Agreement upon a 60-day written notice and is automatically terminated in the event of its “assignment,” as defined in the 1940 Act.

In addition to the management fees payable to the Advisor, the Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses, including: fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance, registration and transfer of its shares; brokerage and commission expenses; all expenses of transfer, receipt, safekeeping, servicing and accounting for the cash, securities and other property of the Trust for the benefit of the Fund including all fees and expenses of its custodian and accounting services agent; interest charges on any borrowings; costs and expenses of pricing and calculating its daily NAV per share and of maintaining its books of account required under the 1940 Act; taxes, if any; a pro rata portion of expenditures in connection with meetings of the Fund’s shareholders and the Trust’s Board that are properly payable by the Fund; salaries and expenses of officers and fees and expenses of members of the Board or members of any advisory board or committee who are not members of, affiliated with or interested persons of the Advisor or Administrator; insurance premiums on property or personnel of the Fund which inure to their benefit, including liability and fidelity bond insurance; the cost of preparing and printing reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and the SAI of the Fund or other communications for distribution to existing shareholders; legal counsel, auditing and accounting fees; trade association membership dues (including membership dues in the Investment Company Institute allocable to the Fund); fees and expenses (including legal fees) of registering and maintaining registration of its shares for sale under federal and applicable state and foreign securities laws; all expenses of maintaining shareholder accounts, including all charges for transfer, shareholder recordkeeping, dividend disbursing, redemption, and other agents for the benefit of the Fund, if any; and all other charges and costs of its operation plus any extraordinary and non-recurring expenses, except as otherwise prescribed in the Advisory Agreement.

Though the Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses, the Advisor has contractually agreed to waive a portion or all of the management fees payable to it by the Fund and/or to pay Fund operating expenses to the extent necessary to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest expense and extraordinary expenses) to the limit set forth in the Prospectus.  The Advisor may request recoupment of previously waived fees and paid expenses in any subsequent month in the three-year period from the date of the management fee reduction and expense payment if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward the operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) will not cause the Fund to exceed the lesser of: (1) the expense limitation in place at the time of the management fee reduction and expense payment; or (2) the expense limitation in place at the time of the reimbursement.  Any such recoupment is also contingent upon the Board’s subsequent review and ratification of the recouped amounts.  Such recoupment may not be paid prior to the Fund’s payment of current ordinary operating expenses.

For the fiscal years shown below, the Fund paid the following fees to the Advisor:

 
Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
 
2018
2017*
Accrued Management Fees
$280,017
$196,979
Management Fees Waived by Advisor
$56,366
$67,935
 
                                                                
1 Until the Board has determined otherwise, the vote of at least three of the Supermajority Trustees is required.
 
 
 
Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
 
2018
2017*
Management Fees Recouped by Advisor
$0
$0
Net Management Fees Paid to Advisor
$223,651
$129,044
*  The Fund commenced operations on April 1, 2016.
 
Portfolio Manager
Mr. James Walsh is the portfolio manager primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio.  The following table shows the number of other accounts, not including the Fund, managed by Mr. Walsh and the total assets in the accounts managed within various categories as of March 31, 2018.

James Walsh

Type of Accounts
Number of
Accounts
(excluding
the Fund)
Total Assets
Number of Accounts
with Advisory Fee
based on
Performance
Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies
0
$0
0
$0
Other Pooled Investments
0
$0
0
$0
Other Accounts
219
$1,080,000,000
0
$0

Material Conflicts of Interest.  The portfolio manager of the Fund is also responsible for managing the portfolios of the Advisor’s individual clients, who are primarily high net worth individuals.  They will be invested in diversified accounts, and the Advisor does not anticipate any material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the simultaneous management of the Fund and these other accounts.  It is the fiduciary duty of the Advisor to manage in the best interest of each client and according to their individual circumstances and investment objectives.  It is the intention of the portfolio managers to conduct any trading for the Fund’s strategies independent of any trading to be conducted for any individual clients of the Advisor.  It is recognized that the portfolio managers may manage separate accounts using a separate style and discipline.

Compensation.  Mr. Walsh receives a fixed salary, bonus and retirement plan. The bonus for management of the Fund is subject to the Fund earning its full advisory fee. The portfolio manager does not participate in a deferred compensation program.

Securities Owned in the Fund by the Portfolio Manager.  As of March 31, 2018, Mr. Walsh beneficially owned between $100,001 and $500,000 in equity securities of the Fund.

SERVICE PROVIDERS

Fund Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant
Pursuant to an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, (“USBFS” or “Administrator”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, acts as the Administrator to the Fund.  USBFS provides certain services to the Fund including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Fund’s independent contractors and agents; preparation for signature by an officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance by the Trust and the Fund with applicable laws and regulations, excluding those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including NAV per share 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, USBFS 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 is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses.  USBFS also acts as fund accountant, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent under separate agreements.  Additionally, the Administrator provides CCO services to the Trust under a separate agreement.  The cost of the CCO’s services is charged to the Fund and approved by the Board annually.

The Fund paid the following fees to USBFS for fund administration and fund accounting services received during the fiscal year indicated below:

Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
2018
2017*
$73,647
$72,535
 *  The Fund commenced operations on April 1, 2016.

Custodian
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bank National Association, located at 1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 (the “Custodian”), the Custodian serves as the custodian of the Fund’s assets, holds the Fund’s portfolio securities in safekeeping, and keeps all necessary records and documents relating to its duties.  The Custodian is compensated with an asset-based fee plus transaction fees and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses.

The Custodian and Administrator do not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of securities by the Fund.  The Administrator, Transfer Agent, Custodian and the Fund’s Distributor (as defined below) are affiliated entities under the common control of U.S. Bancorp.  The Custodian and its affiliates may participate in revenue sharing arrangements with the service providers of mutual funds in which the Fund may invest.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Legal Counsel
Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, 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.

Schiff Hardin LLP, 666 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1700, New York, New York, 10103, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.  Schiff Hardin also serves as independent legal counsel to the Board of Trustees.

EXECUTION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

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.  Purchases and sales of securities in the over-the-counter market will generally be executed directly with a “market-maker” unless, in the opinion of the Advisor, a better price and execution can otherwise be obtained 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) which 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 seek best execution.  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 it may lawfully and appropriately use in its 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.  Portfolio transactions may be placed with broker-dealers who sell shares of the Fund subject to rules adopted by FINRA and the SEC.

While it is the Fund’s general policy to first seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, in accordance with Section 28(e) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, when it is determined that more than one broker can deliver best execution, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services 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.

Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of other client accounts or mutual funds 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 or mutual funds.  In such event, the position of the Fund and such client account(s) or mutual funds 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 or mutual funds seek 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 or mutual funds simultaneously purchases or sells the same security that the Fund is purchasing or selling, each day’s transactions in such security will be allocated between the Fund and all such client accounts or mutual funds in a manner deemed equitable by the Advisor, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount of cash available for investment, the investment objective of the account, and the ease with which a clients appropriate amount can be bought, as well as the liquidity and volatility of the account and the urgency involved in making an investment decision for the client.  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.

For the fiscal year shown below, the Fund paid brokerage commissions as follows:

Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
2018
2017*
$1,186
$12,275
             * The Fund commenced operations on April 1, 2016.

 
The Fund did not own securities of its regular brokers or dealers as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.  The Advisor did not direct the Fund’s brokerage transactions to a broker because of research services during the Fund’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Quasar Distributors, LLC, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 6th Floor, 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 Fund shares.  The offering of the Fund’s shares is continuous.  The Distributor, USBFS, and Custodian are all affiliated companies.  The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA.

The Distribution Agreement will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party2.  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 the Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board, 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).

DETERMINATION OF SHARE PRICE

The NAV of the Fund is determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time), each day the NYSE is open for business.  The NYSE annually announces the days on which it will not be open for trading.  It is expected that the NYSE will not be open for trading on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

NAV is calculated by adding the value of all securities and other assets attributable to the Fund (including interest and dividends accrued, but not yet received), then subtracting liabilities attributable to the Fund (including accrued expenses).

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 Trust’s Valuation Committee pursuant to procedures approved by or under the direction of the Board.  Pursuant to those procedures, the Valuation Committee considers, among other things:  (1) the last sales 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.

Securities primarily traded in the NASDAQ Global Market® 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.  OTC securities which are not traded in the NASDAQ Global Market® shall be valued at the most recent sales price.  Securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available (including restricted securities which are subject to limitations as to their sale) are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures approved by or under the direction of the Board.
 
__________________________
2 Until the Board has determined otherwise, the vote of at least three of the Supermajority Trustees is required.
 

Debt securities are valued on the basis of valuations provided by independent third-party pricing services, approved by the Board, or at fair value as determined in good faith by procedures approved by the Board.  Any such pricing service, in determining value, will use information with respect to transactions in the securities being valued, quotations from dealers, market transactions in comparable securities, analyses and evaluations of various relationships between securities and yield to maturity information.

The Fund’s securities, including ADRs, EDRs and GDRs, 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.

In the case of foreign securities, the occurrence of certain events after the close of foreign markets, but prior to the time the Fund’s NAV is calculated (such as a significant surge or decline in the U.S. or other markets) often will result in an adjustment to the trading prices of foreign securities when foreign markets open on the following business day.  If such events occur, the Fund will value foreign securities at fair value, taking into account such events, in calculating the NAV.  In such cases, use of fair valuation can reduce an investor’s ability to seek to profit by estimating the Fund’s NAV in advance of the time the NAV is calculated.  The Advisor anticipates that the Fund’s portfolio holdings will be fair valued only if market quotations for those holdings are considered unreliable or are unavailable.

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

ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION

The information provided below supplements the information contained in the Prospectus regarding the purchase and redemption of Fund shares.

How to Buy Shares
You may purchase shares of the Fund from securities brokers, dealers or financial intermediaries (collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”).  Investors should contact their Financial Intermediary directly for appropriate instructions, as well as information pertaining to accounts and any service or transaction fees that may be charged.  The Fund may enter into arrangements with certain Financial Intermediaries whereby such Financial Intermediaries are authorized to accept your order on behalf of the Fund.  Financial Intermediaries may be authorized by the Fund’s principal underwriter to designate other brokers and financial intermediaries to accept orders on the Fund’s behalf.  If you transmit your order to these Financial Intermediaries before the close of regular trading (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on a day that the NYSE is open for business, shares will be purchased at the per share price next computed after it is received by the Financial Intermediary.  Investors should check with their Financial Intermediary to determine if it participates in these arrangements.  The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase order when a Financial Intermediary or, if applicable, a Financial Intermediary’s authorized designee, receives the order.

The public offering price of Fund shares is the NAV per share.  Shares are purchased at the public offering price next determined after the Transfer Agent receives your order in good order.  In most cases, in order to receive that day’s public offering price, the Transfer Agent must receive your order in good order before the close of regular trading on the NYSE, normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
 

The Trust reserves the right in its sole discretion (i) to suspend the continued offering of the Fund’s shares, and (ii) to reject purchase orders in whole or in part when in the judgment of the Advisor or the Distributor such rejection is in the best interest of the Fund.

In addition to cash purchases, Fund shares may be purchased by tendering payment in-kind in the form of shares of stock, bonds or other securities.  Any securities used to buy Fund shares must be readily marketable; their acquisition consistent with the Fund’s objective and otherwise acceptable to the Advisor and the Board.

How to Sell Shares and Delivery of Redemption Proceeds
You can sell your Fund shares any day the NYSE is open for regular trading, either directly to the Fund or through your Financial Intermediary.  The Fund will be deemed to have received a redemption order when a Financial Intermediary or, if applicable, a Financial Intermediary’s authorized designee, receives the order.

Payments to shareholders for shares of the Fund redeemed directly from the Fund will be made as promptly as possible, but no later than seven days after receipt by the Transfer Agent of the written request in proper form, with the appropriate documentation as stated in the Prospectus, except that the Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment during any period when (a) trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC or the NYSE is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (b) an emergency exists as determined by the SEC making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable; or (c) for such other period as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund’s shareholders.  Under unusual circumstances, the Fund may suspend redemptions, or postpone payment for more than seven days, but only as authorized by SEC rules.

The value of shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the investor’s cost, depending upon the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities at the time of redemption or repurchase.

Telephone Redemptions
Shareholders with telephone transaction privileges established on their account may redeem Fund shares by telephone.  Upon receipt of any instructions or inquiries by telephone from the shareholder, the Fund or its authorized agents may carry out the instructions and/or respond to the inquiry consistent with the shareholder’s previously established account service options.  For joint accounts, instructions or inquiries from either party will be carried out without prior notice to the other account owners.  In acting upon telephone instructions, the Fund and their agents use procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that such instructions are genuine.  These include recording all telephone calls, requiring pertinent information about the account and sending written confirmation of each transaction to the registered owner.

USBFS will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine.  If USBFS fails to employ reasonable procedures, the Fund and USBFS may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions.  If these procedures are followed, however, to the extent permitted by applicable law, neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense arising out of any redemption request, including any fraudulent or unauthorized request.  For additional information, contact USBFS.

Redemptions In-Kind
The Trust has filed an election under SEC Rule 18f-1 committing to pay in cash all redemptions by a shareholder of record up to amounts specified by the rule (in excess of the lesser of (i) $250,000 or (ii) 1% of the Fund’s assets).  The Fund has reserved the right to pay the redemption price of its shares in excess of the amounts specified by the rule, either totally or partially, by a distribution in-kind of portfolio securities (instead of cash).  The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that assigned to them in calculating the NAV per share for the shares being sold.  If a shareholder receives a distribution in-kind, the shareholder could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash.  Redemptions in-kind are typically used in unusual market conditions. A redemption, whether in cash or in-kind, is a taxable event.
 

The Fund does not intend to hold any significant percentage of its portfolio in illiquid securities, although the Fund, like virtually all mutual funds, may from time to time hold a small percentage of securities that are illiquid.  In the unlikely event the Fund were to elect to make an in-kind redemption, the Fund expects that it would follow the normal protocol of making such distribution by way of a pro rata distribution based on its entire portfolio. If the Fund held illiquid securities, such distribution may contain a pro rata portion of such illiquid securities or the Fund may determine, based on a materiality assessment, not to include illiquid securities in the in-kind redemption.  The Fund does not anticipate that it would ever selectively distribute a greater than pro rata portion of any illiquid securities to satisfy a redemption request. If such securities are included in the distribution, shareholders may not be able to liquidate such securities and may be required to hold such securities indefinitely.  Shareholders’ ability to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind may be restricted by resale limitations or substantial restrictions on transfer imposed by the issuers of the securities or by law. Shareholders may only be able to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind at a substantial discount from their value, and there may be higher brokerage costs associated with any subsequent disposition of these securities by the recipient.

DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX INFORMATION

Distributions
Dividend distributions from net investment income are made quarterly and distributions from net profits from the sale of securities are generally made annually.  Also, the Fund typically distributes any undistributed net investment income on or about December 31 of each year.  Any net capital gains realized through the period ended October 31 of each year will also be distributed by December 31 of each year.

Each distribution by the Fund is accompanied by a brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution.  In January of each year, the Fund will issue to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.

Tax Information
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 has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Code, and to comply with all applicable requirements regarding the source of its income, diversification of its assets and timing and amount of its 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 in any year.  However, the Fund can give no assurances that distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all taxes at the Fund level.  To avoid the nondeductible excise tax, 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 98.2% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12 month period ending on October 31 during such year, and (iii) any amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which no federal income tax was paid by the Fund or shareholders.

In order to qualify as a regulated investment company, the Fund must, among other things, derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to loans of stock and securities, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currency gains related to investments in stock or securities, or other income (generally including gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in stock, securities or currency, and net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.  The Fund must also satisfy the following two asset diversification tests.  At the end of each quarter of each taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets must be represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. Government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities, with such other securities being limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies), the securities of any two or more issuers (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) that the Fund controls (by owning 20% or more of their outstanding voting stock) and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.  The Fund must also distribute each taxable year sufficient dividends to its shareholders to claim a dividends paid deduction equal to at least the sum of 90% of the Fund’s investment company taxable income (which generally includes dividends, interest, and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of the Fund’s net tax-exempt interest, if any.
 

Net investment income generally consists of interest and dividend income, less expenses.  Net realized capital gains for a fiscal year are computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Capital losses sustained and not used in a taxable year may be carried forward indefinitely to offset income of the Fund in future years.

Distributions of net investment income and net short-term capital gains are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.  For individual shareholders, a portion of the distributions paid by the Fund may be qualified dividend income currently eligible for taxation at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain holding period requirements are met.  In the case of corporate shareholders, a portion of the distributions may qualify for the intercorporate dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend.  The aggregate amount so reported to either individual or corporate shareholders cannot, however, exceed the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for its taxable year.  In view of the Fund’s investment policies, it is expected that dividends from domestic corporations will be part of the Fund’s gross income and that, accordingly, part of the distributions by the Fund may be eligible for qualified dividend income treatment for individual shareholders, or 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.  Further, the dividends-received deduction may be reduced or eliminated if Fund shares held by a corporate investor are treated as debt financed or are held for less than 46 days.  Dividend from the Fund and gains from the sale of the Fund’s shares are subject to the federal 3.8% tax on net investment income applicable to taxpayers in the higher income brackets.

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 qualified dividend income treatment or 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 generally equal to the NAV of a share on the reinvestment date.  Distributions are generally taxable when received or deemed to be 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.  For taxable years beginning after 2017, the federal alternative minimum tax is repealed for corporate taxpayers.

For taxable years beginning after 2017 and before 2025, non-corporate taxpayers generally may deduct 20% of “qualified business income” derived either directly or through partnerships or S corporations. For this purpose, “qualified business income” generally includes ordinary REIT dividends and income derived from MLP investments. There is currently no mechanism for the Fund, to the extent that it invests in REITs or MLPs, to pass through to non-corporate shareholders the character of ordinary REIT dividends or income derived from MLP investments so as to allow such shareholders to claim this deduction. It is uncertain whether future legislation or other guidance will enable the Fund to pass through to non-corporate shareholders the ability to claim this deduction.
 

The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on dividends and interest earned with respect to securities of foreign corporations.

Redemption of Fund shares may result in recognition of a taxable gain or loss.  Any loss realized upon redemption or sale 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 or sale may be disallowed under certain wash sale rules to the extent shares of the 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 or if the IRS notifies the Fund that such backup withholding is required.  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.  Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s ultimate federal tax liability if proper documentation is timely provided.  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% (or at a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on amounts constituting ordinary income.

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”).  A 30% withholding tax on the Fund’s distributions, including capital gains distributions, and on gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund generally applies if paid to a foreign entity unless:  (i) if the foreign entity is a “foreign financial institution,” it undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding and certification obligations, (ii) if the foreign entity is not a “foreign financial institution,” it identifies certain of its U.S. investors or (iii) the foreign entity is otherwise excepted under FATCA.  If applicable, and subject to any intergovernmental agreement, withholding under FATCA is required:  (i) generally, with respect to certain distributions from your Fund; and (ii) with respect to capital gains distributions and gross proceeds from a sale or disposition of the Fund that occurs on or after January 1, 2019.  If withholding is required under FATCA on a payment related to your shares, investors that otherwise would not be subject to withholding (or that otherwise would be entitled to a reduced rate of withholding) on such payment generally will be required to seek a refund or credit from the IRS to obtain the benefits of such exemption or reduction.  The Fund will not pay any additional amounts in respect to amounts withheld under FATCA.  You should consult your tax advisor regarding the effect of FATCA based on your individual circumstances.

This discussion and the related discussion in the Prospectus have been prepared by Fund management.  The information above is only a summary of some of the tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders.  No attempt has been made to discuss individual tax consequences and this discussion should not be construed as applicable to all shareholders’ tax situations.  Investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the suitability of the Fund and the applicability of any state, local or foreign taxation.  No rulings with respect to tax matters of the Fund will be sought from the Internal Revenue Service.  Schiff Hardin has expressed no opinion in respect of the foreign or tax information in the Prospectus or this SAI.
 

MARKETING AND SUPPORT PAYMENTS

The Advisor, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or other compensation to certain financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. Such payments may be divided into categories as follows:

Support Payments.  Payments may be made by the Advisor to certain financial intermediaries in connection with the eligibility of the Fund to be offered in certain programs and/or in connection with meetings between the Fund’s representatives and financial intermediaries and its sales representatives. Such meetings may be held for various purposes, including providing education and training about the Fund and other general financial topics to assist financial intermediaries’ sales representatives in making informed recommendations to, and decisions on behalf of, their clients.

Entertainment, Conferences and Events.  The Advisor also may pay cash or non-cash compensation to sales representatives of financial intermediaries in the form of (i) occasional gifts; (ii) occasional meals, tickets or other entertainments; and/or (iii) sponsorship support for the financial intermediary’s client seminars and cooperative advertising.  In addition, the Advisor pays for exhibit space or sponsorships at regional or national events of financial intermediaries.

The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of additional payments or other compensation as described above by financial intermediaries may provide such intermediaries and/or their salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund, and other mutual funds whose affiliates make similar compensation available, over sale of shares of mutual funds (or non-mutual fund investments) not making such payments. You may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to the Fund’s shares.

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM

The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering 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.

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 legal entity whose identity and beneficial owners, if applicable, cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

GENERAL INFORMATION

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.
 

With respect to the Fund, the Trust may offer more than one class of shares.  The Trust reserves 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 offers one class of shares – No Load.

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.  Fund 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 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 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.  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 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 by written notice to the series’ or class’ shareholders.  Unless each series and class is so terminated, the Trust will continue indefinitely.

The 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.
 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The annual report for the Fund for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, is a separate document supplied with this SAI and the financial statements, accompanying notes and report of the independent registered public accounting firm appearing therein are incorporated by reference in this SAI.
 
 
 
PART C
Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund

OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28.  Exhibits

(a)
Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 3, 1996, was previously filed with the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 6, 1996, and is incorporated herein by reference.
   
(b)
Amended and Restated By-Laws dated June 27, 2002, were previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on January 28, 2003, and are incorporated herein by reference.
   
(c)
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders are incorporated by reference into the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Amended and Restated By-Laws.
   
(d)
Investment Advisory Agreement dated September 17, 2010, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 330 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A on September 27, 2010, and is incorporated herein by reference.
   
 
(i)
Amended Schedule A (Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund) dated March 9, 2016 to the Investment Advisory Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 707 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 23, 2016.
   
 
(ii)
Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated April 1, 2017 – filed herewith.
   
(e)
Distribution Agreement dated September 17, 2010, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 330 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A on September 27, 2010, and is incorporated herein by reference.
   
 
(i)
First Amendment dated March 9, 2016 to the Distribution Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 707 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 23, 2016.
     
(f)
Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts – not applicable.
   
(g)
Amended and Restated Custody Agreement dated December 6, 2012, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 474 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on January 23, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference.
   
 
(i)
Amendment dated March 9, 2016 to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 707 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 23, 2016.
     
(h)
Other Material Contracts.
C-1

 
(i)
Fund Administration Servicing Agreement dated June 8, 2006, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N‑1A on June 28, 2006, and is incorporated herein by reference.
     
   
(A)
Amendment dated September 17, 2010, to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 330 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A on September 27, 2010, and is incorporated herein by reference.
       
   
(B)
Amendment dated July 23, 2013, to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 602 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on July 25, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
       
   
(C)
Amendment dated March 9, 2016 to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 707 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 23, 2016.
       
 
(ii)
Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement dated June 8, 2006, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on June 28, 2006, and is incorporated herein by reference.
     
   
(A)
Addendum dated March 26, 2009, to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 21, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
       
   
(B)
Amendment dated September 17, 2010, to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 330 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A on September 27, 2010, and is incorporated herein by reference.
       
   
(C)
Amendment dated March 9, 2016 to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 707 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N‑1A on March 23, 2016.
       
 
(iii)
Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement dated June 8, 2006, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N‑1A on June 28, 2006, and is incorporated herein by reference.
     
   
(A)
Amendment dated September 17, 2010, to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 330 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A on September 27, 2010, and is incorporated herein by reference.
       
   
(B)
Amendment dated July 23, 2013, to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 602 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on July 25, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
       
   
(C)
Amendment dated March 9, 2016 to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 707 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 23, 2016.
C-2

 
(iv)
Operating Expenses Limitation Agreement dated September 17, 2010, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 330 to the Registration Statement on Form N‑1A on September 27, 2010, and is incorporated herein by reference.
     
   
(A)
Amended Appendix A dated March 9, 2016, to the Operating Expenses Limitation Agreement was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 707 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 23, 2016.
       
 
(v)
Power of Attorney of (O’Connor, Rebhan, Redwine and Wofford) was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 275 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on January 23, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference.
     
 
(vi)
Power of Attorney of (Duree) dated January 29, 2014, was previously filed with the Post-Effective Amendment No. 577 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 24, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
     
 
(vii)
Power of Attorney of (Woolson) dated January 15, 2016, was previously filed with the Post-Effective Amendment No. 689 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on February 12, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.
     
 
(viii)
Power of Attorney (Mertens) dated March 9, 2017, was previously filed with the Post-Effective Amendment No. 766 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 27, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
     
(i)
Legal Opinion
   
 
(i)
Opinion of Counsel (Aasgard Dividend Growth Small & Mid-Cap Fund) dated March 23, 2016, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 707 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 23, 2016.
     
(j)
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – filed herewith.
   
(k)
Omitted Financial Statements – not applicable.
   
(l)
Subscription Agreements dated February 25, 1997, were previously filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on February 28, 1997, and are incorporated herein by reference.
   
(m)
Rule 12b-1 Plan – not applicable.
   
(n)
Rule 18f-3 Plannot applicable.
   
(o)
Reserved.
   
(p)
Codes of Ethics.
   
 
(i)
Code of Ethics applicable to the Registrant dated March 2014 was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 577 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N‑1A on March 24, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
C-3

 
(ii)
Code of Ethics for the Advisor dated May 2, 2017 – filed herewith.
     
 
(iii)
Code of Ethics for Access Persons of Quasar Distributors, LLC dated March 17, 2014, was previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 577 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 24, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
Item 29.  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 30.  Indemnification.

Reference is made to Article VII of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Article VI of Registrant’s Amended and Restated By-Laws and Paragraph 7 of the Distribution Agreement.

Pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Registrant furnishes the following undertaking:  “Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.”

Item 31.  Business and Other Connections of the Investment Advisor.

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 SEC (File No. 801-39379), dated April 27, 2018.  The Advisor’s Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Item 32.  Principal Underwriter.

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

Advisors Series Trust
LoCorr Investment Trust
Aegis Funds
Lord Asset Management Trust
Allied Asset Advisors Funds
MainGate Trust
Alpha Architect ETF Trust
Managed Portfolio Series
Amplify ETF Trust
Manager Directed Portfolios
C-4

Angel Oak Funds Trust
Matrix Advisors Fund Trust
Barrett Opportunity Fund, Inc.
Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc.
Bridge Builder Trust
Merger Fund
Bridges Investment Fund, Inc.
Monetta Trust
Brookfield Investment Funds
Nicholas Equity Income Fund, Inc.
Brown Advisory Funds
Nicholas Family of Funds, Inc.
Buffalo Funds
Oaktree Funds
CG Funds Trust
Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds
DoubleLine Funds Trust
Perritt Funds, Inc.
ETF Series Solutions
PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds
Evermore Funds Trust
Professionally Managed Portfolios
First American Funds, Inc.
Prospector Funds, Inc.
FundX Investment Trust
Provident Mutual Funds, Inc.
Glenmede Fund, Inc.
Rainier Investment Management Mutual Funds
Glenmede Portfolios
RBB Fund, Inc.
GoodHaven Funds Trust
RBC Funds Trust
Greenspring Fund, Inc.
Series Portfolio Trust
Harding Loevner Funds, Inc.
Sims Total Return Fund, Inc.
Hennessy Funds Trust
Thompson IM Funds, Inc.
Horizon Funds
TrimTabs ETF Trust
Hotchkis & Wiley Funds
Trust for Professional Managers
Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust
Trust for Advised Portfolios
IronBridge Funds, Inc.
USA Mutuals
Jacob Funds, Inc.
Wall Street EWM Funds Trust
Jensen Portfolio, Inc.
Westchester Capital Funds
Kirr Marbach Partners Funds, Inc.
Wisconsin Capital Funds, Inc.
LKCM Funds
YCG Funds

(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(1)
President, Board Member
None
Andrew M. Strnad(2)
Vice President, Secretary
None
Joseph C. Neuberger(1)
Board Member
None
Michael Peck(1)
Board Member
None
Susan LaFond(1)
Vice President, Treasurer
None
Peter A. Hovel(1)
Chief Financial Officer
None
Teresa Cowan(1)
Senior Vice President, Assistant Secretary
None
Brett Scribner(3)
Assistant Treasurer
None
Thomas A. Wolden(3)
Assistant Treasurer
None
C-5

(1)     This individual is located at 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202.
(2)     This individual is located at 10 West Market Street, Suite 1150, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204.
(3)     This individual is located at 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55402.

(c) Not applicable.

Item 33.  Location of Accounts and Records.

The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) 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
Custody Operations
1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI  53212
 
Registrant’s Investment Advisor
Coldstream Capital Management, Inc.
One – 100th Avenue NE, Suite 102
Bellevue, Washington  98004
 
Registrant’s Distributor
Quasar Distributors, LLC
777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 6th Floor
Milwaukee, WI  53202

Item 34.  Management Services Not Discussed in Parts A and B.

Not Applicable.

Item 35.  Undertakings.

Not Applicable.
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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act and the 1940 Act, the Registrant certifies that this Post-Effective Amendment No. 847 to its Registration Statement meets all of the requirements for effectiveness under Rule 485(b) and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 847 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, on the 27th day of July, 2018.

 
Advisors Series Trust
   
 
By: /s/ Douglas G. Hess                     
 
      Douglas G. Hess
 
      President, Chief Executive Officer and
      Principal Executive

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 847 to its Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature
Title
Date
     
Gail S. Duree*                         
Trustee
July 27, 2018
Gail S. Duree
   
     
David G. Mertens*                
Trustee
July 27, 2018
David G. Mertens
   
     
George J. Rebhan*                 
Trustee
July 27, 2018
George J. Rebhan
   
     
Raymond B. Woolson*         
Trustee
July 27, 2018
Raymond B. Woolson
   
     
Joe D. Redwine*                     
Trustee
July 27, 2018
Joe D. Redwine
   
     
/s/ Cheryl L. King                   
Treasurer and Principal
July 27, 2018
Cheryl L. King
Financial Officer
 
     
/s/ Douglas G. Hess               
President, Chief Executive Officer
July 27, 2018
Douglas G. Hess
and Principal Executive Officer
 
     
*By: /s/ Douglas G. Hess      
 
July 27, 2018
Douglas G. Hess
Attorney-In Fact pursuant to
Power of Attorney
     

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Exhibit No.
Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement
EX.99.d.ii
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
EX.99.j
Code of Ethics
EX.99.p.ii
 
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