N-CSR 1 wbif-ncsra.htm WBI FUNDS ANNUAL REPORT 11-30-13 wbif-ncsra.htm
 
 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM N-CSR

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES




Investment Company Act file number 811-07959



Advisors Series Trust
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)



615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)


Douglas G. Hess, President
Advisors Series Trust
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 5th Floor
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Name and address of agent for service)



(414) 765-6609
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



Date of fiscal year end: November 30, 2013



Date of reporting period: November 30, 2013

 
 

 

Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.
 
 

 
 
 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund
 





















Annual Report
November 30, 2013




 
 

 
WBI Funds

November 30, 2013
 
Dear Fellow Shareholder:
 
During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, assets in the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund increased by $17.1 million, or more than 32%.  Assets in the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund increased by $48.8 million during the period, or nearly 186%.  This year also saw the launch of two new funds in June.  Through November 30, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund grew to $6.3 million and $4.8 million in assets, respectively.  We would like to express our appreciation for your continuing confidence in us, and welcome our new shareholders to the Funds.
 
All of the Funds, including those introduced this year, are managed using an investment philosophy and strategies developed over many years for WBI separately managed accounts with investment objectives similar to those of the Funds.  The strategies on which the Funds are based have been in use for separate account clients since 1992 for the Balanced Fund, 1993 for the Balanced Plus Fund, 2003 for the Dividend Income Fund, and 2008 for the Dividend Growth Fund.
 
Investment Philosophy
 
The goal of the WBI Funds is to provide consistent, attractive returns with less volatility and risk to capital than traditional approaches.  We believe capital preservation is essential to providing long term portfolio growth and a consistent stream of income.  Our focus on value, dividends, and risk management has become fundamental to our investment process.
 
Performance Overview
 
During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the Dividend Growth Fund No-Load Shares returned 18.96%, while the Institutional Shares returned 19.29%, trailing their benchmark.  The S&P 500® Total Return Index, which is the Fund’s indicated benchmark and includes the effect of dividends, returned 30.30%.
 
From their inception date of June 17, 2013 through November 30, 2013, the Dividend Income Fund No-Load Shares returned 6.14%, while the Institutional Shares returned 6.19%, trailing their benchmark.  The S&P 500® Total Return Index, which is the Fund’s indicated benchmark and includes the effect of dividends, returned 11.23% during that period.
 
The Balanced Plus Fund No-Load Shares returned 0.08%, while the Institutional Shares returned 0.13% since their inception on June 17, 2013 through November 30, 2013, less than the 5.26% return of their custom benchmark during the period.  The Fund’s custom benchmark consists of a 50%/50% allocation to
 
 
3

 
WBI Funds

Barclays Capital Government/Credit Index, which returned -0.54% during the period, and the S&P 500® Total Return Index, which gained 11.23%.
 
The Balanced Fund’s No-Load Shares returned 0.32% during the fiscal year, while the Institutional Shares returned 0.51%, trailing the 13.17% return of their custom benchmark.  The Fund’s custom benchmark consists of a 50%/50% allocation to Barclays Capital Government/Credit Index, which returned -2.02% during the period, and the S&P 500® Total Return Index, which gained 30.30%.
 
Because the strategies used in the Funds involve active management of assets with particular attributes, such as stocks that pay dividends or those that have certain value characteristics, no widely recognized benchmark is likely to be representative of the performance of any of the WBI Funds.  For example, the Funds may hold stocks of small, mid-sized and large companies headquartered either in the U.S. or abroad, while the S&P 500® Index is comprised of large-capitalization U.S. domiciled stocks.  The Funds focus on dividend-paying stocks, but approximately 20% of the securities in the S&P 500® Index do not pay a dividend.  Fixed income holdings may include securities with maturities and from issuers that do not correspond to those in the Barclays Capital Government/Credit Index.  In addition, each Fund uses strategies intended to mitigate volatility and protect capital, and as a result the Funds will often have an allocation to cash equivalents.  Therefore, while each Fund’s performance includes the effect of an investment in cash equivalents, stock and bond market index returns do not.  In falling markets, an allocation to cash may contribute to performance that is superior to a market index, but in rising markets, holding cash may cause performance relative to that same index to trail.
 
Despite their limitations in assessing the performance of the Funds, however, popular indices can provide some context for understanding how market conditions affected Fund performance during the year.  For the Balanced Fund and Balanced Plus Fund, a custom benchmark consisting of a 50%/50% allocation to the S&P 500® Total Return Index and Barclays Capital Government/Credit Index is shown because it combines a familiar U.S. equity market index with a U.S. Bond Index, and both the Balanced Fund and Balanced Plus Fund generally include a material exposure to both U.S. equities and fixed income investments.  For the Dividend Growth Fund and Dividend Income Fund, the S&P 500® Total Return Index is shown as a benchmark because it is a familiar U.S. equity market index that includes the effect of dividends, and both the Dividend Growth Fund and Dividend Income Funds generally include a material exposure to U.S. dividend-paying equities.  However, neither benchmark is, nor is likely to become, representative of past or expected Fund holdings or performance.  The benchmark indices are unmanaged and may not

 
4

 
WBI Funds

be invested in directly, and their performance does not include the deduction of transaction and operational expenses, or the deduction of an investment management fee, which would likely alter their indicated historical results.
 
Market Conditions
 
After a modestly positive December 2012, the popular U.S. equity indices got off to a strong start in 2013, and the early gains finally brought both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) above the record highs they set back in 2007.  Independence Day fireworks came a little early in the financial markets, however, as the economy’s ability to keep growing without depending on the Federal Reserve (Fed) and its Quantitative Easing stimulus program lit up the news.  At the conclusion of its two day meeting on June 19, the Fed introduced the notion that it could start cutting back on its monthly purchases of $85 billion worth of bonds as early as the following September.  The Fed’s massive bond buying program is intended to keep interest rates low, and thereby prod the economy into a period of self-sustaining growth.  An end to the Fed’s intervention was generally understood to be inevitable, but the markets did not seem to like the idea that this end could already be in sight.  Including the day of the Fed’s announcement, the DJIA dropped 659 points in four trading days, a loss of 4.3%.  The S&P 500 and NASDAQ also fell, losing 4.8% and 4.6% respectively.  Negative returns in June and August were sandwiched around a positive July, however, leaving the S&P 500 virtually unchanged over the summer months.
 
Autumn brought a pickup in equity markets, even as headlines fretted about a plethora of issues, including the potential “beginning of the end” of the Federal Reserve Bank’s Quantitative Easing program, geopolitical uncertainty in Syria, potential Eurozone instability due to German national elections, and the U.S. budget deadline.  The budget showdown did, in fact, result in a government shutdown from October 1st through the 16th – but despite uncertainty and disruptions, the S&P 500 gained 11.16%, including dividends from September through November.
 
Bonds ended 2012 on a weak note, and the weakness carried into 2013.  During the Funds’ fiscal year, the yield on the 10-Year Treasury rose from 1.61% to 2.75%.  Since bond prices and bond yields move in opposite directions, the rise in interest rates meant a fall in bond values, and the Barclays Treasury Long Term Bond Index lost -13.10% during the twelve months ended November 30.  Corporate bonds have also suffered during the period, but not by nearly as much, with the Dow Jones Equal Weight U.S. Corporate Bond Index falling by -1.42%.
 
Global equity markets generally followed the pattern laid down by their U.S. counterparts, and the MSCI EAFE Index ended the twelve month period corresponding to the Funds’ fiscal year up by 21.42%.  Gold continued to lose its

 
5

 
WBI Funds

luster, dropping $481/ounce or 27.95%, and the broader measure of commodity prices were also weak for most of the period, with the Commodity Research Bureau Index falling in eight of the twelve months for a cumulative decline of -8.03%.
 
Review of Fund Trading Activity
 
The Funds attempt to provide consistent, attractive returns net of expenses with potentially less volatility and risk to capital than traditional approaches, whatever market conditions may be.  This is the Funds’ definition of an absolute return approach to investment management.  The stock selection process uses quantitative computer screening of fundamental information to evaluate domestic and foreign equity securities in an attempt to find the best value and dividend opportunities worldwide.  Once candidates are identified, an overlay of technical analysis confirms timeliness of security purchases using a combination of price regression and momentum factors.  Each Fund’s buy discipline systematically adds qualifying securities within its target allocation using available cash.
 
Once a security is purchased, a strict sell discipline with a dynamic stop loss and goal setting process attempts to control the effects of the volatility of each invested position on the Fund’s value.  If a security stays within its acceptable price channel, it remains in the Fund’s portfolio.  If the security moves below the acceptable price channel, a stop is triggered and the Fund will sell the security.  This results in a responsive process that actively adjusts the Fund’s allocation by causing it to become more fully invested or by raising cash with the intention of protecting capital.
 
As per each Fund’s disciplined investment process, trailing stops were implemented for all equity candidates purchased during the year.  Because the future is unknowable, our process requires each stop loss trigger to be honored to help prevent the catastrophic losses of capital that could otherwise result from continuing to hold falling securities through declines of indeterminate depth and duration.  For the same reason, attractive securities identified by the screening and ranking process, and which have passed all purchase hurdles and begun moving higher will be purchased with available cash.  The appearance of qualifying stock candidates in the screen results will be respected as a possible indication of the start of a durable market advance.
 
Dividend Growth Fund
 
The security selection process continues to uncover what we believe to be very attractive investment opportunities for the Dividend Growth Fund.  As of November 30, 2013, the Dividend Growth Fund held forty two securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent.

 
6

 
WBI Funds

Thirty two of these positions had unrealized gains of between 0.33% and 24.51%, while ten had unrealized losses ranging from -0.15% to -6.57%.  The aggregate unrealized gain amounted to 7.10% of the Fund’s value.
 
Approximately 55% of the securities held by the Fund at any time during the fiscal year were sold.  As would be expected, securities sold after hitting a goal stop were generally profitable, and those sold on an initial stop generally were not.  (Goal stops are the tightened stops that replace the initial stops set for each security once that security’s specified price goal has been achieved.)  Approximately 33% of the Fund’s holdings were sold on goal stops for an average realized gain of 15.99%, and approximately 22% were sold after initial stops were hit for an average realized loss of -6.57%.
 
Examples of securities that contributed to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal year include Nielsen Holdings NV, Apple Inc., Time Warner Cable, Emerson Electric Co., and Suncor Energy Inc.  Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the fiscal year include Ebix Inc., Jabil Circuit Inc., Nu Skin Enterprises Inc., BlackRock Inc., and Axis Capital Holdings LTD.
 
High turnover in the Fund’s holdings has the potential to result in the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains.  If Fund shares are held in a taxable account, this may increase your tax liability.  To the extent portfolio turnover increases transaction costs, it may also reduce Fund performance.  Of course, selling a security in a timely fashion may also improve performance if a subsequent loss is avoided that exceeds the cost of executing the sale.
 
Dividend Income Fund
 
A new addition to the fund lineup this year, the Dividend Income Fund had been in operation for less than six months as of November 30.  At that time, the Fund held thirty eight securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent.  Thirty four of these positions had unrealized gains of between 0.19% and 16.33%, while four had unrealized losses ranging from -0.13% to -9.25%.
 
Approximately 39% of the securities held by the Fund since its inception were sold.  Approximately 18% were sold on goal stops for an average realized gain of 3.96%, and approximately 21% were sold after initial stops were hit for an average realized loss of -8.12%.
 
Examples of securities that contributed to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal year include Apple Inc., Fidelity National Financial Inc., Foot Locker Inc., Coach Inc., and Infosys LTD.  Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the period include Symantec Corp., American Capital Agency Corp., Campbell Soup Co., Ventas Inc., and Verizon Communications Inc.

 
7

 
WBI Funds

Balanced Plus Fund
 
The Balanced Plus Fund also began operations in June of this year, and therefore has had less than six months of trading activity.  As of November 30 the Fund held thirty five securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent.  Twenty five of these positions had unrealized gains of between 0.05% and 17.85%, while ten had unrealized losses ranging from -0.08% to -9.25%.
 
Approximately 41% of the securities held by the Fund since its inception were sold.  Approximately 9% were sold on goal stops for an average realized gain of 0.40%, and approximately 29% were sold after initial stops were hit for an average realized loss of -8.48%.
 
Examples of securities that contributed to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal year include Apple Inc., Johnson & Johnson, iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, TAL International Group Inc., and Fifth Third Bancorp.  Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the period include American Capital Agency Corp., Exelon Corp., Digital Realty Trust Inc., Exco Resources Inc., and Eli Lilly & Co.
 
Balanced Fund
 
The Balanced Fund’s security selection process has also continued to uncover what we believe to be very attractive investment opportunities.  As of November 30, 2013, the Balanced Fund held fifty nine securities in addition to a position in a money market fund which served as a cash equivalent.  Thirty of these positions had unrealized gains of between 0.01% and 23.27%, while twenty nine had unrealized losses ranging from -0.14% to -9.07%.  The aggregate unrealized gain amounted to 1.70% of the Fund’s value.
 
Approximately 51% of the securities held by the Fund at any time during the fiscal year were sold.  As would be expected, securities sold after hitting a goal stop were generally profitable, and those sold on an initial stop generally were not.  (Goal stops are the tightened stops that replace the initial stops set for each security once that security’s specified price goal has been achieved.)  Approximately 15% of the Fund’s holdings were sold on goal stops for an average realized gain of 14.28%, and approximately 20% were sold after initial stops were hit for an average realized loss of -6.46%.  Other dispositions (generally involving adjustments to fixed income exposure or option activity) affected approximately 16% of the Fund’s positions, resulting in a total realized loss of -0.06%.
 
Examples of securities that made positive contributions to the Fund’s performance during the fiscal year include Time Warner Cable, Safeway Inc., Infosys LTD, LyondellBasell Industries, and SPDR S&P Dividend ETF.

 
8

 
WBI Funds

Examples of securities that detracted from the Fund’s performance during the fiscal year include iShares JP Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF, iPath US Treasury 10-Year Bear ETN, Apple Inc., Digital Realty Trust Inc., and Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc.
 
High turnover in the Fund’s holdings has the potential to result in the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains.  If Fund shares are held in a taxable account, this may increase your tax liability.  To the extent portfolio turnover increases transaction costs, it may also reduce Fund performance.  Of course, selling a security in a timely fashion may also improve performance if a subsequent loss is avoided that exceeds the cost of executing the sale.
 
Market Commentary
 
Index Envy
 
In March, an important inflection point for the S&P 500 Index was hit.  It wasn’t the new all time high you may have been hearing about, because the all time high wasn’t the major inflection point, and the major inflection point wasn’t in March of this year.  It was in March of 2009 – almost five years ago.  It was then that the S&P 500 (and most other major U.S. stock indices) closed at dramatic lows.  For the S&P, the closing low of 676.53 on March 9, 2009 represented a massive 57% decline from its previous high of 1565.15 in October 2007.  Many investors were shocked at the magnitude of the losses, and for some the urge to give up on stocks became irresistible.  Even as the S&P 500 clawed and bounced its way higher, investors relentlessly pulled money out of stocks.  According to the Investment Company Institute (ICI), investors took net redemptions from equity mutual funds in 19 of the 20 months ended December 2012, totaling more than $320 billion.  Over that same time period, investors made net additions in 19 out of those 20 months into bond funds, pouring in more than $393 billion.  So what followed in 2013?  As we have seen, most major stock indices recorded solid gains, while bond indices took losses.
 
Now that the S&P 500 is back in the news for its recent performance, and bond prices have been falling, investors appear to be shifting gears.  Recent ICI data show net inflows for equity funds in every month of 2013 from January through November totaling almost $159 billion.  Meanwhile, inflows into bond funds steadily dwindled during the first five months of 2013, and have turned to outflows totaling more than $151 billion in the six months since.  We believe it is a good idea to include stocks as part of a long-term investment strategy, so we’re pleased to see investors warming up to them again.  Still, we wonder if the timing of this new-found enthusiasm isn’t a bit instructive.

 
9

 
WBI Funds

We’ve found most people understand and accept that one of the keys to successful investing is to “buy low and sell high”.  The idea seems straightforward and logical enough – at least in theory.  But real life investor behavior does not seem to suggest that this understanding is making its way into actual practice.  As humans, we come equipped with more than logic.  We also have emotions.
 
Let’s take a look at hypothetical reactions to the market hitting new lows and new highs.  On the one hand we’ll look at what a purely logical reaction might be; on the other, a possible emotional response:
 
 
Logic
Emotion
Market Low:
BUY. Stocks represent great
SELL. Stocks are terrible
 
value. Great companies are
investments. They only go down.
 
available at bargain prices.
I can’t lose any more money.
Market High:
SELL. Take profits and lock
BUY. Stocks are working again.
 
in gains on stocks that have
I can’t afford to miss more gains
 
become too expensive.
by staying out any longer.

Which set of responses looks like buy low and sell high, and which looks like what people tend to actually do?
 
In a logical world, what would you expect to see happening around the time markets are hitting all time highs:
 
ü
Investors happily taking profits on any holdings whose prices have enjoyed a long run higher, but which are now starting to falter; raising the cash they intend to put to work when the next value opportunity comes along, or
 
ü
Finally getting off the sidelines and buying stocks after years of waiting for conditions to improve.
 

When stock prices have taken a tumble, would you expect to see:

ü
Investors putting their cash to work by buying solid companies at bargain levels, or
 
ü
Finally giving up on the stocks they’ve held all the way down because this investing thing doesn’t seem to be working anymore?

Emotional responses to market movements can result in decisions that run counter to logic – and our own best interests.  We have seen it during market panics, when fear clouds an objective assessment of an asset’s value.  We have seen it during market manias, when index envy causes investors to chase returns – often after the conditions that brought those returns have already passed.
 
 
10

 
WBI Funds

A major market index like the S&P 500 can be useful shorthand for getting the sense of how the stocks of some big U.S. companies are doing, but comparing your personal progress toward your goals to its movement comes with its own set of risks.  It is possible to invest in products that track the movement of an index – if you are prepared to risk the investment experience that comes with it.  As we have seen, that experience can include regular declines of 10% to 20%, occasional losses of nearly 60%, and, as in the case of the S&P 500, 14 years of waiting to get back to a 0% return.  In our experience, few investors will be able to withstand the onslaught of emotion that market index style volatility brings with it.  Instead, they will compare their portfolio’s performance to that of a market index in a Bull Market, but in a Bear Market they will regretfully compare it to what they could have gotten from the bank.
 
After more than 25 years of watching investor behavior, we have concluded that the more urgency an investor feels about taking action – whether it’s selling or buying – the more likely that action is to be a huge and costly mistake.
 
The effects of emotional investing are not restricted to investing in stocks.  Bonds provide current income and can be a counterbalance to other investments in a portfolio, yet how many investors for whom some allocation to bonds would be appropriate are turning away from them now because of their recent slide?  The Real Estate bubble that helped bring the global economy to the brink of disaster and ushered in a massive recession was largely fueled by the fear of missing out on run-away house prices.  How many investors jumped on the housing bandwagon, confident they could jump back off with a hefty gain whenever they wanted? Housing has only recently begun to recover from the devastation that resulted from that emotion-based bout of decision making.  In retrospect, does “highest price ever” really sound like an argument for a great time to be a buyer?
 
What should be the reason to invest in an asset, whether in a stock or a bond or in an investment of any kind? We think the best reason to buy is value; the opportunity to acquire something that’s worth more than its current price.  The second best reason to buy? We don’t think there is one.
 
Does this mean investors should wait until market indices are hitting new lows before buying any stocks?  Fortunately, no.  As its name suggests, the S&P 500 contains only 500 names, and they are the stocks of the 500 largest U.S. publicly traded companies.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average tracks the movement of just 30 stocks.  According to the NYSE, there are over 8,000 listed stocks trading in the United States.  Developed and emerging countries around the world offer stock markets of their own.  Security prices don’t always move in lockstep, even among stocks within a single index, and attractive values may be
 
 
11

 
WBI Funds

cropping up (in the U.S. or abroad) no matter what popular indices like the S&P 500 or Dow Jones Industrials happen to be doing.
 
Just as importantly, prices can and do pause while fundamental value catches up.  The same price that seemed too expensive yesterday can look like a bargain again tomorrow as conditions improve.
 
We are optimistic about the future, and we will continue to hunt for value and opportunity wherever we can find it, take profits (and cut our losses) as conditions change, and follow a disciplined process to manage our investors’ money.  What we won’t do is allow our emotions to carry us along, running from or chasing after the movements of “the market”.  It just wouldn’t be logical.
 
The Bottom Line
 
We believe that the appropriate approach to investing in a volatile world is one that’s responsive to continually changing conditions and opportunities.  We think that process should be focused on managing risk as well as on pursuing return.  It should be disciplined and have a track record that spans both good times and bad.  In short, our opinion is that it should be just like the process we have used for our investment management clients for the last 21 years – and continue to use to manage the Funds today.
 
Sincerely,
 
Gary E. Stroik
Don Schreiber, Jr.
Co-Portfolio Manager
Co-Portfolio Manager
Vice President & Chief Investment Officer
Founder & CEO

 

 

 
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
 
Opinions expressed are subject to change, are not guaranteed, and should not be construed as recommendations or investment advice.
 
Mutual fund investing involves risk.  Principal loss is possible.  The Funds invest in emerging market and foreign securities which involve political, economic and currency risks, greater volatility and differences in accounting methods.  These risks can be greater in emerging markets.  The Funds invest in smaller and medium sized companies, which involve additional risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility.  Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise.  This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt
 

 

 

 

 
12

 
WBI Funds

securities.  Investment by the Fund in lower-rated and non-rated securities presents a greater risk of loss to principal and interest than higher-rated securities.  Investments in mortgage-backed securities may involve additional risks, such as credit risk, prepayment risk, possible illiquidity and default, and susceptibility to adverse economic developments.  Because the Funds invest in exchange traded funds (ETFs), they are subject to additional risks that do not apply to conventional mutual funds, including the risks that the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to its net asset value (“NAV”), an active secondary trading market may not develop or be maintained, or trading may be halted by the exchange in which they trade, which may impact a Fund’s ability to sell its shares.  The Funds may invest in exchange traded notes which are subject to the credit risk of the issuer.  Additional risks include volatility, lack of liquidity, and sensitivity to currencies, commodities markets, and interest rate changes.  The Funds may invest in master limited partnerships (MLPs) which are subject to certain risks inherent in the structure of MLPs, including complex tax structure risks, the limited ability for election or removal of management, limited voting rights, potential dependence on parent companies or sponsors for revenues to satisfy obligations, and potential conflicts of interest between partners, members and affiliates.  The Funds may also use options and future contracts, which have the risks of unlimited losses of the underlying holdings due to unanticipated market movements and failure to correctly predict the direction of securities prices, interest rates and currency exchange rates.  The investment in options is not suitable for all investors.
 
Investments in absolute return strategies are not intended to outperform stocks and bonds during strong market rallies.
 
Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change and should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security.  For a complete list of fund holdings please refer to the Schedule of Investments in this report.
 
While the Funds are no-load, management fees and other expenses will apply.  Please refer to the prospectus for additional information.
 
A stop loss order directs a brokerage firm to sell the specified security at the prevailing market price should that security’s price fall to or below a stipulated price.  A stop limit order directs a brokerage firm to sell the specified security should that security’s price fall to or below a stipulated price, but only if the transaction can be executed at or above the limit price given as part of the order.  The Funds use WBI’s proprietary Dynamic Trailing Stop/Loss System (DTSTM), which is designed to help control the risk to invested capital when investing in volatile securities and markets.  The DTSTM is not a stop loss order or stop limit order placed with a brokerage firm, but an internal process for monitoring price movements.  While the DTSTM may be used to initiate the process for selling a security, it does not assure that a particular execution price will be received.
 
The sources for index price and performance data used in the discussion of market conditions and market commentary are Thomson Reuters Baseline and Bloomberg.  The S&P 500® Index is a capitalization weighted index of 500 large capitalization stocks which is designed to measure broad domestic securities markets.  The S&P 500® Total Return Index includes the performance effect of the dividends paid by the companies in the S&P 500® Index.  The Barclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index measures the performance of U.S. Dollar denominated U.S. Treasuries, government-related and investment grade U.S. corporate securities that have a remaining maturity of greater than one year.  The Blended Index is a 50% S&P 500® & 50% Barclays Capital Government/Credit Blend.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA or “The Dow”) is a price-weighted average of 30 of the largest blue chip issues traded on the New York Stock Exchange.  The NASDAQ Composite Index (NASDAQ) is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks

 
13

 
WBI Funds

listed on NASDAQ.  The MSCI EAFE Index (EAFE) is an unmanaged index based on share prices of approximately 1,470 companies listed on stock exchanges around the world.  The stocks of twenty countries are included in the index.  The Dow Jones Equal Weight U.S. Issued Corporate Bond Index is an index of 96 bonds issued by leading U.S. companies designed to represent the market performance, on a total-return basis, of investment-grade bonds.  The Barclays Treasury Long Term Bond Index is an unmanaged index that includes public obligations of the U.S. Treasury that have remaining maturities greater than 10 years.  The Commodity Research Bureau Index (CRB) provides a broad measure of commodity price trends by averaging prices of seventeen commodities from energy, grain, industrial material, livestock, and precious metal groups.  One cannot invest directly in an index.
 
An investment in money market funds is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.  Although these funds seek to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in these funds.
 
Any tax or legal information provided is merely a summary of our understanding and interpretation of some of the current income tax regulations and is not exhaustive.  Investors must consult their tax advisor or legal counsel for advice and information concerning their particular situation.  Neither the Fund nor any of its representatives may give legal or tax advice.
 
Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.
 
WBI Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.
 







 
14

 
 
 
WBI ABSOLUTE RETURN BALANCED FUND
Comparison of the change in value of a hypothetical $250,000 investment
in the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund - Institutional Shares vs. the
S&P 500® Index and the Barclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index.
 
 
 

Average Annual Total Return:
 
 
One
Since
 
Year
Inception1
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund - Institutional Shares
0.51%
2.85%
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund - No Load Shares
0.32%
2.61%
S&P 500® Index
30.30%
15.59%
Barclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index
-2.02%
4.04%
50% S&P 500® Index/ 50% Barclays Capital
   
  Government/Credit Bond Index Blend
13.17%
9.92%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses: 2.34% (Institutional Shares);
   
2.60% (No Load Shares)
   
 
Past performance does not guarantee future results.  The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling (855) 924-3863.
 
Returns reflect reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.  Fee waivers are in effect.  In the absence of fee waivers, returns would be reduced. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions, or redemption of Fund shares. Performance data shown does not reflect the 2.00% redemption fee imposed on shares held 60 days or less.  If it did, total returns would be reduced. Indices do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.
 
The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to represent the broad domestic economy.
 
The Barclays Capital U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index measures performance of U.S. dollar denominated U.S. Treasuries, government-related, and investment grade U.S. corporate securities. To be included in the index, the securities must have a remaining maturity greater than or equal to 1 year, have $250 million or more of outstanding face value, and must be fixed rate and non-convertible.
 
¹
The Fund commenced operations on December 29, 2010.

 
15

 
 
WBI ABSOLUTE RETURN BALANCED PLUS FUND
Comparison of the change in value of a hypothetical $250,000 investment
in the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund - Institutional Shares vs. the
S&P 500® Index and the Barclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index.
 
 
 
Total Return:
 
 
Since
 
Inception1
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund - Institutional Shares
0.13%
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund - No Load Shares
0.08%
S&P 500® Index
11.23%
Barclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index
-0.54%
50% S&P 500® Index/ 50% Barclays Capital
 
  Government/Credit Bond Index Blend
5.26%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses: 1.96% (Institutional Shares);
2.21% (No Load Shares)
 
Past performance does not guarantee future results.  The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling (855) 924-3863.
 
Returns reflect reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.  Fee waivers are in effect.  In the absence of fee waivers, returns would be reduced. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions, or redemption of Fund shares. Performance data shown does not reflect the 2.00% redemption fee imposed on shares held 60 days or less.  If it did, total returns would be reduced. Indices do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.
 
The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to represent the broad domestic economy.
 
The Barclays Capital U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index measures performance of U.S. dollar denominated U.S. Treasuries, government-related, and investment grade U.S. corporate securities. To be included in the index, the securities must have a remaining maturity greater than or equal to 1 year, have $250 million or more of outstanding face value, and must be fixed rate and non-convertible.
 
¹
The Fund commenced operations on June 17, 2013.

 
16

 
 
WBI ABSOLUTE RETURN DIVIDEND INCOME FUND
Comparison of the change in value of a hypothetical $250,000 investment in the
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund - Institutional Shares vs. the S&P 500® Index
 
 
 

Total Return:
 
 
Since
 
Inception1
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund - Institutional Shares
6.19%
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund - No Load Shares
6.14%
S&P 500® Index
11.23%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses: 1.88% (Institutional Shares);
2.13% (No Load Shares)
 
Past performance does not guarantee future results.  The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling (855) 924-3863.
 
Returns reflect reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.  Fee waivers are in effect.  In the absence of fee waivers, returns would be reduced. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions, or redemption of Fund shares. Performance data shown does not reflect the 2.00% redemption fee imposed on shares held 60 days or less.  If it did, total returns would be reduced. Indices do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.
 
The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to represent the broad domestic economy.
 
¹
The Fund commenced operations on June 17, 2013.
 
 
17

 
 
 
WBI ABSOLUTE RETURN DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND
Comparison of the change in value of a hypothetical $250,000 investment in the
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund - Institutional Shares vs. the S&P 500® Index
 
 
 
Average Annual Total Return:
   
 
One
Since
 
Year
Inception1
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund -
   
  Institutional Shares
19.29%
9.74%
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund -
   
  No Load Shares
18.96%
9.44%
S&P 500® Index
30.30%
15.59%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses: 2.37% (Institutional Shares);
2.61% (No Load Shares)
 
Past performance does not guarantee future results.  The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling (855) 924-3863.
 
Returns reflect reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.  Fee waivers are in effect.  In the absence of fee waivers, returns would be reduced. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions, or redemption of Fund shares. Performance data shown does not reflect the 2.00% redemption fee imposed on shares held 60 days or less.  If it did, total returns would be reduced. Indices do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.
 
The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to represent the broad domestic economy.
 
¹
The Fund commenced operations on December 29, 2010.

 
18

 
WBI Funds

EXPENSE EXAMPLE – at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

Generally, shareholders of mutual funds incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments, redemption fees, and exchange fees, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution and/or service fees, and other Fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Funds and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. The WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund and WBI Absolute Dividend Growth Fund Examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested in the No Load Shares and the Institutional Shares of each Fund at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period (6/1/13– 11/30/13).  The WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund and WBI Absolute Dividend Income Fund Examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested in the No Load Shares and the Institutional Shares of each Fund at the beginning of the period and held for the period (6/17/13– 11/30/13).
 
Actual Expenses
 
The first line of the tables below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses, with actual net expenses being limited to 2.00% and 1.75% per the operating expenses limitation agreement for the No Load Shares and the Institutional Shares, respectively, of each Fund. Although the Funds charge no sales load or transaction fees, you will be assessed fees for outgoing wire transfers, returned checks, and stop payment orders at prevailing rates charged by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, the Funds’ transfer agent. To the extent the Funds invest in shares of other investment companies as part of its investment strategy, you will indirectly bear your proportionate share of any fees and expenses charged by the underlying funds in which the Funds invest in addition to the expenses of the Funds.  Actual expenses of the underlying funds are expected to vary among the various underlying funds.  The Example below includes, but is not limited to, management fees, 12b-1 fees, fund accounting, custody and transfer agent fees. You may use the information in the first line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.
 
Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes
 
The second line of the tables below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Funds’ actual expense ratios and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Funds’ actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may
 
 
19

 
WBI Funds
 
EXPENSE EXAMPLE – at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited), Continued

not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Funds and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.  Please note that the expenses shown in the tables are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges (loads), redemption fees, or exchange fees. Therefore, the second line of the tables is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these costs were included, your transaction costs would have been higher.
 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund – No Load Shares
 
 
Beginning
Ending
Expenses Paid
 
Account Value
Account Value
During Period
 
6/1/13
11/30/13
6/1/13– 11/30/13*
Actual
$1,000.00
$989.70
$9.98
Hypothetical
     
  (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,015.04
$10.10
 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 2.00%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 days to reflect the one-half year expense.

WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund – Institutional Shares
 
 
Beginning
Ending
Expenses Paid
 
Account Value
Account Value
During Period
 
6/1/13
11/30/13
6/1/13– 11/30/13*
Actual
$1,000.00
$991.10
$8.73
Hypothetical
     
  (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,016.29
$8.85

 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 1.75%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 days to reflect the one-half year expense.

WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund – No Load Shares
 
 
Beginning
Ending
Expenses Paid
 
Account Value
Account Value
During Period
 
6/17/13
11/30/13
6/17/13– 11/30/13*
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,000.80
$9.15
Hypothetical
     
  (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,013.73
$9.21
 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 2.00%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 167 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 days to reflect the one-half year expense.
 
 
20

 
WBI Funds
 
EXPENSE EXAMPLE – at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited), Continued

WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund – Institutional Shares
 
 
Beginning
Ending
Expenses Paid
 
Account Value
Account Value
During Period
 
6/17/13
11/30/13
6/17/13– 11/30/13*
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,001.30
$8.01
Hypothetical
     
  (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,014.87
$8.07
 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 1.75%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 167 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 days to reflect the one-half year expense.
 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund – No Load Shares
 
 
Beginning
Ending
Expenses Paid
 
Account Value
Account Value
During Period
 
6/17/13
11/30/13
6/17/13– 11/30/13*
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,061.40
$9.43
Hypothetical
     
  (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,013.73
$9.21
 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 2.00%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 167 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 days to reflect the one-half year expense.
 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund – Institutional Shares
 
 
Beginning
Ending
Expenses Paid
 
Account Value
Account Value
During Period
 
6/17/13
11/30/13
6/17/13– 11/30/13*
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,061.90
$8.25
Hypothetical
     
  (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,014.87
$8.07
 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 1.75%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 167 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 days to reflect the one-half year expense.

WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund – No Load Shares
 
 
Beginning
Ending
Expenses Paid
 
Account Value
Account Value
During Period
 
6/1/13
11/30/13
6/1/13– 11/30/13*
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,080.40
$10.43
Hypothetical
     
  (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,015.04
$10.10
 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 2.00%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 days to reflect the one-half year expense.
 
 
21

 
WBI Funds

EXPENSE EXAMPLE – at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited), Continued

WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund – Institutional Shares
 
 
Beginning
Ending
Expenses Paid
 
Account Value
Account Value
During Period
 
6/1/13
11/30/13
6/1/13– 11/30/13*
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,083.10
$9.14
Hypothetical
     
  (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,016.29
$8.85
 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 1.75%, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) divided by 365 days to reflect the one-half year expense.
 
 
22

 
WBI Funds

SECTOR ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO ASSETS – at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund
 

 



SECTOR ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO ASSETS –  at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund
 





 
23

 
WBI Funds

SECTOR ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO ASSETS – at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund
 



SECTOR ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO ASSETS –  at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund
 

 
Percentages represent market value as a percentage of total investments.
 
 
24

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013

Shares
 
COMMON STOCKS - 47.31%
 
Value
 
           
   
Broadcasting (except Internet) - 1.07%
     
  45,099  
Cablevision Systems Corp.
     
     
  NY Group - Class A
  $ 756,310  
               
     
Chemical Manufacturing - 3.02%
       
  42,326  
Eli Lilly & Co.
    2,125,612  
               
     
Clothing and Clothing
       
     
  Accessories Stores - 2.91%
       
  19,990  
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. - Class A
    685,257  
  35,143  
Foot Locker, Inc.
    1,366,711  
            2,051,968  
               
     
Computer and Electronic
       
     
  Product Manufacturing - 2.35%
       
  58,029  
Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    1,652,666  
               
     
Credit Intermediation and
       
     
  Related Activities - 6.85%
       
  27,841  
BB&T Corp.
    967,196  
  39,897  
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
    2,282,907  
  11,915  
Royal Bank of Canada (a)
    792,586  
  42,698  
Umpqua Holdings Corp.
    786,070  
            4,828,759  
               
     
Forestry and Logging - 1.88%
       
  43,979  
Weyerhaeuser Co.
    1,325,087  
               
     
Funds, Trusts, and Other
       
     
  Financial Vehicles - 1.13%
       
  80,975  
NorthStar Realty Finance Corp.
    800,033  
               
     
General Merchandise Stores - 3.01%
       
  33,171  
Target Corp.
    2,120,622  
               
     
Oil and Gas Extraction - 1.86%
       
  68,226  
Encana Corp. (a)
    1,309,257  
               
     
Paper Manufacturing - 2.32%
       
  35,047  
International Paper Co.
    1,634,943  
               
     
Pipeline Transportation - 1.02%
       
  17,358  
Enbridge, Inc. (a)
    717,580  
               
     
Printing and Related
       
     
  Support Activities - 1.11%
       
  15,992  
Avery Dennison Corp.
    782,009  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
25

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Shares
     
Value
 
           
   
Professional, Scientific &
     
   
  Technical Services - 2.88%
     
  37,568  
Infosys Ltd. - ADR
  $ 2,029,423  
               
     
Rail Transportation - 2.21%
       
  9,602  
Union Pacific Corp.
    1,555,908  
               
     
Real Estate - 5.01%
       
  20,163  
American Campus Communities, Inc.
    653,886  
  38,572  
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
    696,610  
  20,374  
Highwoods Properties, Inc.
    731,834  
  56,608  
Medical Properties Trust, Inc.
    747,792  
  11,607  
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc.
    699,206  
            3,529,328  
               
     
Telecommunications - 1.06%
       
  16,893  
BCE, Inc. (a)
    746,502  
               
     
Utilities - 7.62%
       
  31,458  
Duke Energy Corp.
    2,200,801  
  25,656  
Entergy Corp.
    1,587,850  
  39,213  
PG&E Corp.
    1,583,029  
            5,371,680  
               
     
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
     
  (Cost $32,049,811)
    33,337,687  
               
     
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS - 21.98%
       
  69,920  
iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF
    3,540,050  
  66,991  
iShares iBoxx $ Investment
       
     
  Grade Corporate Bond ETF
    7,681,188  
  51,485  
Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (a)
    4,265,017  
     
TOTAL EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS
       
     
  (Cost $15,423,222)
    15,486,255  
               
Principal
           
Amount
 
CORPORATE BONDS - 15.01%
       
     
Advertising Agencies - 0.75%
       
     
Omnicom Group, Inc.
       
$ 500,000  
  4.45%, 8/15/2020
    525,802  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
26

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund
 
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Principal
         
Amount
     
Value
 
           
   
Aerospace Product and
     
   
  Parts Manufacturing - 0.55%
     
   
Lockheed Martin Corp.
     
$ 356,000  
  4.25%, 11/15/2019
  $ 388,943  
               
     
Agencies, Brokerages, & Other
       
     
  Insurance Related Activities - 0.21%
       
     
Aon PLC
       
  142,000  
  3.50%, 9/30/2015
    148,727  
               
     
Beverage Manufacturing - 0.21%
       
     
Anheuser-Busch Cos., LLC
       
  135,000  
  4.50%, 4/1/2018
    146,795  
               
     
Business Support Services - 1.03%
       
     
Western Union Co.
       
  650,000  
  5.93%, 10/1/2016
    727,090  
               
     
Depository Credit Intermediation - 1.15%
       
     
Citigroup, Inc.
       
  3,000  
  5.125%, 5/5/2014
    3,059  
  572,000  
  6.125%, 11/21/2017
    666,416  
     
Wells Fargo & Co.
       
  142,000  
  4.48%, 1/16/2024
    141,357  
            810,832  
               
     
Health and Personal Care Stores - 0.22%
       
     
Express Scripts, Inc.
       
  148,000  
  3.125%, 5/15/2016
    155,263  
               
     
Insurance Carriers - 2.15%
       
     
American International Group, Inc.
       
  800,000  
  5.85%, 1/16/2018
    925,321  
     
Cigna Corp.
       
  140,000  
  8.30%, 1/15/2033
    171,754  
     
Wellpoint, Inc.
       
  440,000  
  3.125%, 5/15/2022
    417,301  
            1,514,376  
               
     
Investigation and Security Services - 0.15%
       
     
Tyco International Finance
       
  105,000  
  3.375%, 10/15/2015
    109,268  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
27

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Principal
         
Amount
     
Value
 
           
   
Machinery Manufacturing - 0.69%
     
   
Kennametal, Inc.
     
$ 490,000  
  2.65%, 11/1/2019
  $ 484,375  
               
     
Management of Companies
       
     
  and Enterprises - 0.09%
       
     
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
       
  59,000  
  2.60%, 1/15/2016
    61,048  
               
     
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories - 0.23%
       
     
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings
       
  170,000  
  3.75%, 8/23/2022
    164,625  
               
     
Medical Equipment and
       
     
  Supplies Manufacturing - 0.14%
       
     
Zimmer Holdings, Inc.
       
  90,000  
  4.625%, 11/30/2019
    99,143  
               
     
Miscellaneous Manufacturing - 1.21%
       
     
Mattel, Inc.
       
  865,000  
  1.70%, 3/15/2018
    856,070  
               
     
Motion Picture and Video Industries - 0.78%
       
     
Viacom, Inc.
       
  522,000  
  3.50%, 4/1/2017
    552,897  
               
     
Newspaper, Periodical, Book,
       
     
  and Directory Publishers - 0.28%
       
     
Thomson Reuters Corp.
       
  193,000  
  3.95%, 9/30/2021
    194,858  
               
     
Non-Depository Credit Intermediation - 0.25%
       
     
American Express Credit
       
  150,000  
  2.80%, 9/19/2016
    157,638  
     
General Electric Capital Corp.
       
  15,000  
  5.55%, 10/15/2020
    16,672  
            174,310  
               
     
Nonmetallic Mineral
       
     
  Mining and Quarrying - 0.82%
       
     
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Inc.
       
  543,000  
  3.25%, 12/1/2017
    574,866  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
 
 
28

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Principal
         
Amount
     
Value
 
           
   
Office Supplies, Stationery,
     
   
  and Gift Stores - 0.98%
     
   
Staples, Inc.
     
$ 680,000  
  2.75%, 1/12/2018
  $ 690,587  
               
     
Pharmaceutical and Medicine
       
     
  Manufacturing - 0.95%
       
     
Amgen, Inc.
       
  656,000  
  2.125%, 5/15/2017
    671,897  
               
     
Securities and Commodity Contracts
       
     
  Intermediation and Brokerage - 0.57%
       
     
Prudential Financial, Inc.
       
  384,000  
  3.00%, 5/12/2016
    403,245  
               
     
Software Publishers - 0.96%
       
     
Symantec Corp.
       
  660,000  
  2.75%, 6/15/2017
    675,696  
               
     
Traveler Accommodation - 0.43%
       
     
Marriott International, Inc.
       
  320,000  
  3.25%, 9/15/2022
    301,548  
               
     
Utilities - 0.21%
       
     
Exelon Generation Co., LLC
       
  135,000  
  5.20%, 10/1/2019
    148,168  
               
     
TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS
       
     
  (Cost $10,614,770)
    10,580,429  
               
Shares
 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 15.43%
       
  10,871,084  
Invesco STIT-Treasury Portfolio -
       
     
  Institutional Class, 0.02% (b)
    10,871,084  
     
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
       
     
  (Cost $10,871,084)
    10,871,084  
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES
       
     
  (Cost $68,958,887) - 99.73%
    70,275,455  
     
Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities - 0.27%
    189,753  
     
NET ASSETS - 100.00%
  $ 70,465,208  

ADR - American Depositary Receipt
ETF - Exchange-Traded Fund
(a)
U.S. traded security of a foreign issuer.
(b)
Rate shown is the 7-day annualized yield as of November 30, 2013.
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
29

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013

Shares
 
COMMON STOCKS - 53.05%
 
Value
 
           
   
Broadcasting (except Internet) - 1.02%
     
  3,903  
Cablevision Systems Corp.
     
     
  NY Group - Class A
  $ 65,453  
               
     
Chemical Manufacturing - 6.62%
       
  2,033  
Eli Lilly & Co.
    102,097  
  2,745  
Johnson & Johnson
    259,842  
  2,601  
Olin Corp.
    64,583  
            426,522  
               
     
Computer and Electronic
       
     
  Product Manufacturing - 5.76%
       
  554  
Apple, Inc.
    308,063  
  5,028  
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson - ADR
    62,900  
            370,963  
               
     
Credit Intermediation and
       
     
  Related Activities - 4.23%
       
  6,946  
Fifth Third Bancorp
    141,143  
  4,174  
People’s United Financial, Inc.
    63,194  
  1,029  
Royal Bank of Canada (a)
    68,449  
            272,786  
               
     
Forestry and Logging - 2.01%
       
  4,296  
Weyerhaeuser Co.
    129,439  
               
     
Funds, Trusts, and Other
       
     
  Financial Vehicles - 8.41%
       
  10,952  
American Capital Agency Corp.
    223,201  
  3,915  
DDR Corp.
    62,601  
  1,041  
Macerich Co.
    59,275  
  6,786  
NorthStar Realty Finance Corp.
    67,046  
  2,141  
OMEGA Healthcare Investors, Inc.
    69,989  
  3,198  
Redwood Trust, Inc.
    59,419  
            541,531  
               
     
Furniture and Home
       
     
  Furnishings Stores - 1.13%
       
  1,231  
Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
    72,777  
               
     
General Merchandise Stores - 3.80%
       
  3,829  
Target Corp.
    244,788  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
30

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Shares
     
Value
 
           
   
Insurance Carriers and
     
   
  Related Activities - 2.05%
     
  1,257  
Cincinnati Financial Corp.
  $ 65,879  
  3,408  
Manulife Financial Corp. (a)
    65,877  
            131,756  
               
     
Oil and Gas Extraction - 2.10%
       
  7,034  
Encana Corp. (a)
    134,982  
               
     
Paper Manufacturing - 1.31%
       
  1,809  
International Paper Co.
    84,390  
               
     
Printing and Related
       
     
  Support Activities - 1.07%
       
  1,415  
Avery Dennison Corp.
    69,194  
               
     
Publishing Industries
       
     
  (except Internet) - 2.42%
       
  4,566  
Gannett Co., Inc.
    123,556  
  863  
Thomson Reuters Corp. (a)
    32,259  
            155,815  
               
     
Real Estate - 0.91%
       
  2,157  
Hospitality Properties Trust
    58,606  
               
     
Telecommunications - 0.89%
       
  1,288  
Rogers Communications, Inc. - Class B (a)
    57,741  
               
     
Transportation Equipment
       
     
  Manufacturing - 1.23%
       
  1,446  
TAL International Group, Inc.
    79,009  
               
     
Utilities - 6.13%
       
  2,907  
Entergy Corp.
    179,915  
  3,739  
PG&E Corp.
    150,943  
  3,748  
TECO Energy, Inc.
    63,866  
            394,724  
               
     
Waste Management and
       
     
  Remediation Services - 1.96%
       
  2,768  
Waste Management, Inc.
    126,442  
     
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
     
  (Cost $3,305,030)
    3,416,918  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
31

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Shares
 
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS - 32.08%
 
Value
 
               
  6,086  
iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF
  $ 308,134  
  9,863  
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield
       
     
  Corporate Bond ETF
    921,401  
  20,543  
SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF
    837,127  
     
TOTAL EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS
       
     
  (Cost $2,053,260)
    2,066,662  
               
     
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 12.76%
       
               
  821,841  
Invesco STIT-Treasury Portfolio -
       
     
  Institutional Class, 0.02% (b)
    821,841  
     
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
       
     
  (Cost $821,841)
    821,841  
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES
       
     
  (Cost $6,180,131) - 97.89%
    6,305,421  
     
Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities - 2.11%
    135,725  
     
NET ASSETS - 100.00%
  $ 6,441,146  

ADR - American Depositary Receipt
ETF - Exchange-Traded Fund
(a)
U.S. traded security of a foreign issuer.
(b)
Rate shown is the 7-day annualized yield as of November 30, 2013.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
32

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013

Shares
 
COMMON STOCKS - 83.70%
 
Value
 
           
   
Broadcasting (except Internet) - 1.14%
     
  1,692  
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. - Class A
  $ 55,531  
               
     
Building Material and
       
     
  Garden Equipment - 3.97%
       
  2,385  
Home Depot, Inc.
    192,398  
               
     
Chemical Manufacturing - 5.53%
       
  1,443  
Agrium, Inc. (a)
    129,971  
  2,756  
Eli Lilly & Co.
    138,406  
            268,377  
               
     
Clothing and Clothing
       
     
  Accessories Stores - 3.09%
       
  3,848  
Foot Locker, Inc.
    149,649  
               
     
Computer and Electronic
       
     
  Product Manufacturing - 6.08%
       
  365  
Apple, Inc.
    202,967  
  7,340  
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson - ADR
    91,823  
            294,790  
               
     
Credit Intermediation and
       
     
  Related Activities - 7.95%
       
  6,680  
Fifth Third Bancorp
    135,738  
  3,388  
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
    193,861  
  953  
Northern Trust Corp.
    56,217  
            385,816  
               
     
Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and
       
     
  Component Manufacturing - 1.08%
       
  475  
Energizer Holdings, Inc.
    52,416  
               
     
Food Manufacturing - 2.92%
       
  2,807  
General Mills, Inc.
    141,557  
               
     
Food Services and Drinking Places - 2.19%
       
  2,257  
Brinker International, Inc.
    106,147  
               
     
Funds, Trusts, and Other
       
     
  Financial Vehicles - 2.02%
       
  4,812  
American Capital Agency Corp.
    98,069  
               
     
Furniture and Home
       
     
  Furnishings Stores - 2.12%
       
  1,739  
Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
    102,810  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
 
 
33

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Shares
     
Value
 
           
   
Furniture and Related
     
   
  Product Manufacturing - 0.93%
     
  1,491  
Leggett & Platt, Inc.
  $ 45,043  
               
     
General Merchandise Stores - 5.20%
       
  1,607  
Target Corp.
    102,736  
  1,845  
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    149,462  
            252,198  
               
     
Insurance Carriers and
       
     
  Related Activities - 11.15%
       
  959  
Cincinnati Financial Corp.
    50,261  
  5,648  
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. - Class A
    164,188  
  2,009  
First American Financial Corp.
    53,158  
  1,387  
Prudential Financial, Inc.
    123,110  
  1,655  
Travelers Cos., Inc.
    150,175  
            540,892  
               
     
Merchant Wholesalers,
       
     
  Nondurable Goods - 1.46%
       
  2,103  
Sysco Corp.
    70,724  
               
     
Miscellaneous Manufacturing - 4.28%
       
  3,588  
Coach, Inc.
    207,745  
               
     
Paper Manufacturing - 1.09%
       
  863  
Packaging Corp. of America
    52,867  
               
     
Primary Metal Manufacturing - 1.15%
       
  1,332  
Worthington Industries, Inc.
    55,851  
               
     
Professional, Scientific &
       
     
  Technical Services - 3.48%
       
  3,123  
Infosys Ltd. - ADR
    168,704  
               
     
Securities, Commodity Contracts,
       
     
  and Other Financial Investments
       
     
  and Related Activities - 5.58%
       
  205  
BlackRock, Inc.
    62,064  
  5,175  
Janus Cap Group, Inc.
    56,304  
  1,895  
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.
    152,472  
            270,840  
               
     
Telecommunications - 5.86%
       
  5,297  
AT&T, Inc.
    186,508  
  1,081  
BCE, Inc. (a)
    47,769  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
34

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Shares
     
Value
 
           
   
Telecommunications - 5.86%, Continued
     
  1,111  
Rogers Communications, Inc. - Class B (a)
  $ 49,806  
            284,083  
               
     
Transportation Equipment
       
     
  Manufacturing - 1.55%
       
  680  
United Technologies Corp.
    75,385  
               
     
Utilities - 1.86%
       
  2,159  
Wisconsin Energy Corp.
    90,181  
               
     
Waste Management and
       
     
  Remediation Services - 2.02%
       
  2,147  
Waste Management, Inc.
    98,075  
     
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
     
  (Cost $3,839,115)
    4,060,148  
               
     
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS - 9.50%
       
               
  4,020  
iShares iBoxx $ Investment
       
     
  Grade Corporate Bond ETF
    460,933  
     
TOTAL EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS
       
     
  (Cost $457,448)
    460,933  
               
     
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 12.49%
       
               
  606,143  
Invesco STIT-Treasury Portfolio -
       
     
  Institutional Class, 0.02% (b)
    606,143  
     
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
       
     
  (Cost $606,143)
    606,143  
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES
       
     
  (Cost $4,902,706) - 105.69%
    5,127,224  
     
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets - (5.69)%
    (276,200 )
     
NET ASSETS - 100.00%
  $ 4,851,024  

ADR - American Depositary Receipt
ETF - Exchange-Traded Fund
(a)
U.S. traded security of a foreign issuer.
(b)
Rate Shown is the 7-day annualized yield as of November 30, 2013.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
35

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013

Shares
 
COMMON STOCKS - 96.54%
 
Value
 
           
   
Administrative and Support Services - 3.02%
     
  58,876  
Robert Half International, Inc.
  $ 2,274,380  
               
     
Beverage and Tobacco
       
     
  Product Manufacturing - 2.53%
       
  20,056  
Fomento Economico Mexicano,
       
     
  S.A.B. de C.V. - ADR
    1,904,317  
               
     
Broadcasting (except Internet) - 2.24%
       
  51,336  
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. - Class A
    1,684,848  
               
     
Chemical Manufacturing - 14.07%
       
  28,658  
Agrium, Inc. (a)
    2,581,226  
  34,978  
Axiall Corp.
    1,584,503  
  28,206  
Eastman Chemical Co.
    2,172,708  
  42,720  
Eli Lilly & Co.
    2,145,399  
  7,126  
Novo Nordisk A/S - ADR
    1,273,630  
  84,260  
PDL BioPharma, Inc.
    823,220  
            10,580,686  
               
     
Clothing and Clothing
       
     
  Accessories Stores - 6.72%
       
  52,694  
Foot Locker, Inc.
    2,049,269  
  36,561  
Nordstrom, Inc.
    2,274,460  
  34,797  
Stage Stores, Inc.
    731,085  
            5,054,814  
               
     
Computer and Electronic
       
     
  Product Manufacturing - 8.43%
       
  5,963  
Apple, Inc.
    3,315,845  
  35,360  
Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    1,007,053  
  41,217  
ResMed, Inc. (a)(b)
    2,011,802  
            6,334,700  
               
     
Credit Intermediation and
       
     
  Related Activities - 6.09%
       
  152,760  
Fifth Third Bancorp
    3,104,083  
  97,179  
People’s United Financial, Inc.
    1,471,290  
            4,575,373  
               
     
Data Processing, Hosting,
       
     
  and Related Services - 4.11%
       
  38,639  
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
    3,091,893  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
36

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Shares
     
Value
 
           
   
Electrical Equipment, Appliance,
     
   
  and Component Manufacturing - 2.16%
     
  14,714  
Energizer Holdings, Inc.
  $ 1,623,690  
               
     
Food Manufacturing - 5.35%
       
  58,855  
General Mills, Inc.
    2,968,057  
  17,406  
Kellogg Co.
    1,055,500  
            4,023,557  
               
     
General Merchandise Stores - 1.21%
       
  14,214  
Target Corp.
    908,701  
               
     
Insurance Carriers and
       
     
  Related Activities - 6.17%
       
  80,136  
Manulife Financial Corp. (a)
    1,549,029  
  34,072  
Travelers Cos., Inc.
    3,091,693  
            4,640,722  
               
     
Management of Companies
       
     
  and Enterprises - 1.03%
       
  44,722  
Associated Banc-Corp
    771,007  
               
     
Merchant Wholesalers
       
     
  (Durable Goods) - 1.15%
       
  28,266  
Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. - Class A
    865,929  
               
     
Miscellaneous Manufacturing - 5.08%
       
  10,432  
Baxter International, Inc.
    714,070  
  53,669  
Coach, Inc.
    3,107,435  
            3,821,505  
               
     
Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers - 0.99%
       
  16,836  
Penske Automotive Group, Inc.
    747,855  
               
     
Professional, Scientific, and
       
     
  Technical Services - 6.57%
       
  7,017  
Amgen, Inc. (a)(b)
    800,499  
  14,396  
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.
    817,261  
  76,967  
Nielsen Holdings N.V. (a)
    3,321,896  
            4,939,656  
               
     
Publishing Industries
       
     
  (Except Internet) - 1.13%
       
  10,255  
SAP AG - ADR
    848,294  
               
     
Rail Transportation - 1.03%
       
  4,778  
Union Pacific Corp.
    774,227  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
37

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Shares
     
Value
 
           
   
Real Estate - 0.90%
     
  19,027  
Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc.
  $ 675,459  
               
     
Securities and Commodity Contracts
       
     
  Intermediation and Brokerage - 3.10%
       
  28,963  
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.
    2,330,363  
               
     
Securities, Commodity Contracts,
       
     
  and Other Financial Investments
       
     
  and Related Activities - 2.53%
       
  29,851  
Invesco Ltd. (a)
    1,040,308  
  79,032  
Janus Capital Group, Inc.
    859,868  
            1,900,176  
               
     
Transportation Equipment
       
     
  Manufacturing - 8.19%
       
  28,880  
Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    2,100,443  
  8,758  
Toyota Motor Corp. - ADR
    1,095,188  
  26,748  
United Technologies Corp.
    2,965,283  
            6,160,914  
               
     
Utilities - 2.74%
       
  49,241  
Wisconsin Energy Corp.
    2,056,797  
     
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
       
     
  (Cost $67,253,165)
    72,589,863  
               
     
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 3.38%
       
               
  2,540,807  
Invesco STIT-Treasury Portfolio -
       
     
  Institutional Class, 0.02% (c)
    2,540,807  
     
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
       
     
  (Cost $2,540,807)
    2,540,807  
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES
       
     
  (Cost $69,793,972) - 99.92%
    75,130,670  
     
Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities - 0.08%
    56,668  
     
NET ASSETS - 100.00%
  $ 75,187,338  

ADR - American Depositary Receipt
(a)
Non-income producing security.
(b)
U.S. traded security of a foreign issuer.
(c)
Rate shown is the 7-day annualized yield as of November 30, 2013.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
38

 












(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




 
39

 
WBI Funds

STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES at November 30, 2013

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return
   
Return
 
   
Balanced
   
Balanced
 
   
Fund
   
Plus Fund
 
ASSETS
           
    Investments in securities, at value
           
      (identified cost $68,958,887
           
      and $6,180,131, respectively)
  $ 70,275,455     $ 6,305,421  
    Receivables
               
        Dividends and interest
    234,761       11,032  
        Fund shares sold
    163,240       164,000  
        Dividend tax reclaim
    515       66  
        Due from Advisor (Note 4)
          15,002  
        Return of Capital
          1,012  
    Prepaid expenses
    17,717       20,146  
                Total assets
    70,691,688       6,516,679  
LIABILITIES
               
    Payables
               
        Fund shares redeemed
    73,817        
        Investment securities purchased
          6,825  
        Advisory fees
    51,939        
        Administration and fund accounting fees
    29,167       25,550  
        Audit fees
    19,500       15,400  
        Transfer agent fees and expenses
    19,180       11,000  
        12b-1 fees
    11,546       519  
        Shareholder reporting
    6,949       3,333  
        Shareholder servicing fees
    6,630       4,547  
        Legal fees
    2,674       3,427  
        Chief Compliance Officer fee
    2,250       2,433  
        Custody fees
    2,209       2,455  
        Trustee fees
          11  
    Accrued expenses
    619       33  
            Total liabilities
    226,480       75,533  
NET ASSETS
  $ 70,465,208     $ 6,441,146  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
 
 
40

 
WBI Funds

STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES at November 30, 2013, Continued

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return
   
Return
 
   
Balanced
   
Balanced
 
   
Fund
   
Plus Fund
 
CALCULATION OF NET ASSET
           
  VALUE PER SHARE
           
    No Load Shares
           
    Net assets applicable to shares outstanding
  $ 29,382,574     $ 1,311,779  
    Shares issued and outstanding [unlimited number
               
      of shares (par value $0.01) authorized]
    2,785,953       131,202  
    Net asset value, offering and
               
      redemption price per share
  $ 10.55     $ 10.00  
    Institutional Shares
               
    Net assets applicable to shares outstanding
  $ 41,082,634     $ 5,129,367  
    Shares issued and outstanding [unlimited number
               
      of shares (par value $0.01) authorized]
    3,883,868       513,011  
    Net asset value, offering and
               
      redemption price per share
  $ 10.58     $ 10.00  
COMPONENTS OF NET ASSETS
               
    Paid-in capital
  $ 69,885,284     $ 6,387,982  
    Undistributed net investment income
    110,844       11,271  
    Accumulated net realized loss from
               
      investments, foreign currency, and options
    (847,420 )     (83,395 )
    Net unrealized appreciation on investments
    1,316,500       125,288  
        Net assets
  $ 70,465,208     $ 6,441,146  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
41

 
WBI Funds

STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES at November 30, 2013, Continued

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return
   
Return
 
   
Dividend
   
Dividend
 
   
Income Fund
   
Growth Fund
 
ASSETS
           
    Investments in securities, at value
           
      (identified cost $4,902,706
           
      and $69,793,972, respectively)
  $ 5,127,224     $ 75,130,670  
    Receivables
               
        Dividends and interest
    3,020       173,922  
        Fund shares sold
    34,215       219,750  
        Dividend tax reclaim
    46       948  
        Due from Advisor (Note 4)
    17,921        
    Prepaid expenses
    20,108       21,770  
            Total assets
    5,202,534       75,547,060  
LIABILITIES
               
    Payables
               
        Investment securities purchased
    283,496       192,258  
        Fund shares redeemed
          905  
        Advisory fees
          56,374  
        Administration and fund accounting fees
    24,572       23,669  
        Audit fees
    15,400       19,500  
        Transfer agent fees and expenses
    12,078       14,945  
        Custody fees
    3,462       1,523  
        Legal fees
    3,427       2,818  
        Shareholder reporting
    3,333       2,729  
        Shareholder servicing fees
    3,022       33,094  
        Chief Compliance Officer fee
    2,433       2,250  
        12b-1 fees
    240       9,398  
        Trustee fees
    15        
    Accrued expenses
    32       259  
            Total liabilities
    351,510       359,722  
NET ASSETS
  $ 4,851,024     $ 75,187,338  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
 
 
42

 
WBI Funds

STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES at November 30, 2013, Continued

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return
   
Return
 
   
Balanced
   
Balanced
 
   
Fund
   
Plus Fund
 
CALCULATION OF NET ASSET
           
  VALUE PER SHARE
           
    No Load Shares
           
    Net assets applicable to shares outstanding
  $ 656,123     $ 26,984,726  
    Shares issued and outstanding [unlimited number
               
      of shares (par value $0.01) authorized]
    61,850       2,102,515  
    Net asset value, offering and
               
      redemption price per share
  $ 10.61     $ 12.83  
    Institutional Shares
               
    Net assets applicable to shares outstanding
  $ 4,194,901     $ 48,202,612  
    Shares issued and outstanding [unlimited number
               
      of shares (par value $0.01) authorized]
    395,308       3,744,884  
    Net asset value, offering and
               
      redemption price per share
  $ 10.61     $ 12.87  
COMPONENTS OF NET ASSETS
               
    Paid-in capital
  $ 4,661,784     $ 66,025,541  
    Undistributed net investment income
    (31 )     29,428  
    Accumulated net realized loss from
               
      investments, foreign currency, and options
    (35,246 )     3,795,793  
    Net unrealized appreciation on investments
    224.517       5,336,576  
        Net assets
  $ 4,851,024     $ 75,187,338  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
43

 

WBI Funds

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS For the period ended November 30, 2013

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return
   
Return
 
   
Balanced
   
Balanced
 
   
Fund
   
Plus Fund*
 
INVESTMENT INCOME
           
    Income
           
        Dividends (Net of foreign taxes withheld
           
          and issuance fees of $18,110 and
           
          $1,756, and $449 and $1, respectively)
  $ 1,578,059     $ 38,848  
        Interest
    339,812       51  
            Total investment income
    1,917,871       38,899  
        Expenses
               
        Advisory fees (Note 4)
    764,163       11,980  
        Shareholder servicing fees -
               
          Institutional Shares (Note 6)
    119,315       3,476  
        Shareholder servicing fees -
               
          No Load Shares (Note 6)
    81,359       1,316  
        Administration and fund
               
          accounting fees (Note 4)
    114,140       45,415  
        Transfer agent fees and expenses (Note 4)
    75,541       17,961  
        Distribution fees - No Load Shares (Note 5)
    75,417       822  
        Registration fees
    38,706       15,591  
        Audit fees
    19,500       15,400  
        Reports to shareholders
    13,372       3,333  
        Legal fees
    12,562       3,577  
        Custody fees (Note 4)
    10,695       6,414  
        Chief Compliance Officer fee (Note 4)
    9,000       4,175  
        Other expenses
    7,951       1,271  
        Trustee fees
    5,995       2,106  
        Insurance expense
    3,428       107  
        Interest expense (Note 8)
    49        
            Total expenses
    1,351,193       132,944  
            Add: advisory fee recoupment (Note 4)
    53,903        
            Less: advisory fee waiver and
               
              expense reimbursement (Note 4)
          (111,157 )
            Net expenses
    1,405,096       21,787  
                Net investment income
    512,775       17,112  

*  Commencement of operations on June 17, 2013.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
44

 
WBI Funds

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS For the period ended November 30, 2013, Continued

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return
   
Return
 
   
Balanced
   
Balanced
 
   
Fund
   
Plus Fund*
 
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS)
           
  ON INVESTMENTS AND OPTIONS
           
    Net realized gain/(loss) on:
           
        Investments
  $ (870,194 )   $ (84,691 )
        Purchased options
    (38,109 )     (395 )
        Written options
    33,799        
    Capital gain distributions from
               
      regulated investment companies
    904        
    Net change in unrealized
               
      appreciation on investments
    392,945       125,288  
    Net realized and unrealized
               
      gain/(loss) on investments
    (480,655 )     40,202  
        Net Increase in Net Assets
               
          Resulting from Operations
  $ 32,120     $ 57,314  

*  Commencement of operations on June 17, 2013.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
45

 
WBI Funds

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS For the period ended November 30, 2013, Continued

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return
   
Return
 
   
Dividend
   
Dividend
 
   
Income Fund
   
Growth Fund*
 
INVESTMENT INCOME
           
    Income
           
        Dividends (Net of foreign taxes withheld
           
          and issuance fees of $263 and $41,
           
          and $22,219 and $1,983 respectively)
  $ 16,628     $ 1,138,827  
        Interest
    41       1,798  
Total investment income
    16,669       1,140,625  
 
               
    Expenses
               
        Administration and fund
               
          accounting fees (Note 4)
    44,477       95,299  
        Transfer agent fees and expenses (Note 4)
    19,019       58,344  
        Registration fees
    15,591       32,977  
        Audit fees
    15,400       19,500  
        Advisory fees (Note 4)
    9,160       488,427  
        Custody fees (Note 4)
    7,806       8,899  
        Chief Compliance Officer fee (Note 4)
    4,175       9,000  
        Shareholder servicing fees -
               
          Institutional Shares (Note 6)
    2,905       78,298  
        Shareholder servicing fees -
               
          No Load Shares (Note 6)
    759       57,542  
        Legal fees
    3,577       11,649  
        Reports to shareholders
    3,333       4,832  
        Trustee fees
    2,111       3,929  
        Other expenses
    1,270       5,559  
        Distribution fees - No Load Shares (Note 5)
    475       50,298  
        Insurance expense
    108       2,840  
        Interest expense (Note 8)
          870  
            Total expenses
    130,166       928,263  
            Less: advisory fee waiver and
               
              expense reimbursement (Note 4)
    (113,659 )     (37,833 )
            Net expenses
    16,507       890,430  
                Net investment income
    162       250,195  

*  Commencement of operations on June 17, 2013.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
46

 
WBI Funds

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS For the period ended November 30, 2013, Continued

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return
   
Return
 
   
Dividend
   
Dividend
 
   
Income Fund
   
Growth Fund*
 
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS)
           
  ON INVESTMENTS AND OPTIONS
           
    Net realized gain/(loss) on:
           
        Investments
  $ (35,439 )   $ 4,864,770  
        Purchased options
          (106,717 )
        Written options
          50,469  
    Capital gain distributions from
               
      regulated investment companies
          149  
    Net change in unrealized
               
      appreciation on investments
    224,517       3,588,924  
    Net realized and unrealized
               
      gain on investments
    189,078       8,397,595  
        Net Increase in Net Assets
               
          Resulting from Operations
  $ 189,240     $ 8,647,790  

*  Commencement of operations on June 17, 2013.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
47

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
November 30, 2013
   
November 30, 2012
 
INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN
           
  NET ASSETS FROM:
           
OPERATIONS
           
      Net investment income
  $ 512,775     $ 243,640  
      Net realized gain/(loss) on:
               
            Investments
    (870,194 )     1,038,037  
            Purchased options
    (38,109 )      
            Written options
    33,799        
      Capital gain distributions from
               
        regulated investment companies
    904        
      Net change in unrealized
               
        appreciation on investments
    392,945       655,784  
      Net increase in net assets
               
        resulting from operations
    32,120       1,937,461  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
               
      From net investment income:
               
            No Load Shares
    (142,269 )     (76,572 )
            Institutional Shares
    (292,614 )     (151,082 )
      From net realized gain on investments:
               
            No Load Shares
    (172,158 )      
            Institutional Shares
    (278,662 )      
      Total distributions to shareholders
    (885,703 )     (227,654 )
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
               
      Net increase in net assets derived from
               
        net change in outstanding shares (a)
    16,891,517       41,532,898  
      Total increase in net assets
    16,037,934       43,242,705  
NET ASSETS
               
      Beginning of year
    54,427,274       11,184,569  
      End of year
  $ 70,465,208     $ 54,427,274  
      Undistributed net investment
               
        income at end of year
  $ 110,844     $ 59,191  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
48

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS, Continued

(a) A summary of share transactions is as follows:
 
   
No Load Shares
   
No Load Shares
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
November 30, 2013
   
November 30, 2012
 
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
 
Shares sold
    2,119,484     $ 22,566,059       1,737,707     $ 18,214,570  
Shares issued on
                               
  reinvestments of
                               
  distributions
    27,679       291,874       6,675       68,750  
Shares redeemed**
    (1,316,218 )     (13,944,530 )     (298,824 )     (3,125,867 )
Net increase
    830,945     $ 8,913,403       1,445,558     $ 15,157,453  
** Net of redemption fees of
          $ 1,365             $ 1,255  
                                 
   
Institutional Shares
   
Institutional Shares
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
November 30, 2013
   
November 30, 2012
 
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
 
Shares sold
    3,619,838     $ 38,666,263       2,862,198     $ 29,943,312  
Shares issued on
                               
  reinvestments of
                               
  distributions
    39,043       412,268       8,263       85,773  
Shares redeemed**
    (2,922,590 )     (31,100,417 )     (349,670 )     (3,653,640 )
Net increase
    736,291     $ 7,978,114       2,520,791     $ 26,375,445  
** Net of redemption fees of
          $ 3,346             $ 2,332  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
49

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30, 2013
 
INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM:
     
OPERATIONS
     
      Net investment income
  $ 17,112  
      Net realized gain/(loss) on:
       
            Investments
    (84,691 )
            Purchased options
    (395 )
      Net change in unrealized appreciation on investments
    125,288  
      Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
    57,314  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
       
      From net investment income:
       
            No Load Shares
    (3,432 )
            Institutional Shares
    (718 )
      Total distributions to shareholders
    (4,150 )
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
       
      Net increase in net assets derived from
       
        net change in outstanding shares (a)
    6,387,982  
      Total increase in net assets
    6,441,146  
NET ASSETS
       
      Beginning of period
     
      End of period
  $ 6,441,146  
      Undistributed net investment income at end of period
  $ 11,271  

*  Commencement of operations.
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
50

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS, Continued

(a) A summary of share transactions is as follows:
 
   
No Load Shares
 
   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30, 2013
 
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
 
Shares sold
    247,223     $ 2,450,292  
Shares issued on reinvestments of distributions
    68       666  
Shares redeemed**
    (116,089 )     (1,150,906 )
Net increase
    131,202     $ 1,300,052  
                 
   
Institutional Shares
 
   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30, 2013
 
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
 
Shares sold
    527,630     $ 5,232,554  
Shares issued on reinvestments of distributions
    350       3,433  
Shares redeemed**
    (14,969 )     (148,057 )
Net increase
    513,011     $ 5,087,930  
** Net of redemption fees of
          $ 998  

*  Commencement of operations.
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
51

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30, 2013
 
INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM:
     
OPERATIONS
     
      Net investment income
  $ 162  
      Net realized loss
    (35,439 )
      Net change in unrealized appreciation on investments
    224,517  
      Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
    189,240  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
       
      Return of capital:
       
            No Load Shares
    (280 )
            Institutional Shares
    (1,426 )
      Total distributions to shareholders
    (1,706 )
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
       
      Net increase in net assets derived from
       
        net change in outstanding shares (a)
    4,663,490  
      Total increase in net assets
    4,851,024  
NET ASSETS
       
      Beginning of period
     
      End of period
  $ 4,851,024  
      Undistributed net investment loss at end of period
  $ (31 )

*  Commencement of operations.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
52

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS, Continued

(a) A summary of share transactions is as follows:
 
   
No Load Shares
 
   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30, 2013
 
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
 
Shares sold
    106,709     $ 1,083,643  
Shares issued on reinvestments of distributions
    24       238  
Shares redeemed**
    (44,883 )     (454,266 )
Net increase
    61,850     $ 629,615  
                 
   
Institutional Shares
 
   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30, 2013
 
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
 
Shares sold
    406,173     $ 4,145,082  
Shares issued on reinvestments of distributions
    142       1,426  
Shares redeemed**
    (11,007 )     (112,633 )
Net increase
    395,308     $ 4,033,875  
** Net of redemption fees of
          $ 411  

*  Commencement of operations.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
53

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS


   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
November 30, 2013
   
November 30, 2012
 
INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN
           
  NET ASSETS FROM:
           
OPERATIONS
           
      Net investment income
  $ 250,195     $ 216,332  
      Net realized gain/(loss) on:
               
            Investments
    4,864,770       2,724,400  
            Purchased options
    (106,717 )      
            Written options
    50,469        
      Capital gain distributions from
               
        regulated investment companies
    149        
      Net change in unrealized
               
        appreciation on investments
    3,588,924       454,030  
      Net increase in net assets
               
        resulting from operations
    8,647,790       3,394,762  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
               
      From net investment income:
               
            No Load Shares
    (98,593 )     (62,674 )
            Institutional Shares
    (182,134 )     (153,402 )
      Total distributions to shareholders
    (280,727 )     (216,076 )
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
               
      Net increase in net assets derived from
               
        net change in outstanding shares (a)
    40,603,632       2,997,086  
      Total increase in net assets
    48,970,695       6,175,772  
NET ASSETS
               
      Beginning of year
    26,216,643       20,040,871  
      End of year
  $ 75,187,338     $ 26,216,643  
      Undistributed net investment
               
        income at end of year
  $ 29,428     $ 60,018  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
54

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS, Continued


(a) A summary of share transactions is as follows:
 
   
No Load Shares
   
No Load Shares
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
November 30, 2013
   
November 30, 2012
 
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
 
Shares sold
    1,434,793     $ 16,988,860       925,830     $ 9,548,415  
Shares issued on
                               
  reinvestments of
                               
  distributions
    7,977       88,515       5,215       53,827  
Shares redeemed**
    (525,013 )     (6,362,848 )     (253,178 )     (2,596,668 )
Net increase
    917,757     $ 10,714,527       677,867     $ 7,005,574  
**  Net of redemption fees of
          $ 1,148             $ 2,108  
                                 
   
Institutional Shares
   
Institutional Shares
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
November 30, 2013
   
November 30, 2012
 
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
   
Shares
   
Paid-in Capital
 
Shares sold
    3,293,527     $ 39,116,693       730,501     $ 7,446,093  
Shares issued on
                               
  reinvestments of
                               
  distributions
    13,483       152,890       13,940       139,700  
Shares redeemed**
    (788,540 )     (9,380,478 )     (1,120,634 )     (11,594,281 )
Net increase/(decrease)
    2,518,470     $ 29,889,105       (376,193 )   $ (4,008,488 )
**  Net of redemption fees of
          $ 1,456             $ 1,304  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
55

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – For a share outstanding throughout each period

   
No Load Shares
 
               
December 29,
 
                  2010*  
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
to
 
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
 
   
2013
   
2012
      2011  
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.65     $ 9.83     $ 10.00  
Income from investment operations:
                       
     Net investment income^
    0.05       0.08       0.08  
     Net realized and unrealized
                       
       gain/(loss) on investments
    (0.02 )     0.83       (0.25 )
Total from investment operations
    0.03       0.91       (0.17 )
Less distributions:
                       
     From net investment income
    (0.05 )     (0.09 )      
     From net realized gain on investments
    (0.08 )            
Total distributions
    (0.13 )     (0.09 )      
Redemption fees retained^#
    0.00       0.00       0.00  
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 10.55     $ 10.65     $ 9.83  
                         
Total return
    0.32 %     9.34 %     -1.70 %‡
                         
Ratios/supplemental data:
                       
Net assets, end of period (thousands)
  $ 29,383     $ 20,826     $ 5,010  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (a):
                       
     Before expense
                       
       reimbursement/recoupment
    1.93 %     2.21 %     6.66 %†
     After expense
                       
       reimbursement/recoupment
    2.00 %     2.00 %     2.00 %†
Ratio of net investment income/(loss)
                       
  to average net assets (b):
                       
     Before expense
                       
       reimbursement/recoupment
    0.59 %     0.51 %     (3.77 )%†
     After expense
                       
       reimbursement/recoupment
    0.52 %     0.72 %     0.89 %†
Portfolio turnover rate
    247.36 %     202.76 %     225.23 %‡

*
Commencement of operations.
^
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
#
Amount is less than $0.01.
Not annualized.
Annualized.
(a)
Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(b)
Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
56

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – For a share outstanding throughout each period

   
Institutional Shares
 
               
December 29,
 
                  2010*  
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
to
 
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
 
   
2013
   
2012
      2011  
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.68     $ 9.85     $ 10.00  
Income from investment operations:
                       
     Net investment income^
    0.08       0.10       0.10  
     Net realized and unrealized
                       
       gain/(loss) on investments
    (0.03 )     0.84       (0.25 )
Total from investment operations
    0.05       0.94       (0.15 )
Less distributions:
                       
     From net investment income
    (0.07 )     (0.11 )      
     From net realized gain on investments
    (0.08 )            
Total distributions
    (0.15 )     (0.11 )      
Redemption fees retained^#
    0.00       0.00       0.00  
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 10.58     $ 10.68     $ 9.85  
                         
Total return
    0.51 %     9.65 %     -1.50 %‡
                         
Ratios/supplemental data:
                       
Net assets, end of period (thousands)
  $ 41,083     $ 33,602     $ 6,174  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (a):
                       
     Before expense
                       
       reimbursement/recoupment
    1.66 %     1.94 %     5.80 %†
     After expense
                       
       reimbursement/recoupment
    1.73 %     1.75 %     1.75 %†
Ratio of net investment income/(loss)
                       
  to average net assets (b):
                       
     Before expense
                       
       reimbursement/recoupment
    0.84 %     0.76 %     (2.97 )%†
     After expense
                       
       reimbursement/recoupment
    0.77 %     0.95 %     1.08 %†
Portfolio turnover rate
    247.36 %     202.76 %     225.23 %‡

*
Commencement of operations.
^
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
#
Amount is less than $0.01.
Not annualized.
Annualized.
(a)
Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(b)
Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
57

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – For a share outstanding throughout each period

   
No Load Shares
 
   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30,
 
   
2013
 
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.00  
Income from investment operations:
       
     Net investment income^
    0.04  
     Net realized and unrealized loss on investments
    (0.03 )
Total from investment operations
    0.01  
Less distributions:
       
     From net investment income
    (0.01 )
Total distributions
    (0.01 )
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 10.00  
         
Total return
    0.08 %‡
         
Ratios/supplemental data:
       
Net assets, end of period (thousands)
  $ 1,312  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (a):
       
     Before expense reimbursement
    16.32 %†
     After expense reimbursement
    2.00 %†
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets (b):
       
     Before expense reimbursement
    (13.36 )%†
     After expense reimbursement
    0.96 %†
Portfolio turnover rate
    86.29 %‡

*
Commencement of operations.
^
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
Not annualized.
Annualized.
(a)
Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(b)
Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
58

 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – For a share outstanding throughout each period

   
Institutional
 
   
Shares
 
   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30,
 
   
2013
 
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.00  
Income from investment operations:
       
     Net investment income^
    0.07  
     Net realized and unrealized loss on investments
    (0.06 )
Total from investment operations
    0.01  
Less distributions:
       
    From net investment income
       
 
    (0.01 )
Total distributions
    (0.01 )
Redemption fees retained^#
    0.00  
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 10.00  
         
Total return
    0.13 %‡
         
Ratios/supplemental data:
       
Net assets, end of period (thousands)
  $ 5,129  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (a):
       
     Before expense reimbursement
    9.12 %†
     After expense reimbursement
    1.75 %†
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets (b):
       
     Before expense reimbursement
    (5.76 )%†
     After expense reimbursement
    1.61 %†
Portfolio turnover rate
    86.29 %‡

*
Commencement of operations.
^
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
#
Amount is less than $0.01.
Not annualized.
Annualized.
(a)
Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(b)
Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
59

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – For a share outstanding throughout each period

   
No Load Shares
 
   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30,
 
   
2013
 
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.00  
Income from investment operations:
       
     Net realized and unrealized gain on investments
    0.61  
Total from investment operations
    0.61  
Less distributions:
       
     Return of capital#
    0.00  
Total distributions
    0.00  
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 10.61  
         
Total return
    6.14 %‡
         
Ratios/supplemental data:
       
Net assets, end of period (thousands)
  $ 656  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (a):
       
     Before expense reimbursement
    17.07 %†
     After expense reimbursement
    2.00 %†
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets (b):
       
     Before expense reimbursement
    (15.07 )%†
     After expense reimbursement
    0.00 %†
Portfolio turnover rate
    49.43 %‡

*
Commencement of operations.
^
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
#
Amount is less than $0.01.
Not annualized.
Annualized.
(a)
Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(b)
Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
60

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – For a share outstanding throughout each period

   
Institutional
 
   
Shares
 
   
June 17, 2013*
 
   
to
 
   
November 30,
 
   
2013
 
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.00  
Income from investment operations:
       
     Net investment income^#
    0.00  
     Net realized and unrealized gain on investments
    0.62  
Total from investment operations
    0.62  
Less distributions:
       
     Return of capital
    (0.01 )
Total distributions
    (0.01 )
Redemption fees retained^#
    0.00  
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 10.61  
         
Total return
    6.19 %‡
         
Ratios/supplemental data:
       
Net assets, end of period (thousands)
  $ 4,195  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (a):
       
     Before expense reimbursement
    13.46 %†
     After expense reimbursement
    1.75 %†
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets (b):
       
     Before expense reimbursement
    (11.69 )%†
     After expense reimbursement
    0.02 %†
Portfolio turnover rate
    49.43 %‡

*
Commencement of operations.
^
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
#
Amount is less than $0.01.
Not annualized.
Annualized.
(a)
Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(b)
Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
61

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – For a share outstanding throughout each period


   
No Load Shares
 
               
December 29,
 
                  2010*  
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
to
 
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
 
   
2013
   
2012
      2011  
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.86     $ 9.50     $ 10.00  
Income from investment operations:
                       
     Net investment income^
    0.04       0.06       0.03  
     Net realized and unrealized
                       
       gain/(loss) on investments
    2.01       1.37       (0.55 )
Total from investment operations
    2.05       1.43       (0.52 )
Less distributions:
                       
    From net investment income
    (0.08 )     (0.07 )      
Total distributions
    (0.08 )     (0.07 )      
Redemption fees retained^
    0.00#       0.00#       0.02  
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 12.83     $ 10.86     $ 9.50  
                         
Total return
    18.96 %     15.16 %     -5.00 %‡
                         
Ratios/supplemental data:
                       
Net assets, end of period (thousands)
  $ 26,985     $ 12,866     $ 4,815  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (a):
                       
     Before expense reimbursement
    2.07 %     2.31 %     4.56 %†
     After expense reimbursement
    2.00 %     2.00 %     2.00 %†
Ratio of net investment income/(loss)
                       
  to average net assets (b):
                       
     Before expense reimbursement
    0.29 %     0.23 %     (2.20 )%†
     After expense reimbursement
    0.36 %     0.54 %     0.36 %†
Portfolio turnover rate
    219.78 %     261.95 %     301.31 %‡

*
Commencement of operations.
^
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
#
Amount is less than $0.01.
Not annualized.
Annualized.
(a)
Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(b)
Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
62

 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – For a share outstanding throughout each period

   
Institutional Shares
 
               
December 29,
 
                  2010*  
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
   
to
 
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
 
   
2013
   
2012
      2011  
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.89     $ 9.50     $ 10.00  
Income from investment operations:
                       
     Net investment income^
    0.07       0.10       0.05  
     Net realized and unrealized
                       
       gain/(loss) on investments
    2.01       1.39       (0.55 )
Total from investment operations
    2.08       1.49       (0.50 )
Less distributions:
                       
     From net investment income
    (0.10 )     (0.10 )      
Total distributions
    (0.10 )     (0.10 )      
Redemption fees retained^#
    0.00       0.00       0.00  
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 12.87     $ 10.89     $ 9.50  
                         
Total return
    19.29 %     15.75 %     -5.00 %‡
                         
Ratios/supplemental data:
                       
Net assets, end of period (thousands)
  $ 48,203     $ 13,351     $ 15,226  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (a):
                       
     Before expense reimbursement
    1.79 %     1.95 %     2.92 %†
     After expense reimbursement
    1.70 %     1.57 %     1.75 %†
Ratio of net investment income/(loss)
                       
  to average net assets (b):
                       
     Before expense reimbursement
    0.53 %     0.61 %     (0.59 )%†
     After expense reimbursement
    0.62 %     0.99 %     0.58 %†
Portfolio turnover rate
    219.78 %     261.95 %     301.31 %‡

*
Commencement of operations.
^
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
#
Amount is less than $0.01.
Not annualized.
Annualized.
(a)
Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(b)
Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 
63

 
WBI Funds
 
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013

NOTE 1 – ORGANIZATION
 
The WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund (the “Funds”) are each diversified series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”), which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) as an open-end management investment company.  Each Fund offers No Load Shares and Institutional Shares. The investment objective of the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund and the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund is to seek current income and long-term appreciation, while also seeking to protect principal during unfavorable market conditions. The investment objective of the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund  and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund  is to seek long-term capital appreciation and current income. The WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund commenced operations on December 29, 2010. The WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund commenced operations on June 17, 2013.
 
NOTE 2 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Funds. These policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
 
 
A.
Security Valuation:  All investments in securities are recorded at their estimated fair value, as described in note 3.
 
 
B.
Federal Income Taxes:  It is the Funds’ policy to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to shareholders. Therefore, no Federal income or excise tax provision is required.
 
The Funds recognize the tax benefits of uncertain tax positions only where the position is “more likely than not” to be sustained assuming examination by tax authorities.  Management has analyzed the Funds’ tax positions, and has concluded that no liability for unrecognized tax benefits should be recorded related to uncertain tax positions taken on returns filed for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund and WBI Balanced Fund Dividend Growth Fund open tax years 2011-2012, or expected to be taken in the Funds’ 2013 tax returns.  The Funds identify their major tax jurisdictions as U.S. Federal and the state of Wisconsin; however the Funds are not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will change materially in the next twelve months.
 

 
64

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

 
C.
Security Transactions, Income and Distributions:  Security transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized gains and losses on securities sold are determined on the basis of identified cost. Interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Dividend income, income and capital gain distributions from underlying funds, and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends have been provided for in accordance with the Funds’ understanding of the applicable country’s tax rules and rates.
 
The Funds distribute substantially all net investment income, if any, quarterly, and net realized capital gains, if any, annually.  The amount of dividends and distributions to shareholders from net investment income and net realized capital gains is determined in accordance with Federal income tax regulations, which differs from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  To the extent these book/tax differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on their Federal tax treatment.
 
Investment income, expenses (other than those specific to the class of shares), and realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments are allocated to the separate classes of each Fund based upon their relative net assets on the date income is earned or expensed and realized and unrealized gains and losses are incurred.
 
Each Fund is charged for those expenses that are directly attributable to the Fund, such as investment advisory, custody and transfer agent fees.  Expenses that are not attributable to a Fund are typically allocated among the Funds in proportion to their respective net assets.
 
 
D.
Reclassification of Capital Accounts:  Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America require that certain components of net assets relating to permanent differences be reclassified between financial and tax reporting.  These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
 
   
Net Investment
   
Accumulated Net
 
   
Income
   
Realized Gain/(Loss)
 
WBI Absolute Return
           
  Balanced Fund
  $ (26,239 )   $ 26,239  
WBI Absolute Return
               
  Balanced Plus Fund
    (1,691 )     1,691  
WBI Absolute Return
               
  Dividend Income Fund
    (193 )     193  
WBI Absolute Return
               
  Dividend Growth Fund
    (58 )     58  

 
65

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

 
E.
Use of Estimates:  The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
 
F.
Redemption Fees:  The Funds charge a 2.00% redemption fee to shareholders who redeem shares held for 60 days or less.  Such fees are retained by the Fund and accounted for as an addition to paid-in capital.  During the year ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund – No Load Shares, and Institutional Shares retained $1,365 and $3,346, respectively, in redemption fees. During the period ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund – Institutional Shares retained $998 in redemption fees. During the period ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund – Institutional Shares retained $411 in redemption fees. During the year ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund – No Load Shares and Institutional Shares retained $1,148 and $1,456, respectively, in redemption fees.
 
 
G.
Derivative Transactions:  The Funds have adopted the financial accounting reporting rules as required by the Derivatives and Hedging Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. The Funds are required to include enhanced disclosure that enables investors to understand how and why an entity uses derivatives, how derivatives are accounted for, and how derivative instruments affect an entity’s results of operations and financial position.
 
The Funds are subject to equity price risk in the normal course of pursuing their investment objectives. The Funds enter into written call options to hedge against changes in the value of equities. The writing of call options is intended to reduce the volatility of the portfolio and to earn premium income. Written call options expose the Funds to minimal counterparty credit risk since they are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearing house guarantees the options against default. The Funds may also purchase put options to provide protection against adverse price effects from changes in prices of securities. In addition, the Funds enter into written put options to hedge against changes in the value of purchased put options.
 
The Funds may purchase and write call and put options on securities and indices and enter into related closing transactions. As a holder of a call option, the Funds have the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a
 

 
66

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

security at the exercise price during the exercise period. As the writer of a call option, the Funds have the obligation to sell the security at the exercise price during the exercise period in the event the option is exercised. As a holder of a put option, the Funds have the right, but not the obligation, to sell a security at the exercise price during the exercise period. As the writer of a put option, the Funds have the obligation to buy the underlying security at the exercise price during the exercise period.
 
When the Funds write an option, an amount equal to the premium received by the Funds is recorded as a liability and is subsequently adjusted to the current fair value of the option written. Premiums received from writing options that expire unexercised are treated by the Funds on the expiration date as realized gains from options written. The difference between the premium and the amount paid on effecting a closing purchase transaction, including brokerage commissions, is also treated as a realized gain, or, if the premium is less than the amount paid for the closing purchase transaction, as a realized loss. If a call option is exercised, the premium is added to the proceeds from the sale of the underlying security or currency in determining whether the Funds have realized a gain or a loss. If a put option is exercised, the premium is deducted from the cost basis of the security purchased. The Funds, as writers of an option, bear the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the security underlying the written option.
 
When purchasing options, the Funds will recognize a realized loss equal to the premium paid to purchase the option, if the option expires unexercised. The difference between the proceeds received on effecting a closing sale transaction and the premium paid will be recognized as a realized gain or loss. If a put option is exercised, the premium paid is deducted from the proceeds on the sale of the underlying security in determining whether the Funds have a realized gain or loss.
 
Average Balance Information
 
The average monthly market values of purchased and written options during the year ended November 30, 2013, for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund was $4,394 and $4,874, respectively.
 

 
67

 
WBI Funds
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

Transactions in written options contracts for the year ended November 30, 2013, are as follows:
 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund
 
   
Contracts
   
Premiums Received
 
Beginning Balance
        $  
Options Written
    469       46,316  
Options Closed
    (269 )     (36,516 )
Options Exercised
    (200 )     (9,800 )
Outstanding at November 30, 2013
        $  

The average monthly market values of purchased and written options during the period ended November 30, 2013, for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund was $33 and $787, respectively.
 
Transactions in written options contracts for the period ended November 30, 2013, are as follows:
 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund
 
   
Contracts
   
Premiums Received
 
Beginning Balance
        $  
Options Written
    16       864  
Options Exercised
    (16 )     (864 )
Outstanding at November 30, 2013
        $  
 
The average monthly market values of purchased and written options during the year ended November 30, 2013, for the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund was $4,790 and $14,172, respectively.
 
Transactions in written options contracts for the year ended November 30, 2013, are as follows:
 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund
 
   
Contracts
   
Premiums Received
 
Beginning Balance
        $  
Options Written
    1,651       136,001  
Options Closed
    (766 )     (68,772 )
Options Exercised
    (861 )     (66,701 )
Options Expired
    (24 )     (528 )
Outstanding at November 30, 2013
        $  

 

 
68

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued


The effect of derivative instruments on the statement of operations for the period ended November 30, 2013, is as follows:
 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund
 
 
Location of Gain/(Loss) on
     
Derivative Type
Derivatives Recognized in Income
 
Value
 
Equity Contracts
Realized loss on closed
  $ (30,909 )
 
purchased options
       
Equity Contract
Realized loss on expired
    (7,200 )
 
purchased options
       
Equity Contracts
Realized gain on closed
    33,799  
 
written options
       
 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund
 
  Location of Gain/(Loss) on      
Derivative Type
Derivatives Recognized in Income
 
Value
 
Equity Contracts
Realized gain on closed
  $ 21  
 
purchased options
       
Equity Contract
Realized loss on expired
    (416 )
 
purchased options
       
 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund
 
 
Location of Gain/(Loss) on
     
Derivative Type
Derivatives Recognized in Income
 
Value
 
Equity Contracts
Realized loss on closed
  $ (51,730 )
 
purchased options
       
Equity Contracts
Realized loss on expired
    (54,987 )
 
purchased options
       
Equity Contracts
Realized gain on closed
    49,941  
 
written options
       
Equity Contracts
Realized gain on expired
       
 
written options
    528  
 
 
H.
Events Subsequent to the Fiscal Year End:  In preparing the financial statements as of November 30, 2013, management considered the impact of subsequent events for potential recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.
 
NOTE 3 – SECURITIES VALUATION
 
The Funds have adopted authoritative fair value accounting standards which establish an authoritative definition of fair value and set out a hierarchy for measuring fair value.  These standards require additional disclosures about the
 

 
69

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

various inputs and valuation techniques used to develop the measurements of fair value, a discussion in changes in valuation techniques and related inputs during the period and expanded disclosure of valuation levels for major security types.  These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:
 
 
Level 1 –
Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Funds have the ability to access.
     
 
Level 2 –
Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.
     
 
Level 3 –
Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available, representing the Fund’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability, and would be based on the best information available.
 
Following is a description of the valuation techniques applied to the Funds’ major categories of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis.
 
Equity Securities:  The Funds’ investments are carried at fair value. Equity securities, including common stocks and exchange-traded funds, that are primarily traded on a national securities exchange shall be valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which they are primarily traded on the day of valuation or, if there has been no sale on such day, at the mean between the bid and asked prices.  Securities primarily traded in the NASDAQ Global Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”).  If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has been no sale on such day, at the mean between the bid and asked prices.  Over-the-counter securities which are not traded in the NASDAQ Global Market System shall be valued at the most recent sales price.  Investments in open-end mutual funds are valued at their net asset value per share.  To the extent, these securities are actively traded and valuation adjustments are not applied, they are categorized in level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Corporate Bonds:  Corporate bonds, including listed issues, are valued at market on the basis of valuations furnished by an independent pricing service which utilizes both dealer-supplied valuations and formula-based techniques.  The pricing service may consider recently executed transactions in securities of
 
70

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

the issuer or comparable issuers, market price quotations (where observable), bond spreads, and fundamental data relating to the issuer.  Most corporate bonds are categorized in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Options:  Exchange-traded options are valued at the composite price, using the National Best Bid and Offer quotes. Specifically, composite pricing looks at the last trades on the exchanges where the options are traded. If there are no trades for the option on a given business day, composite option pricing calculates the mean of the highest bid price and the lowest ask price across the exchanges where the option is traded. Exchange-traded options that are actively traded are categorized in level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Short-Term Securities:  Short-term securities having a maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. To the extent the inputs are observable and timely, these securities would be classified in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
The Board of Trustees (“Board”) has delegated day-to-day valuation issues to a Valuation Committee of the Trust which is comprised of representatives from U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, the Funds’ administrator. The function of the Valuation Committee is to value securities where current and reliable market quotations are not readily available or the closing price does not represent fair value by following procedures approved by the Board. These procedures consider many factors, including the type of security, size of holding, trading volume and news events. All actions taken by the Valuation Committee are subsequently reviewed and ratified by the Board.
 
Depending on the relative significance of the valuation inputs, fair valued securities may be classified in either level 2 or level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

 
71

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.  The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Funds’ securities as of November 30, 2013:
 
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund
 
   
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
                       
  Agriculture, Forestry,
                       
    Fishing, and Hunting
  $ 1,325,087     $     $     $ 1,325,087  
  Finance and Insurance
    5,628,792                   5,628,792  
  Information
    1,502,812                   1,502,812  
  Manufacturing
    6,195,229                   6,195,229  
  Mining, Quarrying, and
                               
    Oil and Gas Extraction
    1,309,257                   1,309,257  
  Professional, Scientific,
                               
    and Technical Services
    2,029,423                   2,029,423  
  Real Estate and
                               
    Rental and Leasing
    3,529,328                   3,529,328  
  Retail Trade
    4,172,591                   4,172,591  
  Transportation and
                               
    Warehousing
    2,273,488                   2,273,488  
  Utilities
    5,371,680                   5,371,680  
Total Common Stocks
    33,337,687                   33,337,687  
Exchange-Traded Funds
    15,486,255                   15,486,255  
Corporate Bonds
                               
  Accommodation and
                               
    Food Services
          301,548             301,548  
  Finance and Insurance
          3,839,628             3,839,628  
  Health Care and
                               
    Social Assistance
          164,625             164,625  
  Information
          1,532,719             1,532,719  
  Manufacturing
          2,647,222             2,647,222  
  Mining, Quarrying, and
                               
    Oil and Gas Extraction
          574,867             574,867  
  Professional, Scientific,
                               
    and Technical Services
          525,802             525,802  
  Retail Trade
          845,850             845,850  
  Utilities
          148,168             148,168  
Total Corporate Bonds
          10,580,429             10,580,429  
Short-Term Investments
    10,871,084                   10,871,084  
Total Investments
                               
  in Securities
  $ 59,695,026     $ 10,580,429     $     $ 70,275,455  

 
72

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund
 
   
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
                       
  Administrative Support
                       
    and Waste Management
  $ 126,442     $     $     $ 126,442  
  Agriculture, Forestry,
                               
    Fishing, and Hunting
    129,439                   129,439  
  Finance and Insurance
    946,073                   946,073  
  Information
    279,009                   279,009  
  Manufacturing
    1,030,078                   1,030,078  
  Mining, Quarrying, and
                               
    Oil and Gas Extraction
    134,982                   134,982  
  Real Estate and
                               
    Rental and Leasing
    58,606                   58,606  
  Retail Trade
    317,565                   317,565  
  Utilities
    394,724                   394,724  
Total Common Stocks
    3,416,918                   3,416,918  
Exchange-Traded Funds
    2,066,662                   2,066,662  
Short-Term Investments
    821,841                   821,841  
Total Investments
                               
  in Securities
  $ 6,305,421     $     $     $ 6,305,421  
 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund
 
   
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
                       
  Accommodation and
                       
    Food Services
  $ 106,147     $     $     $ 106,147  
  Administrative Support
                               
    and Waste Management
    98,075                   98,075  
  Finance and Insurance
    1,295,616                   1,295,616  
  Information
    339,614                   339,614  
  Manufacturing
    1,194,031                   1,194,031  
  Professional, Scientific,
                               
    and Technical Services
    168,705                   168,705  
  Retail Trade
    697,055                   697,055  
  Utilities
    90,181                   90,181  
  Wholesale Trade
    70,724                   70,724  
Total Common Stocks
    4,060,148                   4,060,148  
Exchange-Traded Funds
    460,933                   460,933  
Short-Term Investments
    606,143                   606,143  
Total Investments
                               
  in Securities
  $ 5,127,224     $     $     $ 5,127,224  

 
73

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund
 
   
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Common Stocks
                       
  Administrative Support
                       
    and Waste Management
  $ 2,274,380     $     $     $ 2,274,380  
  Finance and Insurance
    13,446,634                   13,446,634  
  Information
    5,625,034                   5,625,034  
  Management of Companies
                               
    and Enterprises
    771,007                   771,007  
  Manufacturing
    34,449,370                   34,449,370  
  Professional, Scientific,
                               
    and Technical Services
    4,939,656                   4,939,656  
  Real Estate and
                               
    Rental and Leasing
    675,458                   675,458  
  Retail Trade
    6,711,371                   6,711,371  
  Transportation and
                               
    Warehousing
    774,227                   774,227  
  Utilities
    2,056,797                   2,056,797  
  Wholesale Trade
    865,929                   865,929  
Total Common Stocks
    72,589,863                   72,589,863  
Short-Term Investments
    2,540,807                   2,540,807  
Total Investments
                               
  in Securities
  $ 75,130,670     $     $     $ 75,130,670  
 
Refer to the Funds’ Schedule of Investments for a detailed break-out of securities by industry classification. Transfers between levels are recognized at November 30, 2013, the end of the reporting period. The Funds recognized no transfers to/from Level 1 or Level 2. There were no Level 3 securities held in the Funds during the period ended November 30, 2013.
 
New Accounting Pronouncement:  In January 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2013-01 Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. This update gives additional clarification to the FASB ASU No. 2011-11 Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. The amendments in this ASU require an entity to disclose information about offsetting and related arrangements to enable users of its financial statements to understand the effect of those arrangements on its financial position. The ASU is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. The guidance requires retrospective application for all comparative periods presented. The Funds are currently evaluating the impact ASU 2013-01 will have on the financial statement disclosures.
 

 
74

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

NOTE 4 – INVESTMENT ADVISORY FEE AND OTHER AGREEMENTS
 
For the year ended November 30, 2013, WBI Investments, Inc. (the “Advisor”) provided the Funds with investment management services under an Investment Advisory Agreement. The Advisor furnished all investment advice, office space, facilities, and provides most of the personnel needed by the Funds.  As compensation for its services, the Advisor is entitled to a monthly fee at the annual rate of 1.00% based upon the average daily net assets of each Fund. For the period ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund incurred $764,163, $11,980, $9,160, and $488,427, respectively, in advisory fees.
 
The Funds are responsible for their own operating expenses.  For the year ended November 30, 2013, the Advisor agreed to reduce fees payable to it by the Funds and to pay the Funds’ operating expenses to the extent necessary to limit each Fund’s No Load Shares aggregate annual operating expenses to 2.00% of average daily net assets and each Fund’s Institutional Shares aggregate annual operating expenses to 1.75% of average daily net assets.  The Advisor is permitted to be reimbursed only for fee reductions and expense payments made in the previous three fiscal years.  Any such reimbursement is also contingent upon Board of Trustees review and approval at the time the reimbursement is made. Such reimbursement may not be paid prior to the Funds’ payment of current ordinary operating expenses.  For the year ended November 30, 2013, the Advisor recouped expenses in the amount of $53,903 for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund. For the period ended November 30, 2013, the Advisor reduced its fees and absorbed Fund expenses in the amount of $111,157, $113,659 and $37,833 for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund,  and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund respectively. Cumulative expenses subject to recapture pursuant to the aforementioned conditions expire as follows:
 
WBI
   
WBI
   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
Absolute Return
   
Absolute Return
   
Return Dividend
   
Return Dividend
 
Balanced Fund
   
Balanced Plus Fund
   
Income Fund
   
Growth Fund
 
Year
 
Amount
   
Year
   
Amount
   
Year
   
Amount
   
Year
   
Amount
 
2014
  $ 128,204       2016     $ 111,157       2016     $ 113,659       2014     $ 166,283  
2015
    55,787             $ 111,157             $ 113,659       2015       92,504  
2016
                                          2016       37,833  
    $ 183,991                                             $ 296,620  
 
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Administrator”) acts as the Funds’ Administrator under an Administration Agreement. The Administrator prepares various federal and state regulatory filings, reports and returns for the Funds;
 

 
75

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

prepares reports and materials to be supplied to the Trustees; monitors the activities of the Funds’ custodian, transfer agent and accountants; coordinates the preparation and payment of the Funds’ expenses and reviews the Funds’ expense accruals.  U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC also serves as the fund accountant and transfer agent to the Funds. U.S. Bank N.A., an affiliate of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, serves as the Funds’ custodian.
 
For the period ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund incurred the following expenses for administration and fund accounting, transfer agency, custody, and chief compliance officer fees:
 
   
WBI
   
WBI
 
   
Absolute Return
   
Absolute Return
 
   
Balanced Fund
   
Balanced Plus Fund
 
Administration and Fund Accounting
  $ 114,140     $ 45,415  
Transfer Agency (a)
    59,942       15,861  
Custody
    10,695       6,414  
Chief Compliance Officer
    9,000       4,175  
 
(a) Does not include out-of-pocket expenses
 
   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return Dividend
   
Return Dividend
 
   
Income Fund
   
Growth Fund
 
Administration and Fund Accounting
  $ 44,477     $ 95,299  
Transfer Agency (a)
    16,122       49,908  
Custody
    7,806       8,899  
Chief Compliance Officer
    4,175       9,000  
 
(a) Does not include out-of-pocket expenses
 
At November 30, 2013, the Funds had payables due to USBFS for administration and fund accounting, transfer agency, Chief Compliance Officer fees and to U.S. Bank, N.A. for custody fees in the following amounts:
 
   
WBI
   
WBI
 
   
Absolute Return
   
Absolute Return
 
   
Balanced Fund
   
Balanced Plus Fund
 
Administration and Fund Accounting
  $ 29,167     $ 25,550  
Transfer Agency (a)
    15,192       9,256  
Chief Compliance Officer
    2,250       2,433  
Custody
    2,209       2,455  
 
(a) Does not include out-of-pocket expenses.
 

 
76

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return Dividend
   
Return Dividend
 
   
Income Fund
   
Growth Fund
 
Administration and Fund Accounting
  $ 24,572     $ 23,669  
Transfer Agency (a)
    9,533       12,702  
Chief Compliance Officer
    2,433       2,250  
Custody
    3,462       1,523  
 
(a) Does not include out-of-pocket expenses.
 
Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”) acts as the Funds’ principal underwriter in a continuous public offering of the Funds’ shares.  The Distributor is an affiliate of the Administrator.
 
Certain officers of the Funds are also employees of the Administrator.
 
NOTE 5 – DISTRIBUTION (12B-1) FEE
 
The Funds have adopted a Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the “Plan”) for the No Load Shares only. The Plan permits the Funds to pay for distribution and related expenses at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of each Fund’s No Load Shares.  The expenses covered by the Plan may include the cost in connection with the promotion and distribution of shares and the provision of personal services to shareholders, including, but not necessarily limited to, advertising, compensation to underwriters, dealers and selling personnel, the printing and mailing of prospectuses to other than current Fund shareholders, and the printing and mailing of sales literature.  Payments made pursuant to the Plan will represent compensation for distribution and service activities, not reimbursements for specific expenses incurred.  For the period ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund – No Load Shares, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund – No Load Shares, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund – No Load Shares, and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund – No Load Shares paid the Distributor $75,417, $822, $475, and $50,298, respectively.
 
NOTE 6 – SHAREHOLDER SERVICING FEE
 
The Funds have entered into a Shareholder Servicing Agreement (the “Agreement”) with the Advisor, under which the No Load Shares and Institutional Shares may pay servicing fees at an annual rate of 0.40% of the average daily net assets of each class. For the period December 1, 2012 through April 15, 2013, the Advisor voluntarily reduced the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund shareholder servicing plan fee from 0.40% of each Fund’s average daily net assets to 0.00% of each Fund’s average daily net assets. Effective April 16, 2013, the Advisor has determined to reinstate the shareholder servicing plan fee accrual of average daily net assets at 0.35%, for
 

 
77

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund – Institutional Shares. Effective April 16, 2013, the Advisor has determined to reinstate the shareholder servicing plan fee accrual of average daily net assets at 0.40% for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund – Institutional Shares and No Load Shares, and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund – No Load Shares. Payments to the Advisor under the Agreement may reimburse the Advisor for payments it makes to selected brokers, dealers and administrators which have entered into Service Agreements with the Advisor for services provided to shareholders of the Funds.  The services provided by such intermediaries are primarily designed to assist shareholders of the Funds and include the furnishing of office space and equipment, telephone facilities, personnel and assistance to the Funds in servicing such shareholders. Services provided by such intermediaries also include the provision of support services to the Funds and include establishing and maintaining shareholders’ accounts and record processing, purchase and redemption transactions, answering routine client inquiries regarding the Funds, and providing such other personal services to shareholders as the Funds may reasonably request.  For the year ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund – No Load Shares, and Institutional Shares incurred shareholder servicing fees of $81,359 and $119,315, respectively, under the Agreement. For the period ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund – No Load Shares, and Institutional Shares incurred shareholder servicing fees of $1,316 and $3,476, respectively, under the Agreement. For the period ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund – No Load Shares, and Institutional Shares incurred shareholder servicing fees of $759 and $2,905, respectively, under the Agreement. For the year ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund – No Load Shares, and Institutional Shares incurred shareholder servicing fees of $57,542 and $78,298, respectively, under the Agreement.
 
NOTE 7 – PURCHASES AND SALES OF SECURITIES
 
For the year ended November 30, 2013, the cost of purchases and the proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term securities for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, were $176,081,711 and $148,242,992, respectively. For the period ended November 30, 2013, the cost of purchases and the proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term securities for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, were $7,562,677 and $2,117,132, respectively.  For the period ended November 30, 2013, the cost of purchases and the proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term securities for the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, were $5,279,593 and $947,588, respectively.  For the year ended November 30, 2013, the cost of purchases and the proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term securities for the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund, were $130,848,988 and $89,380,804, respectively.
 

 
78

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

The Funds made no purchases or sales of U.S. government securities.
 
NOTE 8 – LINES OF CREDIT
 
The WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund had lines of credit in the amount of $1,600,000 and $2,800,000, respectively. These lines of credit are intended to provide short-term financing, if necessary, subject to certain restrictions, in connection with shareholder redemptions. The credit facility is with the Funds’ custodian, U.S. Bank N.A. During the year ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund drew upon its line of credit. During the year ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund did not draw upon its line of credit. The WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund had an outstanding average day balance of $1,490, a weighted average interest rate of 3.25% and paid $49 in interest. The maximum amount outstanding for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund during the year ended November 30, 2013 was $518,000. At November 30, 2013, the Funds had no outstanding loan amounts.
 
NOTE 9 – INCOME TAXES AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
 
The distributions paid by the Funds during the years ended November 30, 2013 and November 30, 2012, were characterized as follows:
 
   
WBI
   
WBI
 
   
Absolute Return
   
Absolute Return
 
   
Balanced Fund
   
Balanced Plus Fund
 
   
Nov. 30,
   
Nov. 30,
   
Nov. 30,
 
   
2013
   
2012
   
2013
 
Ordinary Income
  $ 831,203     $ 227,654     $ 4,150  
Long-Term Capital Gains
    54,500              
   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return Dividend
   
Return Dividend
 
   
Income Fund
   
Growth Fund
 
   
Nov. 30,
   
Nov. 30,
   
Nov. 30,
 
      2013       2013       2012  
Ordinary Income
  $     $ 280,727     $ 216,076  
Long-Term Capital Gains
                 
Return of Capital
    1,706              
 
Ordinary income distributions may include dividends paid from short-term capital gains.
 
 
79

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

As of November 30, 2013, the components of accumulated earnings/(losses) were as follows:
 
   
WBI
   
WBI
 
   
Absolute Return
   
Absolute Return
 
   
Balanced Fund
   
Balanced Plus Fund
 
Cost of investments (a)
  $ 69,136,757     $ 6,180,411  
Gross tax unrealized appreciation
  $ 1,739,361     $ 168,939  
Gross tax unrealized depreciation
    (600,663 )     (43,929 )
Net tax unrealized appreciation
    1,138,698       125,010  
Unrealized foreign exchange
    (68 )     (2 )
Undistributed ordinary income
    110,844       11,271  
Undistributed long-term capital gain
           
Total distributable earnings
    110,844       11,271  
Other accumulated gains/(losses)
    (669,550 )     (83,115 )
Total accumulated earnings/(losses)
  $ 579,924     $ 53,164  
 
(a) The difference between book-basis and tax basis net unrealized appreciation is attributable primarily to the tax deferral of losses on wash sales.
 
   
WBI Absolute
   
WBI Absolute
 
   
Return Dividend
   
Return Dividend
 
   
Income Fund
   
Growth Fund
 
Cost of investments (a)
  $ 4,902,707     $ 69,793,972  
Gross tax unrealized appreciation
  $ 242,062     $ 5,723,056  
Gross tax unrealized depreciation
    (17,545 )     (386,358 )
Net tax unrealized appreciation
    224,517       5,336,698  
Unrealized foreign exchange
          (122 )
Undistributed ordinary income
          3,825,221  
Undistributed long-term capital gain
           
Total distributable earnings
          3,825,221  
Other accumulated gains/(losses)
    (35,277 )      
Total accumulated earnings/(losses)
  $ 189,240     $ 9,161,797  
 
(a) The difference between book-basis and tax basis net unrealized appreciation is attributable primarily to the tax deferral of losses on wash sales.
 

 
80

 
WBI Funds

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at November 30, 2013, Continued

At November 30, 2013, the Fund had capital loss carryforwards as follows:
 
 
Short-Term
 
Capital Loss Carryover
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund
$669,550*
WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund
    83,115*
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund
    35,246*
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund
           —
 
* These capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely to offset future gains.
 
Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the “Act”), net capital losses recognized after December 31, 2010, may be carried forward indefinitely, and their character is retained as short-term and/or long-term losses. Under the law in effect prior to the Act, preenactment net capital losses were carried forward for eight years and treated as short-term losses. As a transition rule, the Act requires that postenactment net capital losses be used before pre-enactment net capital losses.
 
WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund had post-October and post-December late year losses of $31.  WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund utilized $1,012,936 of short-term capital loss carryforward.
 

 
81

 
WBI Funds

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM


To the Board of Trustees
Advisors Series Trust and
Shareholders of WBI Funds
 
We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, and WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund, each a series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”), including the schedules of investments, as of November 30, 2013, and with respect to the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund and WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund, the related statements of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the two years in the period then ended and for the period December 29, 2010 (commencement of operations) through November 30, 2011, with respect to the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund and WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, the related statements of operations, the statements of changes in net assets, and the financial highlights for the period June 17, 2013 (commencement of operations) through November 30, 2013.  These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Trust’s management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.
 
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement.  The Trust is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting.  Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting.  Accordingly, we express no such opinion.  An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.  Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2013 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received.  We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund,  WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund , and the WBI  Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund as of November 30, 2013, the results of their operations, the changes in their net assets, and the financial highlights for the periods referred to above, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
 
 
TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP
 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
January 29, 2014

 
82

 
WBI Funds

NOTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited)

For the year ended November 30, 2013, the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund  designated $831,203, $4,150, $1,706, and $280,727, respectively, as ordinary income for purposes of the dividends paid deduction.
 
For the year ended November 30, 2013, certain dividends paid by the Funds may be subject to a maximum tax rate of 15%, as provided by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. The percentage of dividends declared from net investment income designated as qualified dividend income for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund was 100%, 49.73%, 0.00%, and 27.74%, respectively.
 
For corporate shareholders in the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund, WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund, WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund, and the WBI Absolute Return Dividend Growth Fund , the percent of ordinary income distributions qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction for the year ended November 30, 2013 was 100%, 44.50%, 0.00% and 22.78%, respectively.
 
The percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions that are designated as interest related dividends under Internal Revenue Sections 871(k)(1)(C) for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Fund is 47.67%.
 
How to Obtain a Copy of the Funds’ Proxy Voting Policies
 
A description of the policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-855-WBI-FUND (1-855-924-3863) or on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.
 
How to Obtain a Copy of the Funds’ Proxy Voting Records for the 12-Month Period ended June 30
 
Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-855-WBI-FUND (1-855-924-3863). Furthermore, you can obtain the Funds’ proxy voting records on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
 

 
83

 
WBI Funds

NOTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS at November 30, 2013 (Unaudited), Continued

Quarterly Filings on Form N-Q
 
The Funds file their complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q.  The Funds’ Form N-Q is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.  The Funds’ Form N-Q may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC, and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-202-551-8090.  Information included in the Funds’ Form N-Q is also available, upon request, by calling 1-855-WBI-FUND (1-855-924-3863).
 

 

 
84

 
WBI Funds

INFORMATION ABOUT TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (Unaudited)

This chart provides information about the Trustees and Officers who oversee the Fund. Officers elected by the Trustees manage the day-to-day operation of the Fund and execute policies formulated by the Trustees.
 
Independent Trustees(1)
 
   
Term of
 
Number of
 
   
Office
 
Portfolios
Other
 
Position
and
Principal
in Fund
Directorships
 
Held
Length
Occupation
Complex
Held During
Name, Address
with the
of Time
During Past
Overseen by
Past Five
and Age
Trust
Served
Five Years
Trustee(2)
Years
           
Donald E. O’Connor
Trustee
Indefinite
Retired; former
4
Trustee,
(age 77)
 
term
Financial Consultant
 
Advisors Series
615 E. Michigan Street
 
since
and former Executive
 
Trust (for series
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
February
Vice President and Chief
 
not affiliated
   
1997.
Operating Officer of
 
with the Funds);
     
ICI Mutual Insurance
 
Trustee, The
     
Company (until
 
Forward Funds
     
January 1997).
 
(31 portfolios).
           
George J. Rebhan
Trustee
Indefinite
Retired; formerly
4
Trustee,
(age 79)
 
term
President, Hotchkis
 
Advisors Series
615 E. Michigan Street
 
since
and Wiley Funds
 
Trust (for series
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
May
(mutual funds)
 
not affiliated
   
2002.
(1985 to 1993).
 
with the Funds);
         
Independent
         
Trustee from
         
1999 to 2009,
         
E*TRADE
         
Funds.
           
George T. Wofford
Trustee
Indefinite
Retired; formerly
4
Trustee,
(age 74)
 
term
Senior Vice President,
 
Advisors Series
615 E. Michigan Street
 
since
Federal Home Loan
 
Trust (for series
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
February
Bank of San Francisco.
 
not affiliated
   
1997.
   
with the Funds).
           
Interested Trustee
         
           
Joe D. Redwine(3)
Interested
Indefinite
President, CEO,
4
Trustee,
(age 66)
Trustee
term
U.S. Bancorp Fund
 
Advisors Series
615 E. Michigan Street
 
since
Services, LLC (May
 
Trust (for series
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
September
1991 to present).
 
not affiliated
   
2008.
   
with the Funds).

 
85

 
WBI Funds

INFORMATION ABOUT TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (Unaudited), Continued

Officers
 
   
Term of
 
   
Office
 
 
Position
and
Principal
 
Held
Length
Occupation
Name, Address
with the
of Time
During Past
and Age
Trust
Served
Five Years
       
Joe D. Redwine
Chairman
Indefinite
President, CEO, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
(age 66)
and
term
(May 1991 to present).
615 E. Michigan Street
Chief
since
 
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Executive
September
 
 
Officer
2007.
 
       
Douglas G. Hess
President
Indefinite
Senior Vice President, Compliance and
(age 46)
and
term
Administration, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 E. Michigan Street
Principal
since
(March 1997 to present).
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Executive
June
 
 
Officer
2003.
 
       
Cheryl L. King
Treasurer
Indefinite
Vice President, Compliance and Administration,
(age 52)
and
term
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (October 1998
615 E. Michigan Street
Principal
since
to present).
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Financial
December
 
 
Officer
2007.
 
       
Kevin J. Hayden
Assistant
Indefinite
Assistant Vice President, Compliance and
(age 42)
Treasurer
term
Administration, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 E. Michigan Street
 
since
(June 2005 to present).
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
September
 
   
2013.
 
       
Albert Sosa
Assistant
Indefinite
Assistant Vice President, Compliance and
(age 43)
Treasurer
term
Administration, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 E. Michigan Street
 
since
(June 2004 to present).
Milwaukee, WI 53202
 
September
 
   
2013.
 
       
Michael L. Ceccato
Vice
Indefinite
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund
(age 56)
President,
term
Services, LLC (February 2008 to present); General
615 E. Michigan Street
Chief
since
Counsel/Controller, Steinhafels, Inc. (September
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Compli-
September
1995 to February 2008).
 
ance
2009.
 
 
Officer
   
 
and AML
   
 
Officer
   


 
86

 
WBI Funds

INFORMATION ABOUT TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (Unaudited), Continued

   
Term of
 
   
Office
 
 
Position
and
Principal
 
Held
Length
Occupation
Name, Address
with the
of Time
During Past
and Age
Trust
Served
Five Years
       
Jeanine M. Bajczyk,
Secretary
Indefinite
Senior Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp
  Esq.
 
term
Fund Services, LLC (May 2006 to present).
(age 48)
 
since
 
615 E. Michigan Street
 
June 2007.
 
Milwaukee, WI 53202
     
 
(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 November 30, 2013, the Trust is comprised of 40 active portfolios managed by unaffiliated investment advisors.  The term “Fund Complex” applies only to the Funds.  The Funds do not hold themselves out as related to any other series within the Trust for investment purposes, nor do they share the same investment adviser with any other series.
(3)
Mr. Redwine is an “interested person” of the Trust as defined by the 1940 Act.  Mr. Redwine is an interested Trustee of the Trust by virtue of the fact that he is an interested person of Quasar Distributors, LLC who acts as principal underwriter to the series of the Trust.
 
The Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about the Funds’ Trustees and Officers and is available upon request by calling 1-855-WBI-FUND (1-855-924-3863).
 


 
87

 
WBI Funds

HOUSEHOLDING

In an effort to decrease costs, the Funds intend 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 1-855-WBI-FUND (1-855-924-3863) 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.
 


 
88

 
WBI Funds
 
APPROVAL OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT (Unaudited)

At a meeting held on March 15, 2013, the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”), including all the persons who are Independent Trustees as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, considered and approved the initial investment advisory agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) between the Trust and WBI Investments, Inc. (“WBI”) for the WBI Absolute Return Balanced Plus Fund and WBI Absolute Return Dividend Income Fund (the “Funds”) for a period not to exceed two years.  Prior to this meeting, the Board received and reviewed substantial information regarding the Funds, the Advisor and the services expected to be provided by the Advisor to the Funds under the Advisory Agreement.  This information formed the primary (but not exclusive) basis for the Board’s determinations.  Below is a summary of the factors considered by the Board and the conclusions that formed the basis for the Board’s approval of the initial Advisory Agreement:
 
The full Board, which includes a majority of Independent Trustees, took into consideration, among other things, the nature, extent and quality of the services to be provided by the Advisor under the Advisory Agreement.  The Board considered the Advisor’s specific responsibilities in all aspects of day-to-day management of the Funds.  The Board considered the qualifications, experience and responsibilities of the portfolio managers, as well as the responsibilities of other key personnel of the Advisor that would be involved in the day-to-day activities of the Funds, noting that the Advisor currently serves as investment adviser to two other mutual funds within the Trust with similar investment strategies.  The Board also considered the resources and compliance structure of the Advisor, including information regarding its compliance program, its chief compliance officer and the Advisor’s compliance record and business continuity plan.  The Board also considered the Advisor’s business plan, noting that the Advisor currently manages other accounts with substantially similar objectives, policies, strategies and risks as each Fund.  After discussion, the Board concluded that the Advisor has the quality and depth of personnel, resources, investment methods and compliance policies and procedures essential to performing its duties under the Advisory Agreement and that the nature, overall quality, cost and extent of such management services will be satisfactory.
 
The Trustees then discussed the expected costs of the services to be provided by the Advisor and the structure of the Advisor’s fees under the Advisory Agreement.  In considering the advisory fee and anticipated total fees and expenses of the Funds, the Board reviewed and compared each Fund’s anticipated fees and expenses to those funds in its Lipper peer group, as well as the fees and expenses for similar types of funds and accounts managed by the Advisor.  The Board viewed such information as a whole as useful in assessing
 

 
89

 
WBI Funds

APPROVAL OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT (Unaudited), Continued

whether the Advisor would be able to provide services at a cost that was competitive with other similar funds and consistent with an arm’s length bargaining process.  The Trustees also took into account the proposed expense waivers.
 
The Board noted that the Advisor was agreeing to waive its advisory fees and reimburse each Fund for certain of its expenses to the extent necessary to maintain an annual expense ratio, excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of 2.00% for No Load Class shares and 1.75% for Institutional Class shares (the “Expense Caps”).
 
The Board noted that each Fund’s expected total operating expenses for No Load Class shares and Institutional Class shares were above the peer group median and average, but that the expected total operating expenses for Institutional shares were below the peer group average when the peer group was adjusted for funds with assets below $100 million. The Board also noted that the expected contractual advisory fee was below the peer group average, including the peer group average when adjusted for funds with assets below $100 million, but above the peer group median, and that each Fund’s expected contractual advisory fee was in line with the fees charged by the Advisor to its other accounts with substantially similar objectives, policies, strategies and risks as the Fund.
 
The Board concluded that the fees to be paid to the Advisor were fair and reasonable.
 
The Board also considered economies of scale that would be expected to be realized by the Advisor as the assets of the Funds grew.  The Board noted that the Advisor would be contractually agreeing to reduce its advisory fees or reimburse Fund expenses indefinitely, but in no event for less than a one year term, so that the Funds do not exceed the Expense Caps.  The Board concluded that there were no effective economies of scale to be shared by the Advisor at this time, but indicated that this issue would be revisited in the future as circumstances changed and asset levels increased.
 
The Board then considered the profits expected to be realized by the Advisor from its relationship with the Funds.  The Board reviewed the Advisor’s financial information and took into account both the expected direct benefits and the indirect benefits to the Advisor from advising the Funds.  The Board considered the expected profitability to the Advisor from its relationship with the Funds and considered any additional benefits that may be derived by the Advisor from its relationship with the Funds, such as benefits received in exchange for Rule 12b-1 fees and potential soft dollar benefits.  After such review, the Board
 

 
90

 
WBI Funds
APPROVAL OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT (Unaudited), Continued

determined that the expected profitability to the Advisor with respect to the Advisory Agreement was not excessive, and that the Advisor should be able to maintain adequate profit levels to support the services it will provide to the Funds.
 
No single factor was determinative of the Board’s decision to approve the Advisory Agreement; rather, the Trustees based their determination on the total mix of information available to them.  Based on a consideration of all the factors in their totality, the Trustees determined that the advisory arrangement with the Advisor, including advisory fees, was fair and reasonable to the Funds.  The Board, including a majority of Independent Trustees, therefore determined that the approval of the Advisory Agreement was in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders.
 

 
91

 
WBI Funds

PRIVACY NOTICE


The Funds collect 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 Funds 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 with unaffiliated third parties.

 
92

 


 

 
 
 
 
 
(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 

 
Investment Advisor
WBI Investments, Inc.
34 Sycamore Avenue, Suite 1-E
Little Silver, NJ  07739


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


Legal Counsel
Paul Hastings LLP
75 East 55th Street
New York, NY  10022-3205


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


Transfer Agent, Fund Accountant and Fund Administrator
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street, 2nd Floor
Milwaukee, WI  53202
1-855-WBI-FUND (1-855-924-3863)


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




This report is intended for the shareholders of the Funds and may not be used as sales literature unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.  To obtain a free prospectus, please call 1-855-924-3863



WBI-ANNUAL

 
 

 
Item 2. Code of Ethics.

The registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer.  The registrant has not made any amendments to its code of ethics during the period covered by this report.  The registrant has not granted any waivers from any provisions of the code of ethics during the period covered by this report.

A copy of the registrant’s Code of Ethics is filed herewith.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

The Registrant’s Board of Trustees has determined that it does not have an audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee.  At this time, the Registrant believes that the business experience and financial literacy provided by each member of the audit committee collectively offers the Registrant adequate oversight given the Registrant’s level of financial complexity.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

The registrant has engaged its principal accountant to perform audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services during the past two fiscal years.  “Audit services” refer to performing an audit of the registrant's annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years.  “Audit-related services” refer to the assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit.  “Tax services” refer to professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning.  There were no “other services” provided by the principal accountant.  The following table details the aggregate fees billed or expected to be billed for the last two fiscal years for audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees and other fees by the principal accountant.

 
FYE  11/30/2013
FYE  11/30/2012
Audit Fees
          $57,400
          $32,000
Audit-Related Fees
          N/A
          N/A
Tax Fees
          $12,400
          $6,000
All Other Fees
          N/A
          N/A

The audit committee has adopted pre-approval policies and procedures that require the audit committee to pre-approve all audit and non-audit services of the registrant, including services provided to any entity affiliated with the registrant.

The percentage of fees billed by Tait, Weller, & Baker LLP applicable to non-audit services pursuant to waiver of pre-approval requirement were as follows:
 
 
FYE  11/30/2013
FYE  11/30/2012
Audit-Related Fees
0%
0%
Tax Fees
0%
0%
All Other Fees
0%
0%

All of the principal accountant’s hours spent on auditing the registrant’s financial statements were attributed to work performed by full-time permanent employees of the principal accountant.

The following table indicates the non-audit fees billed or expected to be billed by the registrant’s accountant for services to the registrant and to the registrant’s investment adviser (and any other controlling entity, etc.—not sub-adviser) for the last two years.  The audit committee of the Board of Trustees has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the registrant's investment adviser is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant's independence and has concluded that the provision of such non-audit services by the accountant has not compromised the accountant’s independence.

Non-Audit Related Fees
FYE  11/30/2013
FYE  11/30/2012
Registrant
N/A
N/A
Registrant’s Investment Adviser
N/A
N/A


Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

Not applicable to registrants who are not listed issuers (as defined in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).

Item 6. Investments.

(a)  
Schedule of Investments is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.
 
(b) Not Applicable.
 
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the Registrant’s Board of Trustees.

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

(a)  
The Registrant’s President/Principal Executive Officer and Treasurer/Principal Financial Officer have reviewed the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”)) as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report, as required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Act and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Based on their review, such officers have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed in this report is appropriately recorded, processed, summarized and reported and made known to them by others within the Registrant and by the Registrant’s service provider.

(b)  
There were no changes in the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act) that occurred during the fourth fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Item 12. Exhibits.

(a)  
(1) Any code of ethics or amendment thereto, that is subject of the disclosure required by Item 2, to the extent that the registrant intends to satisfy Item 2 requirements through filing an exhibit. Filed herewith.

(2) Certifications pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.  Filed herewith.

(3) Any written solicitation to purchase securities under Rule 23c-1 under the Act sent or given during the period covered by the report by or on behalf of the registrant to 10 or more persons.  Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

(b)  
Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.  Furnished herewith.

 
 

 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


(Registrant)  Advisors Series Trust                                                                                                

By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Douglas G. Hess                                                                                                         
             Douglas G. Hess, President

Date 2/4/14                                                                                                



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Douglas G. Hess                                                                                                         
             Douglas G. Hess, President

Date 2/4/14                                                                                                

                                                                             

By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Cheryl L. King                                                                                     
 Cheryl L. King, Treasurer

Date 2/4/14                                                                                                

* Print the name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature