N-CSRS 1 piafunds-ncsrs.htm PIA FUNDS SEMIANNUAL REPORT 5-31-16
 
 
 
 
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, 2016



Date of reporting period: May 31, 2016
 

Item1. Reports to Stockholders.
 




PIA Funds

PIA BBB BOND FUND
Managed Account Completion Shares (MACS)

PIA MBS BOND FUND
Managed Account Completion Shares (MACS)

 

 


 

 

 
Semi-Annual Report
 
May 31, 2016
 


PIA Funds

Dear Shareholder:
 
We are pleased to provide you with this semi-annual report for the six-month fiscal period from December 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016 regarding the PIA BBB Bond Fund and the PIA MBS Bond Fund (each, a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”) for which Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (“PIA”) is the investment adviser.
 
During the six months ended May 31, 2016, the total returns, including the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, were as follows:
 
PIA BBB Bond Fund
4.64%
PIA MBS Bond Fund
2.18%
 
As stated in the current prospectus, the PIA BBB Bond Fund’s gross expense ratio is 0.16% and the PIA MBS Bond Fund’s gross expense ratio and net expense ratio is 0.31% and 0.17%, respectively.
 
PIA has agreed to temporarily pay for all operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) incurred by each Fund through at least March 28, 2017 to the extent necessary to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement for each Fund to 0.15% of average daily net assets.
 
PIA BBB Bond Fund
As indicated above, the return for the PIA BBB Bond Fund for the six-month fiscal period ended May 31, 2016 was 4.64%.  This was higher than the 4.58% return of the Fund’s benchmark, the Barclays Capital U.S. Credit Baa Bond Index and in line with the Fund’s objective of approximating the returns of the index.  The Fund has a strategy of using a broad diversification of BBB-rated issuers, industry sectors and range of maturities.  The bonds held in the Fund represent over 160 different issuers.  The Barclays Capital U.S. Credit Baa Bond Index has over 500 issuers.  The Fund is structured so as to approximate the returns of its benchmark, while holding a smaller number of issuers.  In order to achieve this objective, the overall duration, the partial durations, as well as the sector allocations of the Fund approximate those of its benchmark.  While the top 20 issuers in the Barclays Capital U.S. Credit Baa Bond Index are represented in the Fund, for the remainder issuers in the benchmark, only a subset is represented in the Fund, based on market conditions and liquidity.  This will cause some modest variability in the returns of the Fund relative to those of its benchmark.  For the six month period ended May 31, 2016, the issuers represented in the Fund had on average better performance than the ones that the Fund was not invested in, which contributed to the small outperformance by the Fund.
 
PIA MBS Bond Fund
The return of the PIA MBS Bond Fund for the six-month fiscal period ended May 31, 2016 of 2.18% was lower than the return of 2.25% of its benchmark, the Barclays Capital U.S. MBS Fixed Rate Index.  The Fund has a broad diversification of coupons and mortgage sectors.  The Fund’s shorter duration structure, due to its emphasis on higher coupon securities was the main reason for the small lower performance relative to the benchmark, as interest rates declined and the yield curve flattened during the period.  The Fund was overweighted in the 30-year Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) sector, and was underweighted in the 30-year Ginnie Mae MBS sector due to the better risk-adjusted yield of Fannie Mae and Freddie Macs, which was a small positive factor for returns, as Freddie Macs produced better excess returns than Ginnie Mae securities for the period.  The use of dollar rolls for selective coupons that offered attractive breakeven rates modestly added to returns.  The Fund had an allocation to
1

PIA Funds

non-agency AAA- and AA-rated floating rate securities with shorter durations that modestly appreciated in price as the yield flattened.  We expect these securities to continue to add value to the Fund during a period of rising interest rates, as their coupons adjust higher.
 
Bond Market in Review
The gross domestic product’s (“GDP”) quarter-over-quarter rate of growth was 0.8% for the first quarter of 2016, lower than the 1.4% during the fourth quarter of 2015.  With the unemployment rate at 4.7% and inflation under control, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board maintained its easier monetary policy by keeping the federal funds rate at 0.25% to 0.50%.  Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, was 1.0% year-over-year as of May 2016.
 
Yields on 2-year Treasury notes rose by 27 basis points (“bps”) from May 31, 2015 to May 31, 2016.  Yields on 5-year Treasury bonds and 30-year Treasuries decreased by 11 and 23 bps, respectively, during this same period.  Inflation being under control, as well as the volatility in oil prices, the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and geopolitical uncertainties, all contributed to the modest flattening of the yield curve.
 
Spreads on BBB-rated bonds over Treasuries increased during the period from 178 bps to 200 bps.  Option adjusted spreads on fixed rate agency mortgage-backed securities stayed at 18 bps, as their average life decreased from 6.5 years to 5.8 years.
 
We believe that the PIA BBB Bond Fund and the PIA MBS Bond Fund provide our clients with a means of efficiently investing in a broadly diversified portfolio of BBB rated bonds and agency mortgage-backed bonds, respectively.
 
Please take a moment to review the Funds’ statements of assets and liabilities and the results of operations for the six-month period ended May 31, 2016.  We look forward to reporting to you again with the annual report dated November 30, 2016.
 
 
Lloyd McAdams
Chairman of the Board
Pacific Income Advisers, Inc.

2

PIA Funds

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
 
Opinions expressed above are those of Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the Funds’ investment adviser, and are subject to change, are not guaranteed and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security and should not be considered investment advice.
 
Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.
 
Mutual fund investing involves risk.  Principal loss is possible.  Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise.  This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities.  Investments in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities include additional risks that investors should be aware of such as credit risk, prepayment risk, possible illiquidity and default, as well as increased susceptibility to adverse economic developments.
 
Investment by the PIA BBB Bond Fund in lower-rated and non-rated securities presents a greater risk of loss to principal and interest than higher-rated securities.  The Fund may invest in foreign securities which involve greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods.  These risks are greater for emerging markets.
 
The Funds may also use options, futures contracts, and swaps, 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 rates.  Derivatives involve risks different from, and in certain cases, greater than the risks presented by more traditional investments.  These risks are fully disclosed in the Prospectus.
 
Bond ratings provide the probability of an issuer defaulting based on the analysis of the issuer’s financial condition and profit potential.  Bond rating services are provided by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Moody’s Investors Services, Inc.,, and Fitch Ratings, Inc.  Bond ratings start at AAA (denoting the highest investment quality) and usually end at D (meaning payment is in default).  In limited situations when the rating agency has not issued a formal rating, the investment adviser will classify the security as non-rated.
 
Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against risk in a declining market.
 
The Barclays Capital U.S. Credit Baa Bond Index is an unmanaged index consisting of bonds rated Baa.  The issues must be publicly traded and meet certain maturity and issue size requirements.  Bonds are represented by the Industrial, Utility, Finance and non-corporate sectors.  Non-corporate sectors include sovereign, supranational, foreign agency and foreign local government issuers.  The Barclays Capital U.S. MBS Fixed Rate Index (the “MBS Index”) is an unmanaged index that covers the mortgage-backed pass-through securities of Ginnie Mae (GNMA), Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC).  The MBS Index is formed by grouping the universe of over 600,000 individual fixed rate MBS pools into approximately 3,500 generic aggregates.  Each aggregate is a proxy for the outstanding pools for a given agency, program, issue year and coupon.  The index maturity and liquidity criteria are then applied to these aggregates to determine which qualify for inclusion in the index.  About 600 of these generic aggregates meet the criteria.  You cannot invest directly in an index.
 
Gross domestic product is the amount of goods and services produced in a year, in a country.
 
Consumer Price Index measures the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food and medical care.
 
Duration is the measure of the sensitivity of the price of a fixed income security to a change in interest rates, expressed in number of years.
 
A yield curve is a curve that shows several yields or interest rates over different lengths of time for a similar debt security.
 
Basis point equals 1/100th of 1%.
 
Please refer to the schedule of investments in the report for complete holdings information.  Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change at any time and are not recommendations to buy or sell any security.  Investment performance reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements in effect.  In the absence of such waivers or reimbursements, total return would be reduced.
 
Quasar Distributors, LLC, Distributor

3

PIA Funds
Expense Example – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

As a shareholder of a mutual fund, you 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 PIA Funds and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period (12/1/15 – 5/31/16).
 
Actual Expenses
The first line of the tables below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses.  Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (“PIA”) has voluntarily agreed to pay each Fund’s operating expenses in order to limit total expenses to 0.15% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through at least March 28, 2017.  Although the Funds charge no sales loads 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.  The Example below includes, but is not limited to, 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 different from the Funds’ actual returns.  The hypothetical account values and expenses may 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 table 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 transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.
 
 
Beginning Account
Ending Account
Expenses Paid During
 
Value 12/1/15
Value 5/31/16
Period 12/1/15 – 5/31/16*
PIA BBB Bond Fund
     
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,046.40
$0.77
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,024.25
$0.76
       
PIA MBS Bond Fund
     
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,021.80
$0.76
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,024.25
$0.76

*
Expenses are equal to a Fund’s annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) / 366 days to reflect the one-half year expense.  The annualized expense ratio of the PIA BBB Bond Fund and the PIA MBS Bond Fund was 0.15% and 0.15%, respectively.


4

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Allocation of Portfolio Assets – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

Investments by Sector
As a Percentage of Total Investments
 

5

PIA Funds
PIA MBS BOND FUND
Allocation of Portfolio Assets – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

 
Investments by Issuer
As a Percentage of Total Investments
 


6

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)


           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
CORPORATE BONDS 90.2%
 
   
Agricultural Chemicals 0.4%
 
   
Mosaic Co.
     
$
785,000
 
  3.75%, due 11/15/21
 
$
817,078
 
   
Agriculture 0.3%
 
     
Bunge Limited Finance Corp.
       
 
550,000
 
  8.50%, due 6/15/19
   
646,311
 
   
Auto Parts 1.4%
 
     
Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
       
 
1,100,000
 
  5.75%, due 5/1/20
   
1,211,427
 
     
Autozone, Inc.
       
 
600,000
 
  3.125%, due 7/15/23
   
611,342
 
     
Johnson Controls, Inc.
       
 
1,230,000
 
  4.25%, due 3/1/21
   
1,306,844
 
           
3,129,613
 
   
Autos 1.8%
 
     
Ford Motor Co.
       
 
675,000
 
  7.45%, due 7/16/31
   
883,269
 
     
Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC
       
 
1,000,000
 
  5.00%, due 5/15/18
   
1,059,843
 
 
800,000
 
  3.336%, due 3/18/21
   
820,362
 
 
600,000
 
  5.875%, due 8/2/21
   
683,401
 
     
General Motors Co.
       
 
400,000
 
  5.20%, due 4/1/45
   
390,588
 
           
3,837,463
 
   
Banks 9.5%
 
     
Associated Banc-Corp
       
 
400,000
 
  2.75%, due 11/15/19
   
402,251
 
     
Bank of America Corp.
       
 
2,000,000
 
  2.625%, due 10/19/20
   
2,014,016
 
 
2,000,000
 
  4.00%, due 1/22/25
   
2,008,820
 
 
700,000
 
  3.875%, due 8/1/25
   
732,383
 
     
Barclays Bank PLC
       
 
700,000
 
  5.14%, due 10/14/20
   
751,260
 
     
Capital One Bank USA N.A.
       
 
1,100,000
 
  3.375%, due 2/15/23
   
1,104,829
 
     
Capital One N.A.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.35%, due 8/17/18
 
 
1,010,624
 
     
Citigroup, Inc.
       
 
2,000,000
 
  2.40%, due 2/18/20
   
2,014,278
 
 
500,000
 
  2.70%, due 3/30/21
   
504,615
 
 
1,000,000
 
  3.50%, due 5/15/23
   
1,010,138
 
 
700,000
 
  3.40%, due 5/1/26
   
706,606
 
 
1,000,000
 
  4.45%, due 9/29/27
   
1,016,873
 
 
700,000
 
  5.30%, due 5/6/44
   
737,435
 
     
Credit Suisse Group
       
 
700,000
 
  5.40%, due 1/14/20
   
759,996
 
     
Credit Suisse Group Funding
       
     
  (Guernsey) Ltd.
       
 
650,000
 
  4.55%, due 4/17/26 (d)
   
670,298
 
     
Discover Bank
       
 
700,000
 
  3.20%, due 8/9/21
   
707,484
 
     
Fifth Third Bancorp
       
 
930,000
 
  4.50%, due 6/1/18
   
977,516
 
 
225,000
 
  8.25%, due 3/1/38
   
328,349
 
     
First Tennessee Bank
       
 
500,000
 
  2.95%, due 12/1/19
   
499,069
 
     
Huntington Bancshares, Inc.
       
 
1,500,000
 
  3.15%, due 3/14/21
   
1,539,851
 
     
KeyCorp
       
 
900,000
 
  5.10%, due 3/24/21
   
1,001,185
 
           
20,497,876
 
   
Biotechnology 2.5%
 
     
Amgen, Inc.
       
 
1,520,000
 
  3.875%, due 11/15/21
   
1,635,563
 
 
900,000
 
  5.15%, due 11/15/41
   
990,356
 
     
Biogen Idec, Inc.
       
 
1,110,000
 
  6.875%, due 3/1/18
   
1,208,211
 
     
Celgene Corp.
       
 
800,000
 
  2.875%, due 8/15/20
   
820,383
 
 
800,000
 
  4.625%, due 5/15/44
   
801,538
 
           
5,456,051
 

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

7

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)


           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Broker 1.9%
 
   
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
     
$
950,000
 
  6.75%, due 10/1/37
 
$
1,158,781
 
     
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
       
 
1,050,000
 
  6.11%, due 1/29/37
   
1,219,466
 
     
Morgan Stanley
       
 
900,000
 
  4.875%, due 11/1/22
   
978,395
 
     
Nomura Holdings, Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  6.70%, due 3/4/20
   
803,692
 
           
4,160,334
 
   
Building Materials 0.4%
 
     
Owens Corning Inc.
       
 
775,000
 
  4.20%, due 12/15/22
   
800,481
 
   
Chemicals 1.9%
 
     
CF Industries, Inc.
       
 
800,000
 
  3.45%, due 6/1/23
   
788,280
 
     
Cytec Industries Inc.
       
 
880,000
 
  3.95%, due 5/1/25
   
859,034
 
     
Dow Chemical Co.
       
 
666,000
 
  4.25%, due 11/15/20
   
723,552
 
 
865,000
 
  7.375%, due 11/1/29
   
1,121,272
 
     
RPM International, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  6.125%, due 10/15/19
   
554,899
 
           
4,047,037
 
   
Commercial Finance 0.3%
 
     
Air Lease Corp.
       
 
700,000
 
  3.875%, due 4/1/21
   
725,872
 
   
Communications 1.2%
 
     
Telefonica Emisiones SAU
       
 
1,735,000
 
  5.462%, due 2/16/21
   
1,957,042
 
 
475,000
 
  7.045%, due 6/20/36
   
596,118
 
           
2,553,160
 
   
Communications Equipment 0.7%
 
     
Harris Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  6.15%, due 12/15/40
   
614,084
 
     
L-3 Communications Corp.
       
 
775,000
 
  4.75%, due 7/15/20
 
 
829,922
 
           
1,444,006
 
   
Consumer Finance 0.2%
 
     
Synchrony Financial
       
 
500,000
 
  4.50%, due 7/23/25
   
524,619
 
   
Diversified Manufacturing 0.3%
 
     
Ingersoll-Rand Global
       
     
  Holding Company Ltd.
       
 
560,000
 
  6.875%, due 8/15/18
   
619,985
 
   
Drugs and Druggists’ Sundries
 
  Merchant Wholesalers 1.1%
 
     
Actavis Funding SCS
       
 
700,000
 
  3.00%, due 3/12/20
   
711,057
 
 
850,000
 
  3.45%, due 3/15/22
   
864,617
 
 
800,000
 
  4.75%, due 3/15/45
   
793,404
 
           
2,369,078
 
   
Electric Utilities 3.5%
 
     
Dominion Resources, Inc.
       
 
470,000
 
  4.90%, due 8/1/41
   
496,640
 
     
Exelon Corp.
       
 
1,015,000
 
  5.625%, due 6/15/35
   
1,184,121
 
     
Indiana Michigan Power
       
 
750,000
 
  6.05%, due 3/15/37
   
902,448
 
     
Jersey Central Power & Light
       
 
700,000
 
  7.35%, due 2/1/19
   
787,025
 
     
NiSource Finance Corp.
       
 
900,000
 
  6.125%, due 3/1/22
   
1,063,913
 
 
400,000
 
  5.25%, due 2/15/43
   
458,621
 
     
Ohio Power Co.
       
 
1,100,000
 
  5.375%, due 10/1/21
   
1,261,224
 
     
Oncor Electric Delivery
       
 
595,000
 
  7.00%, due 5/1/32
   
801,841
 
     
Teco Finance, Inc.
       
 
550,000
 
  5.15%, due 3/15/20
   
602,810
 
           
7,558,643
 
               
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

8

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)


           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Exploration & Production 0.6%
 
   
Apache Corp.
     
$
700,000
 
  3.25%, due 4/15/22
 
$
698,609
 
     
Noble Energy, Inc.
       
 
533,000
 
  3.90%, due 11/15/24
   
527,214
 
           
1,225,823
 
   
Finance 0.5%
 
     
Block Financial Corp.
       
 
900,000
 
  5.50%, due 11/1/22
   
961,567
 
   
Finance – Credit Cards 0.7%
 
     
American Express Co.
       
 
1,555,000
 
  6.80%, due 9/1/66 (a)
   
1,560,831
 
   
Financial Services 1.0%
 
     
Brookfield Finance, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  4.25%, due 6/2/26
   
1,001,372
 
     
Legg Mason, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  5.625%, due 1/15/44
   
504,832
 
     
Leucadia National Corp.
       
 
700,000
 
  5.50%, due 10/18/23
   
702,849
 
           
2,209,053
 
   
Food 1.9%
 
     
ConAgra Foods, Inc.
       
 
1,300,000
 
  7.00%, due 10/1/28
   
1,587,281
 
     
Kellogg Co.
       
 
400,000
 
  3.25%, due 5/21/18
   
413,366
 
     
Kroger Co.
       
 
780,000
 
  6.15%, due 1/15/20
   
889,629
 
     
Mondelez International, Inc.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  2.25%, due 2/1/19
   
1,223,869
 
           
4,114,145
 
   
Food and Beverage 1.5%
 
     
Kraft Heinz Foods Co.
       
 
700,000
 
  3.50%, due 7/15/22 (d)
   
731,072
 
 
1,000,000
 
  3.00%, due 6/1/26 (d)
   
990,912
 
 
1,000,000
 
  4.375%, due 6/1/46 (d)
   
1,015,946
 
     
Mead Johnson Nutrition Co.
       
 
500,000
 
  3.00%, due 11/15/20
 
 
514,250
 
           
3,252,180
 
   
Gas Pipelines 0.5%
 
     
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
       
 
1,100,000
 
  6.50%, due 5/1/18
   
1,163,164
 
   
Health and Personal Care Stores 0.9%
 
     
CVS Health Corp.
       
 
700,000
 
  2.80%, due 7/20/20
   
720,744
 
 
620,000
 
  3.875%, due 7/20/25
   
668,083
 
 
500,000
 
  5.125%, due 7/20/45
   
583,781
 
           
1,972,608
 
   
Health Care 1.2%
 
     
Cardinal Health, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  2.40%, due 11/15/19
   
508,198
 
     
Humana, Inc.
       
 
955,000
 
  7.20%, due 6/15/18
   
1,055,150
 
     
Laboratory Corporation of
       
     
  America Holdings
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.20%, due 8/23/17
   
1,004,967
 
           
2,568,315
 
   
Health Care Facilities and Services 0.8%
 
     
Express Scripts Holding Co.
       
 
800,000
 
  4.75%, due 11/15/21
   
883,108
 
     
McKesson Corp.
       
 
800,000
 
  4.883%, due 3/15/44
   
884,054
 
           
1,767,162
 
Home and Office Products Manufacturing 0.5%
 
     
Newell Brands, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  4.20%, due 4/1/26
   
1,060,925
 
   
Information Technology 1.4%
 
     
Hewlett Packard Co.
       
 
800,000
 
  4.65%, due 12/9/21
   
848,742
 

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

9

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

 
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Information Technology 1.4% (continued)
 
   
HP Enterprise Co.
     
$
700,000
 
  3.60%, due 10/15/20 (d)
 
$
720,200
 
 
700,000
 
  4.90%, due 10/15/25 (d)
   
717,774
 
     
Ingram Micro, Inc.
       
 
775,000
 
  5.00%, due 8/10/22
   
779,917
 
           
3,066,633
 
   
Insurance 4.7%
 
     
American International
       
     
  Group, Inc.
       
 
1,050,000
 
  4.875%, due 6/1/22
   
1,149,183
 
 
100,000
 
  6.25%, due 3/15/87
   
103,000
 
     
Aon Corp.
       
 
600,000
 
  5.00%, due 9/30/20
   
664,928
 
     
AXA SA
       
 
500,000
 
  8.60%, due 12/15/30
   
672,600
 
     
CIGNA Corp.
       
 
315,000
 
  6.15%, due 11/15/36
   
378,255
 
     
Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
       
 
1,275,000
 
  5.50%, due 9/1/22
   
1,386,584
 
 
105,000
 
  3.50%, due 4/15/23
   
106,423
 
     
Hartford Financial
       
     
  Services Group
       
 
1,350,000
 
  5.125%, due 4/15/22
   
1,520,649
 
     
Markel Corp.
       
 
20,000
 
  4.90%, due 7/1/22
   
21,787
 
     
Metlife, Inc.
       
 
855,000
 
  6.40%, due 12/15/66 (a)
   
920,202
 
     
Protective Life Corp.
       
 
350,000
 
  7.375%, due 10/15/19
   
404,232
 
     
Prudential Financial, Inc.
       
 
1,075,000
 
  6.625%, due 12/1/37
   
1,340,840
 
     
Unum Group
       
 
700,000
 
  5.625%, due 9/15/20
   
779,271
 
     
Wellpoint, Inc.
       
 
600,000
 
  4.65%, due 8/15/44
   
619,195
 
           
10,067,149
 
               
Lodging 0.3%
 
     
Host Hotels & Resorts LP
       
 
600,000
 
  4.75%, due 3/1/23
 
 
632,189
 
   
Machinery 0.4%
 
     
Flowserve Corp.
       
 
900,000
 
  3.50%, due 9/15/22
   
901,976
 
   
Manufacturing 1.0%
 
     
Boston Scientific Corp.
       
 
985,000
 
  2.85%, due 5/15/20
   
1,006,363
 
 
1,000,000
 
  4.125%, due 10/1/23
   
1,069,407
 
           
2,075,770
 
   
Media 4.0%
 
     
CBS Corp.
       
 
1,220,000
 
  5.75%, due 4/15/20
   
1,383,838
 
     
Discover Communications LLC
       
 
500,000
 
  3.30%, due 5/15/22
   
498,070
 
     
Expedia, Inc.
       
 
800,000
 
  5.95%, due 8/15/20
   
886,847
 
     
Omnicom Group, Inc.
       
 
400,000
 
  3.625%, due 5/1/22
   
420,830
 
     
Time Warner Entertainment
       
     
  Company, L.P.
       
 
810,000
 
  8.375%, due 7/15/33
   
1,057,404
 
     
Time Warner, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  4.05%, due 12/15/23
   
538,264
 
 
1,965,000
 
  7.625%, due 4/15/31
   
2,623,587
 
     
Viacom Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  3.875%, due 4/1/24
   
698,823
 
 
610,000
 
  4.375%, due 3/15/43
   
468,174
 
           
8,575,837
 
   
Medical Equipment 0.1%
 
     
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
       
 
150,000
 
  6.50%, due 11/1/17
   
158,886
 
   
Medical Equipment and
 
  Supplies Manufacturing 0.4%
 
     
Becton Dickinson & Co.
       
 
800,000
 
  4.685%, due 12/15/44
   
880,407
 

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

10

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)


           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Metals 0.3%
 
   
Southern Copper Corp.
     
$
750,000
 
  6.75%, due 4/16/40
 
$
730,118
 
   
Metals and Mining 0.5%
 
     
Goldcorp Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  3.70%, due 3/15/23
   
492,458
 
     
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.
       
 
500,000
 
  4.50%, due 4/15/23
   
510,224
 
           
1,002,682
 
   
Metalworking Machinery 0.5%
 
     
Kennametal, Inc.
       
 
1,150,000
 
  2.65%, due 11/1/19
   
1,115,993
 
             
Mining 0.9%
           
     
Newmont Mining Corp.
       
 
800,000
 
  4.875%, due 3/15/42
   
722,355
 
     
Vale Overseas Limited
       
 
700,000
 
  4.375%, due 1/11/22
   
630,966
 
 
700,000
 
  6.875%, due 11/21/36
   
584,500
 
           
1,937,821
 
   
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and
 
Control Instruments Manufacturing 0.3%
 
     
Northrop Grumman Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  4.75%, due 6/1/43
   
569,586
 
   
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and
 
Directory Publishers 0.8%
 
     
21st Century Fox America, Inc.
       
 
1,460,000
 
  6.20%, due 12/15/34
   
1,770,568
 
   
Nondepository Credit Intermediation 1.0%
 
     
General Motors Financial Co., Inc.
       
 
800,000
 
  3.15%, due 1/15/20
   
809,128
 
 
800,000
 
  4.20%, due 3/1/21
   
837,062
 
 
600,000
 
  4.00%, due 1/15/25
   
598,268
 
           
2,244,458
 
Oil and Gas 6.3%
 
     
Anadarko Petroleum Corp.
       
 
900,000
 
  6.45%, due 9/15/36
 
 
969,035
 
     
Devon Energy Corp.
       
 
665,000
 
  7.95%, due 4/15/32
   
717,446
 
     
Enterprise Products Operating LLC
       
 
1,850,000
 
  4.85%, due 8/15/42
   
1,817,712
 
     
Hess Corp.
       
 
575,000
 
  8.125%, due 2/15/19
   
638,967
 
 
800,000
 
  5.60%, due 2/15/41
   
776,080
 
     
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners
       
 
600,000
 
  3.05%, due 12/1/19
   
598,627
 
 
750,000
 
  3.95%, due 9/1/22
   
736,169
 
 
1,270,000
 
  5.80%, due 3/15/35
   
1,175,424
 
 
700,000
 
  5.55%, due 6/1/45
   
646,962
 
     
Marathon Oil Corp.
       
 
1,050,000
 
  6.00%, due 10/1/17
   
1,081,392
 
     
Pemex Master Trust
       
 
1,500,000
 
  5.75%, due 3/1/18
   
1,566,000
 
 
1,150,000
 
  6.625%, due 6/15/35
   
1,132,635
 
     
Petroleos Mexicanos
       
 
700,000
 
  5.50%, due 1/21/21
   
728,000
 
     
Pioneer Natural Resource Co.
       
 
400,000
 
  3.95%, due 7/15/22
   
413,497
 
     
Valero Energy Corp.
       
 
655,000
 
  6.625%, due 6/15/37
   
685,322
 
           
13,683,268
 
   
Other Telecommunications 3.2%
 
     
AT&T, Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  1.75%, due 1/15/18
   
702,525
 
 
685,000
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/21
   
755,839
 
 
1,500,000
 
  3.00%, due 2/15/22
   
1,509,544
 
 
600,000
 
  3.40%, due 5/15/25
   
602,137
 
 
1,200,000
 
  4.50%, due 5/15/35
   
1,205,468
 
 
700,000
 
  6.00%, due 8/15/40
   
795,098
 
 
1,400,000
 
  4.80%, due 6/15/44
   
1,402,663
 
           
6,973,274
 

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

11

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)


           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Paper 1.2%
 
   
International Paper Co.
     
$
742,000
 
  4.75%, due 2/15/22
 
$
812,967
 
 
700,000
 
  6.00%, due 11/15/41
   
785,176
 
     
Weyerhaeuser Co.
       
 
800,000
 
  7.375%, due 3/15/32
   
1,018,345
 
           
2,616,488
 
Pharmaceuticals 2.2%
 
     
AbbVie, Inc.
       
 
950,000
 
  1.75%, due 11/6/17
   
952,384
 
 
500,000
 
  2.30%, due 5/14/21
   
498,047
 
 
1,000,000
 
  3.60%, due 5/14/25
   
1,031,596
 
 
800,000
 
  4.40%, due 11/6/42
   
795,146
 
     
Mylan N.V.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  3.15%, due 6/15/21 (d)
   
998,840
 
     
Perrigo Co. Ltd.
       
 
500,000
 
  4.00%, due 11/15/23
   
499,643
 
           
4,775,656
 
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 0.4%
 
     
Magellan Midstream Partners LP
       
 
500,000
 
  3.20%, due 3/15/25
   
484,310
 
     
Sunoco Logistics Partners
       
 
500,000
 
  4.25%, due 4/1/24
   
486,151
 
           
970,461
 
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 0.7%
 
     
Williams Partners L.P.
       
 
500,000
 
  3.60%, due 3/15/22
   
440,829
 
 
800,000
 
  3.90%, due 1/15/25
   
692,291
 
 
500,000
 
  5.10%, due 9/15/45
   
405,572
 
           
1,538,692
 
Pipelines 2.5%
 
     
El Paso Electric Co.
       
 
850,000
 
  6.00%, due 5/15/35
   
1,013,730
 
     
Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.
       
 
590,000
 
  5.20%, due 3/15/20
   
613,003
 
     
Energy Transfer Partners L.P.
       
 
700,000
 
  5.20%, due 2/1/22
   
704,061
 
 
1,000,000
 
  7.60%, due 2/1/24
   
1,080,160
 
     
Oneok Partners L.P.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  3.375%, due 10/1/22
   
1,143,358
 
     
Tennessee Gas Pipeline
       
 
725,000
 
  7.50%, due 4/1/17
   
759,266
 
           
5,313,578
 
Property & Casualty Insurance 0.7%
 
     
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.
       
 
1,400,000
 
  4.50%, due 4/15/26
   
1,424,167
 
Railroad 0.7%
 
     
Canadian Pacific Railway Co.
       
 
700,000
 
  2.90%, due 2/1/25
   
699,711
 
     
Norfolk Southern Corp.
       
 
700,000
 
  3.85%, due 1/15/24
   
751,665
 
           
1,451,376
 
Real Estate 0.6%
 
     
AvalonBay Communities Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  3.45%, due 6/1/25
   
729,592
 
     
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
       
 
500,000
 
  3.375%, due 4/15/26
   
505,078
 
           
1,234,670
 
Real Estate Investment Trusts 2.2%
 
     
Boston Properties LP
       
 
1,400,000
 
  4.125%, due 5/15/21
   
1,511,959
 
     
Health Care REIT, Inc.
       
 
1,050,000
 
  5.25%, due 1/15/22
   
1,158,686
 
     
Ventas Realty LP
       
 
1,500,000
 
  4.75%, due 6/1/21
   
1,647,673
 
 
500,000
 
  3.75%, due 5/1/24
   
511,763
 
           
4,830,081
 

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

12

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)


           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Restaurants 0.7%
 
   
McDonald’s Corp.
     
$
800,000
 
  2.75%, due 12/9/20
 
$
822,587
 
 
550,000
 
  4.875%, due 12/9/45
   
613,808
 
           
1,436,395
 
   
Retail 1.5%
 
     
Gap, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  5.95%, due 4/12/21
   
1,019,920
 
     
Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc.
       
 
800,000
 
  2.875%, due 2/15/23
   
738,258
 
 
400,000
 
  6.70%, due 7/15/34
   
410,298
 
     
Walgreens Boots Alliance
       
 
1,000,000
 
  4.80%, due 11/18/44
   
1,034,448
 
           
3,202,924
 
   
Retail – Consumer Staples 0.5%
 
     
Sysco Corp.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.50%, due 7/15/21
   
1,008,186
 
   
Scientific Instruments 0.4%
 
     
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
       
 
900,000
 
  3.60%, due 8/15/21
   
947,276
 
   
Software 1.5%
 
     
Fiserv, Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  3.50%, due 10/1/22
   
729,614
 
 
600,000
 
  3.85%, due 6/1/25
   
631,274
 
     
Jabil Circuit, Inc.
       
 
1,800,000
 
  4.70%, due 9/15/22
   
1,820,250
 
           
3,181,138
 
   
Software & Services 0.1%
 
     
Equifax, Inc.
       
 
200,000
 
  2.30%, due 6/1/21
   
199,668
 
   
Technology 0.3%
 
     
Tech Data Corp.
       
 
700,000
 
  3.75%, due 9/21/17
   
719,181
 
               
   
Telecommunications 2.1%
 
     
American Tower Corp.
       
 
1,350,000
 
  5.05%, due 9/1/20
 
 
1,476,558
 
     
British Telecommunications PLC
       
 
855,000
 
  9.625%, due 12/15/30 (c)
   
1,349,181
 
     
Deutsche Telekom
       
     
  International Finance
       
 
345,000
 
  8.75%, due 6/15/30 (c)
   
512,074
 
     
France Telecom SA
       
 
575,000
 
  5.375%, due 1/13/42
   
688,420
 
     
Grupo Televisa SAB
       
 
400,000
 
  6.625%, due 3/18/25
   
482,277
 
           
4,508,510
 
   
Tobacco 0.7%
 
     
Reynolds American, Inc.
       
 
1,400,000
 
  4.45%, due 6/12/25
   
1,539,896
 
   
Toys and Games 0.4%
 
     
Mattel, Inc.
       
 
820,000
 
  5.45%, due 11/1/41
   
843,837
 
   
Transportation 0.8%
 
     
CSX Corp.
       
 
1,390,000
 
  6.22%, due 4/30/40
   
1,816,401
 
   
Transportation and Logistics 0.5%
 
     
Fedex Corp.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  4.00%, due 1/15/24
   
1,089,877
 
   
Travel and Lodging 0.3%
 
     
Starwood Hotels &
       
     
  Resorts Worldwide
       
 
600,000
 
  3.75%, due 3/15/25
   
613,193
 
   
Utilities 0.2%
 
     
PSEG Power LLC
       
 
500,000
 
  4.30%, due 11/15/23
   
514,667
 
   
Utilities – Gas 0.3%
 
     
National Fuel Gas Co.
       
 
680,000
 
  4.90%, due 12/1/21
   
695,331
 

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

13

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)


             
Principal Amount
       
Value
 
             
Waste and Environment
 
  Services and Equipment 0.3%
 
   
Waste Management, Inc.
       
$
700,000
 
  3.125%, due 3/1/25
   
$
722,317
 
   
Waste Disposal 0.7%
 
     
Republic Services, Inc.
         
 
1,450,000
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/20
     
1,592,123
 
   
Wired Telecommunications Carriers 3.4%
 
     
Verizon Communications, Inc.
         
 
2,112,000
 
  2.625%, due 2/21/20
     
2,166,352
 
 
900,000
 
  5.15%, due 9/15/23
     
1,033,864
 
 
4,200,000
 
  4.522%, due 9/15/48
     
4,259,699
 
             
7,459,915
 
   
Wireless Telecommunications Services 0.7%
 
     
Vodafone Group PLC
         
 
1,600,000
 
  2.95%, due 2/19/23
     
1,585,512
 
   
Total Corporate Bonds
 
  (cost $190,414,721)
     
195,261,511
 
   
SOVEREIGN BONDS 8.2%
 
     
Republic of Colombia
         
 
1,000,000
 
  7.375%, due 3/18/19
     
1,134,000
 
 
890,000
 
  7.375%, due 9/18/37
     
1,063,550
 
     
Republic of Italy
         
 
1,050,000
 
  6.875%, due 9/27/23
     
1,312,519
 
     
Republic of Panama
         
 
200,000
 
  5.20%, due 1/30/20
     
218,800
 
 
750,000
 
  6.70%, due 1/26/36
     
945,000
 
     
Republic of Peru
         
 
1,050,000
 
  6.55%, due 3/14/37
     
1,325,625
 
     
Republic of Philippines
         
 
950,000
 
  6.50%, due 1/20/20
     
1,111,639
 
 
1,625,000
 
  5.00%, due 1/13/37
     
2,048,659
 
     
Republic of Turkey
         
 
400,000
 
  7.50%, due 7/14/17
     
424,198
 
 
1,500,000
 
  5.125%, due 3/25/22
     
1,566,922
 
 
1,950,000
 
  6.00%, due 1/14/41
     
2,052,775
 
     
Republic of Uruguay
         
 
209,742
 
  8.00%, due 11/18/22
     
265,061
 
     
United Mexican States
         
 
1,684,000
 
  3.625%, due 3/15/22
     
1,742,940
 
 
2,490,000
 
  4.75%, due 3/8/44
     
2,477,550
 
             
17,689,238
 
Total Sovereign Bonds
         
  (cost $17,863,489) 
     
17,689,238
 
   
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 1.2%
 
 
2,677,323
 
Invesco STIT – Treasury
         
     
  Portfolio – Institutional
         
     
  Class, 0.24% (b)
     
2,677,323
 
Total Short-Term Investments
 
  (cost $2,677,323)
     
2,677,323
 
Total Investments
         
  (cost $210,955,533)
 
 
99.6%    
215,628,072
 
Other Assets less Liabilities 
0.4%    
796,116
 
TOTAL NET ASSETS
  100.0%  
$
216,424,188
 

(a)
Variable rate security.  Rate shown reflects the rate in effect as of May 31, 2016.
(b)
Rate shown is the 7-day annualized yield as of May 31, 2016.
(c)
Step-up bond; the interest rate shown is the rate in effect as of May 31, 2016.
(d)
Security purchased within the terms of a private placement memorandum, exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may be sold only to dealers in the program or other “qualified institutional buyers.”  Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the Fund’s adviser, has determined that such security is liquid in accordance with the liquidity guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees of Advisors Series Trust.  As of May 31, 2016, the value of these investments was $5,845,042 or 2.7% of total net assets.

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

14

PIA Funds
PIA BBB BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)


Country Allocation
     
Country
 
% of Net Assets 
       
       
United States
   
81.7
%
Mexico
   
3.8
%
United Kingdom
   
2.0
%
Turkey
   
1.9
%
Philippines
   
1.5
%
Spain
   
1.2
%
Luxembourg
   
1.1
%
Colombia
   
1.0
%
Canada
   
1.0
%
France
   
0.6
%
Peru
   
0.6
%
Italy
   
0.6
%
Brazil
   
0.6
%
Panama
   
0.5
%
Ireland
   
0.5
%
Japan
   
0.4
%
Switzerland
   
0.4
%
Guernsey
   
0.3
%
Netherlands
   
0.2
%
Uruguay
   
    0.1
%
     
100.0
%
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

15

PIA Funds
PIA MBS BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)


           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
MORTAGE-BACKED SECURITIES 100.9%
 
   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities 2.5%
 
   
Aventura Mall Trust
     
$
800,000
 
  3.867%, due 12/7/32, Series
     
     
  2013-AVM, Class A (a) (d)
 
$
856,665
 
     
Hilton USA Trust
       
 
1,300,000
 
  2.662%, due 11/7/30, Series
       
     
  2013-HLT, Class AFX (d)
   
1,305,617
 
           
2,162,282
 
   
Residential Mortage-Backed Securities 6.6%
 
     
American Residential Property Trust
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.185%, due 9/17/31, Series
       
     
  2014-SFR1, Class B (a) (d)
   
988,355
 
     
Colony American Homes
       
 
1,899,221
 
  1.596%, due 5/17/31, Series
       
     
  2014-1A, Class A (a) (d)
   
1,888,351
 
     
Invitation Homes Trust
       
 
3,000,000
 
  1.946%, due 6/17/31, Series
       
     
  2014-SFR1, Class B (a) (d)
   
2,958,277
 
           
5,834,983
 
   
U.S. Government Agencies 91.8%
 
     
FHLMC Pool
       
 
21,994
 
  4.50%, due 5/1/20, #G18052
   
23,046
 
 
23,248
 
  4.50%, due 3/1/21, #G18119
   
24,673
 
 
20,945
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/21, #G18105
   
22,342
 
 
119,264
 
  4.50%, due 5/1/21, #J01723
   
122,405
 
 
19,213
 
  6.00%, due 6/1/21, #G18124
   
20,737
 
 
58,234
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/21, #G12378
   
61,725
 
 
19,260
 
  5.00%, due 11/1/21, #G18160
   
20,493
 
 
14,804
 
  5.00%, due 2/1/22, #G12522
   
15,737
 
 
17,126
 
  5.00%, due 2/1/22, #J04411
   
18,078
 
 
60,661
 
  5.50%, due 3/1/22, #G12577
   
65,355
 
 
19,225
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/22, #J05243
   
19,748
 
 
468,370
 
  4.00%, due 3/1/26, #J14785
   
498,710
 
 
1,306,777
 
  3.00%, due 11/1/26, #G18409
   
1,367,415
 
 
491,606
 
  3.00%, due 6/1/27, #G14497
   
514,421
 
 
801,675
 
  3.00%, due 12/1/29, #G18534
   
837,538
 
 
14,107
 
  5.50%, due 5/1/35, #B31639
   
15,708
 
 
149,642
 
  5.00%, due 8/1/35, #A36351
   
165,944
 
 
40,069
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/35, #A37616
   
43,609
 
 
154,797
 
  4.50%, due 10/1/35, #A37869
   
168,979
 
 
70,283
 
  4.50%, due 10/1/35, #A38023
   
76,747
 
 
43,832
 
  4.50%, due 10/1/35, #G01890
   
47,877
 
 
76,676
 
  5.00%, due 10/1/35, #G01940
   
85,113
 
 
109,158
 
  6.00%, due 1/1/36, #A42208
   
123,727
 
 
15,709
 
  7.00%, due 1/1/36, #G02048
   
19,320
 
 
107,657
 
  5.50%, due 2/1/36, #G02031
   
120,980
 
 
85,665
 
  7.00%, due 8/1/36, #G08148
   
106,304
 
 
305,376
 
  6.50%, due 9/1/36, #A54908
   
362,450
 
 
118,063
 
  6.50%, due 11/1/36, #A54094
   
143,101
 
 
69,452
 
  5.50%, due 2/1/37, #A57840
   
77,822
 
 
103,245
 
  5.00%, due 5/1/37, #A60268
   
113,794
 
 
90,423
 
  5.00%, due 6/1/37, #G03094
   
100,026
 
 
171,797
 
  5.50%, due 6/1/37, #A61982
   
192,877
 
 
235,983
 
  6.00%, due 6/1/37, #A62176
   
267,478
 
 
295,591
 
  6.00%, due 6/1/37, #A62444
   
339,062
 
 
65,162
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/37, #A63187
   
71,754
 
 
127,969
 
  5.50%, due 8/1/37, #G03156
   
143,447
 
 
28,500
 
  6.50%, due 8/1/37, #A70413
   
32,534
 
 
11,523
 
  7.00%, due 8/1/37, #A70079
   
13,288
 
 
9,409
 
  7.00%, due 9/1/37, #A65335
   
10,133
 
 
19,065
 
  7.00%, due 9/1/37, #A65670
   
20,830
 
 
6,492
 
  7.00%, due 9/1/37, #A65941
   
7,008
 
 
1,682
 
  7.00%, due 9/1/37, #A66041
   
1,763
 
 
53,505
 
  7.00%, due 9/1/37, #G03207
   
61,346
 
 
9,474
 
  6.50%, due 11/1/37, #A68726
   
10,813
 
 
122,411
 
  5.00%, due 2/1/38, #A73370
   
134,777
 
 
6,069
 
  5.00%, due 2/1/38, #G03836
   
6,694
 
 
12,950
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/38, #A73704
   
14,275
 
 
125,516
 
  5.00%, due 4/1/38, #A76335
   
138,195
 
 
49,238
 
  5.50%, due 4/1/38, #G04121
   
55,356
 
 
7,160
 
  5.00%, due 5/1/38, #A77463
   
7,883
 
 
24,468
 
  5.50%, due 5/1/38, #A77265
   
27,498
 
 
51,362
 
  5.50%, due 5/1/38, #G04215
   
57,691
 
 
29,890
 
  5.00%, due 6/1/38, #A77986
   
32,909
 

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

16

PIA Funds
PIA MBS BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
 
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
U.S. Government Agencies 91.8% (continued)
 
   
FHLMC Pool (continued)
     
$
11,447
 
  5.00%, due 6/1/38, #G04522
 
$
12,610
 
 
8,470
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/38, #A79197
   
9,326
 
 
69,130
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/38, #G04773
   
75,245
 
 
17,033
 
  5.00%, due 9/1/38, #G04690
   
18,754
 
 
302,777
 
  5.00%, due 10/1/38, #G04832
   
333,666
 
 
4,540
 
  5.00%, due 11/1/38, #A82849
   
4,999
 
 
17,427
 
  5.00%, due 12/1/38, #G05683
   
19,199
 
 
174,105
 
  5.00%, due 2/1/39, #G05507
   
191,693
 
 
31,617
 
  4.50%, due 4/1/39, #A85612
   
34,467
 
 
77,804
 
  5.00%, due 5/1/39, #G08345
   
85,717
 
 
94,501
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/39, #A88357
   
103,231
 
 
27,899
 
  5.00%, due 9/1/39, #G05904
   
30,723
 
 
159,033
 
  4.50%, due 11/1/39, #G05748
   
173,736
 
 
132,535
 
  4.50%, due 12/1/39, #A90175
   
144,881
 
 
39,136
 
  4.50%, due 4/1/40, #C03464
   
42,793
 
 
105,164
 
  4.50%, due 5/1/40, #A92269
   
114,971
 
 
588,820
 
  4.50%, due 5/1/40, #G06047
   
643,614
 
 
348,094
 
  4.50%, due 6/1/40, #A92533
   
380,621
 
 
54,468
 
  4.50%, due 6/1/40, #A92594
   
59,281
 
 
14,484
 
  4.50%, due 8/1/40, #A93437
   
15,858
 
 
548,902
 
  4.50%, due 8/1/40, #A93505
   
600,234
 
 
404,450
 
  3.50%, due 1/1/41, #A96409
   
423,830
 
 
207,081
 
  4.50%, due 1/1/41, #A96176
   
226,448
 
 
57,488
 
  4.50%, due 2/1/41, #A97013
   
62,861
 
 
38,649
 
  4.50%, due 4/1/41, #Q00285
   
42,267
 
 
555,592
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/41, #C03701
   
607,602
 
 
113,894
 
  3.50%, due 10/1/41, #Q04087
   
119,372
 
 
41,928
 
  4.50%, due 11/1/41, #Q04699
   
45,635
 
 
158,062
 
  3.50%, due 1/1/42, #Q05410
   
165,736
 
 
623,827
 
  3.50%, due 2/1/42, #Q05996
   
654,113
 
 
373,836
 
  3.50%, due 3/1/42, #G08479
   
391,958
 
 
1,588,490
 
  3.50%, due 4/1/42, #Q07654
   
1,665,612
 
 
1,044,611
 
  3.50%, due 5/1/42, #G08491
   
1,095,221
 
 
1,750,178
 
  3.50%, due 6/1/42, #C09000
   
1,834,624
 
 
1,590,051
 
  3.50%, due 6/1/42, #Q08641
   
1,667,087
 
 
14,923
 
  3.50%, due 6/1/42, #Q08998
   
15,643
 
 
43,333
 
  3.50%, due 7/1/42, #C09004
   
45,419
 
 
575,352
 
  3.50%, due 8/1/42, #Q10324
 
 
602,934
 
 
55,231
 
  3.00%, due 4/1/43, #V80025
   
56,682
 
 
243,616
 
  3.00%, due 5/1/43, #Q18436
   
250,035
 
 
167,117
 
  3.00%, due 6/1/43, #Q19697
   
171,406
 
 
623,274
 
  3.50%, due 6/1/43, #V80161
   
652,573
 
 
608,381
 
  3.00%, due 8/1/43, #G08540
   
623,996
 
 
338,995
 
  3.00%, due 8/1/43, #Q20559
   
347,696
 
 
176,884
 
  3.00%, due 8/1/43, #Q21026
   
181,285
 
 
739,138
 
  3.50%, due 8/1/43, #Q21351
   
774,033
 
 
222,139
 
  3.50%, due 8/1/43, #Q21435
   
232,548
 
 
93,825
 
  3.50%, due 9/1/43, #G08545
   
98,206
 
 
706,810
 
  3.50%, due 2/1/44, #Q24712
   
739,755
 
 
2,287,226
 
  4.00%, due 8/1/44, #G08601
   
2,439,690
 
 
1,406,270
 
  3.00%, due 3/1/45, #G08631
   
1,441,260
 
 
1,889,280
 
  3.00%, due 5/1/45, #G08640
   
1,936,288
 
 
872,331
 
  3.00%, due 5/1/45, #Q33337
   
894,035
 
 
1,931,078
 
  3.50%, due 11/1/45, #G08676
   
2,021,087
 
     
FHLMC TBA (b)
       
 
2,000,000
 
  2.50%, due 6/15/28
   
2,050,390
 
     
FNMA Pool
       
 
12,355
 
  4.50%, due 10/1/20, #842732
   
12,768
 
 
57,376
 
  3.00%, due 12/1/20, #MA0605
   
59,846
 
 
21,212
 
  4.50%, due 12/1/20, #813954
   
21,825
 
 
3,895
 
  4.50%, due 2/1/21, #845437
   
4,003
 
 
22,703
 
  5.00%, due 2/1/21, #865191
   
23,889
 
 
9,541
 
  5.00%, due 5/1/21, #879112
   
10,117
 
 
60,732
 
  4.50%, due 7/1/21, #845515
   
62,775
 
 
1,036,044
 
  3.00%, due 8/1/21, #AL0579
   
1,080,652
 
 
33,822
 
  5.50%, due 10/1/21, #905090
   
35,208
 
 
108,558
 
  3.00%, due 1/1/22, #MA0957
   
113,312
 
 
17,044
 
  5.00%, due 2/1/22, #900946
   
17,958
 
 
61,075
 
  6.00%, due 2/1/22, #912522
   
66,851
 
 
56,439
 
  5.00%, due 6/1/22, #937709
   
60,400
 
 
25,407
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/22, #938033
   
27,091
 
 
38,091
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/22, #944887
   
39,162
 
 
251,235
 
  5.50%, due 7/1/22, #905040
   
269,527
 
 
6,126
 
  4.00%, due 7/1/25, #AE1318
   
6,507
 

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

17

PIA Funds
PIA MBS BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
 
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
U.S. Government Agencies 91.8% (continued)
 
   
FNMA Pool (continued)
     
$
9,523
 
  4.00%, due 10/1/25, #AE1601
 
$
10,130
 
 
448,388
 
  4.00%, due 12/1/25, #AH6058
   
473,336
 
 
249,930
 
  4.00%, due 1/1/26, #AH3925
   
265,579
 
 
10,595
 
  4.00%, due 1/1/26, #MA0624
   
11,273
 
 
41,820
 
  4.00%, due 3/1/26, #AH8485
   
44,441
 
 
450,745
 
  4.00%, due 5/1/26, #AH8174
   
475,832
 
 
54,200
 
  3.00%, due 10/1/26, #AJ0049
   
56,614
 
 
21,284
 
  3.00%, due 10/1/26, #AJ5474
   
22,225
 
 
72,594
 
  3.00%, due 2/1/27, #AK4047
   
75,797
 
 
171,554
 
  3.00%, due 4/1/27, #AB4997
   
179,196
 
 
608,450
 
  3.00%, due 9/1/27, #AQ0333
   
635,535
 
 
74,995
 
  4.50%, due 4/1/29, #MA0022
   
81,612
 
 
2,704
 
  7.00%, due 8/1/32, #650101
   
3,059
 
 
35,105
 
  4.50%, due 3/1/35, #814433
   
38,300
 
 
40,665
 
  4.50%, due 4/1/35, #735396
   
44,555
 
 
19,148
 
  4.50%, due 5/1/35, #822854
   
20,899
 
 
30,531
 
  4.50%, due 7/1/35, #826584
   
33,224
 
 
3,730
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/35, #833958
   
4,140
 
 
25,982
 
  7.00%, due 7/1/35, #826251
   
29,592
 
 
34,298
 
  4.50%, due 8/1/35, #835751
   
37,509
 
 
21,669
 
  7.00%, due 9/1/35, #842290
   
23,729
 
 
14,838
 
  4.50%, due 11/1/35, #256032
   
16,224
 
 
21,298
 
  5.00%, due 12/1/35, #852482
   
23,655
 
 
9,131
 
  7.00%, due 2/1/36, #865190
   
11,222
 
 
230,454
 
  5.00%, due 5/1/36, #745515
   
256,169
 
 
5,849
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/36, #888789
   
6,497
 
 
17,305
 
  6.50%, due 7/1/36, #897100
   
20,539
 
 
13,254
 
  7.00%, due 7/1/36, #887793
   
13,763
 
 
18,131
 
  6.00%, due 8/1/36, #892925
   
20,892
 
 
42,399
 
  6.50%, due 8/1/36, #878187
   
48,582
 
 
60,205
 
  5.00%, due 9/1/36, #893621
   
66,747
 
 
69,431
 
  5.50%, due 10/1/36, #831845
   
78,544
 
 
31,003
 
  5.50%, due 10/1/36, #893087
   
34,981
 
 
12,071
 
  6.00%, due 10/1/36, #897174
   
13,762
 
 
32,314
 
  5.50%, due 12/1/36, #256513
   
36,254
 
 
1,625
 
  6.50%, due 12/1/36, #920162
   
1,861
 
 
32,606
 
  7.00%, due 1/1/37, #256567
   
37,163
 
 
82,802
 
  5.50%, due 2/1/37, #256597
 
 
93,223
 
 
41,876
 
  6.00%, due 2/1/37, #909357
   
47,892
 
 
1,417
 
  7.00%, due 2/1/37, #915904
   
1,456
 
 
81,733
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/37, #913007
   
90,615
 
 
58,564
 
  5.50%, due 3/1/37, #256636
   
65,937
 
 
3,491
 
  5.00%, due 4/1/37, #914599
   
3,870
 
 
194,492
 
  5.50%, due 6/1/37, #918554
   
218,959
 
 
43,357
 
  5.50%, due 6/1/37, #918705
   
48,706
 
 
257,142
 
  6.00%, due 6/1/37, #888413
   
293,962
 
 
174,551
 
  6.00%, due 6/1/37, #917129
   
199,312
 
 
27,855
 
  7.00%, due 6/1/37, #256774
   
32,303
 
 
41,959
 
  7.00%, due 6/1/37, #940234
   
49,208
 
 
18,564
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/37, #944534
   
20,581
 
 
106,829
 
  5.50%, due 10/1/37, #954939
   
120,117
 
 
37,311
 
  6.00%, due 12/1/37, #965488
   
42,536
 
 
146,783
 
  5.50%, due 2/1/38, #961691
   
165,097
 
 
56,125
 
  5.00%, due 1/1/39, #AA0835
   
62,224
 
 
16,398
 
  5.00%, due 1/1/39, #AA0840
   
18,189
 
 
753
 
  5.00%, due 1/1/39, #AA0862
   
835
 
 
92,762
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/39, #930635
   
102,990
 
 
2,457
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/39, #930760
   
2,724
 
 
12,602
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/39, #995948
   
13,971
 
 
2,074
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/39, #AA4461
   
2,299
 
 
14,697
 
  4.00%, due 4/1/39, #AA0777
   
15,694
 
 
46,444
 
  4.50%, due 4/1/39, #AA4590
   
50,541
 
 
99,097
 
  5.00%, due 4/1/39, #930871
   
109,866
 
 
72,664
 
  5.00%, due 4/1/39, #930992
   
80,561
 
 
58,618
 
  5.00%, due 4/1/39, #995930
   
64,988
 
 
205,846
 
  4.50%, due 6/1/39, #AA7681
   
224,283
 
 
80,522
 
  5.00%, due 6/1/39, #995896
   
89,273
 
 
143,998
 
  4.50%, due 7/1/39, #AE8152
   
157,171
 
 
54,962
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/39, #995895
   
60,954
 
 
374,473
 
  4.50%, due 8/1/39, #931837
   
408,667
 
 
220,295
 
  5.00%, due 8/1/39, #AC3221
   
244,711
 
 
1,056,848
 
  4.00%, due 12/1/39, #AE0215
   
1,128,754
 
 
104,369
 
  4.50%, due 12/1/39, #932324
   
113,892
 
 
15,527
 
  4.50%, due 2/1/40, #AC8494
   
16,949
 
               

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

18

PIA Funds
PIA MBS BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
U.S. Government Agencies 91.8% (continued)  
     
   
FNMA Pool (continued)
     
$
56,096
 
  4.50%, due 2/1/40, #AD1045
 
$
61,233
 
 
57,514
 
  4.50%, due 2/1/40, #AD2832
   
62,744
 
 
19,881
 
  5.00%, due 3/1/40, #AB1186
   
22,042
 
 
1,174,261
 
  5.00%, due 5/1/40, #AD6374
   
1,304,733
 
 
18,534
 
  5.00%, due 6/1/40, #AD8058
   
20,612
 
 
212,066
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/40, #AD4634
   
235,753
 
 
245,822
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/40, #AD4994
   
273,484
 
 
17,107
 
  5.00%, due 7/1/40, #AD7565
   
18,981
 
 
136,918
 
  4.50%, due 8/1/40, #890236
   
149,412
 
 
539,453
 
  4.50%, due 8/1/40, #AD8035
   
588,855
 
 
92,824
 
  4.50%, due 8/1/40, #AD8397
   
101,219
 
 
180,712
 
  4.00%, due 9/1/40, #AE4311
   
193,605
 
 
21,487
 
  4.00%, due 9/1/40, #AE4312
   
23,019
 
 
363,903
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/40, #AE1500
   
397,245
 
 
51,049
 
  4.00%, due 10/1/40, #AE4124
   
54,685
 
 
182,382
 
  4.00%, due 10/1/40, #AE6057
   
195,371
 
 
14,666
 
  4.00%, due 11/1/40, #AE5156
   
15,710
 
 
91,473
 
  4.50%, due 11/1/40, #AE5162
   
99,843
 
 
347,568
 
  4.00%, due 12/1/40, #MA0583
   
372,362
 
 
99,013
 
  4.00%, due 1/1/41, #AE4583
   
105,733
 
 
152,560
 
  4.00%, due 2/1/41, #AH3200
   
163,421
 
 
256,992
 
  4.50%, due 3/1/41, #AH7009
   
280,563
 
 
919,199
 
  4.50%, due 4/1/41, #AH9054
   
1,003,510
 
 
35,113
 
  4.50%, due 5/1/41, #AI1364
   
38,330
 
 
174,196
 
  4.50%, due 5/1/41, #AI1888
   
190,169
 
 
1,174,239
 
  4.50%, due 5/1/41, #AL0160
   
1,281,889
 
 
110,522
 
  4.50%, due 6/1/41, #AI4815
   
120,640
 
 
12,940
 
  4.00%, due 8/1/41, #AI8218
   
13,864
 
 
16,995
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/41, #AH3865
   
18,551
 
 
52,672
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/41, #AI4050
   
57,500
 
 
19,420
 
  4.50%, due 9/1/41, #AJ0729
   
21,196
 
 
149,140
 
  4.00%, due 10/1/41, #AJ4052
   
159,769
 
 
194,068
 
  4.00%, due 11/1/41, #AJ4668
   
207,938
 
 
367,452
 
  4.00%, due 11/1/41, #AJ5643
   
393,511
 
 
124,192
 
  4.00%, due 12/1/41, #AJ3097
   
132,813
 
 
256,910
 
  4.00%, due 4/1/42, #MA1028
   
275,249
 
 
1,493,355
 
  3.50%, due 7/1/43, #AB9774
   
1,565,920
 
 
1,665,052
 
  3.00%, due 8/1/43, #AU3363
 
 
1,709,302
 
 
25,754
 
  4.00%, due 9/1/43, #AU6009
   
27,793
 
 
33,323
 
  4.00%, due 9/1/43, #AU8524
   
35,703
 
 
676,119
 
  4.00%, due 6/1/44, #AW4979
   
721,930
 
 
774,498
 
  4.00%, due 9/1/44, #AS3392
   
828,435
 
 
27,917
 
  4.00%, due 9/1/44, #AX4209
   
29,822
 
 
24,969
 
  4.00%, due 10/1/44, #AW8456
   
26,671
 
 
782,812
 
  4.00%, due 11/1/44, #AS3903
   
835,966
 
 
711,790
 
  4.00%, due 11/1/44, #AS3906
   
760,032
 
 
530,095
 
  3.00%, due 4/1/45, #AS4774
   
543,509
 
 
944,030
 
  3.50%, due 4/1/45, #AY3376
   
988,730
 
 
265,542
 
  3.00%, due 5/1/45, #AY6042
   
272,261
 
 
350,125
 
  3.00%, due 6/1/45, #AZ0171
   
358,985
 
 
1,926,811
 
  3.00%, due 6/1/45, #AZ0504
   
1,975,567
 
 
147,365
 
  3.00%, due 6/1/45, #AZ2724
   
151,094
 
 
561,464
 
  3.00%, due 6/1/45, #AZ2747
   
575,671
 
 
981,387
 
  3.00%, due 6/1/45, #AZ2754
   
1,006,220
 
 
37,848
 
  3.00%, due 8/1/45, #AZ5350
   
38,806
 
 
906,828
 
  3.00%, due 8/1/45, #AZ7972
   
929,774
 
 
955,430
 
  3.50%, due 8/1/45, #AS5699
   
1,000,670
 
 
478,887
 
  3.50%, due 9/1/45, #AS5722
   
501,562
 
 
1,956,200
 
  3.00%, due 10/1/45, #AZ6877
   
2,005,700
 
 
1,964,418
 
  3.50%, due 12/1/45, #BA2275
   
2,057,444
 
 
2,896,757
 
  3.50%, due 12/1/45, #MA2471
   
3,033,919
 
     
FNMA TBA (b)
       
 
2,000,000
 
  2.50%, due 6/15/28
   
2,051,094
 
     
GNMA Pool
       
 
14,177
 
  7.00%, due 9/15/35, #647831
   
15,007
 
 
56,361
 
  5.00%, due 10/15/35, #642220
   
63,053
 
 
45,267
 
  5.00%, due 11/15/35, #550718
   
51,100
 
 
32,694
 
  5.50%, due 11/15/35, #650091
   
36,644
 
 
29,355
 
  5.50%, due 12/15/35, #646307
   
33,234
 
 
40,477
 
  5.50%, due 4/15/36, #652534
   
45,367
 
 
38,020
 
  6.50%, due 6/15/36, #652593
   
43,511
 
 
21,191
 
  5.50%, due 7/15/36, #608993
   
23,998
 
 
56,095
 
  6.50%, due 10/15/36, #646564
   
64,209
 
 
40,162
 
  6.00%, due 11/15/36, #617294
   
45,551
 
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements. 
19

PIA Funds
PIA MBS BOND FUND
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

             
             
Principal Amount
       
Value
 
             
U.S. Government Agencies 91.8% (continued)
 
   
GNMA Pool (continued)
       
$
91,366
 
  6.50%, due 12/15/36, #618753
   
$
107,027
 
 
57,189
 
  5.50%, due 2/15/37, #658419
     
64,756
 
 
145,943
 
  6.00%, due 4/15/37, #668411
     
168,833
 
 
176,764
 
  5.00%, due 8/15/37, #671463
     
198,321
 
 
90,797
 
  6.00%, due 10/15/37, #664379
     
102,981
 
 
18,275
 
  5.50%, due 8/15/38, #677224
     
20,544
 
 
78,593
 
  5.50%, due 8/15/38, #691314
     
88,350
 
 
2,292
 
  5.50%, due 12/15/38, #705632
     
2,572
 
 
386,464
 
  4.50%, due 5/15/39, #717066
     
425,536
 
 
12,101
 
  5.50%, due 6/15/39, #714262
     
13,582
 
 
433,141
 
  5.50%, due 6/15/39, #714720
     
486,163
 
 
407,966
 
  4.50%, due 7/15/39, #720160
     
449,911
 
 
1,059,262
 
  5.00%, due 9/15/39, #726311
     
1,177,096
 
 
8,491
 
  5.50%, due 1/15/40, #723631
     
9,531
 
 
16,934
 
  5.50%, due 2/15/40, #680537
     
19,044
 
             
80,797,169
 
Total Mortgage-Backed Securities
 
  (cost $85,446,421)
         
88,794,434
 
U.S. GOVERNMENT
 
  INSTRUMENTALITIES 1.6%
 
U.S. Treasury Notes 1.6%
 
     
U.S. Treasury Note
         
 
1,400,000
 
  0.75%, due 3/15/17
     
1,400,725
 
Total U.S. Government Instrumentalities
 
  (cost $1,402,116)
         
1,400,725
 
                 
                 
                 
Shares
       
Value
 
                 
                 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 1.9%
 
 
1,733,132
 
Fidelity Institutional
         
     
  Money Market Government
         
     
  Portfolio – Class I, 0.24% (c)
   
$
1,733,132
 
Total Short-Term Investments   
         
  (cost $1,733,132)
 
 
     
1,733,132
 
Total Investments
             
  (cost $88,581,669)
  104.4%    
91,928,291
 
Liabilities less Other Assets 
(4.4)%    
(3,891,741
)
TOTAL NET ASSETS
 
 
100.0%  
$
88,036,550
 

(a)
Variable rate security.  Rate shown reflects the rate in effect as of May 31, 2016.
(b)
Security purchased on a when-issued basis.  As of May 31, 2016, the total cost of investments purchased on a when-issued basis was $4,110,078 or 4.7% of total net assets.
(c)
Rate shown is the 7-day annualized yield as of May 31, 2016.
(d)
Security purchased within the terms of a private placement memorandum, exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may be sold only to dealers in the program or other “qualified institutional buyers.”  Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the Fund’s adviser, has determined that such security is liquid in accordance with the liquidity guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees of Advisors Series Trust.  As of May 31, 2016, the value of these investments was $7,997,265 or 9.1% of total net assets.

FHLMC – Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
FNMA – Federal National Mortgage Association
GNMA – Government National Mortgage Association
TBA – To Be Announced
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

20

PIA Funds
Statements of Assets and Liabilities – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

   
BBB
   
MBS
 
   
Bond Fund
   
Bond Fund
 
Assets:
           
Investments in securities, at value (cost $210,955,533 and $88,581,669, respectively)
 
$
215,628,072
   
$
91,928,291
 
Cash
    88,233      
 
Receivable for fund shares sold
   
101,318
     
19,598
 
Investment receivable
   
347,659
     
 
Interest receivable
   
2,370,158
     
244,760
 
Due from investment adviser (Note 4)
   
6,686
     
12,587
 
Prepaid expenses
   
23,503
     
16,436
 
Total assets
   
218,565,629
     
92,221,672
 
                 
Liabilities:
               
Payable for securities purchased
   
1,989,200
     
4,110,078
 
Payable for fund shares redeemed
   
65,615
     
5,260
 
Administration fees
   
16,916
     
12,764
 
Custody fees
   
5,122
     
7,564
 
Transfer agent fees and expenses
   
15,427
     
10,706
 
Fund accounting fees
   
27,694
     
22,498
 
Audit fees
   
9,707
     
9,625
 
Chief Compliance Officer fee
   
2,025
     
2,037
 
Accrued expenses
   
9,735
     
4,590
 
Total liabilities
   
2,141,441
     
4,185,122
 
Net Assets
 
$
216,424,188
   
$
88,036,550
 
                 
Net Assets Consist of:
               
Paid-in capital
 
$
216,001,681
   
$
85,854,296
 
Undistributed net investment income/(loss)
   
112,984
     
(59,448
)
Accumulated net realized loss on investments
   
(4,363,016
)
   
(1,104,920
)
Net unrealized appreciation on investments
   
4,672,539
     
3,346,622
 
Net Assets
 
$
216,424,188
   
$
88,036,550
 
                 
Net Asset Value, Offering Price and Redemption Price Per Share
 
$
9.19
   
$
9.76
 
                 
Shares Issued and Outstanding
               
  (Unlimited number of shares authorized, par value $0.01)
   
23,545,854
     
9,024,000
 

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

21

PIA Funds
Statements of Operations – Six Months Ended May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

   
BBB
   
MBS
 
   
Bond Fund
   
Bond Fund
 
Investment Income:
           
Interest
 
$
4,665,285
   
$
1,353,805
 
Total investment income
   
4,665,285
     
1,353,805
 
                 
Expenses:
               
Fund accounting fees (Note 4)
   
51,856
     
41,324
 
Transfer agent fees and expenses (Note 4)
   
51,371
     
20,778
 
Administration fees (Note 4)
   
33,789
     
25,589
 
Registration fees
   
12,962
     
11,254
 
Custody fees (Note 4)
   
9,803
     
14,266
 
Audit fees
   
9,718
     
9,638
 
Trustees’ fees
   
5,700
     
4,945
 
Legal fees
   
4,766
     
3,816
 
Reports to shareholders
   
4,700
     
2,122
 
Chief Compliance Officer fee (Note 4)
   
4,496
     
4,499
 
Insurance
   
3,071
     
1,837
 
Miscellaneous
   
4,134
     
2,425
 
Total expenses
   
196,366
     
142,493
 
Less: Expense reimbursement from adviser (Note 4)
   
(34,379
)
   
(71,565
)
Net expenses
   
161,987
     
70,928
 
Net investment income
   
4,503,298
     
1,282,877
 
                 
Realized and Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments
               
Net realized gain/(loss) on investments
   
(2,212,753
)
   
106,601
 
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments
   
7,335,479
     
603,546
 
Net gain on investments
   
5,122,726
     
710,147
 
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
 
$
9,626,024
   
$
1,993,024
 

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

22

PIA Funds
Statements of Changes in Net Assets

   
BBB
   
MBS
 
   
Bond Fund
   
Bond Fund
 
   
Six Months
          Six Months        
   
Ended
        Ended        
   
May 31, 2016
   
Year Ended
   
May 31, 2016
   
Year Ended
 
   
(Unaudited)
   
Nov. 30, 2015
   
(Unaudited)
   
Nov. 30, 2015
 
Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets From
                       
Operations:
                       
Net investment income
 
$
4,503,298
   
$
9,091,915
   
$
1,282,877
   
$
2,383,962
 
Net realized gain/(loss) on investments
   
(2,212,753
)
   
(2,076,916
)
   
106,601
     
328,767
 
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)
                               
  on investments
   
7,335,479
     
(11,788,386
)
   
603,546
     
(1,278,050
)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets
                               
  resulting from operations
   
9,626,024
     
(4,773,387
)
   
1,993,024
     
1,434,679
 
                                 
Distributions Paid to Shareholders:
                               
Distributions from net investment income
   
(4,554,704
)
   
(9,076,694
)
   
(1,427,229
)
   
(2,696,856
)
Distributions from net realized gains on investments
   
     
(1,225,464
)
   
     
 
Total distributions
   
(4,554,704
)
   
(10,302,158
)
   
(1,427,229
)
   
(2,696,856
)
                                 
Capital Share Transactions:
                               
Net proceeds from shares sold
   
14,919,327
     
45,792,032
     
8,031,614
     
21,310,704
 
Distributions reinvested
   
3,330,355
     
5,519,758
     
853,812
     
1,441,274
 
Payment for shares redeemed
   
(32,843,007
)
   
(50,023,582
)
   
(17,482,360
)
   
(22,767,440
)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets
                               
  from capital share transactions
   
(14,593,325
)
   
1,288,208
     
(8,596,934
)
   
(15,462
)
Total decrease in net assets
   
(9,522,005
)
   
(13,787,337
)
   
(8,031,139
)
   
(1,277,639
)
                                 
Net Assets, Beginning of Period
   
225,946,193
     
239,733,530
     
96,067,689
     
97,345,328
 
Net Assets, End of Period
 
$
216,424,188
   
$
225,946,193
   
$
88,036,550
   
$
96,067,689
 
Includes Undistributed Net Investment Income/(Loss) of
 
$
112,984
   
$
164,390
   
$
(59,448
)
 
$
84,904
 
                                 
Transactions in Shares:
                               
Shares sold
   
1,664,639
     
4,906,767
     
825,471
     
2,174,370
 
Shares issued on reinvestment of distributions
   
371,006
     
597,521
     
87,808
     
147,524
 
Shares redeemed
   
(3,669,337
)
   
(5,366,781
)
   
(1,793,859
)
   
(2,329,050
)
Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding
   
(1,633,692
)
   
137,507
     
(880,580
)
   
(7,156
)
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

23

PIA Funds
BBB BOND FUND
Financial Highlights
   
Six Months
                               
   
Ended
                               
   
May 31, 2016
    Year Ended November 30,  
   
(Unaudited)
   
2015
   
2014
   
2013
   
2012
   
2011
 
Per Share Operating Performance
                                   
(For a fund share outstanding throughout each period)
                                   
                                     
Net asset value, beginning of period
 
$
8.97
   
$
9.57
   
$
9.48
   
$
10.41
   
$
10.18
   
$
10.14
 
                                                 
Income From Investment Operations:
                                               
Net investment income
   
0.19
     
0.36
     
0.37
     
0.39
     
0.46
     
0.53
 
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)
                                               
  on investments and swap contracts
   
0.22
     
(0.55
)
   
0.43
     
(0.64
)
   
0.77
     
0.05
 
Total from investment operations
   
0.41
     
(0.19
)
   
0.80
     
(0.25
)
   
1.23
     
0.58
 
                                                 
Less Distributions:
                                               
Distributions from net investment income
   
(0.19
)
   
(0.36
)
   
(0.37
)
   
(0.39
)
   
(0.46
)
   
(0.54
)
Distributions from net realized gains on investments
   
     
(0.05
)
   
(0.34
)
   
(0.29
)
   
(0.54
)
   
 
Total distributions
   
(0.19
)
   
(0.41
)
   
(0.71
)
   
(0.68
)
   
(1.00
)
   
(0.54
)
                                                 
Net asset value, end of period
 
$
9.19
   
$
8.97
   
$
9.57
   
$
9.48
   
$
10.41
   
$
10.18
 
                                                 
Total Return
   
4.64
%++
   
-2.08
%
   
8.85
%
   
-2.49
%
   
12.89
%
   
5.88
%
                                                 
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
                                               
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)
 
$
216,424
   
$
225,946
   
$
239,734
   
$
269,078
   
$
382,911
   
$
273,938
 
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
                                               
Net of expense reimbursement
   
0.15
%+
   
0.15
%
   
0.02
%*
   
0.00
%
   
0.00
%
   
0.00
%
Before expense reimbursement
   
0.18
%+
   
0.16
%
   
0.15
%
   
0.14
%
   
0.13
%
   
0.13
%
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets:
                                               
Net of expense reimbursement
   
4.16
%+
   
3.87
%
   
3.86
%
   
3.99
%
   
4.61
%
   
5.13
%
Before expense reimbursement
   
4.13
%+
   
3.86
%
   
3.73
%
   
3.85
%
   
4.48
%
   
5.00
%
Portfolio turnover rate
   
16
%++
   
18
%
   
18
%
   
47
%
   
75
%
   
58
%

+
Annualized for periods less than one year.
++
Not annualized for periods less than one year.
*
Effective October 1, 2014, the expense cap increased from 0.00% to 0.15%.
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

24

PIA Funds
MBS BOND FUND
Financial Highlights

   
Six Months
                               
   
Ended
                               
   
May 31, 2016
    Year Ended November 30,  
   
(Unaudited)
   
2015
   
2014
   
2013
   
2012
   
2011
 
Per Share Operating Performance
                                   
(For a fund share outstanding throughout each period)
                                   
                                     
Net asset value, beginning of period
 
$
9.70
   
$
9.82
   
$
9.65
   
$
10.04
   
$
9.99
   
$
10.14
 
                                                 
Income From Investment Operations:
                                               
Net investment income
   
0.13
     
0.24
     
0.29
     
0.15
     
0.19
     
0.28
 
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments
   
0.08
     
(0.09
)
   
0.20
     
(0.23
)
   
0.14
     
0.13
 
Total from investment operations
   
0.21
     
0.15
     
0.49
     
(0.08
)
   
0.33
     
0.41
 
                                                 
Less Distributions:
                                               
Distributions from net investment income
   
(0.15
)
   
(0.27
)
   
(0.32
)
   
(0.24
)
   
(0.26
)
   
(0.35
)
Distributions from net realized gains on investments
   
     
     
     
(0.07
)
   
(0.02
)
   
(0.21
)
Total distributions
   
(0.15
)
   
(0.27
)
   
(0.32
)
   
(0.31
)
   
(0.28
)
   
(0.56
)
                                                 
Net asset value, end of period
 
$
9.76
   
$
9.70
   
$
9.82
   
$
9.65
   
$
10.04
   
$
9.99
 
                                                 
Total Return
   
2.18
%++
   
1.54
%
   
5.17
%
   
-0.74
%
   
3.37
%
   
4.32
%
                                                 
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
                                               
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)
 
$
88,037
   
$
96,068
   
$
97,345
   
$
97,439
   
$
184,502
   
$
148,370
 
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
                                               
Net of expense reimbursement
   
0.15
%+
   
0.15
%
   
0.03
%*
   
0.00
%
   
0.00
%
   
0.00
%
Before expense reimbursement
   
0.30
%+
   
0.29
%
   
0.29
%
   
0.22
%
   
0.17
%
   
0.18
%
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets:
                                               
Net of expense reimbursement
   
2.71
%+
   
2.43
%
   
2.94
%
   
1.65
%
   
1.90
%
   
2.83
%
Before expense reimbursement
   
2.56
%+
   
2.29
%
   
2.68
%
   
1.43
%
   
1.73
%
   
2.65
%
Portfolio turnover rate
   
17
%++
   
161
%
   
160
%
   
290
%
   
278
%
   
122
%

+
Annualized for periods less than one year.
++
Not annualized for periods less than one year.
*
Effective October 1, 2014, the expense cap increased from 0.00% to 0.15%.
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

25

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)


Note 1 – Organization
The PIA BBB Bond Fund and the PIA MBS Bond Fund (the “Funds”) are each a series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”), which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as an open-end management investment company.  Each Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services – Investment Companies.”
 
Currently, the Funds offer the Managed Account Completion Shares (MACS) class.  Each of the Funds is diversified and has separate assets and liabilities and differing investment objectives.  The investment objective of the PIA BBB Bond Fund (the “BBB Bond Fund”) is to seek to provide a total rate of return that approximates that of bonds rated within the BBB category by Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services, the Baa category by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. or the BBB category by Fitch Ratings, Inc.  The investment objective of the PIA MBS Bond Fund (the “MBS Bond Fund”) is to seek to provide a total rate of return that approximates that of mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) included in the Barclays U.S. MBS Fixed Rate Index.  The BBB Bond Fund and the MBS Bond Fund commenced operations on September 25, 2003 and February 28, 2006, respectively.  Only authorized investment advisory clients of Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. are eligible to invest in the Funds.
 
Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Funds in the preparation of their financial statements. These policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
 
Security Valuation – All investments in securities are recorded at their estimated fair value, as described in Note 3.
 
Securities Purchased on a When-Issued Basis – Delivery and payment for securities that have been purchased by the Funds on a forward-commitment or when-issued basis can take place up to a month or more after the transaction date.  During this period, such securities are subject to market fluctuations. The Funds are required to hold and maintain until the settlement date, cash or other liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price.  The purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward-commitment basis may increase the volatility of the Funds’ net asset values if the Funds make such purchases while remaining substantially fully invested.  In connection with the ability to purchase securities on a when-issued basis, the Funds may also enter into dollar rolls in which the Funds sell securities purchased on a forward-commitment basis and simultaneously contract with a counterparty to repurchase similar (same type, coupon, and maturity), but not identical securities on a specified future date.  As an inducement for the Funds to “rollover” their purchase commitments, the Funds receive negotiated amounts in the form of reductions of the purchase price of the commitment.  Dollar rolls are considered a form of leverage.
 
Federal Income Taxes – It is the Funds’ policy to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its 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
26

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

concluded that no liability for unrecognized tax benefits should be recorded related to uncertain tax positions taken on returns filed for open tax years 2013 – 2015, or expected to be taken in the Funds’ 2016 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.
 
Expenses – Each Fund is charged for those expenses that are directly attributable to the Fund, such as administration and custodian fees.  Expenses that are not directly attributable to a Fund are typically allocated among the Funds in proportion to their respective net assets.
 
Securities Transactions and Investment Income – Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Realized gains and losses on sales of securities are calculated on the basis of identified cost.  Interest income is recorded on an accrual basis.  Discounts and premiums on securities purchased are accreted/amortized over the life of the respective security using the effective interest method.
 
Distributions to Shareholders – Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.  The Funds distribute substantially all net investment income, if any, monthly and net realized gains, if any, annually.  Distributions from net realized gains for book purposes may include short-term capital gains.  All short-term capital gains are included in ordinary income for tax purposes.
 
The amount and character of income and net realized gains to be distributed are determined in accordance with Federal income tax rules and regulations, which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  To the extent that these differences are attributable to permanent book and tax accounting differences, the components of net assets have been adjusted.
 
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.
 
Guarantees and Indemnifications – In the normal course of business, the Funds enter into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses.  The Funds’ maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims against the Funds that have not yet occurred.  Based on experience, the Funds expect the risk of loss to be remote.
 
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 and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operation during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
Events Subsequent to the Fiscal Period End – In preparing the financial statements as of May 31, 2016, management considered the impact of subsequent events for the potential recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
27

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

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 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 Funds’ 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.  The Funds’ investments are carried at fair value.
 
Each Fund determines the fair value of its investments and computes its net asset value per share as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (4:00 pm EST).
 
Investment Companies – 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 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.
 
Foreign Securities – Foreign economies may differ from the U.S. economy and individual foreign companies may differ from domestic companies in the same industry.
 
Foreign companies or entities are frequently not subject to accounting and financial reporting standards applicable to domestic companies, and there may be less information available about foreign issuers.  Securities of foreign issuers are generally less liquid and more volatile than those of comparable domestic issuers.  There is frequently less government regulation of broker-dealers and issuers than in the United States.  In addition, investments in foreign countries are subject to the possibility of expropriation, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments that could adversely affect the value of those investments.
28

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

All foreign securities owned by the BBB Bond Fund are U.S. dollar denominated.
 
U.S. Government Securities – U.S. Government securities are normally valued using a model that incorporates market observable data such as reported sales of similar securities, broker quotes, yields, bids, offers, and reference data.  Certain securities are valued principally using dealer quotations.  U.S. Government securities are typically categorized in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
U.S. Government Agency Securities – U.S. Government agency securities are comprised of two main categories consisting of agency issued debt and mortgage pass-throughs.  Agency issued debt securities are generally valued in a manner similar to U.S. government securities.  Mortgage pass-throughs include to-be-announced (“TBAs”) securities and mortgage pass-through certificates.  TBA securities and mortgage pass-throughs are generally valued using dealer quotations.  These securities are typically categorized in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Short-Term Securities – Short-term debt securities, including those securities having a maturity of 60 days or less, are valued at the evaluated mean between the bid and asked prices.  To the extent the inputs are observable and timely, these securities would be classified in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Illiquid Securities – A security may be considered illiquid if it lacks a readily available market.  Securities are generally considered liquid if they can be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the price at which the security is valued by the Funds.  Illiquid securities may be valued under methods approved by the Funds’ Board of Trustees as reflecting fair value.  Each Fund intends to hold no more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
 
Certain restricted securities may be considered illiquid.  Restricted securities are often purchased in private placement transactions, are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, may have contractual restrictions on resale, and may be valued under methods approved by the Funds’ Board of Trustees as reflecting fair value.  Certain restricted securities eligible for resale to qualified institutional investors, including Rule 144A securities, are not subject to the limitation on the Funds’ investment in illiquid securities if they are determined to be liquid in accordance with procedures adopted by the Funds’ Board of Trustees.  As of May 31, 2016, Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the adviser, has determined that the Rule 144A securities held by the Funds are considered liquid.
 
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.
 
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 May 31, 2016:
 
29

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

 
BBB Bond Fund
                       
     
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
 
Fixed Income
                       
 
  Corporate Bonds
 
$
   
$
195,261,511
   
$
   
$
195,261,511
 
 
  Sovereign Bonds
   
     
17,689,238
     
     
17,689,238
 
 
Total Fixed Income
   
     
212,950,749
     
     
212,950,749
 
 
Short-Term Investments
   
2,677,323
     
     
     
2,677,323
 
 
Total Investments
 
$
2,677,323
   
$
212,950,749
   
$
   
$
215,628,072
 
                                   
 
MBS Bond Fund
                               
     
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
 
Fixed Income
                               
 
  Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities
 
$
   
$
2,162,282
   
$
   
$
2,162,282
 
 
  Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities
   
     
5,834,983
     
     
5,834,983
 
 
  Mortgage-Backed Securities –
                               
 
    U.S. Government Agencies
   
     
80,797,169
     
     
80,797,169
 
 
  U.S. Government Instrumentalities
   
     
1,400,725
     
     
1,400,725
 
 
Total Fixed Income
   
     
90,195,159
     
     
90,195,159
 
 
Short-Term Investments
   
1,733,132
     
     
     
1,733,132
 
 
Total Investments
 
$
1,733,132
   
$
90,195,159
   
$
   
$
91,928,291
 
 
Refer to the Funds’ schedule of investments for a detailed break-out of securities.  Transfers between levels are recognized at May 31, 2016, the end of the reporting period.  The Funds recognized no transfers to/from level 1 or level 2. The Funds held no level 3 securities during the six months ended May 31, 2016.
 
In May 2015, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-07 “Disclosure for Investments in Certain Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value (“NAV”) per Share (or its equivalent).” The amendments in ASU No. 2015-07 remove the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy investments measured using the NAV practical expedient. The amendments in the ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Management is currently evaluating the impact these changes will have on the Fund’s financial statements and related disclosures.
 
Note 4 – Investment Advisory Fee and Other Transactions with Affiliates
The Funds have investment advisory agreements with Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (“PIA” or the “Adviser”) pursuant to which the Adviser is responsible for providing investment management services to the Funds.  The Adviser furnished all investment advice, office space and facilities, and provides most of the personnel needed by the Funds.  Under the agreement, the Funds do not pay the Adviser an investment advisory fee.  However, investors in the Funds will be charged investment advisory fees by the Adviser and persons other than the Adviser.  Clients of PIA pay PIA an investment advisory fee to manage their assets, including assets invested in the Funds.  Participants in “wrap-fee” programs pay fees to the program sponsor, who in turn pays fees to the Adviser.
30

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
The Funds are responsible for their own operating expenses.  PIA has voluntarily agreed to limit the total expenses of each Fund to an annual rate of 0.15% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through at least March 28, 2017.  The Adviser may not recoup expense reimbursements in future periods.  For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Adviser absorbed Fund expenses in the amount of $34,379 and $71,565 for the BBB Bond Fund and the MBS Bond Fund, respectively.
 
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Administrator” or “USBFS”) acts as the Funds’ Administrator under an administration agreement.  The Administrator prepares various federal and state regulatory filings, reports and returns for the Funds; 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.
 
USBFS also serves as the fund accountant and transfer agent to the Funds.  U.S. Bank N.A., an affiliate of USBFS, serves as the Funds’ custodian.
 
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 USBFS and U.S. Bank N.A.
 
Certain officers of the Funds are employees of USBFS.  The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is also an employee of USBFS.  A Trustee of the Trust is affiliated with USBFS and U.S. Bank N.A.  This same Trustee is an interested person of the Distributor.
 
For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Funds incurred the following expenses for administration, fund accounting, transfer agency, custody, and Chief Compliance Officer fees:
 
     
BBB Bond Fund
   
MBS Bond Fund
 
 
Administration
 
$
33,789
   
$
25,589
 
 
Fund Accounting
   
51,856
     
41,324
 
 
Transfer Agency
               
 
  (excludes out-of-pocket expenses and sub-ta fees)
   
24,781
     
17,060
 
 
Custody
   
9,803
     
14,266
 
 
Chief Compliance Officer
   
4,496
     
4,499
 
 
At May 31, 2016, the Funds had payables due to USBFS for administration, fund accounting, transfer agency and Chief Compliance Officer fees and to U.S. Bank N.A. for custody fees in the following amounts:
 
     
BBB Bond Fund
   
MBS Bond Fund
 
 
Administration
 
$
16,916
   
$
12,764
 
 
Fund Accounting
   
27,694
     
22,498
 
 
Transfer Agency
               
 
  (excludes out-of-pocket expenses and sub-ta fees)
   
8,975
     
9,209
 
 
Custody
   
5,122
     
7,564
 
 
Chief Compliance Officer
   
2,025
     
2,037
 
 
31

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
Note 5 – Purchases and Sales of Securities
 
     
Non-Government
   
Government
 
     
Purchases
   
Sales
   
Purchases
   
Sales
 
 
BBB Bond Fund
 
$
29,221,222
   
$
36,616,347
   
$
4,347,978
   
$
10,416,824
 
 
MBS Bond Fund
   
     
982,557
     
15,946,642
     
22,849,220
 
 
Note 6 – Line of Credit
The BBB Bond Fund and the MBS Bond Fund have a line of credit in the amount of $18,400,000 and $9,800,000, 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 six months ended May 31, 2016, the Funds did not draw upon their lines of credit.
 
Note 7 – Federal Income Tax Information
Net investment income and net realized gains/(losses) differ for financial statement and tax purposes due to differing treatments of paydowns.
 
The tax character of distributions paid during the six months ended May 31, 2016 and the year ended November 30, 2015 was as follows:
 
     
BBB Bond Fund
   
MBS Bond Fund
 
     
May 31, 2016
   
Nov. 30, 2015
   
May 31, 2016
   
Nov. 30, 2015
 
 
Ordinary income
 
$
4,554,704
   
$
9,077,357
   
$
1,427,229
   
$
2,696,856
 
 
Long-term capital gains
   
     
1,224,801
     
     
 
 
As of November 30, 2015, the Funds’ most recently completed fiscal year end, the components of capital on a tax basis were as follows:
 
     
BBB Bond Fund
   
MBS Bond Fund
 
 
Cost of investments (a)
 
$
225,920,992
   
$
103,437,503
 
 
Gross unrealized appreciation
   
6,144,587
     
2,900,411
 
 
Gross unrealized depreciation
   
(8,880,875
)
   
(172,093
)
 
Net unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) (a)
   
(2,736,288
)
   
2,728,318
 
 
Undistributed ordinary income
   
164,391
     
84,905
 
 
Undistributed long-term capital gain
   
     
 
 
Total distributable earnings
   
164,391
     
84,905
 
 
Other accumulated gains/(losses)
   
(2,076,916
)
   
(1,196,764
)
 
Total accumulated earnings/(losses)
 
$
(4,648,813
)
 
$
1,616,459
 
 
 
(a)
The difference between book-basis and tax-basis net unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) in the Funds is attributable primarily to wash sales.
 
32

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
At November 30, 2015, the Funds had tax short-term capital losses and tax long-term capital losses, which may be carried over indefinitely to offset future gains, as follows:
 
   
BBB Bond Fund
MBS Bond Fund
 
Short-term capital losses
$ 175,391
$ 136,871
 
Long-term capital losses
1,901,525
1,059,892
 
Note 8 – Principal Risks
Below is a summary of some, but not all, of the principal risks of investing in the Funds, each of which may adversely affect a Fund’s net asset value and total return. The Funds’ most recent prospectus provides further descriptions of each Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and principal risks.
 
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in which the Funds invest may decline for a number of reasons, including in response to economic developments and perceptions about the creditworthiness of individual issuers.
 
Interest Rate Risk. Fixed income securities will decline in value because of changes in interest rates. It is likely there will be less governmental action in the near future to maintain low interest rates. The negative impact on fixed income securities from the resulting rate increases for that and other reasons could be swift and significant.
 
Credit Risk. The issuers of the bonds and other debt securities held by the Funds may not be able to make interest or principal payments.
 
Prepayment Risk. Issuers of securities held by the Funds may be able to prepay principal due on these securities, particularly during periods of declining interest rates. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. Prepayment risk is a major risk of mortgage-backed securities.
 
BBB Bond Fund
 
Risks Associated with High Yield Securities. The BBB Bond Fund may hold high yield securities as a result of credit rating downgrades. Securities with ratings lower than BBB or Baa are known as “high yield” securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). High yield securities provide greater income and a greater opportunity for gains than higher-rated securities but entail greater risk of loss of principal.
 
Foreign and Emerging Market Securities Risk. Foreign economies may differ from domestic companies in the same industry. Investment in emerging markets involves additional risks, including less social, political and economic stability, smaller securities markets and lower trading volume, restrictive national policies and less developed legal structures.
 
MBS Bond Fund
 
Risks Associated with Real Estate and Regulatory Actions. The securities that the MBS Bond Fund owns are dependent on real estate prices. Although some of the securities in the Fund are expected to either have a U.S. Government sponsored entity guarantee or be AAA rated by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Fitch”), if real estate experiences a significant price decline, this could adversely affect the prices of the securities the Fund owns. Any adverse regulatory action could impact the prices of the securities the Fund owns.
 
33

PIA Funds
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

   •
Liquidity Risk. Low or lack of trading volume may make it difficult to sell securities held by the MBS Bond Fund at quoted market prices.
 
TBA Securities Risk. In a TBA transaction, a seller agrees to deliver a security at a future date, but does not specify the particular security to be delivered. Instead, the seller agrees to accept any security that meets specified terms. The principal risk of TBA transactions are increased credit risk and increased overall investment exposure.
 
CMO Risk. A CMO is a hybrid between a mortgage-backed bond and a mortgage pass-through security. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal on CMOs is paid, in most cases, semiannually. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC or FNMA, and their income streams. CMOs may offer a higher yield than U.S. government securities, but they may also be subject to greater price fluctuation and credit risk.
 
Dollar Roll Risk. Dollar rolls involve the risk that the MBS Bond Fund’s counterparty will be unable to deliver the mortgage-backed securities underlying the dollar roll at the fixed time. If the buyer files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer or its representative may ask for and receive an extension of time to decide whether to enforce the Fund’s repurchase obligation. In addition, the Fund earns interest by investing the transaction proceeds during the roll period. Dollar roll transactions may have the effect of creating leverage in the Fund’s portfolio.
 
Risks Associated with Inflation and Deflation. Inflation risk is the risk that the rising cost of living may erode the purchasing power of an investment over time. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time—the opposite of inflation.
 
Government-Sponsored Entities Risk. Securities issued or guaranteed by government-sponsored entities, including GNMA, FNMA, and FHLMC, may not be guaranteed or insured by the U.S. Government and may only be supported by the credit of the issuing agency.
 
Risks Associated with Mortgage-Backed Securities. These risks include Market Risk, Interest Rate Risk, Credit Risk and Prepayment Risk, as well as the risk that the structure of certain mortgage-backed securities may make their reaction to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, which may cause their prices to be very volatile. In particular, events related to the U.S. housing market in recent years have had a severe negative impact on the value of some mortgage-backed securities and resulted in an increased risk associated with investments in these securities.
 
Asset-Backed Securities Risks. These risks include Market Risk, Interest Rate Risk, Credit Risk, and Prepayment Risk. Asset-backed securities may decline in value when defaults on the underlying assets occur and may exhibit additional volatility in periods of changing interest rates. When interest rates decline, the prepayment of assets underlying such securities may require the Fund to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates, resulting in reduced returns.

34

PIA Funds
Notice to Shareholders – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
 
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 1-800-251-1970, or on the 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 1-800-251-1970.  Furthermore, you can obtain the Funds’ proxy voting records on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
 
Quarterly Filings on Form N-Q
The Funds file their complete schedules 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 by calling 1-800-251-1970.
 
35

PIA Funds
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreements
(Unaudited)
At a meeting held on December 2-3, 2015, the Board (which is comprised of five persons, four of whom are Independent Trustees as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), considered and approved the continuance of the investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) between Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”) and Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (the “Adviser”) for another annual term for the PIA BBB Bond Fund (the “BBB Fund”) and PIA MBS Bond Fund (the “MBS Fund”), as well as for the PIA High Yield (MACS) Fund (the “High Yield Fund”), which had not yet commenced operations at the time of this meeting (collectively, the “Funds”).  At this meeting, and at a prior meeting held on October 14-15, 2015, the Board received and reviewed substantial information regarding the Funds, the Advisor and the services provided by the Adviser to the Funds under the Advisory Agreements.  This information, together with the information provided to the Board throughout the course of the year, 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 continuance of the Advisory Agreement:
 
 
1.
THE NATURE, EXTENT AND QUALITY OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED AND TO BE PROVIDED BY THE ADVISER UNDER THE ADVISORY AGREEMENTS.  The Board considered the nature, extent and quality of the Adviser’s overall services provided to the Funds as well as its specific responsibilities in all aspects of day-to-day investment 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 Adviser involved in the day-to-day activities of the Funds.  The Board also considered the resources and compliance structure of the Adviser, including information regarding its compliance program, its chief compliance officer, the Adviser’s compliance record, and the Adviser’s disaster recovery/business continuity plan.  The Board also considered the prior relationship between the Adviser and the Trust, as well as the Board’s knowledge of the Adviser’s operations, and noted that during the course of the prior year they had met with the Adviser to discuss Fund performance and investment outlook as well as various marketing and compliance topics, including the Adviser’s risk management process. The Board took into account that all shareholders of the Fund are advisory clients of the Adviser and that the Funds are used as investment options to fulfill investment mandates for such clients. The Board concluded that the Adviser had the quality and depth of personnel, resources, investment methods and compliance policies and procedures essential to performing its duties under the Advisory Agreements and that the nature, overall quality and extent of such management services are satisfactory.
     
 
2.
THE FUNDS’ HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE AND THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE ADVISER.  In assessing the quality of the portfolio management delivered by the Adviser, the Board reviewed the short-term and long-term performance of the Funds as of June 30, 2015 on both an absolute basis and in comparison to appropriate securities benchmarks and their peer funds utilizing Lipper and Morningstar classifications.  While the Board considered both short-term and long-term performance, it placed greater emphasis on longer term performance.  When reviewing performance against the comparative peer group universe, the Board took into account that the investment objectives and strategies of the Funds, as well as their level of risk tolerance, may differ significantly from funds in the peer universe.  The Board noted that the High Yield Fund had not yet commenced operations.
     
   
BBB Fund: The Board noted that the BBB Fund’s performance, with regard to its Lipper comparative universe, was above the peer group median for the three-year, five-year and ten-year periods and below the peer group median for the one-year period.
 
36

PIA Funds
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreements (continued)
(Unaudited)

   
The Board noted that the BBB Fund’s performance, with regard to its Morningstar comparative universe, was below the peer group median for the one-year and three-year periods, the same as the peer group median for the five-year period, and above the peer group median for the ten-year period.
     
   
The Board also reviewed the performance of the Fund against a broad-based securities market benchmark.
     
   
MBS Fund: The Board noted that the MBS Fund’s performance, with regard to its Lipper comparative universe, was above the peer group median for the one-year and since-inception periods, and only slightly below the peer group median for the three-year and five-year periods.
     
   
The Board noted that the MBS Fund’s performance, with regard to its Morningstar comparative universe, was above its peer group median for all relevant periods.
     
   
The Board also reviewed the performance of the Fund against a broad-based securities market benchmark.
     
 
3.
THE COSTS OF THE SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE ADVISER AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE ADVISER’S FEE UNDER THE ADVISORY AGREEMENTS.  In considering the advisory fee and total fees and expenses of each Fund, the Board reviewed comparisons to the peer funds and similarly managed separate accounts for other types of clients advised by the Adviser, as well as expense waivers and reimbursements.  The Board also considered that the Adviser does not manage any separate accounts with a similar strategy to that of the BBB Fund and MBS Fund.
     
   
BBB Fund: The Board noted that the Adviser has temporarily agreed, through at least March 29, 2016, to maintain a minimal annual expense ratio for the Fund of 0.15%.  The Board noted that the Fund’s total expense ratio was significantly below its peer group median and average.  The Board noted that the Adviser does not charge management fees to the BBB Fund.  The Board recognized that clients of the Adviser pay the Adviser an investment advisory fee to manage their assets as part of wrap programs or other investment advisory accounts, including assets invested in the BBB Fund.
     
   
MBS Fund: The Board noted that the Adviser has temporarily agreed, through at least March 29, 2016, to maintain a minimal annual expense ratio for the Fund of 0.15%.  The Board noted that the Fund’s total expense ratio was significantly below its peer group median and average.  The Board noted that the Adviser does not charge management fees to the MBS Fund.  The Board recognized that clients of the Adviser pay the Adviser an investment advisory fee to manage their assets as part of wrap programs or other investment advisory accounts, including assets invested in the MBS Fund.
     
   
High Yield Fund: The Board noted that the Adviser has agreed once the Fund is launched, through at least March 29, 2016, to maintain a minimal annual expense ratio for the Fund of 0.15%.  The Board noted that the Fund’s total expense ratio was significantly below its peer group median and average.  The Board noted that the Adviser will not charge management fees to the Fund.  The Board recognized that clients of the Adviser will pay the Adviser an investment advisory fee to manage their assets as part of wrap programs or other investment advisory accounts, including assets invested in the Fund.
 
37

PIA Funds
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreements (continued)
(Unaudited)

 
4.
ECONOMIES OF SCALE.  The Board also considered whether economies of scale were being realized by the Adviser that should be shared with shareholders.  The Board noted that since the Adviser does not charge a management fee to the Funds, and has temporarily agreed to absorb all but 0.15% of the Funds’ ordinary operating expenses, it did not appear that there were any additional significant economies of scale being realized by the Adviser and concluded that it would continue to monitor in the future as circumstances changed.
     
 
5.
THE PROFITS TO BE REALIZED BY THE ADVISER AND ITS AFFILIATES FROM THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FUNDS.  The Board reviewed the Adviser’s financial information and took into account both the direct benefits and the indirect benefits to the Adviser from advising the Funds.  The Board considered the profitability to the Adviser from its relationship with the Funds and considered any additional benefits derived by the Adviser from its relationship with the Funds, including the advisory fees it received from the wrap programs and other advisory accounts associated with assets invested in the Funds.  The Board also considered that the Funds do not charge any Rule 12b-1 fees or utilize “soft dollars.”  After such review, the Board determined that the profitability to the Adviser with respect to the Advisory Agreements was not excessive, and that the Adviser had maintained adequate profit levels to support the services that it provides to the Funds.
 
No single factor was determinative of the Board’s decision to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreements for the BBB Fund, MBS Fund and High Yield Fund, but rather the Board based its determination on the total combination of information available to them.  Based on a consideration of all the factors in their totality, the Board determined that the advisory arrangements with the Adviser, including the advisory fees, were fair and reasonable.  The Board therefore determined that the continuance of the Advisory Agreements for the PIA BBB Bond Fund, PIA MBS Bond and PIA High Yield (MACS) Fund would be in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders.

38

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 Funds.  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 by those entities with unaffiliated third parties.

 
Adviser
Pacific Income Advisers, Inc.
1299 Ocean Avenue, Suite 210
Santa Monica, CA  90401


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


Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI  53202
(800) 251-1970


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


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


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




Past performance results shown in this report should not be considered a representation of future performance.  Share price and returns will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.  Statements and other information herein are dated and are subject to change.
 

 
 
PIA Funds

PIA SHORT-TERM
SECURITIES FUND




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Semi-Annual Report
 
May 31, 2016
 

 

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund

Dear Shareholder:
 
We are pleased to provide you with this semi-annual report for the six-month fiscal period from  December 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016 regarding the PIA Short-Term Securities Fund (the “Fund”) for which Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (“PIA”) is the investment adviser.
 
For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the total return for the Fund, including the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, was 0.80%.
 
The Fund’s return was higher than the Fund’s benchmark index, the BofA Merrill Lynch 1-Year U.S. Treasury Note Index, which returned 0.42% for the same period.  The Fund’s total return is net of 0.39% in Fund fees and expenses for the six months ended May 31, 2016, compared to the benchmark index, which does not incur fees and expenses.  As stated in the current prospectus, the Fund’s gross expense ratio is 0.41%.
 
PIA has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fees and pay Fund expenses to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 0.39% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through at least March 28, 2017.
 
During the six-month fiscal period ended May 31, 2016, the Fund had a neutral duration position and a more barbelled structure, relative to the Fund’s benchmark index.  The Fund had a well-diversified allocation to investment grade corporate bonds, with maturities less than three years, which added yield to the portfolio.  The Fund was overweight in short average life/floating rate government mortgage-backed securities, which provided the portfolio with a more defensive positioning as short-term interest rates rose.  In addition, the portfolio had an allocation to floating rate private mortgage-backed securities, with enough credit support to carry a AAA or AA rating on the security, which also added yield to the portfolio, while providing support from potentially higher short-term interest rates in the future.
 
Bond Market in Review
 
The gross domestic product’s (“GDP”) quarter-over-quarter rate of growth was 0.8% for the first quarter of 2016, lower than the 1.4% during the fourth quarter of 2015.  With the unemployment rate at 4.7% and inflation under control, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board maintained its easier monetary policy by keeping the federal funds rate at 0.25% to 0.50%.  Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, was 1.0% year-over-year as of May 2016.
 
Yields on 2-year Treasury notes rose by 27 basis points (“bps”) from May 31, 2015 to May 31, 2016.  Yields on 5-year Treasury bonds and 30-year Treasuries decreased by 11 and 23 bps, respectively, during the same period.  Inflation being under control, as well as the volatility in oil prices, the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and geopolitical uncertainties, all contributed to the modest flattening of the yield curve.
 
Spreads on BBB-rated bonds over Treasuries increased during the period from 178 bps to 200 bps.  Option adjusted spreads on fixed rate agency mortgage-backed securities stayed at 18 bps, as their average life decreased from 6.5 years to 5.8 years.
1

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund

Please take a moment to review the Fund’s statement of assets and liabilities and the results of operations for the six month period ended May 31, 2016.  We look forward to reporting to you again with the annual report dated November 30, 2016.
 
 
Lloyd McAdams
Chairman of the Board
Pacific Income Advisers, Inc.
 
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
 
Opinions expressed above are those of Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the Fund’s investment adviser and are subject to change, are not guaranteed and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security.
 
Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.
 
Mutual fund investing involves risk.  Principal loss is possible.  Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise.  This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities.  Investments in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities include additional risks that investors should be aware of such as credit risk, prepayment risk, possible illiquidity and default, as well as increased susceptibility to adverse economic developments.  The Fund may invest in derivatives, which may involve risks greater than the risks presented by more traditional investments.  The risk of owning an ETF or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities that the ETF or mutual fund holds. It will also bear additional expenses, including operating expenses, brokerage costs and the potential duplication of management fees.
 
Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against risk in a declining market.
 
The BofA Merrill Lynch 1-Year U.S. Treasury Note Index (the “Index”) is an unmanaged index presented for comparative purposes only.  The Index is comprised of a single U.S. Treasury issue with approximately one year to final maturity purchased at the beginning of each month and held for one full month.  At the end of the month, that issue is sold and rolled into a newly selected issue.  You cannot invest directly in an index.
 
Gross domestic product is the amount of goods and services produced in a year, in a country.
 
Consumer Price Index measures the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food and medical care.
 
Duration is the measure of the sensitivity of the price of a fixed income security to a change in interest rates, expressed in number of years.
 
Basis point equals 1/100th of 1%.
 
A yield curve is a curve that shows several yields or interest rates over different lengths of time for a similar debt security.
 
Bond ratings provide the probability of an issuer defaulting based on the analysis of the issuer’s financial condition and profit potential.  Bond rating services are provided by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and Fitch Ratings, Inc.  Bond ratings start at AAA (denoting the highest investment quality) and usually end at D (meaning payment is in default).  In limited situations when the rating agency has not issued a formal rating, the investment adviser will classify the security as non-rated.
 
Please refer to the schedule of investments in the report for complete holdings information.  Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change at any time and are not recommendations to buy or sell any security.  Investment performance reflects fee waivers in effect.  In the absence of such waivers, total return would be reduced.
 
Quasar Distributors, LLC, Distributor
2

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Expense Example – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

As a shareholder of a mutual fund, you 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 PIA Short-Term Securities Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period (12/1/15 –5/31/16).
 
Actual Expenses
The first line of the table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses, with actual net expenses being limited to 0.39% per the operating expenses limitation agreement for the Fund.  Although the Fund charges no sales loads 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 Fund’s transfer agent.  The Example below includes, but is not limited to, management 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 table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is different from the Fund’s actual returns.  The hypothetical account values and expenses may 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 Fund 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 table 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 table 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 transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.
 
 
Beginning Account
Ending Account
Expenses Paid During
 
Value 12/1/15
Value 5/31/16
Period 12/1/15 – 5/31/16*
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,008.00
$1.96
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,023.05
$1.97
 
*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) / 366 days to reflect the one-half year expense.  The annualized expense ratio of the Fund is 0.39%.
 
3

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Allocation of Portfolio Assets – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

Investments by Type
As a Percentage of Total Investments
 


4

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
 
           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
       
CORPORATE BONDS 45.8%
     
       
Aerospace and Defense 0.3%
     
   
Lockheed Martin Corp.
     
$
500,000
 
  1.85%, due 11/23/18
 
$
504,863
 
         
Autos 4.0%
       
     
American Honda Finance Corp.
       
 
1,250,000
 
  1.125%, due 10/7/16
   
1,251,041
 
     
Daimler Finance
       
     
  North America LLC
       
 
1,200,000
 
  1.45%, due 8/1/16 (a)
   
1,201,015
 
     
Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.021%, due 5/3/19
   
997,673
 
     
Hyundai Capital America, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.45%, due 2/6/17 (a)
   
999,907
 
     
Volkswagen Group of
       
     
  America Finance LLC
       
 
1,500,000
 
  1.024%, due 5/23/17 (a) (b)
   
1,488,573
 
     
Volkswagen International
       
     
  Finance N.V.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.125%, due 11/18/16 (a)
   
500,057
 
           
6,438,266
 
         
Banks 7.6%
       
     
Capital One N.A.
       
 
1,500,000
 
  2.35%, due 8/17/18
   
1,515,935
 
     
Discover Bank
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.60%, due 11/13/18
   
1,006,641
 
     
Fifth Third Bank
       
 
1,200,000
 
  1.15%, due 11/18/16
   
1,201,198
 
     
Huntington National Bank
       
 
1,500,000
 
  2.00%, due 6/30/18
   
1,505,984
 
     
KeyBank NA
       
 
1,200,000
 
  1.10%, due 11/25/16
   
1,200,916
 
 
1,000,000
 
  2.35%, due 3/8/19
   
1,012,053
 
     
PNC Bank NA
       
 
1,600,000
 
  0.937%, due 8/1/17 (b)
   
1,595,879
 
     
Regions Bank
       
     
  Birmingham Alabama
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.25%, due 9/14/18
   
1,005,577
 
     
Royal Bank of Canada
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.80%, due 7/30/18
   
1,006,287
 
     
Toronto Dominion Bank
       
 
1,250,000
 
  1.50%, due 9/9/16
   
1,252,560
 
           
12,303,030
 
         
Biotechnology 1.0%
       
     
Amgen, Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  2.30%, due 6/15/16
   
700,414
 
     
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
       
 
800,000
 
  1.85%, due 9/4/18
   
809,842
 
           
1,510,256
 
         
Brokers 1.5%
       
     
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
       
 
1,300,000
 
  2.90%, due 7/19/18
   
1,329,056
 
     
Morgan Stanley
       
 
1,000,000
 
  5.75%, due 10/18/16
   
1,017,556
 
           
2,346,612
 
         
Chemicals 0.4%
       
     
Ecolab, Inc.
       
 
565,000
 
  3.00%, due 12/8/16
   
570,908
 
         
Commercial and Service Industry
       
  Machinery Manufacturing 0.3%
       
     
KLA-Tencor Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  2.375%, due 11/1/17
   
503,480
 
         
Commercial Finance 1.1%
       
     
Air Lease Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  2.625%, due 9/4/18
   
498,414
 
     
Gatx Corp.
       
 
1,280,000
 
  1.25%, due 3/4/17
   
1,277,091
 
           
1,775,505
 
         
Communications Equipment 1.3%
       
     
Apple, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.70%, due 2/22/19
   
1,009,960
 
               
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

5

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
           
Communications Equipment 1.3% (continued)
 
   
L-3 Communications Corp.
     
$
1,000,000
 
  1.50%, due 5/28/17
 
$
1,000,256
 
           
2,010,216
 
   
Computer and Peripheral
 
  Equipment Manufacturing 1.3%
 
     
Siemens Financial Services
       
 
2,000,000
 
  1.45%, due 5/25/18 (a)
   
2,007,318
 
   
Computer Equipment 0.3%
 
     
Cisco Systems, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.10%, due 3/3/17
   
501,166
 
   
Construction Materials Manufacturing 0.6%
 
     
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.729%, due 6/30/17 (b)
   
993,110
 
   
Consumer Finance 0.6%
 
     
Visa, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.20%, due 12/14/17
   
1,003,287
 
   
Data Processing, Hosting,
 
  and Related Services 0.6%
 
     
Fidelity National
       
     
  Information Services
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.45%, due 6/5/17
   
995,365
 
   
Drugs and Druggists’ Sundries
 
  Merchant Wholesalers 1.3%
 
     
Actavis Funding SCS
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.85%, due 3/1/17
   
1,002,940
 
     
Cardinal Health, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.95%, due 6/15/18
   
1,008,428
 
           
2,011,368
 
   
Electric Power Generation,
 
  Transmission and Distribution 0.6%
 
     
Exelon Corp.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.55%, due 6/9/17
   
1,000,330
 
               
               
   
Electric Utilities 0.5%
 
     
Dominion Resources, Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  1.95%, due 8/15/16
 
 
701,412
 
   
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing 0.9%
 
     
Amphenol Corp.
       
 
1,430,000
 
  1.55%, due 9/15/17
   
1,427,279
 
   
Financial Services 0.6%
 
     
Principal Life Global Funding II
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.50%, due 9/11/17 (a)
   
1,001,834
 
             
Food 0.5%
           
     
Kroger Co.
       
 
800,000
 
  1.20%, due 10/17/16
   
801,247
 
   
Food and Beverage 1.4%
 
     
Anheuser-Busch
       
     
  InBev Finance Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.125%, due 1/27/17
   
500,693
 
     
Coca-Cola Co.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.375%, due 5/30/19
   
1,002,018
 
     
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.
       
 
700,000
 
  1.40%, due 10/21/16 (a)
   
701,303
 
           
2,204,014
 
   
Healthcare Facilities and Services 0.9%
 
     
Express Scripts Holding Co.
       
 
1,430,000
 
  1.25%, due 6/2/17
   
1,428,072
 
   
Home and Office Products
 
  Manufacturing 0.3%
 
     
Newell Brands, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  2.15%, due 10/15/18
   
504,488
 
   
Home Improvement 0.5%
 
     
Whirlpool Corp.
       
 
800,000
 
  1.35%, due 3/1/17
   
801,732
 
   
Insurance 1.3%
 
     
Metropolitan Life
       
     
  Global Funding I
       
 
2,000,000
 
  1.009%, due 4/10/17 (a) (b)
   
2,003,776
 

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

6

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Lessors of Real Estate 0.3%
 
   
Arc Properties Operating
     
$
500,000
 
  2.00%, due 2/6/17
 
$
501,479
 
   
Machinery Manufacturing 0.6%
 
     
Caterpillar Financial Services
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.25%, due 8/18/17
   
1,002,147
 
   
Medical Equipment and
 
  Devices Manufacturing 1.3%
 
     
Danaher Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.65%, due 9/15/18
   
505,954
 
     
St. Jude Medical, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.00%, due 9/15/18
   
1,008,189
 
     
Stryker Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  2.00%, due 3/8/19
   
505,084
 
           
2,019,227
 
   
Medical Equipment and
 
  Supplies Manufacturing 1.8%
 
     
Becton Dickinson & Co.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.45%, due 5/15/17
   
501,393
 
 
1,450,000
 
  1.80%, due 12/15/17
   
1,456,614
 
     
Zimmer Holdings, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.00%, due 4/1/18
   
1,004,662
 
           
2,962,669
 
   
Metals and Mining 0.3%
 
     
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  2.30%, due 11/14/17
   
490,000
 
   
Navigational, Measuring,
 
  Electromedical, and Control
 
  Instruments Manufacturing 0.9%
 
     
Harris Corp.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.999%, due 4/27/18
   
999,639
 
     
Medtronic, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.50%, due 3/15/18
   
503,433
 
           
1,503,072
 
               
   
Office Equipment 0.6%
 
     
Xerox Corp.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.95%, due 3/15/17
 
 
1,006,222
 
   
Other Electrical Equipment and
 
  Component Manufacturing 0.6%
 
     
Corning, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.50%, due 5/8/18
   
996,316
 
   
Other Financial Investment Activities 0.9%
 
     
NextEra Energy
       
     
  Capital Holdings, Inc.
       
 
1,500,000
 
  2.056%, due 9/1/17
   
1,508,924
 
   
Other Food Manufacturing 0.3%
 
     
J.M. Smucker Co.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.75%, due 3/15/18
   
502,308
 
   
Other Telecommunications 0.6%
 
     
AT&T, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  2.30%, due 3/11/19
   
1,014,589
 
   
Petroleum and Coal
 
  Products Manufacturing 0.6%
 
     
Chevron Corp.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.365%, due 3/2/18
   
1,001,835
 
   
Pharmaceutical and
 
  Medicine Manufacturing 0.3%
 
     
Baxalta, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  2.00%, due 6/22/18 (a)
   
497,689
 
   
Pharmaceuticals 1.7%
 
     
AbbVie, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.80%, due 5/14/18
   
501,230
 
     
Bayer U.S. Finance LLC
       
 
500,000
 
  0.877%, due 10/7/16 (a) (b)
   
500,270
 
     
Mylan, Inc.
       
 
800,000
 
  1.80%, due 6/24/16
   
800,398
 
     
Perrigo Co. plc
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.30%, due 11/8/16
   
997,687
 
           
2,799,585
 
               
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

7

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Real Estate 0.6%
 
   
Ventas Realty LP
     
$
1,000,000
 
  1.25%, due 4/17/17
 
$
998,876
 
   
Restaurants 0.3%
 
     
McDonald’s Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  2.10%, due 12/7/18
   
507,891
 
   
Retail 0.6%
 
     
CVS Caremark Corp.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.20%, due 12/5/16
   
1,001,827
 
   
Retail - Consumer Discretionary 1.0%
 
     
eBay, Inc.
       
 
1,600,000
 
  0.834%, due 7/28/17 (b)
   
1,591,627
 
   
Retail - Consumer Staples 0.9%
 
     
Sysco Corp.
       
 
1,400,000
 
  1.90%, due 4/1/19
   
1,406,993
 
   
Software and Services 1.6%
 
     
Microsoft Corp.
       
 
1,460,000
 
  1.30%, due 11/3/18
   
1,465,084
 
     
Thomson Reuters Corp.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  1.65%, due 9/29/17
   
1,002,202
 
           
2,467,286
 
Supermarkets & Pharmacies 0.3%
 
     
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  1.75%, due 5/30/18
   
500,879
 
   
Total Corporate Bonds
 
  (cost $73,455,984)
 
 
    73,630,375  
   
MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES 23.1%
 
         
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities 1.6%  
       
     
Hilton USA Trust
       
     
  1.436%, due 11/5/30, Series
       
 
1,813,429
 
  2013-HLF, Class AFL (a) (b)
   
1,813,625
 
     
Hyatt Hotel Portfolio Trust
       
     
  2.134%, due 11/15/29, Series
       
 
750,000
 
  2015-HYT, Class B (a) (b)
   
744,066
 
           
2,557,691
 
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities 16.2%
 
     
American Homes 4 Rent
       
     
  1.784%, due 6/17/31, Series
       
 
2,500,000
 
  2014-SFR1, Class B (a) (b)
 
 
2,450,581
 
     
American Residential
       
     
  Property Trust
       
     
  2.185%, due 9/17/31, Series
       
 
3,000,000
 
  2014-SFR1, Class B (a) (b)
   
2,965,066
 
     
BlueVirgo Trust
       
     
   3.00%, due 12/15/22,
       
 
4,025,213
 
  Series 15-1A (a)
   
4,011,652
 
     
Colony American Homes
       
     
  1.785%, due 5/17/31, Series
       
 
2,250,000
 
  2014-1A, Class B (a) (b)
   
2,211,767
 
     
Equity Mortgage Trust
       
     
  1.288%, due 5/8/31, Series
       
 
1,529,942
 
  2014-INNS, Class A (a) (b)
   
1,514,717
 
     
Invitation Homes Trust
       
     
  1.791%, due 12/17/30, Series
       
 
4,000,000
 
  2013-SFR1, Class B (a) (b)
   
3,938,162
 
     
  1.934%, due 6/17/31, Series
       
 
4,000,000
 
  2014-SFR1, Class B (a) (b)
   
3,944,368
 
     
PFS Tax Lien Trust
       
     
   1.44%, due 5/15/29,
       
 
630,424
 
  Series 2014-1 (a)
   
626,861
 
     
Silver Bay Realty Trust
       
     
  1.884%, due 9/17/31, Series
       
 
3,000,000
 
  2014-1, Class B (a) (b)
   
2,951,423
 
     
Starwood Waypoint
       
     
  Residential Trust
       
     
  1.734%, due 1/17/32, Series
       
 
1,486,949
 
  2014-1, Class A (a) (b)
   
1,479,101
 
           
26,093,698
 
U.S. Government Agencies 5.3%
 
     
FHLMC ARM Pool (b)
       
 
3,305
 
  2.605%, due 2/1/22, #845113
   
3,393
 
 
18,178
 
  2.124%, due 10/1/22, #635206
   
18,637
 
 
3,904
 
  2.63%, due 6/1/23, #845755
   
3,984
 
 
6,327
 
  2.955%, due 2/1/24, #609231
   
6,370
 

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

8

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
U.S. Government Agencies 5.3% (continued)
     
   
FHLMC ARM Pool (b) (continued)
     
$
293,502
 
  2.613%, due 1/1/25, #785726
 
$
306,590
 
 
9,681
 
  2.658%, due 1/1/33, #1B0668
   
9,896
 
 
392,861
 
  2.608%, due 10/1/34, #782784
   
418,483
 
 
145,168
 
  2.552%, due 12/1/34, #1G0018
   
152,768
 
 
100,449
 
  2.863%, due 4/1/36, #847671
   
105,906
 
     
FHLMC Pool
       
 
151,388
 
  5.00%, due 10/1/38, #G04832
   
166,833
 
     
FNMA ARM Pool (b)
       
 
20,459
 
  3.040%, due 7/1/25, #555206
   
20,559
 
 
71,358
 
  1.931%, due 7/1/27, #424953
   
71,975
 
 
70,950
 
  2.652%, due 3/1/28, #556438
   
73,427
 
 
72,525
 
  2.474%, due 6/1/29, #508399
   
74,332
 
 
191,263
 
  2.380%, due 4/1/30, #562912
   
198,251
 
 
56,264
 
  2.813%, due 10/1/30, #670317
   
58,511
 
 
39,184
 
  2.365%, due 9/1/31, #597196
   
39,318
 
 
25,689
 
  2.527%, due 11/1/31, #610547
   
26,283
 
 
351,940
 
  2.441%, due 10/1/33, #743454
   
369,562
 
 
751,735
 
  2.625%, due 11/1/33, #755253
   
801,446
 
 
1,287,036
 
  2.695%, due 5/1/34, #AC5719
   
1,364,657
 
 
352,338
 
  2.363%, due 7/1/34, #779693
   
371,177
 
 
259,962
 
  2.239%, due 10/1/34, #795136
   
270,562
 
 
46,390
 
  2.498%, due 1/1/35, #805391
   
48,812
 
 
91,766
 
  2.399%, due 10/1/35, #845041
   
96,590
 
 
156,965
 
  2.483%, due 10/1/35, #846171
   
165,776
 
 
410,163
 
  2.440%, due 1/1/36, #849264
   
429,593
 
 
85,037
 
  2.969%, due 6/1/36, #872502
   
88,843
 
 
516,426
 
  2.512%, due 1/1/37, #906389
   
545,585
 
 
603,791
 
  2.974%, due 3/1/37, #907868
   
642,419
 
 
47,308
 
  2.375%, due 10/1/37, #955963
   
48,471
 
 
263,295
 
  2.890%, due 11/1/37, #953653
   
272,464
 
     
FNMA Pool
       
 
423,903
 
  5.00%, due 6/1/40, #AD5479
   
472,742
 
 
49,360
 
  4.00%, due 11/1/41, #AJ3797
   
52,776
 
     
GNMA II ARM Pool (b)
       
 
6,147
 
  2.00%, due 11/20/21, #8871
   
6,284
 
 
32,316
 
  2.00%, due 10/20/22, #8062
   
33,181
 
 
102,467
 
  2.00%, due 11/20/26, #80011
   
105,985
 
     
GNMA II ARM Pool (b) (continued)
       
 
26,315
 
  2.00%, due 11/20/26, #80013
 
 
27,243
 
 
15,179
 
  2.00%, due 12/20/26, #80021
   
15,721
 
 
6,469
 
  2.00%, due 1/20/27, #80029
   
6,704
 
 
111,086
 
  1.875%, due 7/20/27, #80094
   
114,760
 
 
144,749
 
  1.875%, due 8/20/27, #80104
   
149,505
 
 
6,639
 
  2.00%, due 10/20/27, #80122
   
6,875
 
 
54,219
 
  2.00%, due 1/20/28, #80154
   
56,258
 
 
117,857
 
  2.00%, due 10/20/29, #80331
   
122,357
 
 
23,739
 
  2.00%, due 11/20/29, #80344
   
24,621
 
           
8,466,485
 
Total Mortgage-Backed Securities
 
  (cost $36,953,689)
       
37,117,874
 
   
U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
 
  AND INSTRUMENTALITIES 30.1%
 
   
U.S. Government Agencies 17.7%
 
 
5,000,000
 
FHLB
       
     
   0.875%, due 5/24/17
   
5,004,225
 
     
FHLMC
       
 
5,000,000
 
  0.50%, due 1/27/17
   
4,994,570
 
 
1,500,000
 
  1.00%, due 3/8/17
   
1,503,218
 
 
5,000,000
 
  0.75%, due 7/14/17
   
4,998,215
 
     
 FNMA
       
 
6,000,000
 
  0.625%, due 8/26/16
   
6,002,262
 
 
6,000,000
 
  1.00%, due 9/27/17
   
6,014,502
 
           
28,516,992
 
U.S. Treasury Notes 12.4%
 
     
U.S. Treasury Note
       
 
1,000,000
 
  0.875%, due 9/15/16
   
1,001,408
 
 
6,500,000
 
  0.75%, due 1/15/17
   
6,506,441
 
 
4,000,000
 
  0.75%, due 3/15/17
   
4,002,072
 
 
4,500,000
 
  1.00%, due 3/15/19
   
4,500,176
 
 
4,000,000
 
  0.875%, due 4/15/19
   
3,984,376
 
           
19,994,473
 
Total U.S. Government Agencies
 
  and Instrumentalities
 
  (cost $48,513,018)
       
48,511,465
 

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

9

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

           
           
Shares
     
Value
 
           
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 0.8%
 
 
1,362,894
 
Fidelity Institutional Money
     
     
  Market Government Portfolio –
     
     
  Class I, 0.24% (c)
 
$
1,362,894
 
Total Short-Term Investments
 
  (cost $1,362,894)
        1,362,894  
Total Investments
 
  (cost $160,285,585)
   
99.8%
 
 
160,622,608
 
Other Assets less Liabilities  
0.2%
 
 
319,476
 
TOTAL NET ASSETS
   
100.0%
 
$
160,942,084
 

(a)
Security purchased within the terms of a private placement memorandum, exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may be sold only to dealers in the program or other “qualified institutional buyers.”  The Fund’s adviser has determined that such security is liquid in accordance with the liquidity guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees of Advisors Series Trust.  As of May 31, 2016, the value of these investments was $39,553,131 or 24.6% of total net assets.
(b)
Variable rate security.  Rate shown reflects the rate in effect as of May 31, 2016.
(c)
Rate shown is the 7-day annualized yield as of May 31, 2016.
   
ARM – Adjustable Rate Mortgage
FHLB – Federal Home Loan Bank
FHLMC – Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
FNMA – Federal National Mortgage Association
GNMA – Government National Mortgage Association
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
10

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
 
Assets:
     
Investments in securities, at value (cost $160,285,585)
 
$
160,622,608
 
Receivable for securities sold
   
9,912
 
Receivable for fund shares sold
   
678,827
 
Interest receivable
   
413,467
 
Prepaid expenses
   
29,866
 
Total assets
   
161,754,680
 
         
Liabilities:
       
Payable for fund shares redeemed
   
204,728
 
Payable for securities purchased
   
499,815
 
Distribution payable
   
49
 
Investment advisory fees
   
26,400
 
Administration fees
   
14,436
 
Custody fees
   
4,613
 
Transfer agent fees and expenses
   
17,278
 
Fund accounting fees
   
23,358
 
Audit fees
   
9,706
 
Legal fees
   
1,547
 
Chief Compliance Officer fee
   
2,037
 
Accrued expenses
   
8,629
 
Total liabilities
   
812,596
 
Net Assets
 
$
160,942,084
 
         
Net Assets Consist of:
       
Paid-in capital
 
$
161,122,501
 
Undistributed net investment loss
   
(18,339
)
Accumulated net realized loss on investments
   
(499,101
)
Net unrealized appreciation on investments
   
337,023
 
Net Assets
 
$
160,942,084
 
         
Net Asset Value, Offering Price and Redemption Price Per Share
 
$
10.03
 
         
Shares Issued and Outstanding (Unlimited number of shares authorized, par value $0.01)
   
16,051,752
 
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

11

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Statement of Operations – Six Months Ended May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

 
Investment Income:
     
Interest
 
$
1,078,868
 
Total investment income
   
1,078,868
 
         
Expenses:
       
Investment advisory fees (Note 4)
   
161,184
 
Fund accounting fees (Note 4)
   
42,800
 
Transfer agent fees and expenses (Note 4)
   
35,873
 
Administration fees (Note 4)
   
28,209
 
Registration fees
   
14,461
 
Audit fees
   
9,718
 
Custody fees (Note 4)
   
9,134
 
Trustees’ fees
   
5,261
 
Chief Compliance Officer fee (Note 4)
   
4,500
 
Legal fees
   
4,388
 
Reports to shareholders
   
4,305
 
Insurance
   
2,292
 
Miscellaneous
   
3,174
 
Total expenses
   
325,299
 
Less: Fee waiver by adviser (Note 4)
   
(10,991
)
Net expenses
   
314,308
 
Net investment income
   
764,560
 
         
Realized and Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments:
       
Net realized loss on investments
   
(18,723
)
Net change in unrealized depreciation on investments
   
499,394
 
Net gain on investments
   
480,671
 
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
 
$
1,245,231
 

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

12

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Statements of Changes in Net Assets

   
Six Months
       
   
Ended
       
   
May 31, 2016
   
Year Ended
 
   
(Unaudited)
   
Nov. 30, 2015
 
Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets From
           
Operations:
           
Net investment income
 
$
764,560
   
$
1,065,796
 
Net realized loss on investments
   
(18,723
)
   
(30,332
)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments
   
499,394
     
(495,792
)
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
   
1,245,231
     
539,672
 
                 
Distributions Paid to Shareholders:
               
Distributions from net investment income
   
(810,164
)
   
(1,308,475
)
Total distributions paid to shareholders
   
(810,164
)
   
(1,308,475
)
                 
Capital Share Transactions:
               
Proceeds from shares sold
   
31,975,252
     
106,605,634
 
Distributions reinvested
   
542,219
     
829,618
 
Payment for shares redeemed
   
(28,017,488
)
   
(105,968,336
)
Net increase in net assets from capital share transactions
   
4,499,983
     
1,466,916
 
Total increase in net assets
   
4,935,050
     
698,113
 
                 
Net Assets, Beginning of Period
   
156,007,034
     
155,308,921
 
Net Assets, End of Period
 
$
160,942,084
   
$
156,007,034
 
Includes Undistributed Net Investment Income/(Loss) of
 
$
(18,339
)
 
$
27,265
 
                 
Transactions in Shares:
               
Shares sold
   
3,199,358
     
10,606,100
 
Shares issued on reinvestment of distributions
   
54,228
     
82,636
 
Shares redeemed
   
(2,801,240
)
   
(10,539,932
)
Net increase in shares outstanding
   
452,346
     
148,804
 
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

13

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Financial Highlights

   
Six Months
                               
   
Ended
                               
   
May 31, 2016
   
Year Ended November 30,
 
   
(Unaudited)
   
2015
   
2014
   
2013
   
2012
   
2011
 
Per Share Operating Performance
                                   
(For a fund share outstanding throughout each period)
                                   
                                     
Net asset value, beginning of period
 
$
10.00
   
$
10.05
   
$
10.08
   
$
10.10
   
$
10.10
   
$
10.11
 
                                                 
Income From Investment Operations:
                                               
Net investment income
   
0.05
     
0.07
     
0.05
     
0.05
     
0.04
     
0.05
 
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments
   
0.03
     
(0.03
)
   
(0.02
)
   
(0.02
)
   
0.00
*
   
(0.00
)*
Total from investment operations
   
0.08
     
0.04
     
0.03
     
0.03
     
0.04
     
0.05
 
                                                 
Less Distributions:
                                               
Distributions from net investment income
   
(0.05
)
   
(0.09
)
   
(0.06
)
   
(0.05
)
   
(0.04
)
   
(0.06
)
Total distributions
   
(0.05
)
   
(0.09
)
   
(0.06
)
   
(0.05
)
   
(0.04
)
   
(0.06
)
                                                 
Net asset value, end of period
 
$
10.03
   
$
10.00
   
$
10.05
   
$
10.08
   
$
10.10
   
$
10.10
 
                                                 
Total Return
   
0.80
%++
   
0.37
%
   
0.33
%
   
0.34
%
   
0.41
%
   
0.47
%
                                                 
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
                                               
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)
 
$
160,942
   
$
156,007
   
$
155,309
   
$
139,347
   
$
170,344
   
$
171,508
 
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
                                               
Net of fee waivers and reimbursements
   
0.39
%+
   
0.39
%
   
0.38
%
   
0.35
%
   
0.35
%
   
0.35
%
Before fee waivers and reimbursements
   
0.40
%+
   
0.41
%
   
0.40
%
   
0.43
%
   
0.38
%
   
0.39
%
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets:
                                               
Net of fee waivers and reimbursements
   
0.95
%+
   
0.69
%
   
0.56
%
   
0.49
%
   
0.36
%
   
0.51
%
Before fee waivers and reimbursements
   
0.94
%+
   
0.67
%
   
0.54
%
   
0.41
%
   
0.33
%
   
0.47
%
Portfolio turnover rate
   
12
%++
   
60
%
   
38
%
   
56
%
   
53
%
   
11
%

*
 
Amount is less than $0.01.
+
 
Annualized for periods less than one year.
++
 
Not annualized for periods less than one year.

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

14

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
 
Note 1 – Organization
The PIA Short-Term Securities Fund (the “Fund”) is a diversified series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”), which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as an open-end management investment company.  The Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services – Investment Companies.”
 
The investment objective of the Fund is to seek a high level of current income, consistent with low volatility of principal through investing in short-term investment grade debt securities.  The Fund commenced operations on April 22, 1994.
 
Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. These policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
 
Security Valuation – All investments in securities are recorded at their estimated fair value, as described in Note 3.
 
Securities Purchased on a When-Issued Basis – Delivery and payment for securities that have been purchased by the Fund on a forward-commitment or when-issued basis can take place up to a month or more after the transaction date.  During this period, such securities are subject to market fluctuations.  The Fund is required to hold and maintain until the settlement date, cash or other liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price.  The purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward-commitment basis may increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value if the Fund makes such purchases while remaining substantially fully invested.  In connection with the ability to purchase securities on a when-issued basis, the Fund may also enter into dollar rolls in which the Fund sells securities purchased on a forward-commitment basis and simultaneously contracts with a counterparty to repurchase similar (same type, coupon, and maturity), but not identical securities on a specified future date.  As an inducement for the Fund to “rollover” its purchase commitments, the Fund receives negotiated amounts in the form of reductions of the purchase price of the commitment.  Dollar rolls are considered a form of leverage.
 
Federal Income Taxes – It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders.  Therefore, no Federal income or excise tax provision is required.
 
The Fund recognizes 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 Fund’s 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 open tax years 2013 – 2015, or expected to be taken in the Fund’s 2016 tax returns.  The Fund identifies its major tax jurisdictions as U.S. Federal and the state of Wisconsin; however the Fund is 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.
 
Expenses – The Fund is charged for those expenses that are directly attributable to the Fund, such as investment advisory and custodian fees.  Expenses that are not directly attributable to the Fund are typically allocated among the PIA Funds in proportion to their respective net assets.  Common expenses of the Trust are typically allocated among the funds in the Trust based on a fund’s respective net assets, or by other equitable means.
 
15

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
Securities Transactions and Investment Income – Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Realized gains and losses on sales of securities are calculated on the basis of identified cost.  Interest income is recorded on an accrual basis.  Discounts and premiums on securities purchased are amortized over the life of the respective security using the effective interest method.
 
Distributions to Shareholders – Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.  The Fund distributes substantially all net investment income, if any, monthly and net realized gains, if any, annually.  Distributions from net realized gains for book purposes may include short-term capital gains.  All short-term capital gains are included in ordinary income for tax purposes.
 
The amount and character of income and net realized gains to be distributed are determined in accordance with Federal income tax rules and regulations, which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  To the extent that these differences are attributable to permanent book and tax accounting differences, the components of net assets have been adjusted.
 
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.
 
Guarantees and Indemnifications – In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses.  The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims against the Fund that have not yet occurred.  Based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.
 
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 and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operation during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
Events Subsequent to the Fiscal Period End – In preparing the financial statements as of May 31, 2016, management considered the impact of subsequent events for the potential recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
 
Note 3 – Securities Valuation
The Fund has 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 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 Fund has the ability to access.
16

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
 
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 Fund’s major categories of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis.  The Fund’s investments are carried at fair value.
 
The Fund determines the fair value of its investments and computes its net asset value per share as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (4:00 pm EST).
 
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 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.
 
Foreign Securities – Foreign economies may differ from the U.S. economy and individual foreign companies may differ from domestic companies in the same industry.
 
Foreign companies or entities are frequently not subject to accounting and financial reporting standards applicable to domestic companies, and there may be less information available about foreign issuers.  Securities of foreign issuers are generally less liquid and more volatile than those of comparable domestic issuers.  There is frequently less government regulation of broker-dealers and issuers than in the United States.  In addition, investments in foreign countries are subject to the possibility of expropriation, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments that could adversely affect the value of those investments.
 
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities – Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are securities issued as separate tranches, or classes, of securities within each deal.  These securities are normally valued by pricing service providers that use broker-dealer quotations or valuation estimates from their internal pricing models.  The pricing models for these securities usually consider tranche-level attributes, estimated cash flows and market-based yield spreads for each tranche, current market data and incorporate deal collateral performance, as available.  Mortgage- and asset-backed securities that use similar valuation techniques and inputs as described above are categorized as level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
U.S. Government Securities – U.S. Government securities are normally valued using a model that incorporates market observable data such as reported sales of similar securities, broker quotes, yields, bids, offers, and reference data.  Certain securities are valued principally using dealer quotations.  U.S. Government securities are typically categorized in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
17

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
U.S. Government Agency Securities – U.S. Government agency securities are comprised of two main categories consisting of agency issued debt and mortgage pass-throughs.  Agency issued debt securities are generally valued in a manner similar to U.S. Government securities.  Mortgage pass-throughs include to-be-announced (“TBAs”) securities and mortgage pass-through certificates.  TBA securities and mortgage pass-throughs are generally valued using dealer quotations.  These securities are typically categorized in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Investment Companies – 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.
 
Short-Term Securities – Short-term debt securities, including those securities having a maturity of 60 days or less, are valued at the evaluated mean between the bid and asked prices.  To the extent the inputs are observable and timely, these securities would be classified in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Illiquid Securities – A security may be considered illiquid if it lacks a readily available market.  Securities are generally considered liquid if they can be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the price at which the security is valued by the Fund.  Illiquid securities may be valued under methods approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees as reflecting fair value.  The Fund intends to hold no more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
 
Certain restricted securities may be considered illiquid.  Restricted securities are often purchased in private placement transactions, are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, may have contractual restrictions on resale, and may be valued under methods approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees as reflecting fair value.  Certain restricted securities eligible for resale to qualified institutional investors, including Rule 144A securities, are not subject to the limitation on the Fund’s investment in illiquid securities if they are determined to be liquid in accordance with procedures adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.  As of May 31, 2016, Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the adviser, has determined that the Rule 144A securities held by the Fund are considered liquid.
 
The Board of Trustees 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 Fund’s 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 of Trustees.  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 of Trustees.
 
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.
18

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
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 Fund’s securities as of May 31, 2016:
 
   
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Fixed Income
                       
  Corporate Bonds
 
$
   
$
73,630,375
   
$
   
$
73,630,375
 
  Mortgage-Backed Securities
   
     
37,117,874
     
     
37,117,874
 
  U.S. Government Agencies
                               
    and Instrumentalities
   
     
48,511,465
     
     
48,511,465
 
Total Fixed Income
   
     
159,259,714
     
     
159,259,714
 
Short-Term Investments
   
1,362,894
     
     
     
1,362,894
 
Total Investments
 
$
1,362,894
   
$
159,259,714
   
$
   
$
160,622,608
 
 
Refer to the Fund’s schedule of investments for a detailed break-out of securities.  Transfers between levels are recognized at May 31, 2016, the end of the reporting period.  The Fund recognized no transfers to/from level 1 or level 2.  The Fund held no level 3 securities during the six months ended May 31, 2016.
 
Note 4 – Investment Advisory Fee and other Transactions with Affiliates
The Fund has an investment advisory agreement with Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (“PIA” or the “Adviser”) pursuant to which the Adviser is responsible for providing investment management services to the Fund.  The Adviser furnished all investment advice, office space and facilities, and provides most of the personnel needed by the Fund.  As compensation for its services, PIA is entitled to a fee, computed daily and payable monthly.  The Fund pays fees calculated at an annual rate of 0.20% based upon the average daily net assets of the Fund.  For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Fund incurred $161,184 in advisory fees.
 
The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses.  The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce fees payable to it by the Fund and to pay Fund operating expenses to the extent necessary to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses to 0.39% of average daily net assets.  Any such reduction made by the Adviser in its fees or payment of expenses which are the Fund’s obligation are subject to reimbursement by the Fund to the Adviser, if so requested by the Adviser, in subsequent fiscal years if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward the operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) does not exceed the applicable limitation on Fund’s expenses. The Adviser 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 Fund’s payment of current ordinary operating expenses.  For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Adviser reduced its fees and/or absorbed Fund expenses in the amount of $10,991.  No amounts were reimbursed to the Adviser.  Cumulative expenses subject to recapture pursuant to the aforementioned conditions amounted to $194,064 at May 31, 2016.  The expense limitation will remain in effect through at least March 28, 2017, and may be terminated only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.  Cumulative expenses subject to recapture expire as follows:
19

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
Year
 
Amount
 
2016
 
$
112,599
 
2017
   
34,840
 
2018
   
35,634
 
2019
   
10,991
 
   
$
194,064
 
 
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“USBFS” or the “Administrator”) acts as the Fund’s Administrator under an administration agreement.  The Administrator prepares various federal and state regulatory filings, reports and returns for the Fund; prepares reports and materials to be supplied to the Trustees; monitors the activities of the Fund’s custodian, transfer agent and accountants; coordinates the preparation and payment of the Fund’s expenses and reviews the Fund’s expense accruals.
 
USBFS also serves as the fund accountant and transfer agent to the Fund.  U.S. Bank N.A., an affiliate of USBFS, serves as the Fund’s custodian.
 
Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”) acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter in a continuous public offering of the Fund’s shares.  The Distributor is an affiliate of USBFS and U.S. Bank N.A.
 
The officers and the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund are employees of USBFS.  A Trustee of the Trust is affiliated with USBFS and U.S. Bank N.A.  This same Trustee is an interested person of the Distributor.
 
For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Fund incurred the following expenses for administration, fund accounting, transfer agency, custody, and Chief Compliance Officer fees:
 
 
Administration
 
$
28,209
 
 
Fund Accounting
   
42,800
 
 
Transfer Agency
       
 
  (excludes out-of-pocket expenses and sub-ta fees)
   
28,771
 
 
Custody
   
9,134
 
 
Chief Compliance Officer
   
4,500
 
 
At May 31, 2016, the Fund had payables due to USBFS for administration, fund accounting, transfer agency and Chief Compliance Officer fees and to U.S. Bank N.A. for custody fees in the following amounts:
 
 
Administration
 
$
14,436
 
 
Fund Accounting
   
23,358
 
 
Transfer Agency
       
 
  (excludes out-of-pocket expenses and sub-ta fees)
   
14,364
 
 
Custody
   
4,613
 
 
Chief Compliance Officer
   
2,037
 
 
20

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
Note 5 – Purchases and Sales of Securities
 
 
Non-Government 
Government
 
 
Purchases
Sales
Purchases
Sales
 
 
$9,414,070
$14,529,282
$24,494,206
$3,988,455
 
 
Note 6 – Line of Credit
The Fund has a line of credit in the amount of $15,000,000.  The line of credit is intended to provide short-term financing, if necessary, subject to certain restrictions, in connection with shareholder redemptions.  The credit facility is with the Fund’s custodian, U.S. Bank N.A.  The Fund did not draw upon its line of credit during the six months ended May 31, 2016.
 
Note 7 – Federal Income Tax Information
The tax character of distributions paid during the six months ended May 31, 2016 and the year ended November 30, 2015 was as follows:
 
   
May 31, 2016
November 30, 2015
 
Ordinary income
$810,164
$1,308,475
 
As of November 30, 2015, the most recently completed fiscal year end, the components of accumulated earnings/(losses) on a tax basis were as follows:
 
 
Cost of investments (a)
 
$
154,905,891
 
 
Gross unrealized appreciation
   
560,234
 
 
Gross unrealized depreciation
   
(725,767
)
 
Net unrealized depreciation
   
(165,533
)
 
Undistributed ordinary income
   
27,265
 
 
Undistributed long-term capital gains
   
 
 
Total distributable earnings
   
27,265
 
 
Other accumulated losses
   
(477,216
)
 
Total accumulated earnings
 
$
615,484
 
 
 
(a)
The book-basis and tax-basis net unrealized depreciation are the same.
 
The Fund had tax capital losses which may be carried over to offset future gains.  Such losses expire as follows:
 
       
Long-Term
   
 
2017
2018
2019
Indefinite
Total
 
 
$45,313
$56,182
$63,174
$312,547
$477,216
 
 
Note 8 – Principal Risks
Below is a summary of some, but not all, of the principal risks of investing in the Fund, each of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value and total return.  The Fund’s most recent prospectus provides further descriptions of the Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and principal risks.
 
21

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in which the Fund invests may decline for a number of reasons including in response to economic developments and perceptions about the creditworthiness of individual issuers.
 
Interest Rate Risk.  Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of changes in interest rates.  It is likely there will be less governmental action in the near future to maintain low interest rates.  The negative impact on fixed income securities from the resulting rate increases for that and other reasons could be swift and significant.
 
Credit Risk.  The issuers of the bonds and other debt securities held by the Fund may not be able to make interest or principal payments.
 
Prepayment Risk.  Issuers of securities held by the Fund may be able to prepay principal due on these securities, particularly during periods of declining interest rates.  Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise.  Prepayment risk is a major risk of mortgage-backed securities.
 
Risks Associated with Asset-Backed Securities.  These include Market Risk, Interest Rate Risk, Credit Risk and Prepayment Risk (each described above).  Asset-backed securities may decline in value when defaults on the underlying assets occur and may exhibit additional volatility in periods of changing interest rates.  When interest rates decline, the prepayment of assets underlying such securities may require the Fund to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates, resulting in reduced returns.
 
Risks Associated with Mortgage-Backed Securities.  These include Market Risk, Interest Rate Risk, Credit Risk and Prepayment Risk (each described above) as well as the risk that the structure of certain mortgage-backed securities may make their reaction to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, making their prices very volatile.  In particular, events related to the U.S. housing market in recent years have had a severe negative impact on the value of some mortgage-backed securities and resulted in an increased risk associated with investments in the securities.
 
Liquidity Risk. Low or lack of trading volume may make it difficult to sell securities held by the Fund at quoted market prices.
 
Adjustable Rate and Floating Rate Securities Risks.  Although adjustable and floating rate debt securities tend to be less volatile than fixed-rate debt securities, they nevertheless fluctuate in value.
 
Risks Associated with Inflation and Deflation.  Inflation risk is the risk that the rising cost of living may erode the purchasing power of an investment over time.  Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time – the opposite of inflation.
 
ETF and Mutual Fund Risk.  When the Fund invests in an ETF or mutual fund, it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of the ETF’s or mutual fund’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees.  The risk of owning an ETF or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities that the ETF or mutual fund holds.  The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs.
 
High Yield Securities Risk.  Securities with ratings lower than BBB- or Baa3 are known as “high yield” securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”).  High yield securities provide greater income and opportunity for gains than higher-rated securities but entail greater risk of loss of principal.
22

PIA Short-Term Securities Fund
Notice to Shareholders – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
How to Obtain a Copy of the Fund’s Proxy Voting Policies
A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-251-1970, or on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.
 
How to Obtain a Copy of the Fund’s Proxy Voting Records for the 12-Month Period Ended June 30
Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-251-1970.  Furthermore, you can obtain the Fund’s proxy voting records on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
 
Quarterly Filings on Form N-Q
The Fund files its complete schedules of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Form N-Q is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Fund’s 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 Fund’s Form N-Q is also available by calling 1-800-251-1970.
23

PIA Funds
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreement
(Unaudited)

At a meeting held on December 2-3, 2015, the Board (which is comprised of five persons, four of whom are Independent Trustees as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), considered and approved the continuance of the investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) between Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”) and Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (the “Adviser”) for another annual term for the PIA Short-Term Securities Fund (the “Short-Term Securities Fund”), and also for the PIA Short Duration Bond Fund (the “Short Duration Bond Fund”), which had not yet commenced operations at the time of this meeting (collectively, the “Funds”).  At this meeting, and at a prior meeting held on October 14-15, 2015, the Board received and reviewed substantial information regarding the Funds, the Adviser and the services provided by the Adviser to the Funds under the Advisory Agreement.  This information, together with the information provided to the Board throughout the course of the year, 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 continuance of the Advisory Agreement:
 
 
1.
THE NATURE, EXTENT AND QUALITY OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED AND TO BE PROVIDED BY THE ADVISER UNDER THE ADVISORY AGREEMENT.  The Board considered the nature, extent and quality of the Adviser’s overall services provided to the Funds as well as its specific responsibilities in all aspects of day-to-day investment 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 Adviser involved in the day-to-day activities of the Funds.  The Board also considered the resources and compliance structure of the Adviser, including information regarding its compliance program, its chief compliance officer, the Adviser’s compliance record, and the Adviser’s disaster recovery/business continuity plan.  The Board also considered the prior relationship between the Adviser and the Trust, as well as the Board’s knowledge of the Adviser’s operations, and noted that during the course of the prior year they had met with the Adviser to discuss Fund performance and investment outlook as well as various marketing and compliance topics, including the Adviser’s risk management process.  The Board concluded that the Adviser had 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 and extent of such management services are satisfactory.
     
 
2.
THE FUNDS’ HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE AND THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE ADVISER.  In assessing the quality of the portfolio management delivered by the Adviser, the Board reviewed the short-term and long-term performance of the Short-Term Securities Fund as of June 30, 2015 on both an absolute basis and in comparison to an appropriate securities benchmark and its peer funds utilizing Lipper and Morningstar classifications.  As the Short Duration Bond Fund had not commenced operations, it had no performance to consider.  While the Board considered both short-term and long-term performance for the Short-Term Securities Fund, it placed greater emphasis on longer term performance.  When reviewing performance against the comparative peer group universe, the Board took into account that the investment objective and strategies of the Short-Term Securities Fund, as well as its level of risk tolerance, may differ significantly from funds in the peer universe.
     
   
The Board noted that the Short-Term Securities Fund’s performance, with regard to its Lipper comparative universe, was below its peer group median for the three-year and five-year periods and above its peer group median for the one-year and ten-year periods.
 
24

PIA Funds
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)

   
The Board noted that the Short-Term Securities Fund’s performance, with regard to its Morningstar comparative universe, was below its peer group median for the three-year and five-year periods and above its peer group median for the one-year and ten-year periods.
     
   
The Board also considered any differences in performance between similarly managed accounts and the performance of the Short-Term Securities Fund, noting that the Fund was generally in line with its similarly managed accounts for all relevant periods, and reviewed the performance of the Fund against broad-based securities market benchmarks.
     
 
3.
THE COSTS OF THE SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE ADVISER AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE ADVISER’S FEE UNDER THE ADVISORY AGREEMENT.  In considering the appropriateness of the advisory fee, the Board considered the level of the fee itself as well as the total fees and expenses of each Fund.  The Board reviewed information as to fees and expenses of advisers and funds within the relevant Lipper peer funds as well as fees charged by the Adviser to other similarly managed accounts.  When reviewing fees charged to other similarly managed accounts, the Board took into account the type of account and the differences in the management of that account that might be germane to the difference, if any, in the fees charged to such accounts.  The Board found that the fees charged to the Short-Term Securities Fund were generally in line with or comparable to the fees charged by the Adviser to its similarly managed separate account clients, and to the extent fees charged to the Fund were higher than for similarly managed separate accounts of similar size, it was largely a reflection of the nature of the separate account client and the greater costs to the Adviser of managing the Fund.
     
   
Short-Term Securities Fund:  The Board noted that the Adviser had contractually agreed to maintain an annual expense ratio for the Fund of 0.39% (the “Expense Cap”).  Additionally, the Board noted that the Fund’s total expense ratio was below its peer group median and average.  The Board also noted that the Fund’s contractual advisory fee was below its peer group median and average.  The Board also noted that after advisory fee waivers and the reimbursement of Fund expenses necessary to maintain the Expense Cap, the net advisory fees received by the Adviser from the Fund during the most recent fiscal period were below the peer group median and average.  The Board also took into consideration the services the Adviser provided to its separately managed account clients, comparing the fees charged for those management services to the management fees charged to the Fund.  The Board found that the management fees charged to the Fund were generally in line with the fees charged by the Adviser to its separately managed account clients.  As a result, the Trustees noted that the Fund’s expenses and advisory fee were not outside the range of its peer group.
     
   
Short Duration Bond Fund:  The Board noted that the Adviser had contractually agreed to maintain an annual expense ratio of 1.00% for Class A shares and 0.75% for Class I shares (the “Expense Caps”).  Additionally, the Board noted that the Fund’s estimated total expense ratio was below its peer group median and its peer group average for the Class I shares and above its peer group median and average for the Class A shares.  The Board also noted that the Fund’s contractual advisory fee was above its peer group median and below its peer group average.  As a result, the Trustees noted that the Fund’s estimated expenses and advisory fee were not outside the range of its peer group.


25

PIA Funds
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)

 
4.
ECONOMIES OF SCALE.  The Board also considered whether economies of scale were being realized by the Adviser that should be shared with shareholders.  In this regard, the Board noted that the Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its advisory fees or reimburse Fund expenses so that the Funds do not exceed the specified Expense Caps.  The Board noted that at current asset levels, it did not appear that there were additional significant economies of scale being realized by the Adviser and concluded that it would continue to monitor economies of scale in the future as circumstances changed and assuming asset levels continued to increase.
     
 
5.
THE PROFITS TO BE REALIZED BY THE ADVISER AND ITS AFFILIATES FROM THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FUNDS.  The Board reviewed the Adviser’s financial information and took into account both the direct benefits and the indirect benefits to the Adviser from advising the Funds.  The Board considered the profitability to the Adviser from its relationship with the Funds and considered any additional benefits derived by the Adviser from its relationship with the Funds, such as benefits to be received in exchange for Rule 12b-1 fees from the Short Duration Bond Fund.  The Board also considered that the Funds do not utilize “soft dollar” benefits that may be received by the Adviser in exchange for Fund brokerage.  After such review, the Board determined that the profitability to the Adviser with respect to the Advisory Agreement was not excessive, and that the Adviser had maintained adequate profit levels to support the services it provides to the Funds.
 
No single factor was determinative of the Board’s decision to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Short-Term Securities Fund and Short Duration Bond Fund, but rather the Board based its determination on the total combination of information available to them.  Based on a consideration of all the factors in their totality, the Board determined that the advisory arrangements with the Adviser, including the advisory fees, were fair and reasonable.  The Board therefore determined that the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the PIA Short-Term Securities Fund and PIA Short Duration Bond Fund would be in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders.
 
26

PRIVACY NOTICE
 
The Fund collects non-public information about you from the following sources:
 
 
 Information we receive about you on applications or other forms;
     
 
• 
Information you give us orally; and/or
     
 
 Information about your transactions with us or others.
 
We do not disclose any non-public personal information about our customers or former customers without the customer’s authorization, except as permitted by law or in response to inquiries from governmental authorities. We may share information with affiliated and unaffiliated third parties with whom we have contracts for servicing the Fund.  We will provide unaffiliated third parties with only the information necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities.  We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to guard your non-public personal information and require third parties to treat your personal information with the same high degree of confidentiality.
 
In the event that you hold shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, including, but not limited to, a broker-dealer, bank, or trust company, the privacy policy of your financial intermediary would govern how your non-public personal information would be shared by those entities with unaffiliated third parties.

Adviser
Pacific Income Advisers, Inc.
1299 Ocean Avenue, Suite 210
Santa Monica, CA  90401


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


Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI  53202
(800) 251-1970


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


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


Legal Counsel
Schiff Hardin LLP
666 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1700
New York, NY  10103
Past performance results shown in this report should not be considered a representation of future performance.  Share price and returns will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.  Statements and other information herein are dated and are subject to change.


 
 
PIA Funds

PIA HIGH YIELD FUND
Institutional Class




 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Semi-Annual Report
 
May 31, 2016
 

PIA High Yield Fund

Dear Shareholder:
 
We are pleased to provide you with this semi-annual report for the six-month fiscal period from December 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016, regarding the PIA High Yield Fund (the “Fund”) for which Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (“PIA”) is the investment adviser.
 
The Fund modestly trailed its benchmark, the Barclays U.S. Corporate High-Yield Index (the “Index”), returning 5.01%, after fees and expenses, for the six-month period ended May 31, 2016 versus 5.34% for the Index.
 
As stated in the current prospectus, the Fund’s gross expense ratio is 0.93% and the Fund’s net expense ratio is 0.75%.  PIA has temporarily agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fees and pay Fund expenses to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 0.73% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through at least March 28, 2017.
 
The Fund performed relatively well in a volatile market during the period.  Credit selection within the metals & mining sector was the primary driver for the modest underperformance for the six-month period ended May 31, 2016. The metals & mining sector having been plagued for some time by the slowing China economy and the resulting negative impact on the price of industrial commodities worldwide, experienced a reversal of fortune in the six-month period ended May 31, 2016. The combination of reduced China steel production combined with recently imposed U.S. tariffs fueled the sector’s performance for the period.  The  Fund has been underweight this sector, moreover, it had a zero weighting in the mining extraction subsector as well as the steel producing subsector, both of which were the leading performers during the six-month period ended May 31, 2016.  Aside from the metals & mining sector, superior credit selection across the high yield risk spectrum continued to buoy the Fund’s performance.  The Fund’s Ba’s and B’s returned 5.43% and 4.15%, respectively, outperforming the Barclays U.S. Corporate High-Yield Index relevant sub-index by 59 basis points (“bps”) and 23 bps, respectively.  The Fund’s Caa’s performed well returning 9.12% for the period, although the Caa holdings performance trailed the relevant sub-index performance by 10 bps.
 
High yield market average spreads tightened from 648 bps to 601 bps for the period December 1, 2015 through
 
May 31, 2016, while the yield-to-worst decreased to 7.31% from 8.02% at the beginning of the period (Barclays U.S. Corporate High-Yield Index).  Additionally, the Index average price climbed from $91.97 to $95.12.  Investor risk aversion that emerged in the later part of the previous fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, persisted for the first three months of the six-month period ended May 31, 2016.  The market posted its worst January performance since 2008. The market had very little appetite for Caa credits in the first three months of this period and Caa spreads widened out to 1478 bps, levels not seen since the financial crisis. News regarding the oil production outages in Canada, Nigeria, and Libya seemed to provide an inflection point for the market in the later part of February. With the return of a “risk on” mentality, the market return in March was the highest monthly return since October 2011 led by very strong performance by Caa credits, most notably in the previously stricken commodity sectors (energy and metals & mining).  After posting near double digit negative returns for the first three months of this period, investors flocked to Caa credits in the final three months fueling 20 plus percent returns for the three months ended May 31, 2016. With the resurgence in demand Caa credits the spread for Caa credits declined by 410 bps down to 1068 bps at the end of May.  As is often the case in a “risk on” environment the spread differential between Caa credits and B credits narrowed considerably (257 bps) in the final three months of the period.
1

PIA High Yield Fund

Please take a moment to review the Fund’s statement of assets and liabilities and the results of operations for the six months ended May 31, 2016.  We look forward to reporting to you again with the annual report dated November 30, 2016.
 
 
Lloyd McAdams
Chairman of the Board
Pacific Income Advisers, Inc.
 

 
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
 
Opinions expressed above are those of Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the Fund’s investment adviser, and are subject to change, are not guaranteed and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security and should not be considered investment advice.
 
Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.
 
Mutual fund investing involves risk.  Principal loss is possible.  Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise.  This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities.  The Fund may invest in foreign securities which involve greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods.  These risks may increase for emerging markets.  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.  The Fund may invest in derivatives, which may involve risks greater than the risks presented by more traditional investments.  The risk of owning an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities that the ETF or mutual fund holds.  It will also bear additional expenses, including operating expenses, brokerage costs and the potential duplication of management fees.
 
The Barclays U.S. Corporate High-Yield Index measures the market of USD-denominated, non-investment grade, fixed rate, taxable corporate bonds.  Securities are classified as high yield if the middle rating of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.,  Fitch Ratings, Inc., and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services is Ba1/BB+/BB+ or below after dropping the highest and lowest available ratings.  The index excludes emerging markets debt.  You cannot invest directly in an index.
 
Bond ratings provide the probability of an issuer defaulting based on the analysis of the issuer’s financial condition and profit potential.  Bond rating services are provided by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and Fitch Ratings, Inc.  Bond ratings start at AAA (denoting the highest investment quality) and usually end at D (meaning payment is in default). In limited situations when the rating agency has not issued a formal rating, the investment adviser will classify the security as non-rated.
 
Yield to worst is calculated by using the lower of the yield to maturity or the yield to call after considering all possible call dates prior to maturity.
 
Basis point equals 1/100th of 1%.
 
Please refer to the schedule of investments in the report for complete holdings information.  Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change at any time and are not recommendations to buy or sell any security.  Investment performance reflects fee waivers in effect.  In the absence of such waivers, total return would be reduced.
 
Current and future portfolio holdings are subject to risk.
 
Quasar Distributors, LLC, Distributor
2

PIA High Yield Fund
Expense Example – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

As a shareholder of a mutual fund, you 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 PIA High Yield Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period (12/1/15 – 5/31/16).
 
Actual Expenses
The first line of the table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses.  Prior to January 1, 2015, actual net expenses were limited to 0.98% of the Fund’s average daily net assets per the operating expenses limitation agreement.  Effective January 1, 2015, Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the Fund’s adviser, has also voluntarily agreed to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses to 0.73% of average daily net assets.  Although the Fund charges no sales loads 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 Fund’s transfer agent.  The Example below includes, but is not limited to, management 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 table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is different from the Fund’s actual returns.  The hypothetical account values and expenses may 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 Fund 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 table 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 table 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 transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.
 
 
Beginning Account
Ending Account
Expenses Paid During
 
Value 12/1/15
Value 5/31/16
Period 12/1/15 – 5/31/16*
Actual
$1,000.00
$1,050.10
$3.74
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)
$1,000.00
$1,021.35
$3.69

*
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 (days in most recent fiscal half-year) / 366 days to reflect the one-half year expense.  The annualized expense ratio of the PIA High Yield Fund is 0.73%.

3

PIA High Yield Fund
Allocation of Portfolio Assets – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
Investments by Sector
As a Percentage of Total Investments
 

4

PIA High Yield Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
CORPORATE BONDS 91.8%
 
   
Advertising & Marketing 0.9%
 
   
Lamar Media Corp.
     
$
1,250,000
 
  5.75%, due 2/1/26 (b)
 
$
1,318,750
 
   
Aerospace/Defense 3.2%
 
     
Gencorp, Inc.
       
 
1,150,000
 
  7.125%, due 3/15/21
   
1,216,125
 
     
Kratos Defense &
       
     
  Security Solutions, Inc.
       
 
1,538,000
 
  7.00%, due 5/15/19
   
1,222,710
 
     
Moog, Inc.
       
 
940,000
 
  5.25%, due 12/1/22 (b)
   
959,975
 
     
Transdigm, Inc.
       
 
1,050,000
 
  6.00%, due 7/15/22
   
1,073,625
 
           
4,472,435
 
   
Apparel & Textile Products 0.4%
 
     
HanesBrands, Inc.
       
 
550,000
 
  4.875%, due 5/15/26 (b)
   
553,438
 
   
Auto Parts Manufacturing 0.6%
 
     
Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.
       
 
850,000
 
  5.875%, due 11/15/21 (b)
   
879,750
 
   
Basic Chemical Manufacturing 0.3%
 
     
Platform Specialty
       
     
  Products Corp.
       
 
460,000
 
  6.50%, due 2/1/22 (b)
   
410,838
 
   
Biotechnology 0.8%
 
     
Concordia Healthcare Corp.
       
 
1,250,000
 
  7.00%, due 4/15/23 (b)
   
1,167,188
 
   
Building Materials 2.0%
 
     
U.S. Concrete, Inc.
       
 
625,000
 
  8.50%, due 12/1/18
   
653,219
 
 
880,000
 
  6.375%, due 6/1/24 (b)
   
882,199
 
     
USG Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  5.875%, due 11/1/21 (b)
   
527,185
 
 
750,000
 
  5.50%, due 3/1/25 (b)
   
799,688
 
           
2,862,291
 
   
Casinos and Gaming 0.8%
 
     
MGM Resorts International
       
 
1,010,000
 
  6.00%, due 3/15/23
 
 
1,057,975
 
   
Chemical and Allied Products
 
  Merchant Wholesalers 1.1%
 
     
Univar USA, Inc.
       
 
1,450,000
 
  6.75%, due 7/15/23 (b)
   
1,468,705
 
             
Chemicals 8.8%
           
     
Consolidated Energy
       
     
  Finance SA
       
 
1,350,000
 
  6.75%, due 10/15/19 (b)
   
1,269,000
 
     
Cornerstone Chemical Co.
       
 
600,000
 
  9.375%, due 3/15/18 (b)
   
573,000
 
     
H.I.G. BBC Intermediate
       
     
  Holdings Corp.
       
 
158,437
 
  10.50%, due 9/15/18 (b)
   
119,620
 
     
Hexion U.S. Finance Corp.
       
 
1,370,000
 
  6.625%, due 4/15/20
   
1,171,350
 
     
Ineos Group Holdings PLC
       
 
700,000
 
  5.875%, due 2/15/19 (b)
   
711,375
 
     
Kissner Milling Company Ltd.
       
 
1,150,000
 
  7.25%, due 6/1/19 (b)
   
1,155,750
 
     
LSB Industries, Inc.
       
 
1,450,000
 
  7.75%, due 8/1/19
   
1,486,249
 
     
Momentive Performance
       
     
  Materials, Inc.
       
 
165,000
 
  3.88%, due 10/24/21
   
132,825
 
     
Nexeo Solutions LLC
       
 
1,500,000
 
  8.375%, due 3/1/18
   
1,500,000
 
     
Omnova Solutions, Inc.
       
 
976,000
 
  7.875%, due 11/1/18 (c)
   
983,320
 
     
Rentech Nitrogen Partners L.P.
       
 
900,000
 
  6.50%, due 4/15/21 (b)
   
916,875
 
     
TPC Group, Inc.
       
 
225,000
 
  8.75%, due 12/15/20 (b)
   
174,375
 
     
Trinseo Materials
       
     
  Operating S.C.A.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  6.75%, due 5/1/22 (b)
   
1,035,000
 

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

5

PIA High Yield Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Chemicals 8.8% (continued)
 
   
Tronox Worldwide LLC
     
$
1,400,000
 
  6.375%, due 8/15/20
 
$
1,085,000
 
           
12,313,739
 
   
Commercial and Service Industry
 
  Machinery Manufacturing 0.6%
 
     
ATS Automation
       
     
  Tooling Systems, Inc.
       
 
750,000
 
  6.50%, due 6/15/23 (b)
   
771,563
 
   
Communications Equipment
 
  Manufacturing 0.6%
 
     
Plantronics, Inc.
       
 
800,000
 
  5.50%, due 5/31/23 (b)
   
798,000
 
   
Construction Machinery 2.6%
 
     
H & E Equipment Services, Inc.
       
 
1,470,000
 
  7.00%, due 9/1/22
   
1,521,450
 
     
Jurassic Holdings III
       
 
1,700,000
 
  6.875%, due 2/15/21 (b)
   
1,173,000
 
     
NES Rentals Holding, Inc.
       
 
950,000
 
  7.875%, due 5/1/18 (b)
   
926,250
 
           
3,620,700
 
   
Construction Materials Manufacturing 0.4%
 
     
GCP Applied Technologies Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  9.50%, due 2/1/23 (b)
   
556,250
 
   
Consumer Cyclical Services 2.7%
 
     
APX Group, Inc.
       
 
175,000
 
  6.375%, due 12/1/19
   
174,125
 
 
1,060,000
 
  8.75%, due 12/1/20
   
969,900
 
     
GEO Group, Inc.
       
 
950,000
 
  5.875%, due 1/15/22
   
969,000
 
     
Reliance Intermediate Holdings
       
 
670,000
 
  6.50%, due 4/1/23 (b)
   
705,175
 
     
West Corp.
       
 
1,110,000
 
  5.375%, due 7/15/22 (b)
   
1,008,713
 
           
3,826,913
 
               
Consumer Finance 0.5%
 
     
First Data Corp.
       
 
720,000
 
  5.75%, due 1/15/24 (b)
 
 
722,700
 
   
Consumer Products 1.4%
 
     
Acco Brands Corp.
       
 
500,000
 
  6.75%, due 4/30/20
   
530,625
 
     
Central Garden & Pet Co.
       
 
1,300,000
 
  6.125%, due 11/15/23
   
1,355,250
 
           
1,885,875
 
   
Consumer Services 3.5%
 
     
CEB Inc.
       
 
1,120,000
 
  5.625%, due 6/15/23 (b)
   
1,114,400
 
     
Modular Space Corp.
       
 
1,380,000
 
  10.25%, due 1/31/19 (b)
   
707,250
 
     
Quad/Graphics, Inc.
       
 
850,000
 
  7.00%, due 5/1/22
   
754,375
 
     
Stonemor Partners LP
       
 
1,200,000
 
  7.875%, due 6/1/21
   
1,203,000
 
     
United Rentals
       
     
  (North America), Inc.
       
 
550,000
 
  6.125%, due 6/15/23
   
570,625
 
 
500,000
 
  5.75%, due 11/15/24
   
503,750
 
           
4,853,400
 
   
Containers & Packaging 0.9%
 
     
PaperWorks Industries, Inc.
       
 
1,290,000
 
  9.50%, due 8/15/19 (b)
   
1,202,925
 
   
Converted Paper Product
 
  Manufacturing 0.4%
 
     
Sealed Air Corp.
       
 
540,000
 
  5.125%, due 12/1/24 (b)
   
557,550
 
   
Distributors 1.0%
 
     
Ferrellgas Partners LP
       
 
200,000
 
  8.625%, due 6/15/20
   
196,000
 
 
775,000
 
  6.50%, due 5/1/21
   
736,250
 
 
500,000
 
  6.75%, due 1/15/22
   
472,500
 
           
1,404,750
 

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

6

PIA High Yield Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

   
 
 
Principal Amount        Value  
       
Diversified Manufacturing 2.0%        
   
Griffon Corp.
     
$
1,100,000
 
  5.25%, due 3/1/22
 
$
1,090,375
 
     
Optimas OE Solutions, Inc.
       
 
500,000
 
  8.625%, due 6/1/21 (b)
   
377,500
 
     
WESCO Distribution, Inc.
       
 
1,250,000
 
  5.375%, due 12/15/21
   
1,287,500
 
           
2,755,375
 
             
Electric 0.8%
           
     
NRG Energy, Inc.
       
 
1,145,000
 
  6.625%, due 3/15/23
   
1,142,138
 
   
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing 0.8%
 
     
General Cable Corp.
       
 
1,250,000
 
  5.75%, due 10/1/22 (h)
   
1,175,000
 
   
Entertainment Resources 1.0%
 
     
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.
       
 
580,000
 
  5.375%, due 6/15/22 (b)
   
603,200
 
     
Regal Entertainment Group
       
 
750,000
 
  5.75%, due 3/15/22
   
776,250
 
           
1,379,450
 
   
Environmental 1.1%
 
     
Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
       
 
1,460,000
 
  7.75%, due 2/15/19
   
1,491,937
 
   
Finance 0.3%
 
     
National Financial
       
     
  Partners Corp.
       
 
400,000
 
  9.00%, due 7/15/21 (b)
   
391,000
 
   
Financial Services 0.7%
 
     
Argos Merger Sub, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  7.125%, due 3/15/23 (b)
   
1,015,000
 
   
Food and Beverage 3.3%
 
     
Bumble Bee Acquisition Corp.
       
 
1,100,000
 
  9.00%, due 12/15/17 (b)
   
1,116,500
 
     
Carolina Beverage Group LLC
       
 
370,000
 
  10.625%, due 8/1/18 (b)
   
353,350
 
     
Darling Ingredients, Inc.
       
 
730,000
 
  5.375%, due 1/15/22
 
 
759,200
 
     
Dean Foods Co.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  6.50%, due 3/15/23 (b)
   
1,253,999
 
     
Pilgrim’s Pride Corp.
       
 
1,140,000
 
  5.75%, due 3/15/25 (b)
   
1,154,968
 
           
4,638,017
 
Gaming 0.7%
 
     
Scientific Games Corp.
       
 
1,035,000
 
  8.125%, due 9/15/18
   
1,009,125
 
   
Healthcare 0.8%
 
     
Examworks Group, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  5.625%, due 4/15/23
   
1,076,250
 
   
Industrial – Other 4.0%
 
     
Brand Energy &
       
     
  Infrastructure Services, Inc.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  8.50%, due 12/1/21 (b)
   
1,146,000
 
     
Cleaver-Brooks, Inc.
       
 
1,250,000
 
  8.75%, due 12/15/19 (b)
   
1,240,625
 
     
Liberty Tire Recycling
       
     
  Holdco, LLC
       
 
476,934
 
  11.00%, due 3/31/21 (b) (f) (i)
   
313,584
 
     
Safway Group Holding LLC
       
 
1,250,000
 
  7.00%, due 5/15/18 (b)
   
1,268,750
 
     
SPL Logistics Escrow LLC
       
 
450,000
 
  8.875%, due 8/1/20 (b)
   
354,375
 
     
Zachry Holdings, Inc.
       
 
1,275,000
 
  7.50%, due 2/1/20 (b)
   
1,265,438
 
           
5,588,772
 
   
Machinery Manufacturing 0.8%
 
     
Amsted Industries Inc.
       
 
580,000
 
  5.375%, due 9/15/24 (b)
   
571,300
 
     
Manitowoc Foodservice, Inc.
       
 
490,000
 
  9.50%, due 2/15/24 (b)
   
541,450
 
           
1,112,750
 
               
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

7

PIA High Yield Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Manufactured Goods 1.5%
 
   
Gates Global LLC
     
$
1,000,000
 
  6.00%, due 7/15/22 (b)
 
$
882,250
 
     
Gibraltar Industries, Inc.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  6.25%, due 2/1/21 (h)
   
1,224,660
 
           
2,106,910
 
   
Media Entertainment 0.5%
 
     
Nielsen Finance LLC
       
 
680,000
 
  5.00%, due 4/15/22 (b)
   
697,850
 
   
Media Non-Cable 1.7%
 
     
CBS Outdoor Americas
       
     
  Capital, LLC
       
 
960,000
 
  5.625%, due 2/15/24
   
997,200
 
     
Radio One, Inc.
       
 
830,000
 
  9.25%, due 2/15/20 (b)
   
722,100
 
     
Southern Graphics, Inc.
       
 
600,000
 
  8.375%, due 10/15/20 (b)
   
598,500
 
           
2,317,800
 
   
Medical Equipment and
 
  Devices Manufacturing 0.4%
 
     
Mallinckrodt International
       
     
  Finance S.A.
       
 
560,000
 
  5.625%, due 10/15/23 (b)
   
529,200
 
   
Medical Equipment and
 
  Supplies Manufacturing 0.5%
 
     
Vista Outdoor, Inc.
       
 
620,000
 
  5.875%, due 10/1/23 (b)
   
651,062
 
   
Metals and Mining 3.5%
 
     
American Gilsonite Co.
       
 
850,000
 
  11.50%, due 9/1/17 (b)
   
482,375
 
     
Castle (AM) & Co.
       
 
250,000
 
  12.75%, due 12/15/16
   
184,375
 
     
Emeco Pty Limited
       
 
600,000
 
  9.875%, due 3/15/19 (b)
   
315,000
 
     
Graftech International Ltd.
       
 
640,000
 
  6.375%, due 11/15/20
   
428,800
 
     
Rain CII Carbon, LLC
       
 
450,000
 
  8.00%, due 12/1/18 (b)
 
 
393,188
 
 
500,000
 
  8.25%, due 1/15/21 (b)
   
386,250
 
     
Suncoke Energy, Inc.
       
 
4,000
 
  7.625%, due 8/1/19
   
3,860
 
 
300,000
 
  7.375%, due 2/1/20 (b)
   
242,250
 
 
1,530,000
 
  7.375%, due 2/1/20 (b)
   
1,235,475
 
     
Teck Resources Ltd.
       
 
550,000
 
  8.50%, due 6/1/24 (b)
   
565,125
 
     
TMS International Corp.
       
 
950,000
 
  7.625%, due 10/15/21 (b)
   
669,750
 
           
4,906,448
 
   
Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts
 
  and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 1.0%
 
     
ZF North America Capital Inc.
       
 
1,440,000
 
  4.75%, due 4/29/25 (b)
   
1,445,400
 
             
Oil & Gas 0.3%
           
     
FTS International, Inc.
       
 
360,000
 
  8.134%, due 6/15/20 (b) (c)
   
302,294
 
 
480,000
 
  6.25%, due 5/1/22
   
146,400
 
           
448,694
 
             
Oil Field Services 1.5%
           
     
CHC Helicopter SA
       
 
450,000
 
  9.25%, due 10/15/20 (j)
   
201,375
 
     
Shale-Inland Holdings LLC
       
 
1,530,000
 
  8.75%, due 11/15/19 (b)
   
979,200
 
     
Welltec A/S
       
 
1,000,000
 
  8.00%, due 2/1/19 (b)
   
907,500
 
           
2,088,075
 
   
Packaging 4.3%
 
     
AEP Industries, Inc.
       
 
1,006,000
 
  8.25%, due 4/15/19
   
1,028,258
 
     
Beverage Packaging Holdings
       
 
1,200,000
 
  6.00%, due 6/15/17 (b)
   
1,202,970
 
     
Cons Container Co.
       
 
970,000
 
  10.125%, due 7/15/20 (b)
   
873,000
 
               
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

8

PIA High Yield Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Packaging 4.3% (continued)
 
   
Coveris Holdings S.A.
     
$
1,400,000
 
  7.875%, due 11/1/19 (b)
 
$
1,379,000
 
     
Dispensing Dynamics
       
     
  International, Inc.
       
 
942,000
 
  12.50%, due 1/1/18 (b)
   
899,139
 
     
Mustang Merger Corp.
       
 
410,000
 
  8.50%, due 8/15/21 (b)
   
430,500
 
     
Reynolds Group Issuer LLC
       
 
110,000
 
  5.75%, due 10/15/20
   
113,713
 
     
Tenneco Packaging, Inc.
       
 
50,000
 
  8.125%, due 6/15/17
   
51,750
 
           
5,978,330
 
   
Paper 6.0%
 
     
Cascades, Inc.
       
 
790,000
 
  5.50%, due 7/15/22 (b)
   
774,200
 
 
480,000
 
  5.75%, due 7/15/23 (b)
   
465,600
 
     
Clearwater Paper Corp.
       
 
1,020,000
 
  4.50%, due 2/1/23
   
1,004,700
 
     
Hardwoods Acquisition, Inc.
       
 
900,000
 
  7.50%, due 8/1/21 (b)
   
666,000
 
     
Mercer International, Inc.
       
 
1,450,000
 
  7.75%, due 12/1/22
   
1,468,124
 
     
Neenah Paper, Inc.
       
 
900,000
 
  5.25%, due 5/15/21 (b)
   
906,750
 
     
NWH Escrow Corp.
       
 
400,000
 
  7.50%, due 8/1/21 (b)
   
288,000
 
     
P.H. Glatfelter Co.
       
 
400,000
 
  5.375%, due 10/15/20
   
406,000
 
     
Rayonier A.M. Products, Inc.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  5.50%, due 6/1/24 (b)
   
1,022,999
 
     
Xerium Technologies, Inc.
       
 
1,440,000
 
  8.875%, due 6/15/18
   
1,368,000
 
           
8,370,373
 
               
Petroleum and Petroleum Products
 
  Merchant Wholesalers 0.8%
 
     
Sunoco LP
       
 
260,000
 
  5.50%, due 8/1/20 (b)
 
 
258,375
 
 
920,000
 
  6.375%, due 4/1/23 (b)
   
915,400
 
           
1,173,775
 
   
Pharmaceutical and Medicine
 
  Manufacturing 0.5%
 
     
Endo Finance LLC &
       
     
  Endo Finco, Inc.
       
 
170,000
 
  5.875%, due 1/15/23 (b) (h)
   
147,475
 
     
Endo Finance LLC/Endo
       
     
  Ltd./Endo Finco, Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  6.00%, due 7/15/23 (b)
   
616,287
 
           
763,762
 
Pharmaceuticals 1.6%
 
     
Capsugel Holdings US, Inc.
       
 
387,000
 
  7.00%, due 5/15/19 (b)
   
388,451
 
     
Horizon Pharma, Inc.
       
 
1,260,000
 
  6.625%, due 5/1/23
   
1,171,800
 
     
NBTY, Inc.
       
 
700,000
 
  7.625%, due 5/15/21 (b)
   
715,750
 
           
2,276,001
 
   
Pipelines 1.5%
 
     
Exterran Partners, L.P.
       
 
740,000
 
  6.00%, due 10/1/22
   
640,100
 
     
Rose Rock Midstream, L.P.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  5.625%, due 7/15/22
   
867,500
 
     
Summit Midstream
       
     
  Holdings, LLC
       
 
10,000
 
  7.50%, due 7/1/21
   
9,325
 
 
700,000
 
  5.50%, due 8/15/22
   
577,500
 
           
2,094,425
 
   
Plastics Product Manufacturing 0.7%
 
     
Berry Plastics Corp.
       
 
1,040,000
 
  5.125%, due 7/15/23
   
1,034,800
 

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

9

PIA High Yield Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
           
           
Principal Amount
     
Value
 
           
Printing and Related
 
  Support Activities 0.7%
 
   
Multi-Color Corp.
     
$
950,000
 
  6.125%, due 12/1/22 (b)
 
$
970,188
 
               
Publishing & Broadcasting 1.9%
 
     
LIN Television Corp.
       
 
1,490,000
 
  5.875%, due 11/15/22
   
1,514,213
 
     
Townsquare Media, Inc.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  6.50%, due 4/1/23 (b)
   
1,159,500
 
           
2,673,713
 
             
Railroad 0.7%
           
     
Watco Companies, Inc.
       
 
1,000,000
 
  6.375%, due 4/1/23 (b)
   
1,000,000
 
   
Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and
 
  Artificial Synthetic Fibers and
 
  Filaments Manufacturing 1.1%
       
     
PolyOne Corp.
       
 
1,500,000
 
  5.25%, due 3/15/23
   
1,533,750
 
   
Retail – Consumer Discretionary 1.9%
 
     
Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  6.375%, due 10/1/23
   
1,278,000
 
     
Hillman Company, Inc.
       
 
1,450,000
 
  6.375%, due 7/15/22 (b)
   
1,315,875
 
           
2,593,875
 
   
Scientific Research and
 
  Development Services 0.2%
 
     
Quintiles Transnational Corp.
       
 
220,000
 
  4.875%, due 5/15/23 (b)
   
223,850
 
   
Software and Services 2.3%
 
     
Ensemble S Merger Sub, Inc.
       
 
1,200,000
 
  9.00%, due 9/30/23 (b)
   
1,206,000
 
     
Italics Merger Sub, Inc.
       
 
1,170,000
 
  7.125%, due 7/15/23 (b)
   
1,120,275
 
               
     
SS&C Technologies
       
     
  Holdings, Inc.
       
 
860,000
 
  5.875%, due 7/15/23
 
 
898,700
 
           
3,224,975
 
   
Technology 0.8%
 
     
Cardtronics, Inc.
       
 
1,100,000
 
  5.125%, due 8/1/22
   
1,097,250
 
   
Transportation and Logistics 2.3%
 
     
Accuride Corp.
       
 
1,350,000
 
  9.50%, due 8/1/18
   
1,147,500
 
     
Martin Midstream Partners L.P.
       
 
750,000
 
  7.25%, due 2/15/21
   
699,375
 
     
Mobile Mini, Inc.
       
 
1,350,000
 
  5.875%, due 7/1/24 (b)
   
1,387,125
 
           
3,234,000
 
   
Transportation Services 1.4%
 
     
LBC Tank Terminals Holding
       
 
750,000
 
  6.875%, due 5/15/23 (b)
   
727,500
 
     
OPE KAG Finance Sub, Inc.
       
 
1,250,000
 
  7.875%, due 7/31/23 (b)
   
1,262,500
 
           
1,990,000
 
   
Waste & Environment
 
  Services & Equipment 0.9%
 
     
Clean Harbors, Inc.
       
 
400,000
 
  5.125%, due 6/1/21 (b)
   
406,000
 
     
GFL Environmental Inc.
       
 
810,000
 
  9.875%, due 2/1/21 (b)
   
868,725
 
           
1,274,725
 
   
Wireline Telecommunications Services 0.9%
 
     
Consolidated Communications
       
 
850,000
 
  6.50%, due 10/1/22
   
777,750
 
     
Zayo Group, LLC
       
 
460,000
 
  6.375%, due 5/15/25
   
480,125
 
           
1,257,875
 

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

10

PIA High Yield Fund
Schedule of Investments – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
         
         
Principal Amount/Shares   
   
Value
 
             
Wirelines 0.6%
 
   
Frontier Communications Corp.
       
$
430,000
 
  9.25%, due 7/1/21
   
$
452,037
 
 
355,000
 
  7.125%, due 1/15/23
     
318,613
 
             
770,650
 
   
Total Corporate Bonds
 
  (cost $133,666,328)
         
128,208,305
 
   
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS 4.9%
 
 
70,000
 
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield
         
     
  Corporate Bond ETF
     
5,852,700
 
 
30,000
 
SPDR Barclays
         
     
  High Yield Bond ETF
     
1,056,900
 
   
Total Exchange-Traded Funds
 
  (cost $6,908,600)
         
6,909,600
 
   
COMMON STOCKS 0.0%
 
   
Industrial – Other 0.0%
 
 
21,500
 
Liberty Tire Recycling
         
     
  Holdco, LLC (e) (f) (g)
     
10,000
 
   
Total Common Stocks
 
  (cost $12,688)
         
10,000
 
   
RIGHTS 0.0%
 
     
Momentive Performance Escrow
         
 
1
 
  8.875%, due 10/15/20 (d) (e)
     
 
   
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 1.8%
 
 
2,569,082
 
Invesco STIT – Prime Portfolio –
         
     
  Institutional Class, 0.36% (a)
     
2,569,082
 
   
Total Short-Term Investments
 
  (cost $2,569,082)
         
2,569,082
 
Total Investments
 
  (cost $143,156,698)
 
 
98.5%    
137,696,987
 
Other Assets less Liabilities 
1.5%    
2,072,764
 
TOTAL NET ASSETS
 
 
100.0%  
$
139,769,751
 
 
ETF – Exchanged-Traded Fund 
(a)
Rate shown is the 7-day annualized yield as of May 31, 2016.
(b)
Security purchased within the terms of a private placement memorandum, exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may be sold only to dealers in the program or other “qualified institutional buyers.” Pacific Income Advisers, Inc., the Fund’s adviser, has determined that such security is liquid in accordance with the liquidity guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees of Advisors Series Trust. As of May 31, 2016, the value of these investments was $73,735,729 or 52.8% of total net assets.
(c)
Variable rate security.  Rate shown reflects the rate in effect as of May 31, 2016.
(d)
Restricted security.  The escrow shares were received through a distribution on October 29, 2014 for the purpose of receiving future distributions from the plan of reorganization.  As of May 31, 2016, the security had a cost and value of $0 (0.0% of total net assets).
(e)
Valued at a fair value in accordance with procedures established by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
(f)
Security is considered illiquid. As of May 31, 2016, the value of these investments was $323,584 or 0.2% of total net assets.
(g)
Non-income producing security.
(h)
Step-up bond; the interest rate shown is the rate in effect as of May 31, 2016.
(i)
Payment-in-kind interest is generally paid by issuing additional shares or par of the security rather than paying cash.
(j)
Security is in default.

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

11

PIA High Yield Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
 
Assets:
     
Investments in securities, at value (cost $143,156,698)
 
$
137,696,987
 
Receivable for fund shares sold
   
1,209,555
 
Interest receivable
   
2,531,299
 
Prepaid expenses
   
32,036
 
Total assets
   
141,469,877
 
         
Liabilities:
       
Payable to investment adviser
   
45,241
 
Payable for fund shares redeemed
   
110,205
 
Payable for securities purchased
   
1,450,900
 
Administration fees
   
13,013
 
Transfer agent fees and expenses
   
34,171
 
Fund accounting fees
   
22,247
 
Audit fees
   
9,706
 
Chief Compliance Officer fee
   
1,900
 
Custody fees
   
3,301
 
Shareholder reporting
   
8,151
 
Accrued expenses
   
1,291
 
Total liabilities
   
1,700,126
 
Net Assets
 
$
139,769,751
 
         
Net Assets Consist of:
       
Paid-in capital
 
$
146,253,082
 
Undistributed net investment income
   
119,075
 
Accumulated net realized loss on investments
   
(1,142,695
)
Net unrealized depreciation on investments
   
(5,459,711
)
Net Assets
 
$
139,769,751
 
         
Net Asset Value, Offering Price and Redemption Price Per Share
 
$
9.82
 
         
Shares Issued and Outstanding (Unlimited number of shares authorized, par value $0.01)
   
14,236,490
 

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

12

PIA High Yield Fund
Statement of Operations – Six Months Ended May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)

Investment Income:
     
Interest
 
$
4,522,973
 
Dividends
   
84,536
 
Total investment income
   
4,607,509
 
         
Expenses:
       
Investment advisory fees (Note 4)
   
337,893
 
Transfer agent fees and expenses (Note 4)
   
106,738
 
Fund accounting fees (Note 4)
   
42,859
 
Administration fees (Note 4)
   
25,292
 
Registration fees
   
16,043
 
Audit fees
   
9,718
 
Reports to shareholders
   
8,391
 
Custody fees (Note 4)
   
7,079
 
Trustees’ fees
   
5,016
 
Chief Compliance Officer fee (Note 4)
   
4,044
 
Legal fees
   
3,989
 
Insurance
   
1,838
 
Interest expense (Note 7)
   
47
 
Miscellaneous
   
2,385
 
Total expenses
   
571,332
 
Less: Fee waiver by adviser (Note 4)
   
(122,810
)
Net expenses
   
448,522
 
Net investment income
   
4,158,987
 
         
Realized and Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments:
       
Net realized loss on investments
   
(768,554
)
Net change in unrealized depreciation on investments
   
3,015,568
 
Net gain on investments
   
2,247,014
 
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
 
$
6,406,001
 
         
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

13

PIA High Yield Fund
Statements of Changes in Net Assets


   
Six Months
   
Year
 
   
Ended
   
Ended
 
   
May 31, 2016
   
November 30,
 
   
(Unaudited)
   
2015
 
Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets From
           
Operations:
           
Net investment income
 
$
4,158,987
   
$
6,351,722
 
Net realized loss on investments
   
(768,554
)
   
(329,598
)
Net change in unrealized depreciation on investments
   
3,015,568
     
(8,099,703
)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations
   
6,406,001
     
(2,077,579
)
                 
Distributions Paid to Shareholders:
               
Distributions from net investment income
   
(4,163,317
)
   
(6,327,177
)
Distributions from net realized gains
   
     
(459,047
)
Total distributions paid to shareholders
   
(4,163,317
)
   
(6,786,224
)
                 
Capital Share Transactions:
               
Proceeds from shares sold
   
42,623,083
     
71,238,882
 
Distributions reinvested
   
2,958,691
     
4,241,838
 
Payment for shares redeemed
   
(25,803,686
)
   
(37,473,663
)
Net increase in net assets from capital share transactions
   
19,778,088
     
38,007,057
 
Total increase in net assets
   
22,020,772
     
29,143,254
 
                 
Net Assets, Beginning of Period
   
117,748,979
     
88,605,725
 
Net Assets, End of Period
 
$
139,769,751
   
$
117,748,979
 
Includes Undistributed Net Investment Income of
 
$
119,075
   
$
123,405
 
                 
Transactions in Shares:
               
Shares sold
   
4,465,484
     
6,990,805
 
Shares issued on reinvestment of distributions
   
311,407
     
419,912
 
Shares redeemed
   
(2,715,029
)
   
(3,696,949
)
Net increase in shares outstanding
   
2,061,862
     
3,713,768
 

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

14

PIA High Yield Fund
Financial Highlights

                                 
December 31,
 
   
Six Months
   
Year
   
Year
   
Year
   
Year
     
2010*
   
Ended
   
Ended
   
Ended
   
Ended
   
Ended
   
through
 
   
May 31, 2016
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
   
November 30,
 
   
(Unaudited)
   
2015
   
2014
   
2013
   
2012
     
2011
 
Per Share Operating Performance
                                     
(For a fund share outstanding throughout each period)
                                     
                                       
Net asset value, beginning of period
 
$
9.67
   
$
10.47
   
$
10.72
   
$
10.51
   
$
9.80
   
$
10.00
 
                                                 
Income From Investment Operations:
                                               
Net investment income
   
0.32
     
0.60
     
0.59
     
0.65
     
0.65
     
0.45
 
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)
                                               
  on investments and swap contracts
   
0.15
     
(0.75
)
   
(0.14
)
   
0.27
     
0.73
     
(0.21
)
Total from investment operations
   
0.47
     
(0.15
)
   
0.45
     
0.92
     
1.38
     
0.24
 
                                                 
Less Distributions:
                                               
Distributions from
                                               
  net investment income
   
(0.32
)
   
(0.60
)
   
(0.59
)
   
(0.66
)
   
(0.67
)
   
(0.44
)
Distributions from net realized gains
   
     
(0.05
)
   
(0.11
)
   
(0.05
)
   
     
 
Total distributions
   
(0.32
)
   
(0.65
)
   
(0.70
)
   
(0.71
)
   
(0.67
)
   
(0.44
)
                                                 
Net asset value, end of period
 
$
9.82
   
$
9.67
   
$
10.47
   
$
10.72
   
$
10.51
   
$
9.80
 
                                                 
Total Return
   
5.01
%++
   
-1.49
%
   
4.26
%
   
9.06
%
   
14.42
%
   
2.40
%++
                                                 
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
                                               
Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)
 
$
139,770
   
$
117,749
   
$
88,606
   
$
61,657
   
$
40,534
   
$
14,793
 
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
                                               
Net of fee waivers and
                                               
  expense reimbursements
   
0.73
%+
 
0.75
%^    
0.98
%
   
0.98
%
   
0.98
%
   
0.98
%+
Before fee waivers and
                                               
  expense reimbursements
   
0.93
%+
   
0.91
%
   
1.00
%
   
1.10
%
   
1.30
%
   
3.03
%+
Ratio of net investment income
                                               
  to average net assets:
                                               
Net of fee waivers and
                                               
  expense reimbursements
   
6.77
%+
   
5.99
%
   
5.62
%
   
6.22
%
   
6.55
%
   
5.67
%+
Before fee waivers and
                                               
  expense reimbursements
   
6.57
%+
   
5.83
%
   
5.60
%
   
6.10
%
   
6.23
%
   
3.62
%+
Portfolio turnover rate
   
16
%++
   
26
%
   
31
%
   
33
%
   
36
%
   
33
%++

*
 
Commencement of operations.
+
 
Annualized for periods less than one year.
++
 
Not annualized for periods less than one year.
^
 
Effective January 1, 2015, the expense cap was reduced from 0.98% to 0.73%.

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

15

 
PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
 
Note 1 – Organization
The PIA High Yield Fund (the “Fund”) is a diversified series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”), which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as an open-end management investment company.  The Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services – Investment Companies.”
 
Currently, the Fund offers the Institutional Class.  The primary investment objective of the Fund is to seek a high level of current income.  The Fund commenced operations on December 31, 2010.
 
Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. These policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
 
Security Valuation – All investments in securities are recorded at their estimated fair value, as described in Note 3.
 
Federal Income Taxes – It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders.  Therefore, no Federal income or excise tax provision is required.
 
The Fund recognizes 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 Fund’s tax positions, and has concluded that no liability for unrecognized tax benefits should be recorded related to uncertain tax positions expected to be taken on returns filed for the open tax years 2013-2015, or expected to be taken in the Fund’s 2016 tax returns.  The Fund identifies its major tax jurisdictions as U.S. Federal and the state of Wisconsin; however the Fund is 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.
 
Expenses – The Fund is charged for those expenses that are directly attributable to the Fund, such as administration and custodian fees.  Expenses that are not directly attributable to a Fund are typically allocated among the other PIA Funds in proportion to their respective net assets.  Common expenses of the Trust are typically allocated among the funds in the Trust based on a fund’s respective net assets, or by other equitable means.
 
Securities Transactions and Investment Income – Security transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized gains and losses on sales of securities are calculated on a first-in, first-out basis.  Income and capital gain distributions from underlying funds are recorded on the ex-dividend date.  Interest income is recorded on an accrual basis.  Discounts and premiums on securities purchased are accreted/amortized over the life of the respective security using the effective interest method.
 
Distributions to Shareholders – Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.  The Fund distributes substantially all net investment income, if any, monthly and net realized gains, if any, annually.  Distributions from net realized gains for book purposes may include short-term capital gains.  All short-term capital gains are included in ordinary income for tax purposes.
16

PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
The amount and character of income and net realized gains to be distributed are determined in accordance with Federal income tax rules and regulations, which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  To the extent that these differences are attributable to permanent book and tax accounting differences, the components of net assets have been adjusted.
 
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.
 
Guarantees and Indemnifications – In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses.  The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims against the Fund that have not yet occurred.  Based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.
 
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 and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operation during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
Events Subsequent to the Fiscal Period End – In preparing the financial statements as of May 31, 2016, management considered the impact of subsequent events for the potential recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
 
Note 3 – Securities Valuation
The Fund has 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 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 Fund has 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 Fund’s major categories of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis.  The Fund’s investments are carried at fair value.
17

PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
The Fund determines the fair value of its investments and computes its net asset value per share as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (4:00 pm EST).
 
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 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.
 
Foreign Securities – Foreign economies may differ from the U.S. economy and individual foreign companies may differ from domestic companies in the same industry.
 
Foreign companies or entities are frequently not subject to accounting and financial reporting standards applicable to domestic companies, and there may be less information available about foreign issuers.  Securities of foreign issuers are generally less liquid and more volatile than those of comparable domestic issuers.  There is frequently less government regulation of broker-dealers and issuers than in the United States.  In addition, investments in foreign countries are subject to the possibility of expropriation, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments that could adversely affect the value of those investments.
 
Derivative Instruments – Listed derivatives that are actively traded are valued based on quoted prices from the exchange and are categorized in level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.  Credit default swaps are valued daily based upon quotations from market makers and are typically categorized in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Equity Securities – 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 (“OTC”) securities which are not traded in the NASDAQ Global Market System shall be valued at the most recent sales price.  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.
 
Investment Companies – 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.
 
Short-Term Securities – Short-term debt securities, including those securities having a maturity of 60 days or less, are valued at the evaluated mean between the bid and asked prices.  To the extent the inputs are observable and timely, these securities would be classified in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
 
Illiquid Securities – A security may be considered illiquid if it lacks a readily available market.  Securities are generally considered liquid if they can be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the price at which the security is valued by the Fund.  Illiquid securities may be valued under methods
18

PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees as reflecting fair value.  The Fund intends to hold no more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.  As of May 31, 2016, the Fund held investments in illiquid securities with a total value of $323,584 or 0.2% of total net assets.
 
Certain restricted securities may be considered illiquid.  Restricted securities are often purchased in private placement transactions, are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, may have contractual restrictions on resale, and may be valued under methods approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees as reflecting fair value.  Certain restricted securities eligible for resale to qualified institutional investors, including Rule 144A securities, are not subject to the limitation on the Fund’s investment in illiquid securities if they are determined to be liquid in accordance with procedures adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.  As of May 31, 2016, Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (“PIA” or the “Adviser”) has determined that all the Rule 144A securities held by the Fund, except the Liberty Tire Recycling bond, are considered liquid.
 
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 Fund’s 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.
 
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 Fund’s securities as of May 31, 2016:
 
     
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
    Total  
                         
 
Fixed Income
                       
 
  Corporate Bonds
 
$
   
$
127,894,721
   
$
313,584
    $ 128,208,305  
 
Total Fixed Income
   
     
127,894,721
     
313,584
      128,208,305  
 
Exchange-Traded Funds
   
6,909,600
     
     
      6,909,600  
 
Common Stocks
                               
 
  Wholesale Trade
   
     
     
10,000
      10,000  
 
Total Common Stocks
   
     
     
10,000
      10,000  
 
Short-Term Investments
   
2,569,082
     
     
      2,569,082  
 
Total Investments
 
$
9,478,682
   
$
127,894,721
   
$
323,584
    $ 137,696,987  
 
Refer to the Fund’s schedule of investment for a detailed break-out of securities.  Transfers between levels are recognized at May 31, 2016, the end of the reporting period.  The Fund recognized no transfers to/from level 1 or level 2.
 
The following is a reconciliation of the Fund’s level 3 investments for which significant unobservable inputs were used in determining value.
19

PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
     
Investments in Securities, at Value
 
     
Common Stocks
   
Corporate Bonds
 
 
Balance as of November 30, 2015
 
$
10,000
   
$
316,450
 
 
Accrued discounts/premiums
   
     
 
 
Realized gain/(loss)
   
     
 
 
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)
   
     
(2,866
)
 
Purchases
   
     
 
 
Sales
   
     
 
 
Transfers in and/or out of Level 3
   
     
 
 
Balance as of May 31, 2016
 
$
10,000
   
$
313,584
 
 
On March 10, 2015, the Fund received a newly issued Liberty Tire Recycling Holdco, LLC (“Liberty Tire”) bond, due 2021 and common stock in exchange for the previously held Liberty Tire bond, due 2015.  This exchange was the result of a financial restructuring by Liberty Tire.  Since receipt of the newly issued securities, the Valuation Committee has fair valued the Liberty Tire bond, due 2021 utilizing a single broker quote and fair valued the common stock based on the residual value assigned to the newly issued common stock at the time of the exchange.  Since the securities’ fair value utilized significant unobservable inputs due to the lack of reliable market data, the securities are categorized as level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.  A significant change in the broker quote would have a direct change on the fair value of the bond.  If the financial condition of Liberty Tire were to deteriorate, the value of the common stock would likely decrease.
 
In May 2015, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-07 “Disclosure for Investments in Certain Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value (”NAV“) per Share (or its equivalent).”  The amendments in ASU
 
No. 2015-07 remove the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy investments measured using the NAV practical expedient.  The ASU also removes certain disclosure requirements for investments that qualify, but do not utilize, the NAV practical expedient.  The amendments in the ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years.  Management is currently evaluating the impact these changes will have on the Fund’s financial statements and related disclosures.
 
Note 4 – Investment Advisory Fee and Other Transactions with Affiliates
The Fund has an investment advisory agreement with PIA pursuant to which the Adviser is responsible for providing investment management services to the Fund.  The Adviser furnished all investment advice, office space and facilities, and provides most of the personnel needed by the Fund.  As compensation for its services, PIA is entitled to a fee, computed daily and payable monthly calculated at an annual rate of 0.55% based upon the Fund’s average daily net assets.  For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Fund incurred $337,893 in advisory fees.
 
The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses.  The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce fees payable to it by the Fund and to pay Fund operating expenses to the extent necessary to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses to 0.98% of average daily net assets.  Effective January 1, 2015, the Adviser has also voluntarily agreed to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses to 0.73% of average daily net assets (the “temporary expense limitation”).  Any such reduction made by the Adviser in its fees or payment of expenses which are the Fund’s
20

PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
obligation are subject to reimbursement by the Fund to the Adviser, if so requested by the Adviser, in subsequent fiscal years if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward the operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) does not exceed the applicable limitation on Fund’s expenses.  The Adviser may not recoup amounts subject to the temporary expense limitation in future periods. The Adviser 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 Fund’s payment of current ordinary operating expenses. For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Adviser contractually reduced its fees in the amount of $0.  No amounts were reimbursed to the Adviser.  Cumulative expenses subject to recapture pursuant to the aforementioned conditions amounted to $79,194 at May 31, 2016.  The temporary expense limitation will remain in effect through at least March 28, 2017, and may be terminated only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.  Cumulative expenses subject to recapture expire as follows:
 
 
Year
 
Amount
 
 
2016
 
$
57,885
 
 
2017
   
17,883
 
 
2018
   
3,426
 
     
$
79,194
 
 
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Administrator” or “USBFS”) acts as the Fund’s Administrator under an Administration Agreement.  The Administrator prepares various federal and state regulatory filings, reports and returns for the Fund; prepares reports and materials to be supplied to the Trustees; monitors the activities of the Fund’s custodian, transfer agent and accountants; coordinates the preparation and payment of the Fund’s expenses and reviews the Fund’s expense accruals.  For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Fund incurred $25,292 in administration fees.
 
USBFS also serves as the fund accountant and transfer agent to the Fund.  For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Fund incurred $42,859 in fund accounting fees and $63,701 in transfer agent fees (excluding transfer agency out-of-pocket expenses and sub-ta fees).  U.S. Bank N.A., an affiliate of USBFS, serves as the Fund’s custodian.  For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Fund incurred $7,079 in custody fees.
 
For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Fund was allocated $4,044 of the Chief Compliance Officer fee.
 
At May 31, 2016, the Fund had payables due to USBFS for administration, fund accounting, transfer agency (excluding transfer agency out-of-pocket expenses and sub-ta fees) and Chief Compliance Officer fees and to U.S. Bank N.A. for custody fees in the amount of $13,013, $22,247, $6,966, $1,900, and $3,301, respectively.
 
Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”) acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter in a continuous public offering of the Fund’s shares.  The Distributor is an affiliate of USBFS and U.S. Bank N.A.
 
Certain officers of the Fund are also employees of USBFS.  The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is also an employee of USBFS.  A Trustee of the Trust is affiliated with USBFS and U.S. Bank N.A.  This same Trustee is an interested person of the Distributor.
21

PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
Note 5 – Purchases and Sales of Securities
For the six months ended May 31, 2016, the cost of purchases and the proceeds from sales of securities (excluding short-term securities and U.S. Government securities) were $37,442,730 and $18,541,659, respectively. There were no purchases and sales of U.S. Government securities during the six months ended May 31, 2016.
 
Note 6 – Derivative Instruments
The Fund has adopted the financial accounting reporting rules as required by the Derivatives and Hedging Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification.  The Fund is 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 Fund is subject to credit risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objective.  The Fund may enter into credit default swaps to manage their exposure to the market or certain sectors of the market, to reduce its exposure to other risks, such as interest rate risks or as a substitute for taking a position in certain types of bonds.
 
Credit default swaps involve the exchange of a fixed rate premium for protection against the loss in value of an underlying security in the event of a defined credit event, such as a payment default or bankruptcy.  Under a credit default swap one party acts as a guarantor by receiving the fixed periodic payment in exchange for the commitment to purchase the underlying security at par if the defined credit event occurs.  Although contract specific, credit events are generally defined as bankruptcy, failure to pay, restructuring, obligation acceleration, obligation default, or repudiation/moratorium.  Upon the occurrence of a defined credit event, the difference between the value of the reference obligation and the swap’s notional amount is recorded as realized gain or loss on swap contracts in the statement of operations.  The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty risk, either as the protection seller or as the protection buyer, is the fair value of the contract.  This risk is mitigated by having a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty and by the posting of collateral by the counterparty to the Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.
 
The Fund did not hold derivative instruments during the six months ended May 31, 2016.
 
Note 7 – Line of Credit
The Fund has an unsecured line of credit in the amount of $11,000,000.  This line of credit is intended to provide short-term financing, if necessary, subject to certain restrictions, in connection with shareholder redemptions.  The credit facility is with the Fund’s custodian, U.S. Bank N.A.  During the six months ended May 31, 2016, the Fund drew on its line of credit.  The Fund had an outstanding balance of $483,000 for one day, paid a weighted average interest rate of 3.50%, and incurred interest expense of $47.  During the six months ended May 31, 2016, the maximum borrowing by the Fund occurred on January 11, 2016 in the amount of $483,000.  At May 31, 2016, the Fund had no outstanding loan amounts.
22

PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)

 
Note 8 – Federal Income Tax Information
The tax character of distributions paid during the six months ended May 31, 2016 and the year ended November 30, 2015 was as follows:
 
     
Six Months Ended
   
Year Ended
 
     
May 31, 2016
   
November 30, 2015
 
 
Ordinary income
 
$
4,163,317
   
$
6,462,360
 
 
Long-term capital gains
   
     
323,864
 
 
As of November 30, 2015, the Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year end, the components of capital on a tax basis were as follows:
 
 
Cost of investments (a)
 
$
123,935,762
 
 
Gross unrealized appreciation
   
720,672
 
 
Gross unrealized depreciation
   
(9,245,680
)
 
Net unrealized depreciation (a)
   
(8,525,008
)
 
Undistributed ordinary income
   
123,405
 
 
Undistributed long-term capital gains
   
 
 
Total distributable earnings
   
123,405
 
 
Other accumulated gains/(losses)
   
(324,412
)
 
Total accumulated earnings/(losses)
 
$
(8,726,015
)
 
 
(a)
The difference between book-basis and tax-basis net unrealized depreciation is attributable primarily to wash sales.
 
At November 30, 2015, the Fund had short-term capital losses of $324,412, which may be carried over indefinitely to offset future gains.
 
Note 9 – Principal Risks
Below is a summary of some, but not all, of the principal risks of investing in the Fund, each of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value and total return. The Fund’s most recent prospectus provides further descriptions of the Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and principal risks.
 
Risks Associated with High Yield Securities.  High yield securities (or “junk bonds”) entail greater risk of loss of principal because of their greater exposure to credit risk.
 
Counterparty Risk.  Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not fulfill its obligation to the Fund.  Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty’s financial condition (i.e., financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), market activities and developments, or other reasons, whether foreseen or not.  A counterparty’s inability to fulfill its obligation may result in significant financial loss to the Fund.
 
Credit Risk.  The issuers of the bonds and other instruments held by the Fund may not be able to make interest or principal payments.
23

PIA High Yield Fund
Notes to Financial Statements – May 31, 2016 (continued)
(Unaudited)
 
   •
Interest Rate Risk.  Fixed income securities will decline in value because of changes in interest rates.  It is likely there will be less governmental action in the near future to maintain low interest rates.  The negative impact on fixed income securities from the resulting rate increases for that and other reasons could be swift and significant.
 
   •
Liquidity Risk.  Low or lack of trading volume may make it difficult to sell securities or derivative instruments held by the Fund at quoted market prices.
 
   •
Derivatives Risk.  Derivatives involve the risk of improper valuation, the risk of ambiguous documentation and the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying security.
 
   •
ETF and Mutual Fund Risk.  When the Fund invests in an ETF or mutual fund, it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of the ETF’s or mutual fund’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees.  The risk of owning an ETF or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities that the ETF or mutual fund holds.  The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs.
 
   •
Leverage Risk.  Losses from a derivative instrument may be greater than the amount invested in the derivative instrument.  Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited losses, regardless of the size of the initial investment.
 
24

PIA High Yield Fund
Notice to Shareholders – May 31, 2016
(Unaudited)
 
 
How to Obtain a Copy of the Fund’s Proxy Voting Policies
A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-251-1970, or on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.
 
How to Obtain a Copy of the Fund’s Proxy Voting Records for the 12-Month Period Ended June 30
Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-251-1970.  Furthermore, you can obtain the Fund’s proxy voting records on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
 
Quarterly Filings on Form N-Q
The Fund files its complete schedules of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Form N-Q is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Fund’s 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 Fund’s Form N-Q is also available by calling 1-800-251-1970.
25

PIA High Yield Fund
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreement
(Unaudited)

At a meeting held on December 2-3, 2015, the Board (which is comprised of five persons, four of whom are Independent Trustees as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), considered and approved the continuance of the investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) between Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”) and Pacific Income Advisers, Inc. (the “Adviser”) for another annual term for the PIA High Yield Fund (the “Fund”).  At this meeting, and at a prior meeting held on October 14-15, 2015, the Board received and reviewed substantial information regarding the Fund, the Adviser and the services provided by the Adviser to the Fund under the Advisory Agreement.  This information, together with the information provided to the Board throughout the course of the year, 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 continuance of the Advisory Agreement:
 
 
1.
THE NATURE, EXTENT AND QUALITY OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED AND TO BE PROVIDED BY THE ADVISER UNDER THE ADVISORY AGREEMENT.  The Board considered the nature, extent and quality of the Adviser’s overall services provided to the Fund as well as its responsibilities in all aspects of day-to-day investment management of the Fund.  The Board considered the qualifications, experience and responsibilities of the portfolio managers, as well as the responsibilities of other key personnel of the Adviser involved in the day-to-day activities of the Fund.  The Board also considered the resources and compliance structure of the Adviser, including information regarding its compliance program, its chief compliance officer, the Adviser’s compliance record, and the Adviser’s disaster recovery/business continuity plan.  The Board also considered the prior relationship between the Adviser and the Trust, as well as the Board’s knowledge of the Adviser’s operations, and noted that during the course of the prior year they had met with the Adviser to discuss Fund performance and investment outlook as well as various marketing and compliance topics, including the Adviser’s risk management process.  The Board concluded that the Adviser had 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 and extent of such management services are satisfactory.
     
 
2.
THE FUND’S HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE AND THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE ADVISER.  In assessing the quality of the portfolio management delivered by the Adviser, the Board reviewed the short-term and long-term performance of the Fund as of June 30, 2015 on both an absolute basis and in comparison to an appropriate securities benchmark and its peer funds utilizing Lipper and Morningstar classifications.  While the Board considered both short-term and long-term performance, it placed  greater emphasis on longer term performance.  When reviewing performance of the Fund against the comparative peer group universe, the Board took into account that the investment objective and strategies of the Fund, as well as its level of risk tolerance, may differ significantly from funds in the peer universe.
     
   
The Board noted that the Fund’s performance, with regard to its Lipper comparative universe, was above the peer group median for all relevant periods.
     
   
The Board noted that the Fund’s performance, with regard to its Morningstar comparative universe, was above the peer group median for all relevant periods.
 
26

PIA High Yield Fund
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)

   
The Board also considered any differences in performance between similarly managed accounts and the performance of the Fund, noting that the Fund marginally underperformed the similarly managed composite for all relevant time periods, and reviewed the performance of the Fund against a broad-based securities market benchmark.
     
 
3.
THE COSTS OF THE SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE ADVISER AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE ADVISER’S FEE UNDER THE ADVISORY AGREEMENT.  In considering the appropriateness of the advisory fee, the Board considered the level of the fee itself as well as the total fees and expenses of the Fund.  The Board reviewed information as to fees and expenses of advisers and funds within the relevant Lipper peer funds, fees charged by the Adviser to other similarly managed accounts, as well as information regarding fee offsets for separate accounts invested in the Fund.  When reviewing fees charged to other similarly managed accounts, the Board took into account the type of account and the differences in the management of that account that might be germane to the difference, if any, in the fees charged to such accounts.  The Board found that the fees charged to the Fund were generally in line with or comparable to the fees charged by the Advisor to its similarly managed separate account clients, and to the extent fees charged to the Fund were higher than for similarly managed separate accounts, it was largely a reflection of the greater costs to the Adviser of managing the Fund due to the differences in legal and regulatory burdens.
     
   
The Board noted that the Adviser had contractually agreed to maintain an annual expense ratio for the Fund of 0.98% (the “Expense Cap”), and that the Adviser had temporarily agreed, through at least March 29, 2016, to maintain a minimal annual expense ratio for the Fund of 0.73%.  Additionally, the Board noted that the Fund’s total expense ratio was below its peer group median and average, and was below its peer group median and peer group average when the Fund’s peer group was adjusted to include only funds of similar asset sizes.  The Board also noted that the Fund’s contractual advisory fee was below its peer group median and average.  The Board also took into consideration the services the Adviser provided to its separately managed account clients, comparing the fees charged for those management services to the management fees charged to the Fund.  The Board found that the management fees charged to the Fund were generally in line with the fees charged to the Adviser’s separately managed account clients.  As a result, the Trustees noted that the Fund’s expenses and advisory fee were not outside the range of its peer group.
     
 
4.
ECONOMIES OF SCALE.  The Board also considered whether economies of scale were being realized by the Adviser that should be shared with shareholders.  In this regard, the Board noted that the Adviser has agreed to reduce its advisory fees or reimburse Fund expenses so that the Fund does not exceed the specified Expense Cap.  The Board noted that at current asset levels, it did not appear that there were additional significant economies of scale being realized by the Adviser that should be shared with shareholders and concluded that it would continue to monitor economies of scale in the future as circumstances changed and assuming asset levels continue to increase.
     
 
5.
THE PROFITS TO BE REALIZED BY THE ADVISER AND ITS AFFILIATES FROM THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FUND.  The Board reviewed the Adviser’s financial information and took into account both the direct benefits and the indirect benefits to the Adviser from advising the Fund.  The Board
 
27

PIA High Yield Fund
Approval of Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)

   
considered the profitability to the Adviser from its relationship with the Fund and considered any additional benefits derived by the Adviser from its relationship with the Fund.  The Board also reviewed information regarding fee offsets for separate accounts invested in the Fund and determined that the Adviser was not currently receiving an advisory fee both at the separate account and at the Fund level for these accounts, and as a result was not receiving additional fall-out benefits from these relationships.  The Board also considered that the Fund does not charge 12b-1 fees and does not utilize “soft dollar” benefits that may be received by the Adviser in exchange for Fund brokerage.  After such review, the Board determined that the profitability to the Adviser with respect to the Advisory Agreement was not excessive, and that the Adviser had maintained adequate profit levels to support the services it provides to the Fund.
 
No single factor was determinative of the Board’s decision to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, but rather the Board based its determination on the total combination of information available to them.  Based on a consideration of all the factors in their totality, the Board determined that the advisory arrangement with the Adviser, including the advisory fees, was fair and reasonable.  The Board therefore determined that the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund would be in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.
28

PRIVACY NOTICE
 
The Fund collects non-public information about you from the following sources:
 
Information we receive about you on applications or other forms;
 
Information you give us orally; and/or
 
Information about your transactions with us or others.
 
We do not disclose any non-public personal information about our customers or former customers without the customer’s authorization, except as permitted by law or in response to inquiries from governmental authorities. We may share information with affiliated and unaffiliated third parties with whom we have contracts for servicing the Fund.  We will provide unaffiliated third parties with only the information necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities.  We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to guard your non-public personal information and require third parties to treat your personal information with the same high degree of confidentiality.
 
In the event that you hold shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, including, but not limited to, a broker-dealer, bank, or trust company, the privacy policy of your financial intermediary would govern how your non-public personal information would be shared by those entities with unaffiliated third parties.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 (This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Adviser
Pacific Income Advisers, Inc.
1299 Ocean Avenue, Suite 210
Santa Monica, CA  90401


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


Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI  53202
(800) 251-1970


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


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


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




Past performance results shown in this report should not be considered a representation of future performance.  Share price and returns will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.  Statements and other information herein are dated and are subject to change.

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

Not applicable for semi-annual reports.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

Not applicable for semi-annual reports.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

Not applicable for semi-annual reports.

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, as amended, (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 second 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 the subject of the disclosure required by Item 2, to the extent that the registrant intends to satisfy Item 2 requirements through filing an exhibit. Not Applicable.

(2) A separate certification for each principal executive and principal financial officer 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)
Certifications 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  8/3/16 



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 8/3/16  

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

Date 8/3/16 

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