0001396092 false 2022-03-31 485BPOS
~ http://mscapitalltd.com/role/ShareholderFeesData column period compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact otg_S000064941Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~
~ http://mscapitalltd.com/role/OperatingExpensesData column period compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact otg_S000064941Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~
~ http://mscapitalltd.com/role/ExpenseExample column period compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact otg_S000064941Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~
~ http://mscapitalltd.com/role/BarChartData column period compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact otg_S000064941Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~
~ http://mscapitalltd.com/role/PerformanceTableData column period compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact otg_S000064941Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~
0001396092 2022-10-03 2022-10-03 0001396092 otg:S000064941Member otg:C000210276Member 2022-10-03 2022-10-03 0001396092 otg:S000064941Member otg:C000238431Member 2022-10-03 2022-10-03 0001396092 otg:S000064941Member 2022-10-03 2022-10-03 0001396092 otg:S000064941Member otg:C000210276Member otg:BeforeTaxesOnDistributionsMember 2022-10-03 2022-10-03 0001396092 otg:S000064941Member otg:C000210276Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember 2022-10-03 2022-10-03 0001396092 otg:S000064941Member otg:C000210276Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember 2022-10-03 2022-10-03 0001396092 otg:S000064941Member otg:MSCIEMLatinAmericaIndexMember 2022-10-03 2022-10-03 iso4217:USD xbrli:pure

 

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 3, 2022

Registration No. 333-148723

Registration No. 811-22172

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
   
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
Post-Effective Amendment No. (418)
   
and/or
   
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
   
Amendment No. (419)

 

WORLD FUNDS TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(804) 267-7400

(Registrant’s Telephone Number)

 

 The Corporation Trust Co.

Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

With Copy to:

John H. Lively

Practus, LLP

11300 Tomahawk Creek Parkway, Suite 310

Leawood, KS 66211

 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

  Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b);
  On ___________ pursuant to paragraph (b);
  60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1);
  on ____________ pursuant to paragraph (a)(1);
  75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2); or
  on _____________ (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

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

Title of Securities Being Registered: shares of beneficial interest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTG LATIN AMERICA FUND

 

 

PROSPECTUS

July 31, 2022

As Amended on October 3, 2022

 

Class A Shares Ticker: OTGAX

Institutional Class Shares Ticker: OTGIX

 

This prospectus describes the OTG (“On the Ground”) Latin America Fund. The Fund is authorized to offer two classes of shares.

 

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

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
Fund Summary 1
Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies 9
Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Risks 10
Additional Strategies and Risks 15
Management 19
How to Buy Shares 22
How to Sell Shares 24
General Information 27
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 28
Net Asset Value 30
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions 31
Distribution Arrangements 33
Financial Highlights 37
For More Information 39

 

 

FUND SUMMARY

 

Investment Objective

 

The investment objective of the OTG (“On the Ground”) Latin America Fund (the “Fund”) is to seek long-term capital appreciation through investments in the equity securities of companies located in Latin America.

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and example below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section “Distribution Arrangements” on page 33 of this prospectus and in the section “Distribution” on page 32 of the Fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).

 

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

Class A
Shares
Institutional
Class Shares

Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases

(as a percentage of offering price)

5.00%

 

None

Maximum deferred sales charges (load)

(as a percentage of the NAV at time of purchase)

None(1) None
Redemption Fee (if redeemed within 60 days of purchase as a percentage of amount redeemed) 2.00% None
Exchange Fee None None

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

   
     
Management Fee 1.10% 1.10%
Distribution (12b-1) and Service Fees 0.25% None
Other Expenses 1.38% 1.38%(2)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 2.73% 2.48%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements(3) (0.78%) (0.78%)

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(after fee waivers and expense reimbursements)(3)

1.95% 1.70%

 

(1)With respect to certain purchases made without the imposition of a sales charge at the time of purchase, you may be charged a 1.00% redemption fee on Class A Shares if you redeem your shares within one year after you purchase them.

(2)Other expenses for Institutional Class Shares have been estimated for the current fiscal year.

(3)OTG Asset Management, Ltd. (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (exclusive of interest, distribution fees pursuant to Rule 12b-1 Plans, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, dividend expenses on short sales, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business) do not exceed 1.70% of the average daily net assets of the Fund until at least July 31, 2024. Each waiver or reimbursement of an expense by the Adviser is subject to repayment by the Fund within the three years following the date such waiver and/or reimbursement was made, provided that the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver or reimbursement and at the time the waiver or reimbursement is recouped. The Trust and the Adviser may terminate this expense limitation agreement prior to July 31, 2024 only by mutual written consent.

 

 

 

 

Example

 

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The calculation of costs for the one-year period takes into account the effect of the Adviser’s agreement to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses, and the calculation of costs for the remaining periods takes such fee waivers and/or reimbursements into account only for the period such agreement is in effect. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

Share Class 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Class A Shares $688 $1,235 $1,807 $3,354
Institutional Class Shares $172 $698 $1,250 $2,757

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the most recent fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 79.68% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

2

 

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in Latin American equity securities. These equity securities include the securities of Latin American companies and investment companies that primarily invest in the securities of issuers in, or seek to track the performance of indices based on, Latin American markets. The Fund defines Latin American countries as countries in Central America (including Mexico) and South America, excluding the Caribbean islands. The Fund considers a company to be a Latin American company if (1) the company is organized under the laws of a country in Latin America or has its principal office in a country in Latin America; (2) at the time of investment the company derived a significant portion (i.e., 50% or more) of its total revenues during its most recently completed fiscal year from activities in one or more Latin American countries; or (3) the company’s equity securities are traded principally on stock exchanges or over-the-counter markets in Latin America. Latin American countries are generally considered to be developing or emerging market countries.

 

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in countries other than Latin American countries. Although the Fund normally allocates its investments across different countries, the Fund may concentrate its investments in certain countries, which may change from time to time. 

 


The Fund’s portfolio will be comprised primarily of a mix of equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, and depository receipts without regard to the market capitalization of the issuer (i.e., large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and micro-cap companies); exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), including inverse and leveraged ETFs, that trade on U.S. and other exchanges and seek to track the performance of securities indices for the markets, sectors, and industries in which the Fund may invest directly; and shares of other investment funds (to the extent permitted by applicable law). The Adviser intends to use leveraged and/or inverse ETFs for short-term trading purposes. These ETFs will be used primarily for short-term market timing or hedging purposes, and are not intended for long term investment. Most leveraged and inverse ETFs “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated investment objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, the Adviser expects to trade in and out these ETFs daily or monthly depending on the ETF’s stated investment objective.

 

The Fund may have a high degree of turnover in its investment portfolio, which may increase its costs and adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

 

Principal Risks

 

Risk is inherent in all investing. A summary description of certain principal risks of investing in the Fund is mentioned below. Before you decide whether to invest in the Fund, carefully consider these risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause you to lose part or all of your investment in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

3

 

 

Market Risk of Equity Securities. By investing in stocks, the Fund may expose you to a sudden decline in the share price of a particular portfolio holding or to an overall decline in the stock market due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. The market value of a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, the Fund’s equity investments may underperform particular sectors of a given market or the equity market as a whole. The value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate daily and cyclically based on movements in the stock market and the activities of individual companies in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

Foreign Investment Risk. Foreign investment risks include foreign security risk, foreign currency risk and foreign sovereign risk. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. In addition, changes in exchange rates and interest rates may adversely affect the values of the Fund’s foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. Foreign securities include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). Unsponsored ADRs involve additional risks because U.S. reporting requirements do not apply and the issuing bank will recover shareholder distribution costs from changes in share prices and payment of dividends.

 

Emerging Market Risk. Many of the risks with respect to foreign investments are more pronounced for investments in issuers in developing or emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have less government exchange controls, more volatile interest and currency exchange rates, less market regulation, and less developed economic, political and legal systems than those of more developed countries. In addition, emerging market countries may experience high levels of inflation and may have less liquid securities markets and less efficient trading and settlement systems.

 

Latin America Risk. Because the Fund’s investments will be focused in the Latin American region, the Fund’s performance is expected to be closely tied to social, political, and economic conditions within this region and may be more volatile than the performance of funds that invest in more developed countries and regions or funds that focus their investments in more than one region. The Fund’s performance may be particularly sensitive to social, political and economic conditions in those countries in Latin America in which the Fund’s investments are concentrated.

 

Currency Risk. The values of investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies increase or decrease as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. Dollar change. Currency conversion costs and currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile, and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the U.S. and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls and speculation.

 

4

 

 

Small-Cap and Mid-Cap and Micro-Cap Company Risk. The securities of small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements and may have lower trading volumes or more erratic trading than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. In addition, such companies typically are more likely to be adversely affected than large capitalization companies by changes in earning results, business prospects, investor expectations or poor economic or market conditions. Investments in micro-capitalization companies are subject to many of the same risks associated with investments in small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies, although to a greater degree given their generally much smaller size. Investment in small, mid-sized and micro-capitalization company stocks can be volatile and cause the value of the Fund’s investments to go up and down, sometimes abruptly or dramatically.

 

Large-Cap Company Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies during periods of economic expansion.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. Active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities may lead to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions than would otherwise be the case, which could negatively affect the Fund’s performance. A high rate of portfolio turnover is 100% or more.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stock represents an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stock, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. The market value of preferred stock is subject to company-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities and is also sensitive to changes in the company’s creditworthiness, the ability of the company to make payments on the preferred stock and changes in interest rates, typically declining in value if interest rates rise.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell some or all of the investments that it holds due to a lack of demand in the marketplace or other factors such as market turmoil, or if the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid asset to meet redemption requests or other cash needs, it may only be able to sell those investments at a loss. Illiquid assets may also be difficult to value. This risk may be more pronounced for the Fund’s investments in developing or emerging market countries.

 

Leveraging Risk. Certain Fund transactions, including taking short positions in financial instruments, may give rise to a form of leverage. Economic leverage can magnify the effects of changes in the value of the Fund’s investments and make the Fund more volatile. Leverage creates a risk of loss of value on a larger pool of assets than the Fund would otherwise have had, potentially resulting in the loss of all assets. The Fund may also have to sell assets at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations in connection with such transactions.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for common or preferred stock. The value of convertible securities may be affected by changes in interest rates, the creditworthiness of their issuers, and the ability of those issuers to repay principal and to make interest payments.

 

5

 

 

Other Investment Company Risk. Investments in shares of other investment companies (including mutual funds and ETFs) will expose the Fund to the risks associated with the securities and other investments held by those other investment companies. In addition, the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective will depend, at least in part, upon the ability of any underlying funds to achieve their investment objectives.

 

ETF Risk. Investing in an ETF will provide the Fund with exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based and will expose the Fund to risks similar to those of investing directly in those securities. Shares of ETFs typically trade on securities exchanges and may at times trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF may not replicate exactly the performance of the benchmark index it seeks to track for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. Investing in ETFs, which are investment companies, may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs. By investing in leveraged and/or inverse ETFs, the Fund will be exposed to extreme volatility and a high risk for substantial losses. These ETFs are used for short-term trading purposes, and are not intended for long term investment. Leveraged and/or inverse ETFs may use derivative instruments to achieve their stated investment objectives. As such, these ETFs are considered speculative investments. In addition, most leveraged and/or inverse ETFs “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, the return for investors who invest for longer than one day may vary significantly from the ETF’s stated investment objective as well as the target benchmark’s performance. Also, the performance of leveraged and/or inverse ETFs, when held overnight, may deviate from their underlying indices.

 

Management Risk. The skill and judgment of the Adviser in selecting investments will play a significant role in the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. In addition, it is possible that political and social changes in the Latin America region could adversely affect the Fund’s advisor and its ability to manage the Fund.

 

6

 

 

Performance History

 

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Class A shares from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. The calendar year returns of Institutional shares will differ from those of Class A due to different expense structures.

 

Updated performance information is available by calling toll-free (800) 673-0550.

 

Year-By-Year Annual Returns

 

 

 

During the periods shown, the highest quarterly return was 24.08% (quarter ended December 31, 2020) and the lowest quarterly return was -41.93% (quarter ended March 31, 2020).

 

The year-to-date return of the Fund’s Class A shares as of September 30, 2022 was -4.77%.

 

7

 

 

Average Annual Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2021*

 

The table below shows how average annual total returns of the Fund’s Class A shares compared to those of the Fund’s benchmark. The table also presents the impact of taxes on the Fund’s Class A shares. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. The calendar year returns of Institutional shares will differ from those of Class A due to different expense structures.

 

Return Before Taxes

(Class A Shares)

1 Year

Since

Inception

(05/08/2019)

Return Before Taxes

-1.54%

-6.64%

Return Before Taxes

(with maximum load of 5.75%)

-6.46% -8.43%

Return After Taxes (including sales load)

1 Year

Since

Inception

(05/08/2019)

Return After Taxes on Distributions -8.62% -9.53%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

-3.84% -6.74%

MSCI EM Latin America Index

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

-13.13% -8.60%

 

* As of December 31, 2021, there were no Institutional shares outstanding for the Fund.

 

Investment Adviser

 

OTG Asset Management, Ltd., a Cayman Islands limited company, is the adviser to the Fund.

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Mauricio Alvarez, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, has served as the portfolio manager of the Fund since the Fund’s inception (May 2019).

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

 

You may purchase, redeem or exchange shares of the Fund on days when the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular trading through a financial advisor, by mail (OTG Latin America Fund, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235), by wire, or by telephone toll-free at 1-800-673-0550. Purchases and redemptions by telephone are only permitted if you previously established this option on your account.

 

Minimum Investments To Open Your Account To Add to Your Account
Direct Regular Accounts $1,000 $100
Traditional and Roth IRA Accounts $1,000 $100
Automatic Investment Plan $1,000 $50
Gift Account for Minors $1,000 $100

 

8

 

 

Tax Information

 

The Fund’s distributions will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gain, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account in which case withdrawals will be taxed.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your sales person to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your sales person or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FUND’S PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

 

Investment Objective

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation through investments in the equity securities of companies located in Latin America. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s investment objective is not fundamental, and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, upon at least 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in Latin American equity securities. These equity securities include the securities of Latin American companies and investment companies that primarily invest in the securities of issuers in, or seek to track the performance of indices based on, Latin American markets. The Fund defines Latin American countries as countries in Central America (including Mexico) and South America, excluding the Caribbean islands. The Fund considers a company to be a Latin American company if (1) the company is organized under the laws of a country in Latin America or has its principal office in a country in Latin America; (2) at the time of investment the company derived a significant portion (i.e., 50% or more) of its total revenues during its most recently completed fiscal year from activities in one or more Latin American countries; or (3) the company’s equity securities are traded principally on stock exchanges or over-the-counter markets in Latin America. Latin American countries are generally considered to be developing or emerging market countries.

 

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in countries other than Latin American countries. Although the Fund normally allocates its investments across different countries, the Fund may concentrate its investments in certain countries, which may change from time to time. 

 

9

 

 


The Fund’s portfolio will be comprised primarily of a mix of equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, and depository receipts without regard to the market capitalization of the issuer (i.e., large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and micro-cap companies); ETFs, including inverse and leveraged ETFs, that trade on U.S. and other exchanges and seek to track the performance of securities indices for the markets, sectors, and industries in which the Fund may invest directly; and shares of other investment funds (to the extent permitted by applicable law). An inverse ETF is constructed by using various derivatives for the purpose of profiting from a decline in the value of an underlying benchmark or index. Investing in inversion ETFs (inverse ETFs) is similar to holding various short positions, or using a combination of investment strategies to profit from falling prices. While a leveraged ETF is a fund that uses financial derivatives and debt to amplify the returns of an underlying benchmark or index. The Adviser intends to use leveraged and/or inverse ETFs for short-term trading purposes. These ETFs will be used primarily for short-term market timing or hedging purposes, and are not intended for long term investment. Most leveraged and inverse ETFs “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated investment objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, the Adviser expects to trade in and out these ETFs daily or monthly depending on the ETF’s stated investment objective.

 

The Adviser may frequently re-allocate the Fund’s portfolio among various asset classes, markets, sectors, and countries in pursuit of investment opportunities that it believes may help the Fund achieve its investment objective. As a result, the Fund may have high degree portfolio turnover, which may increase its costs and adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

 

In making investments for the Fund, the Adviser is not constrained by country, industry, sector, or currency. The Adviser uses a blend of fundamental analysis, technical analysis, cash flow analysis, assessments of company management and perceived growth potential to identify investments for the Fund. The Adviser also analyzes macroeconomic and political conditions across the region in which it seeks to invest the Fund’s portfolio as part of its investment process. The Adviser may from time to time conduct on-site visits and undertake a due diligence process of issuers and investment managers across the region in evaluating potential investments for the Fund’s portfolio. It is possible that the Adviser’s analytical process may lead to periods of high-volume investment activity on behalf of the Fund (i.e., when it identifies investment opportunities) and to periods when the Adviser may be relatively passive (i.e., when it identifies no or relatively fewer investment opportunities).

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S PRINCIPAL RISKS

 

The Fund’s principal risks are mentioned below. Before you decide whether to invest in the Fund, carefully consider these risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause you to lose money.

 

Market Risk of Equity Securities. By investing in stocks, the Fund is exposed to a sudden decline in a holding’s share price or an overall decline in the stock market due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, the value of your investment will fluctuate on a day-to-day and a cyclical basis with movements in the stock market, as well as in response to the activities of individual companies. In addition, individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The rights of a company’s common stockholders to dividends and upon liquidation of the company generally are subordinated (i.e., rank lower) to those of preferred stockholders, bondholders and other creditors of the issuer. The Fund is also subject to the risk that its equity market investments may underperform particular sectors of a given market or the equity market as a whole.

 

10

 

 

Foreign Investment Risk. Foreign investment risk is the risk that the prices of securities of non-U.S. issuers may be more volatile because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environment of foreign countries. In addition, changes in currency and exchange rates may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. The Fund’s investments in American depository receipts (“ADRs”) are subject to these risks, even though ADRs are denominated in U.S. Dollars, because changes in currency and exchange rates affect the values of the issuers of ADRs. There also may be less publicly available information about a non-U.S. company than a U.S. company. With respect to some foreign countries, there may be the possibility of expropriation, confiscatory taxation or imposition of other costs and administrative fees on investments and limitations on liquidity of securities. There also may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign broker-dealers, financial institutions, and listed companies than exists in the United States.

 

Emerging Market Risk. Many of the risks with respect to foreign investments are more pronounced for investments in issuers in developing or emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have government exchange controls, less market regulation, and less developed economic, political and legal systems than those of more developed countries.  Their economies also depend heavily upon international trade and may be adversely affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners. Emerging market countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the U.S. Dollar and may not be traded internationally.  Some countries with emerging securities markets have experienced high rates of inflation for many years.  Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries.  Emerging securities markets typically have substantially less volume than U.S. markets, securities in these markets are less liquid, and their prices often are more volatile than those of comparable U.S. companies.   Delays may occur in settling securities transactions in emerging market countries, which could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to make or liquidate investments in those markets in a timely fashion. In addition, it may not be possible for the Fund to find satisfactory custodial services in an emerging market country, which could increase the Fund’s costs and cause delays in the transportation and custody of its investments.

 

Latin America Risk. Because the Fund’s investments will be focused in the Latin American region, the Fund’s performance is expected to be closely tied to social, political, and economic conditions within this region and may be more volatile than the performance of funds that invest in more developed countries and regions. The economies of the countries in this region are generally considered emerging market economies. High interest, inflation, and unemployment rates generally characterize each economy. Currency devaluations in any country can have a significant effect on the entire region. Because commodities such as agricultural products, minerals, and metals represent a significant percentage of exports of many of these countries, the economies of those countries are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices.

 

11

 

 

Some of the currencies in Latin American countries have experienced steady devaluations relative to the U.S. Dollar, and certain of these countries have had to make major adjustments in their currencies from time to time. In addition, governments in many of these countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. Governmental actions in the future could have a significant effect on economic conditions in these countries, which could affect the companies in which the Fund invests, and therefore, the value of the Fund’s shares.

 

Substantial limitations may exist in certain countries with respect to the Fund’s ability to repatriate investment income, capital or the proceeds or sales of securities. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. Other risks of investing in this region include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on sovereign debt, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in local courts, and political and social instability. Legal remedies available to investors in certain of these countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other more developed countries. The Fund’s performance may be particularly sensitive to social, political and economic conditions in those countries in which the Fund’s investments are more concentrated.

 

Currency Risk. The Fund’s investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies are subject to currency risk, which means that the value of those securities can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. Dollar. The Fund may invest in foreign currencies to hedge against the risks of variation in currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. Dollar. Such strategies, however, involve certain transaction costs and investment risks, including dependence upon the ability of the Adviser to predict movements in exchange rates. Some countries in which the Fund may invest may have fixed or managed currencies that are not freely convertible at market rates into the U.S. Dollar. Certain currencies may not be internationally traded. Many countries in which the Fund may invest have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuation in inflation rates may have negative effects on certain economies and securities markets. Moreover, the economies of some countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as the rate of growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments.

 

Small-Cap and Mid-Cap and Micro-Cap Company Risk. Investments in securities of small and mid-sized companies may involve greater risks than investing in large capitalization companies, because small and mid-sized companies generally have limited track records and their shares tend to trade infrequently or in limited volumes. Additionally, investments in common stocks, particularly small and mid-sized company stocks, can be volatile and cause the value of the Fund’s shares to go up and down, sometimes dramatically. Investments in micro-cap companies are subject to many of the same risks associated with investments in small- and mid-cap companies, although to a greater degree given their generally much smaller size. These companies often have inexperienced management teams, limited product lines, and limited financial resources, which could adversely affect their financial performance, particularly in an unfavorable economic environment. Micro-cap companies may be less able to access the securities markets for the purposes of raising capital because, for instance, they may be relatively unknown and unable to attract the interest of investors.

 

12

 

 

Large-Cap Company Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies during periods of economic expansion. In addition, large-capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and may be more prone to global economic risks.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. Active and frequent trading of the Fund’s securities may lead to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions, which could negatively affect the Fund’s performance. A high rate of portfolio turnover is 100% or more.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stock represents an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stocks, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. Preferred stocks may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. The market value of preferred stock is subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities and is sensitive to changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness, the ability of the issuer to make payments on the preferred stock and changes in interest rates, typically declining in value if interest rates rise. In addition, a company’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. Therefore, the value of preferred stock will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects.

 

Liquidity Risk. Due to a lack of demand in the marketplace or other factors, such as market turmoil, the Fund may not be able to sell some or all of the investments that it holds, or if the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid asset to meet redemption requests or other cash needs, it may only be able to sell those investments at a loss. Liquidity risk arises, for example, from small average trading volumes, trading restrictions, or temporary suspensions of trading. In addition, when the market for certain investments is illiquid, the Fund may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. Liquidity risk may be more pronounced for the Fund’s investments in developing countries.

 

Leveraging Risk. The use of leverage, such as entering into options, and short sales, may magnify the Fund’s gains or losses. Because many derivatives have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying instrument can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for common or preferred stock. The values of convertible securities may be affected by changes in interest rates, the creditworthiness of their issuer, and the ability of the issuer to repay principal and to make interest payments. A convertible security tends to perform more like a stock when the underlying stock price is high and more like a debt security when the underlying stock price is low. A convertible security is not as sensitive to interest rate changes as a similar non-convertible debt security and generally has less potential for gain or loss than the underlying stock.

 

13

 

 

Other Investment Company Risk. Investments in shares of other investment companies (including mutual funds and ETFs) will expose the Fund to the risks associated with the securities and other investments held by those other investment companies. In addition, the Fund’ ability to achieve its investment objective will depend, at least in part, upon the ability of any underlying funds to achieve their investment objectives. Certain types of investment companies, such as closed-end investment companies, issue a fixed number of shares that trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or a discount to their NAV. Others are continuously offered at NAV, but may also be traded in the secondary market. If the Fund invests in closed-end investment companies, it may incur added expenses such as additional management fees and trading costs. The Fund limits its investment in shares of other investment companies (including ETFs) to the extent allowed by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Assets invested in other investment companies incur a layering of expenses, including operating costs and advisory fees that you indirectly bear as a shareholder in the Fund.

 

ETF Risk. Investing in an ETF will provide the Fund with exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based and will expose the Fund to risks similar to those of investing directly in those securities. Shares of ETFs typically trade on securities exchanges and may at times trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF may not replicate exactly the performance of the benchmark index it seeks to track for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. Investing in ETFs, which are investment companies, may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs. By investing in leveraged and/or inverse ETFs, the Fund will be exposed to extreme volatility and a high risk for substantial losses. These ETFs are used for short-term trading purposes, and are not intended for long term investment. Leveraged and/or inverse ETFs may use derivative instruments to achieve their stated investment objectives. As such, these ETFs are considered speculative investments. In addition, most leveraged and/or inverse ETFs “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, the return for investors who invest for longer than one day may vary significantly from the ETF’s stated investment objective as well as the target benchmark’s performance. Also, the performance of leveraged and/or inverse ETFs, when held overnight, may deviate from their underlying indices.

 

Management Risk. The skill of the Adviser in selecting investments will play a significant role in the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Among other matters, the Adviser could be incorrect in its analysis of countries, sectors, industries, companies, currencies, the relative attractiveness different types of securities, macroeconomic factors, and government policies with respect to interest rates and other matters of monetary and fiscal policy. Because the Adviser will seek to invest the Fund’s portfolio in a variety of asset classes and in a number of different markets, this risk will be more pronounced for the Fund than it is for funds that pursue their objectives by investing in particular markets or asset classes. In addition, it is possible that political and social changes in the Latin America region, such as the potential nationalization of certain sectors of the private economy in a Latin American country, could adversely affect the Adviser and its ability to manage the Fund.

 

14

 

 

Health Crisis Risk. A widespread health crisis, such as a global pandemic, could cause substantial market volatility, exchange trading suspensions or restrictions and closures of securities exchanges and businesses, impact the ability to complete redemptions, and adversely impact Fund performance. An outbreak of an infectious respiratory illness, COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus, was first detected in China in December 2019 and spread globally. As of the date of this prospectus, this outbreak has resulted in travel restrictions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, disruptions in markets, lower consumer demand, layoffs, defaults and other significant economic impacts, as well as general concern and uncertainty. These types of market disruptions may adversely impact the Fund’s investments, including impairing hedging activity to the extent the Fund engages in such activity, as expected correlations between related markets or instruments may no longer apply. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in short-term instruments that have negative yields, the Fund’s value may be impaired as a result. Any suspension of trading in markets in which the Fund invests will have an impact on the Fund and its investments and will impact the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities in those markets. The impact of this outbreak has adversely affected the economies of many nations and the entire global economy and may impact individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot be foreseen. The duration of the outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with any certainty.

 

In the past, governmental and quasigovernmental authorities and regulators throughout the world have responded to major economic disruptions with a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, including direct capital infusions into companies and other issuers, new monetary policy tools, and lower interest rates. An unexpected or sudden reversal of these policies, or the ineffectiveness of such policies, is likely to increase market volatility, which could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.

 

The outbreak could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund’s service providers rely and could otherwise disrupt the ability of employees of the Fund’s service providers to perform critical tasks relating to the Fund. Other infectious illness outbreaks that may arise in the future could have similar or other unforeseen effects. Public health crises may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social, and economic risks in certain countries or globally.

 

ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

While most Fund assets will be invested in equity securities, other strategies may be employed that are not considered part of the Fund’s principal investment strategies. For instance, the Fund may, to a limited extent, invest in derivatives such as options (puts, calls and index options) to amplify returns and to manage risk. A portion of the Fund’s portfolio may at times be invested in unlisted securities of issuers located in Latin America. The Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities (i.e. an investment that may not reasonably be expected to be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale of disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment).

 

15

 

 

From time to time, the Fund may engage in short sales and leverage. The Fund may engage in short selling when it believes the price of a security is expected to decline. In addition, the Fund may use short selling as a way to hedge risk in the Fund’s portfolio. Leverage will be used by the Fund when the Adviser seeks to enhance exposure to a specific security. Leverage can involve the purchase of an instrument, such as an ETF or derivative that provides leveraged exposure to the underlying security or index. Leverage will magnify the Fund’s gains or losses. In addition, the Fund may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings (IPOs).

 

The Fund may invest in corporate and government fixed income securities with remaining maturities of up to ten years, including investment grade and high-yield (or “junk”) corporate bonds, and foreign sovereign and foreign agency debt. The Fund will not invest in junk bonds rated below CCC by any of the credit rating agencies. When investing in foreign sovereign and foreign agency debt the Fund will apply the national or regional credit scale rating. National or regional credit ratings compare the issuer to other issuer in the same country or region. The Fund may also invest in certificates of deposit (CDs) and fixed-income linked structured notes when the Adviser believes they will help the Fund achieve its investment objective. These investments may be executed in the respective local currencies.

 

Below we summarize the risks associated with these additional strategies.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may not be able to sell some or all of the investments that it holds due to a lack of demand in the marketplace or other factors such as market turmoil, or if the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid asset to meet redemption requests or other cash needs, it may only be able to sell those investments at a loss. Illiquid assets may also be difficult to value. This risk may be more pronounced for the Fund’s investments in developing or emerging market countries.

 

Short Sales Risk. In connection with a short sale of a security or other instrument, the Fund is subject to the risk that instead of declining, the price of the security or other instrument sold short will rise. If the price of the security or other instrument sold short increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the security or other instrument borrowed to make the short sale, the Fund will experience a loss, which is theoretically unlimited since there is a theoretically unlimited potential for the market price of a security or other instrument sold short to increase.

 

Derivative Investment Risk - Options. The Fund’s use of options may involve other risks than those associated with investing directly in the underlying securities or currencies. Derivatives, such as options, involve risks of improper valuation and ambiguous documentation and the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying security or currency. The Fund will realize a gain or loss upon the expiration or closing of the option contract. The risk in writing (selling) a call option is that the Fund gives up the opportunity for profit if the market price of the security increases and the option is exercised. The risk in buying an option is that the Fund pays a premium whether or not the option is exercised.

 

16

 

 

Counterparty Risk. The Fund will be subject to credit risk (that is, where changes in an issuer’s financial strength or the credit rating of a financial instrument it issues may affect an instrument’s value) with respect to the amount it expects to receive from counterparties to derivatives transactions (like structured notes) entered into by the Fund. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, the value of your investment in the Fund may decline.

 

Leveraging Risk. Certain Fund transactions, including taking short positions in financial instruments, may give rise to a form of leverage. Economic leverage can magnify the effects of changes in the value of the Fund’s investments and make the Fund more volatile. Leverage creates a risk of loss of value on a larger pool of assets than the Fund would otherwise have had, potentially resulting in the loss of all assets. The Fund may also have to sell assets at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations in connection with such transactions.

 

Initial Public Offering (IPO) Risk. The Fund’s investments in IPOs are generally speculative investments and are subject to number of unique risks. These risks include, among others, price volatility risk, small- and micro-cap company risk, liquidity risk, issuer specific risks and management risk.

 

Market Risk of Fixed Income Securities. The prices of fixed income securities respond to economic developments, particularly interest rate changes, as well as to changes in an issuer’s credit rating or market perceptions about the creditworthiness of an issuer. Generally, fixed income securities decrease in value if interest rates rise and increase in value if interest rates fall, and longer-term and lower rated securities are more volatile than shorter-term and higher rated securities. The Fund’s debt security investments may underperform particular sectors of the debt market or the debt market as a whole.

 

Foreign Sovereign Risk. Foreign governments rely on taxes and other revenue sources to pay interest and principal on their debt obligations. The payment of principal and interest on these obligations may be adversely affected by a variety of factors, including economic results within the foreign country, changes in interest and exchange rates, changes in debt ratings, changing political sentiments, legislation, policy changes, a limited tax base or limited revenue sources, natural disasters, or other economic or credit problems.

 

Credit Risk. The Fund may be adversely affected if the issuers of securities that the Fund holds do not make their principal or interest payments on time, if an issuer or guarantor of a debt security held by the Fund or a counterparty to a financial contract with the Fund defaults or is downgraded, or is perceived to be less creditworthy, or if the value of the assets underlying a security decline.

 

Interest Rate Risk. Generally, fixed income securities decrease in value if interest rates rise and increase in value if interest rates fall, with lower rated securities more volatile than higher rated securities. The duration of these securities affects risk as well, with longer term securities generally more volatile than shorter term securities. Like fixed income securities, preferred stock generally decreases in value if interest rates rise and increases in value if interest rates fall. The Fund also will face interest rate risk if it invests in fixed income securities paying no current interest (such as zero coupon securities and principal-only securities), interest-only securities and fixed income securities paying non-cash interest in the form of other securities.

 

17

 

 

High Yield (“Junk”) Bond Risk. High yield bonds are debt securities rated below investment grade (often called “junk bonds”). Junk bonds are speculative, involve greater risks of default, downgrade, or price declines and are more volatile and tend to be less liquid than investment-grade securities. Companies issuing high yield bonds are less financially strong, are more likely to encounter financial difficulties, and are more vulnerable to adverse market events and negative sentiments than companies with higher credit ratings.

 

Unlisted/Restricted Securities Risk. Unlisted (or restricted) securities are subject to legal restrictions on their sale. Difficulty in selling these securities may result in a loss, be costly to the Fund or otherwise adversely affect the Fund. Unlisted (or restricted) securities may also be difficult to value.

 

Structured Note Risk. Structured notes and other related instruments purchased by the Fund are generally privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a specific asset, benchmark asset, market or interest rate (“reference measure”). Structured notes expose the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. Structured notes may be leveraged, increasing the volatility of each structured note’s value relative to the change in value of the reference measure. The value or interest rate of a structured note may increase or decrease if the value of the reference measure increases. Similarly, the value of a structured note may increase or decrease if the value of the reference measure decreases. Structured notes may also be less liquid and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities.

 

For further information about the risks of investing in the Fund, please see the Fund’s SAI.

 

Temporary Defensive Positions.

 

At times and under certain economic and market conditions, a significant portion of the Fund’s portfolio or the Fund’s entire investment portfolio may consist of cash, cash equivalents or other highly liquid instruments. These investments will generally be denominated in U.S. Dollars or cash equivalents available in the United States. Such measures could include, but are not limited to, investments in (1) highly liquid short-term fixed income securities issued by or on behalf of municipal or corporate issuers, obligations of the U.S. Government and its agencies, commercial paper, and bank certificates of deposit; (2) repurchase agreements involving any such securities; and (3) other money market instruments. The Adviser may invest in cash, cash equivalents or other highly liquid instruments while it looks for suitable investment opportunities or to maintain the Fund’s liquidity. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

 

18

 

 

MANAGEMENT

 

The Investment Adviser

 

OTG Asset Management, Ltd. (formerly, MSC Capital, Ltd.), a Cayman Islands limited company, is the Fund’s investment adviser. The Adviser’s principal address is Montenegro #1439 Torre Infrabol Piso 6, La Paz, Bolivia. The Adviser commenced operations in March 2022 and became registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in March 2022. The Adviser changed its name in connection with a change in control of its parent, MSC Group, S.A., and serves as the Fund’s investment adviser pursuant to a new investment advisory agreement approved by Fund shareholders (the “Advisory Agreement”).

 

The Adviser provides the Fund with advice on buying and selling securities. The Adviser also furnishes the Fund with office space and certain administrative services. For its services, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual management fee of 1.10%, calculated daily and payable monthly, as a percentage of the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (exclusive of interest, distribution fees pursuant to Rule 12b-1 Plans, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, dividend expense on short sales, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business) do not exceed 1.70% of the average daily net assets of the Fund until at least July 31, 2024, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Each waiver or reimbursement of an expense by the Adviser is subject to repayment by the Fund within the three years following the date such waiver and/or expense was made, provided that the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver or reimbursement and at the time the waiver or reimbursement is recouped. The Trust and the Adviser may terminate this expense limitation agreement prior to July 31, 2024 only by mutual written consent.

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Advisory Agreement is available in the Fund’s Annual Report to shareholders for the year ended March 31, 2022.

 

The Portfolio Manager

 

Mauricio Alvarez has served as the Portfolio Manager for the Fund since its inception on May 8, 2019, and he continues to serve as the Portfolio Manager of the Fund in his role with OTG Asset Management, Ltd. Mr. Alvarez has 15 years of investment experience. Mr. Alvarez is the Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser. Mr. Alvarez was the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Mercantil Santa Cruz Agencia de Bolsa, an asset manager and broker dealer subsidiary of Banco Mercantil Santa Cruz S.A., a Bolivian bank. From 2005 to 2009 Mr. Alvarez served as an Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager for Mid America Bank (which was acquired by National City Corporation, which was later acquired by PNC Bank), where he focused on training, business development, customer service and management. From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Alvarez worked for Nacional de Valores, the investment firm of Banco Nacional de Bolivia, where he was in charge of the strategies, decisions and trades for its investment advisor and broker dealer. Mr. Alvarez began his career in 1999 as an investment officer and working for the broker dealer for Credibolsa Investments, a subsidiary in Bolivia of Credicorp Group of Peru.

 

19

 

 

Mr. Alvarez has a degree in economics from the Bolivian Catholic University and a Specialization in market analysis and portfolio management from the Instituto de Estudios Bursatiles in Madrid, Spain.

 

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

 

The Trust

 

The Fund is a series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust on April 9, 2007. The Trustees supervise the operations of the Fund according to applicable state and federal law, and the Trustees are responsible for the overall management of the Fund’s business affairs.

 

Rule 12b-1 Fees

 

The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan for the Fund’s Class A Shares (the “12b-1 Plan”) in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan, the Fund may finance from the assets of the Fund’s Class A shares certain activities or expenses that are intended primarily to result in the sale of shares of such class. The Fund finances these distribution and service activities through payments made to the Fund’s distributor (the “Distributor”). The fee paid to the Distributor is computed on an annualized basis reflecting the average daily net assets of the class, up to a maximum of 0.25% for Class A share expenses. Because these fees are paid out of assets of the Class A shares on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The 12b-1 Plan was adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and therefore may be used to pay for certain expenditures related to financing distribution related activities of the Fund.

 

20

 

 

Shareholder Services Plan

 

The Fund has adopted a shareholder services plan for the Class A and Institutional shares. Under a shareholder services plan, the Fund may pay an authorized firm up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of average daily net assets of its Class A and Institutional shares attributable to its customers who are shareholders. For this fee, the authorized firms may provide a variety of services, including but not limited to: (i) arranging for bank wires; (ii) responding to inquiries from shareholders concerning their investment in the Fund; (iii) assisting shareholders in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses; (iv) providing information periodically to shareholders showing their position in Fund shares; (v) forwarding shareholder communications from the Fund such as proxies, shareholder reports, annual reports, and dividend distribution and tax notices; (vi) processing purchase, exchange and redemption requests from shareholders and placing orders with the Fund or its service providers; (vii) providing sub-accounting with respect to Fund shares; and (viii) processing dividend payments from the Fund on behalf of shareholders.

 

Because the Fund has adopted the shareholder services plan to compensate authorized firms for providing the types of services described above, the Fund believes the shareholder services plan is not covered by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which relates to payment of distribution fees. The Fund, however, follows the procedural requirements of Rule 12b-1 in connection with the implementation and administration of the shareholder services plan.

 

An authorized firm generally represents in a service agreement used in connection with the shareholder services plan that all compensation payable to the authorized firm from its customers in connection with the investment of their assets in the Fund will be disclosed by the authorized firm to its customers. It also generally provides that all such compensation will be authorized by the authorized firm’s customers.

 

The Fund does not monitor the actual services being performed by an authorized firm under the plan and related service agreement. The Fund also does not monitor the reasonableness of the total compensation that an authorized firm may receive, including any service fee that an authorized firm may receive from the Fund and any compensation the authorized firm may receive directly from its clients.

 

Shareholder Servicing

 

Certain financial intermediaries that maintain “street name” or omnibus accounts with the Fund provide sub-accounting, recordkeeping and/or administrative services to the Fund and are compensated for such services by the Fund. These service fees may be paid in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan.

 

Other Expenses

 

In addition to the 12b-1 fees and the investment advisory fees, the Fund pays all expenses not assumed by the Adviser, including, without limitation, the following: the fees and expenses of its independent accountants and legal counsel; the costs of printing and mailing to shareholders annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information, and supplements thereto; the costs of printing registration statements; bank transaction charges and custodian’s fees; any proxy solicitors’ fees and expenses; filing fees; any federal, state, or local income or other taxes; any interest; any membership fees of the Investment Company Institute and similar organizations; fidelity bond and Trustees’ liability insurance premiums; and any extraordinary expenses, such as indemnification payments or damages awarded in litigation or settlements made.

 

21

 

 

Portfolio Holdings

 

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI. Complete holdings (as of the dates of such reports) are available in reports on Form N-PORT and Form N-CSR, and were previously available in reports on Form N-Q, filed with the SEC.

 

HOW TO BUY SHARES

 

You may purchase shares of the Fund through financial intermediaries, such as fund supermarkets or through brokers or dealers who are authorized by the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund (collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”). You may also purchase shares directly from the Distributor. You may request a copy of this prospectus by calling toll-free (800) 673-0550. Financial Intermediaries who offer Class A Shares or Institutional Shares may require the payment of fees from their individual clients, which may be different from those described in this prospectus. For example, Financial Intermediaries may charge transaction fees or set different minimum investment amounts. Financial Intermediaries may also have policies and procedures that are different from those contained in this prospectus. Investors should consult their Financial Intermediary regarding its procedures for purchasing and selling shares of the Fund as the policies and procedures may be different. The price you pay for a share of the Fund is the net asset value next determined upon receipt by the Transfer Agent or Financial Intermediary. The Fund will be deemed to have received your purchase or redemption order when the Financial Intermediary receives the order. Such Financial Intermediaries are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf.

 

Certain Financial Intermediaries may have agreements with the Fund that allow them to enter confirmed purchase and redemption orders on behalf of clients and customers. Under this arrangement, the Financial Intermediary must send your payment to the Fund by the time the Fund prices its shares on the following business day.

 

The Fund is not responsible for ensuring that a Financial Intermediary carries out its obligations. You should look to the Financial Intermediary through whom you wish to invest for specific instructions on how to purchase or redeem shares of the Fund.

 

Minimum Investments. The minimum initial investment and subsequent investments for each of the Class A Shares and Institutional Class Shares are as follows:

 

Minimum Investments To Open Your Account To Add to Your Account
Direct Regular Accounts $1,000 $100
Traditional and Roth IRA Accounts $1,000 $100
Automatic Investment Plan $1,000 $50
Gift Account for Minors $1,000 $100

 

22

 

 

The Trust may waive the minimum initial investment requirement for purchases made by directors, officers and employees of the Trust. The Trust may also waive the minimum investment requirement for purchases by its affiliated entities and certain related advisory accounts and retirement accounts (such as IRAs). The Trust may also change or waive policies concerning minimum investment amounts at any time. The Trust retains the right to refuse to accept an order.

 

Small Account Balances. If the value of your account falls below the minimum account balance of $1,000, the Fund may ask you to increase your balance. If the account value is still below the minimum balance after 60 days, the Fund may close your account and send you the proceeds. The Fund will not close your account if it falls below this amount solely as a result of Fund performance. Please check with your financial intermediary concerning required minimum account balances. You should note that should such a redemption occur with regards to a non-retirement account, such redemption would be subject to taxation. Please refer to the section entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” below.

 

Customer Identification Program. Federal regulations require that the Trust obtain certain personal information about you when opening a new account. As a result, the Trust must obtain the following information for each person that opens a new account:

 

Name;

Date of birth (for individuals);

Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and

Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.

 

You may also be asked for a copy of your driver’s license, passport, or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities.

 

After an account is opened, the Trust may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Trust also may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time.

 

If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.

 

Purchases by Mail. For initial purchases, the account application, which accompanies this prospectus, should be completed, signed and mailed to Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”), the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent, at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 together with your check payable to the Fund. When you buy shares, be sure to specify the class of shares in which you choose to invest. For subsequent purchases, include with your check the tear-off stub from a prior purchase confirmation or otherwise identify the name(s) of the registered owner(s) and social security number(s).

 

23

 

 

Purchases by Wire. You may purchase shares by requesting your bank to transmit by wire directly to the Transfer Agent. To invest by wire, please call the Trust toll-free at (800) 673-0550 or the Transfer Agent toll-free at (800) 628-4077 to advise the Trust of your investment and to receive further instructions. Your bank may charge you a small fee for this service. Once you have arranged to purchase shares by wire, please complete and mail the account application promptly to the Transfer Agent. This account application is required to complete the Fund’s records. You will not have access to your shares until the purchase order is completed in good form, which includes the receipt of completed account information by the Transfer Agent. Once your account is opened, you may make additional investments using the wire procedure described above. Be sure to include your name and account number in the wire instructions you provide your bank.

 

Purchases by Telephone. You may also purchase shares by telephone, by contacting the Fund toll-free at (800) 673-0550 or the Transfer Agent toll-free at (800) 628-4077.

 

Other Purchase Information. You may purchase and redeem Fund shares, or exchange shares of the Fund for those of another managed by the Adviser, by contacting any broker authorized by the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund, by contacting the Fund toll-free at (800) 673-0550 or by contacting the Transfer Agent, at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 or by telephoning toll-free (800) 628-4077. Brokers may charge transaction fees for the purchase or sale of the Fund’s shares, depending on your arrangement with the broker.

 

HOW TO SELL SHARES

 

You may redeem your shares of the Fund at any time and in any amount by contacting your Financial Intermediary or by contacting the Fund by mail or telephone. For your protection, the Transfer Agent will not redeem your shares until it has received all information and documents necessary for your request to be considered in “proper order.” The Transfer Agent will promptly notify you if your redemption request is not in proper order. The Transfer Agent cannot accept redemption requests which specify a particular date for redemption or which specify any special conditions.

 

The Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests through cash holdings or cash equivalents and anticipates using these types of holdings on a regular basis. The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds for shares redeemed within the following days after receipt by the transfer agent of a redemption request in proper form: (i) for payment by check, the Fund typically expects to mail the check within two business days; and (ii) for payment by wire or ACH, the Fund typically expects to process the payment within two business days. Payment of redemption proceeds may take up to 7 days as permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under unusual circumstances as permitted by the SEC, the Fund may suspend the right of redemption or delay payment of redemption proceeds for more than 7 days. When shares are purchased by check or through ACH, the proceeds from the redemption of those shares will not be paid until the purchase check or ACH transfer has been converted to federal funds, which could take up to 15 calendar days.

 

24

 

 

To the extent cash holdings or cash equivalents are not available to meet redemption requests, the Fund will meet redemption requests by either (i) rebalancing their overweight securities or (ii) selling portfolio assets. In addition, if the Fund determine that it would be detrimental to the best interest of the Fund’s remaining shareholders to make payment in cash, the Fund may pay redemption proceeds in whole or in part by a distribution-in-kind of readily marketable securities.

 

If you sell your shares through a securities dealer or investment professional, it is such person’s responsibility to transmit the order to the Fund in a timely fashion. Any loss to you resulting from failure to do so must be settled between you and such person.

 

Delivery of the proceeds of a redemption of shares purchased and paid for by check shortly before the receipt of the redemption request may be delayed until the Fund determines that the Transfer Agent has completed collection of the purchase check, which may take up to 15 days. Also, payment of the proceeds of a redemption request for an account for which purchases were made by wire may be delayed until the Fund receives a completed account application for the account to permit the Fund to verify the identity of the person redeeming the shares and to eliminate the need for backup withholding.

 

Redemption By Mail. To redeem shares by mail, send a written request for redemption, signed by the registered owner(s) exactly as the account is registered, to: OTG Latin America Fund, Attn: Redemptions, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235. Certain written requests to redeem shares may require signature guarantees. For example, signature guarantees may be required if you sell a large number of shares, if your address of record on the account application has been changed within the last 30 days, or if you ask that the proceeds be sent to a different person or address. Signature guarantees are used to help protect you and the Fund. You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks or securities dealers, but not from a Notary Public. Please call the Transfer Agent toll-free at (800) 628-4077 to learn if a signature guarantee is needed or to make sure that it is completed appropriately in order to avoid any processing delays. There is no charge to shareholders for redemptions by mail.

 

Redemption By Telephone. You may redeem your shares by telephone provided that you requested this service on your initial account application. If you request this service at a later date, you must send a written request along with a signature guarantee to the Transfer Agent. Once your telephone authorization is in effect, you may redeem shares by calling the Transfer Agent toll-free at (800) 628-4077. There is no charge to shareholders for redemptions by telephone. If it should become difficult to reach the Transfer Agent by telephone during periods when market or economic conditions lead to an unusually large volume of telephone requests, a shareholder may send a redemption request by overnight mail to the Transfer Agent at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235.

 

Redemption By Wire. If you request that your redemption proceeds be wired to you, please call your bank for instructions prior to writing or calling the Transfer Agent. Be sure to include your name, Fund name, Fund account number, your account number at your bank and wire information from your bank in your request to redeem by wire.

 

25

 

 

The Fund will not be responsible for any losses resulting from unauthorized transactions (such as purchases, sales or exchanges) if it follows reasonable security procedures designed to verify the identity of the investor. You should verify the accuracy of your confirmation statements immediately after you receive them. There is no charge to shareholders for redemptions by wire.

 

Redemption in Kind. The Fund typically expects to satisfy requests by using holdings of cash or cash equivalents or selling portfolio assets. On a less regular basis, and if the Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders not to sell portfolio assets, the Fund may satisfy redemption requests by using short-term borrowing from the Fund’s custodian to the extent such arrangements are in place with the custodian. In addition to paying redemption proceeds in cash, the Fund reserves the right to make payment for a redemption in securities rather than cash, which is known as a “redemption in kind.” While the Fund does not intend, under normal circumstances, to redeem its shares by payment in kind, it is possible that conditions may arise in the future which would, in the opinion of the Trustees, make it undesirable for the Fund to pay for all redemptions in cash. In such a case, the Trustees may authorize payment to be made in readily marketable portfolio securities of the Fund, either through the distribution of selected individual portfolio securities or a pro-rata distribution of all portfolio securities held by the Fund. Securities delivered in payment of redemptions would be valued at the same value assigned to them in computing the Fund’s net asset value per share. Shareholders receiving them may incur brokerage costs when these securities are sold and will be subject to market risk until such securities are sold. An irrevocable election has been filed under Rule 18f-1 of the 1940 Act, wherein the Fund must pay redemptions in cash, rather than in kind, to any shareholder of record of the Fund who redeems during any 90-day period, the lesser of (a) $250,000 or (b) 1% of the Fund’s net assets at the beginning of such period. Redemption requests in excess of this limit may be satisfied in cash or in kind at the Fund’s election. The Fund’s methods of satisfying shareholder redemption requests will normally be used during both regular and stressed market conditions.

 

Purchasing or Redeeming through a Financial Intermediary

 

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund through an authorized Financial Intermediary (such as a financial planner or advisor). To purchase or redeem shares at the net asset value of any given day, your Financial Intermediary must receive your order before the close of regular trading on the NYSE that day. Your Financial Intermediary is responsible for transmitting all purchase and redemption requests, investment information, documentation, and money to the Fund on time. Your Financial Intermediary may charge additional transaction fees for its services and/or set different minimum amounts. Financial Intermediaries may also have policies and procedures that are different from those contained in this prospectus. Investors should consult their Financial Intermediary regarding its procedures for purchasing and selling shares of the Fund as the policies and procedures may be different. The price you pay for a share of the Fund is the net asset value next determined upon receipt of your purchase request by the Transfer Agent or Financial Intermediary. The Fund will be deemed to have received your purchase or redemption order when the Financial Intermediary receives the order. Such Financial Intermediaries are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf.

 

26

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Signature Guarantees. To help protect you and the Fund from fraud, signature guarantees are required for: (1) all redemptions ordered by mail if you require that the check be made payable to another person or that the check be mailed to an address other than the one indicated on the account registration; (2) all requests to transfer the registration of shares to another owner; and (3) all authorizations to establish or change telephone redemption service, other than through your initial account application. Signature guarantees may be required for certain other reasons. For example, a signature guarantee may be required if you sell a large number of shares or if your address of record on the account has been changed within the last thirty (30) days.

 

In the case of redemption by mail, signature guarantees must appear on either: (1) the written request for redemption; or (2) a separate instrument of assignment (usually referred to as a “stock power”) specifying the total number of shares being redeemed. The Trust may waive these requirements in certain instances.

 

An original signature guarantee assures that a signature is genuine so that you are protected from unauthorized account transactions. Notarization is not an acceptable substitute. Acceptable guarantors only include participants in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP2000). Participants in STAMP2000 may include financial institutions such as banks, savings and loan associations, trust companies, credit unions, broker-dealers and member firms of a national securities exchange.

 

Automatic Investment Plan. Existing shareholders, who wish to make regular monthly investments in amounts of $50 or more, may do so through the Automatic Investment Plan. Under the Automatic Investment Plan, your designated bank or other financial institution debits a pre-authorized amount from your account on or about the 15th day of each month and applies the amount to the purchase of Fund shares. To use this service, you must authorize the transfer of funds by completing the Automatic Investment Plan section of the account application and sending a blank voided check.

 

Exchange Privilege. To the extent that the Adviser manages other funds in the Trust, you may exchange all or a portion of your shares in the Fund for shares of the same class of certain other funds of the Trust managed by the Adviser having different investment objectives, provided that the shares of the fund you are exchanging into are registered for sale in your state of residence. An exchange is treated as a redemption and purchase and will generally result in realization of a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. You won’t pay a deferred sales charge on an exchange; however, when you sell the shares you acquire in an exchange, you will pay a deferred sales charge based on the date you bought the original shares you exchanged. As of the date of this prospectus, the Adviser does not manage any other funds in the Trust.

 

Frequent purchase and redemptions (“Frequent Trading”) (as discussed below) can adversely impact Fund performance and shareholders. Therefore, the Trust reserves the right to temporarily or permanently modify or terminate the Exchange Privilege. The Trust also reserves the right to refuse exchange requests by any person or group if, in the Trust’s judgment, the Fund would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its investment objective and policies, or would otherwise potentially be adversely affected. The Trust further reserves the right to restrict or refuse an exchange request if the Trust has received or anticipates simultaneous orders affecting significant portions of the Fund’s assets or detects a pattern of exchange requests that coincides with a “market timing” strategy. Although the Trust will attempt to give you prior notice when reasonable to do so, the Trust may modify or terminate the Exchange Privilege at any time.

 

27

 

 

How to Transfer Shares. If you wish to transfer shares to another owner, send a written request to the Transfer Agent at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235. Your request should include: (i) the name of the Fund and existing account registration; (ii) signature(s) of the registered owner(s); (iii) the new account registration, address, taxpayer identification number and how dividends and capital gains are to be distributed; (iv) any stock certificates which have been issued for the shares being transferred; (v) signature guarantees (See “Signature Guarantees”); and (vi) any additional documents which are required for transfer by corporations, administrators, executors, trustees, guardians, etc. If you have any questions about transferring shares, call the Transfer Agent toll-free at (800) 628-4077.

 

Account Statements and Shareholder Reports. Each time you purchase, redeem or transfer shares of the Fund, you will receive a written confirmation. You will also receive a year-end statement of your account if any dividends or capital gains have been distributed, and an annual and a semi-annual report.

 

Shareholder Communications. The Fund may eliminate duplicate mailings of portfolio materials to shareholders who reside at the same address, unless instructed to the contrary. Investors may request that the Fund send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Fund toll-free at (800) 673-0550.

 

General. The Fund will not be responsible for any losses from unauthorized transactions (such as purchases, sales or exchanges) if it follows reasonable security procedures designed to verify the identity of the investor. You should verify the accuracy of your confirmation statements immediately after you receive them.

 

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

 

Dividends and Capital Gain Distributions. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid quarterly for the Fund. The Fund intends to distribute annually any net capital gain. The Fund may make an additional payment of dividends or distributions if it deems it desirable at any other time during the year.

 

Dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in additional shares of the Fund, unless you elect to have the distributions paid to you in cash. There are no sales charges or transaction fees for reinvested dividends and all shares will be purchased at NAV. Shareholders will be subject to tax on all dividends and distributions whether paid to them in cash or reinvested in shares. If the investment in shares is made within an IRA, all dividends and capital gain distributions must be reinvested.

 

Unless you are investing through a tax deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, it is disadvantageous for you to buy shares of the Fund shortly before the next distribution, because doing so can cost you money in taxes. This is known as “buying a dividend”. To avoid buying a dividend, check the Fund’s distribution schedule before you invest.

 

28

 

 

Taxes. In general, Fund distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains. This is true whether you reinvest your distributions in additional shares of the Fund or receive them in cash. Any long-term capital gain the Fund distributes is taxable to you as long-term capital gain no matter how long you have owned your shares. Other Fund distributions (including distributions attributable to short-term capital gains of the Fund) will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except those distributions that are designated as “qualified dividend income” will be taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains. Every January, you will receive a Form 1099 that shows the tax status of distributions you received for the previous year. Distributions declared in December but paid in January are taxable as if they were paid in December. The one major exception to these tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-deferred retirement account) will not be currently taxable.

 

When you sell shares of the Fund, you will generally have a capital gain or loss. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares of the Fund for shares of a different fund of the Trust is the same as a sale. The individual tax rate on any gain from the sale or exchange of your shares depends on how long you have held your shares.

 

Fund distributions and gains from the sale or exchange of your shares will generally be subject to state and local income tax. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax. You should consult with your tax adviser about the federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences of your investment in the Fund.

 

By law, the Fund must withhold 24% of your taxable distributions and proceeds if you do not provide your correct taxpayer identification number (TIN) or fail to certify that your TIN is correct and that you are a U.S. person, or if the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) has notified you that you are subject to backup withholding and instructs the Fund to do so.

 

Cost Basis Reporting. Federal law requires that mutual fund companies report their shareholders’ cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period to the Internal Revenue Service on the Fund’s shareholders’ Consolidated Form 1099s.

 

The Fund has chosen average cost as the standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. A tax lot identification method is the way the Fund will determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing net asset values, and the entire position is not sold at one time. The Fund has chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. The Fund’s standing tax lot identification method is the method covered shares will be reported on your Consolidated Form 1099 if you do not select a specific tax lot identification method. You may choose a method different than the Fund’s standing method and will be able to do so at the time of your purchase or upon the sale of covered shares. Please refer to the appropriate Internal Revenue Service regulations or consult your tax advisor with regard to your personal circumstances.

 

29

 

 

For those securities defined as “covered” under current Internal Revenue Service cost basis tax reporting regulations, the Fund is responsible for maintaining accurate cost basis and tax lot information for tax reporting purposes. The Fund is not responsible for the reliability or accuracy of the information for those securities that are not “covered.” The Fund and its service providers do not provide tax advice. You should consult independent sources, which may include a tax professional, with respect to any decisions you may make with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method.

 

Possible Tax Law Changes. At the time that this prospectus is being prepared, various administrative and legislative changes to the federal tax laws are under consideration, but it is not possible at this time to determine whether any of these changes will take place or what the changes might entail.

 

NET ASSET VALUE

 

The Fund’s share price, called the NAV per share, is determined on each business day that the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading, as of the close of business of the regular session of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). NAV per share is computed by adding the total value of the Fund’s investments and other assets, subtracting any liabilities and then dividing by the total number of the shares outstanding.

 

Shares of the Fund are bought or exchanged at the public offering price per share next determined after a request has been received in Proper Form (as defined below). The public offering price of the Fund’s Shares is equal to the NAV plus the applicable front-end sales charge, if any. Shares of the Fund held by you are sold or exchanged at the NAV per share next determined after a request has been received in Proper Form, less any applicable deferred sales charge. Any request received in Proper Form before the Valuation Time, will be processed the same business day. Any request received in Proper Form after the Valuation Time, will be processed the next business day.

 

Proper Form. Your order to buy shares is in Proper Form when your completed and signed account application and check or wire payment is received. Your written request to sell or exchange shares is in proper form when written instructions signed by all registered owners, with a signature guarantee if necessary, is received by the Fund.

 

The Fund’s securities are valued at current market prices. Investments in securities traded on the national securities exchanges are valued at the last reported sale price. Investments in securities included in the NASDAQ National Market System are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price.  Other securities traded in the over-the-counter market and listed securities for which no sales are reported on a given date are valued at the last reported bid price. Debt securities are valued by appraising them at prices supplied by a pricing agent approved by the Trust, which prices may reflect broker-dealer supplied valuations and electronic data processing techniques. Short-term debt securities (less than 60 days to maturity) are valued at their fair market value using amortized cost. Depositary Receipts will be valued at the closing price of the instrument last determined prior to the Valuation Time unless the Fund is aware of a material change in value. Securities for which such a value cannot be readily determined on any day will be valued at the closing price of the underlying security adjusted for the exchange rate. The value of a foreign security is determined as of the close of trading on the foreign exchange on which it is traded or as of the scheduled close of trading on the NYSE, whichever is earlier. Portfolio securities that are listed on foreign exchanges may experience a change in value on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem shares of the Fund. Other assets for which market prices are not readily available are valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by the administrator, in conjunction with the Adviser, under procedures set by the Board. Generally, trading in corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times before the scheduled close of the NYSE. The value of these securities used in computing the NAV is determined as of such times.

 

30

 

 

The Trust has a policy that contemplates the use of fair value pricing to determine the NAV per share of the Fund when market prices are unavailable as well as under special circumstances, such as: (i) if the primary market for a portfolio security suspends or limits trading or price movements of the security; and (ii) when an event occurs after the close of the exchange on which a portfolio security is principally traded that is likely to have changed the value of the security.

 

When the Trust uses fair value pricing to determine the NAV per share of the Fund, securities will not be priced on the basis of quotations from the primary market in which they are traded, but rather may be priced by another method that the Board believes accurately reflects fair value. Any method used will be approved by the Board and results will be monitored to evaluate accuracy. The Trust’s policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund’s NAV that fairly reflects security values as of the time of pricing.

 

However, fair values determined pursuant to the Trust’s procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain for a security if it were to dispose of that security as of the time of pricing.

 

FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS

 

Frequent purchases and redemptions (“Frequent Trading”) of shares of the Fund may present a number of risks to other shareholders of the Fund. These risks may include, among other things, dilution in the value of shares of the Fund held by long-term shareholders, interference with the efficient management by the Adviser of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, and increased brokerage and administration costs. Due to the potential of an overall adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions affecting the sale price of portfolio securities, the Fund could face untimely losses as a result of having to sell portfolio securities prematurely to meet redemptions. Current shareholders of the Fund may face unfavorable impacts as portfolio securities concentrated in certain sectors may be more volatile than investments across broader ranges of industries as sector-specific market or economic developments may make it more difficult to sell a significant number of shares at favorable prices to meet redemptions. Frequent Trading may also increase portfolio turnover, which may result in increased capital gains taxes for shareholders of the Fund. These capital gains could include short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary income tax rates.

 

The Fund will assess a 2.00% redemption fee of the Fund’s Class A shares redeemed within 60 days of purchase as a percentage of amount redeemed. The redemption fee is deducted from your proceeds and is retained by the Fund for the benefit of long-term shareholders. The “first in-first out” (“FIFO”) method issued to determine the holding period; this means that if you purchase shares on different days, the shares you held longest will be redeemed first for purposes of determining whether the redemption fee applies. The fee does not apply to Fund shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and the Automatic Investment Plan or shares redeemed through the Systematic Withdrawal Program. The Fund reserves the right to change the terms and amount of this fee upon at least a 60-day notice to shareholders.

 

31

 

 

The Trustees have adopted a policy that is intended to identify and discourage Frequent Trading by shareholders of the Fund under which the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and Transfer Agent will monitor Frequent Trading through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, shareholders may not engage in more than four “round-trips” (a purchase and sale or an exchange in and then out of the Fund) within a rolling twelve-month period. Shareholders exceeding four round-trips will be investigated by the Fund and possibly restricted from making additional investments in the Fund. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging or similar activities that may nonetheless result in Frequent Trading of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of Fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In the event the foregoing purchase and redemption patterns occur, it shall be the policy of the Trust that the shareholder’s account and any other account with the Fund under the same taxpayer identification number shall be precluded from investing in the Fund (including investment that are part of an exchange transaction) for such time period as the Trust deems appropriate based on the facts and circumstances (including, without limitation, the dollar amount involved and whether the Investor has been precluded from investing in the Fund before); provided that such time period shall be at least 30 calendar days after the last redemption transaction. The above policies shall not apply if the Trust determines that a purchase and redemption pattern is not a Frequent Trading pattern or is the result of inadvertent trading errors.

 

These policies and procedures will be applied uniformly to all shareholders and, subject to certain permissible exceptions as described above, the Fund will not accommodate abusive Frequent Trading. The policies also apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds Fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. Omnibus account arrangements permit multiple investors to aggregate their respective share ownership positions and purchase, redeem and exchange Fund shares without the identity of the particular shareholder(s) being known to the Fund. Accordingly, the ability of the Fund to monitor and detect Frequent Trading activity through omnibus accounts may be more limited and there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify shareholders who may be engaging in Frequent Trading through omnibus accounts or to curtail such trading. However, the Fund will establish information sharing agreements with intermediaries as required by Rule 22c-2 under the 1940 Act that require sharing of information about you and your account, and otherwise use reasonable efforts to work with intermediaries to identify excessive short-term trading in underlying accounts.

 

32

 

 

If the Fund identifies that excessive short-term trading is taking place in a participant-directed employee benefit plan accounts, the Fund or its Adviser or Transfer Agent will contact the plan administrator, sponsor or trustee to request that action be taken to restrict such activity. However, the ability to do so may be constrained by regulatory restrictions or plan policies. In such circumstances, it is generally not the policy of the Fund to close the account of an entire plan due to the activity of a limited number of participants. However, the Fund will take such actions as deemed appropriate in light of all the facts and circumstances.

 

The Fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Trustees reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the Fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future, may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the Fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the Fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from Frequent Trading, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes.

 

DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS

 

The Fund will be offered through financial supermarkets, investment advisers and consultants, financial planners, brokers, dealers and other investment professionals, and directly through the Distributor. Investment professionals who offer shares may request fees from their individual clients. If you invest through a third party, the policies and fees may be different than those described in this prospectus. For example, third parties may charge transaction fees or set different minimum investment amounts. If you purchase your shares through a broker-dealer, the broker-dealer firm is entitled to receive a percentage of the sales charge you pay in order to purchase Fund shares.

 

Class A Shares

 

Class A Shares are subject to a front-end sales charge and a distribution fee. The following schedule governs the percentage to be received by the selling broker-dealer firm for selling Class A Shares.

 

    Sales charge as a percentage of    

Amount of purchase at the
public offering price
 

 

Offering
Price(1)
 

 

Net amount
invested
 

  Discount as a percentage
of offering price
Up to $24,999   5.00%   5.26%   5.00%
$25,000 - $49,999   4.50%   4.71%   4.50%
$50,000 - $99,999   4.00%   4.17%   4.00%
$100,000 - $249,999   3.00%   3.09%   3.00%
$250,000 - $499,999   2.50%   2.56%   2.50%
$500,000 - $749,999   1.80%   1.83%   1.80%
$750,000 - $999,999   1.20%   1.21%   1.20%
$1 million or more   See below(2)   See below(2)   See below(2)

 

33

 

 

(1)The term “Offering Price” includes the front-end sales charge.

(2)If you are in a category of investors who may purchase Class A Shares without paying a front-end sales charge, you will be subject to a 1.00% deferred sales charge if you redeem your shares within one year of purchase. Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions are not subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge. In addition, the deferred sales charge on shares purchased without the payment of a front-end sales charge and redeemed within one year of purchase may be waived in certain circumstances. The deferred sales charge on redemptions of shares is computed based on a percentage of the NAV at the time the shares were purchased, net of reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions. The deferred sales charge would equal 1.00% of the offering price and of the net amount invested. In determining whether to charge a deferred sales charge, the Fund will assume that you have redeemed shares on which there is no deferred sales charge first and then shares in the order of purchase.

 

Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers

 

To receive a reduction or waiver of your initial sales charge, you or your financial consultant must notify the Fund’s transfer agent or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase that you qualify for such a reduction or waiver. If you do not let your financial intermediary or the Fund’s Transfer Agent know that you are eligible for a reduction or waiver, you may not receive the reduction or waiver to which you are otherwise entitled. Certain individuals and employer-sponsored retirement plans may link accounts for the purpose of qualifying for lower initial sales charges. You or your financial consultant must provide other account numbers to be considered for Rights of Accumulation, or mark the Letter of Intent section on the account application, or provide other relevant documentation, so that the Fund’s Transfer Agent can verify your eligibility for the reduction or waiver. In order to receive a reduction or waiver, you may be required to provide your financial intermediary or the Fund’s Transfer Agent with evidence of your qualification for the reduction or waiver, such as records regarding Fund shares held in accounts with that financial intermediary and other financial intermediaries. Consult the Fund’s SAI for additional details.

 

You can reduce your initial sales charge in the following ways:

 

Right of Accumulation. After making an initial purchase, you may reduce the sales charge applied to any subsequent purchases. Your Class A Shares purchased will be taken into account on a combined basis at the current NAV per share in order to establish the aggregate investment amount to be used in determining the applicable sales charge. Only previous purchases of Class A Shares that are still held in the Fund and that were sold subject to a sales charge will be included in the calculation. To take advantage of this privilege, you must give notice at the time you place your initial order and subsequent orders that you wish to combine purchases. When you send your payment and request to combine purchases, please specify your account number(s).

 

Statement of Intention. A reduced sales charge on Class A Shares of the Fund, as set forth above, applies immediately to all purchases where the investor has executed a Statement of Intention calling for the purchase within a 13-month period of an amount qualifying for the reduced sales charge. The investor must actually purchase the amount stated in such statement to avoid later paying the full sales charge on shares that are purchased.

 

34

 

 

Combine with family member. You can also count toward the amount of your investment all investments by your spouse and your children under age 21 (family members), including their rights of accumulation and goals under a letter of intent. Certain other groups may also be permitted to combine purchases for purposes of reducing or eliminating sales charges, such as: a retirement plan established exclusively for the benefit of an Individual, specifically including, but not limited to, a Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k), Keogh plan, or a tax-sheltered 403(b)(7) custodial account; and a qualified tuition plan account, maintained pursuant to Section 529 of the Code, or a Coverdell Education Savings Account, maintained pursuant to Section 530 of the Code (in either case, the account must be established by an Individual or have an Individual named as the beneficiary thereof).

 

Waiver of Front-End Sales Charges - Class A Shares

 

No sales charge shall apply to:

 

(1)reinvestment of income dividends and capital gain distributions;

 

(2)exchanges of the Fund’s shares for those of another fund of the Trust;

 

(3)purchases of Fund shares made by current or former directors, officers or employees, or agents of the Trust, the Adviser, the Distributor, and by members of their immediate families and employees (including immediate family members) of a broker-dealer distributing Fund shares;

 

(4)purchases of Fund shares by the Distributor for their own investment account and for investment purposes only;

 

(5)a “qualified institutional buyer,” as that term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, including, but not limited to, insurance companies, investment companies registered under the 1940 Act, business development companies registered under the 1940 Act, and small business investment companies;

 

(6)a charitable organization, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), as well as other charitable trusts and endowments, investing $50,000 or more;

 

(7)a charitable remainder trust, under Section 664 of the Code, or a life income pool, established for the benefit of a charitable organization as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code;

 

(8)investment advisers or financial planners who place trades for their own accounts or the accounts of their clients and who charge a management, consulting or other fee for their services; and clients of those investment advisers or financial planners who place trades for their own accounts if the accounts are linked to the master account of the investment adviser or financial planner on the books and records of the broker or agent;

 

35

 

 

(9)institutional retirement and deferred compensation plans and trusts used to fund those plans, including, but not limited to, those defined in section 401(a), 403(b) or 457 of the Code and “rabbi trusts”; and

 

(10)the purchase of Fund shares, if available, through certain third-party fund “supermarkets.” Some fund supermarkets may offer Fund shares without a sales charge or with a reduced sales charge. Other fees may be charged by the service-provider sponsoring the fund supermarket, and transaction charges may apply to purchases and sales made through a broker-dealer.

 

Additional information regarding the waiver of sales charges may be obtained by calling the Trust toll-free at (800) 673-0550. All account information is subject to acceptance and verification by the Distributor.

 

Institutional Class Shares

 

Institutional Class Shares are offered with no front-end or contingent deferred sales charge and are not subject to any Rule 12b-1 fees.

 

36

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance since the inception of the Fund. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of the Fund. The total return in the table represents the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The financial highlights have been audited by Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose unqualified report thereon, along with the Fund’s financial statements, are included in the Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders (the “Annual Report”) and are incorporated by reference into the SAI. Additional performance information for the Fund is included in the Annual Report. Copies of the Annual Report and the SAI may be obtained at the address and telephone number noted on the back page of this prospectus.

 

37

 

 

OTG Latin America Fund 

Financial Highlights

 

Selected Per Share Data Throughout Each Period

 

   Class A 
    

Year ended

March 31, 2022

    

Year ended

March 31, 2021

    

Period
May 8, 2019*

to
March 31, 2020

 
Net asset value, beginning of period  $8.11   $5.83   $10.00 
Investment activities               
Net investment income (loss) (1)   0.28    0.05    0.12 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments   1.02    2.29    (4.15)
Total from investment activities   1.30    2.34    (4.03)
Distributions               
Net investment income   (0.27)   (0.06)   (0.11)
Net realized gain   (0.18)       (0.03)
Total distributions   (0.45)   (0.06)   (0.14)
Net asset value, end of period  $8.96   $8.11   $5.83 
Total Return**   17.12%   40.12%   (40.90%)
Ratios/Supplemental Data               
Ratios to average net assets***               
Expenses, gross (2)   2.77%   2.93%   3.46%
Expenses, net of waivers   1.99%   2.07%   2.17%
Net investment income (loss)   3.32%   0.64%   1.45%
Portfolio turnover rate****   79.68%   250.37%   296.18%
Net assets, end of period (000’s)  $18,372   $15,675   $6,831 

 

(1) Per share amounts calculated using the average shares outstanding during the period.

 

(2) Ratio of total expenses before management fee waivers, excluding proxy costs, would have been 2.73% for the year ended March 31, 2022, 2.81% for the year ended March 31, 2021 and 3.24% for the period May 8, 2019* to March 31, 2020.

 

*      Commencement of operations.

 

**    Total Return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized for periods less than one year.

 

***   Ratios to average net assets have been annualized for periods less than one year.

 

**** Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized for periods less than one year.

 

38

 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

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

 

The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports will contain more information about the Fund. The Fund’s annual report will contain a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that had a significant effect on the Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year.

 

For more information about the Fund, you may wish to refer to the Fund’s SAI dated July 31, 2022, as amended October 3, 2022, which is on file with the SEC and incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You can obtain a free copy of the annual and semi-annual reports, and SAI by writing to World Funds Trust, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235, by calling toll free (800) 673-0550, by e-mail at: mail@ccofva.com or on the Fund’s website at. https://mscapitalltd.com/mutual-fund. General inquiries regarding the Fund may also be directed to the above address or telephone number.

 

Reports and other information regarding the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

(Investment Company Act File No. 811-22172)

 

39

 

 

OTG LATIN AMERICA FUND

 

 

 STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Class A Shares (Ticker Symbol: OTGAX)

Institutional Shares (Ticker Symbol: OTGIX)

 

Investment Adviser:

OTG Asset Management, Ltd. (formerly, MSC Capital, Ltd.)

 

July 31, 2022

Amended October 3, 2022

8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205

Richmond, Virginia 23235

(800) 673-0550

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus dated July 31, 2022, as amended October 3, 2022, of the OTG (“On the Ground”) Latin America Fund (the “Fund”), as it may be supplemented or revised from time to time.

 

This SAI is incorporated by reference into the Fund’s prospectus. You may obtain the prospectus of the Fund and the SAI and the Annual Report, free of charge, by writing to World Funds Trust (the “Trust”), 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 or by calling toll-free (800) 673-0550.

 

1

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

 

THE TRUST 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES 1
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS 2
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS 21
INVESTMENT ADVISER 23
PORTFOLIO MANAGER 24
SERVICE PROVIDERS 25
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST 27
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITIES HOLDERS 31
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 32
DISTRIBUTION 32
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PURCHASES AND SALES 35
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES 36
TAXES 38
BROKER ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES 49
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES HOLDINGS 51
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES 54
PROXY VOTING 55
CODE OF ETHICS 55
FINANCIAL INFORMATION 55
EXHIBIT A (PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF ADVISER) 56
EXHIBIT B (PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF TRUST) 60
EXHIBIT C (NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER) 62
EXHIBIT D (DESCRIPTION OF SHORT-TERM RATINGS) 65

 

2

 

 

THE TRUST

 

General. World Funds Trust (the “Trust”) was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on April 9, 2007. The Trust is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and commonly known as a “mutual fund”. The Declaration of Trust permits the Trust to offer separate series (“funds”) of shares of beneficial interest (“shares”). The Trust reserves the right to create and issue shares of additional funds. Each fund is a separate mutual fund, and each share of each fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that fund. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any fund and all assets of such fund belong solely to that fund and would be subject to liabilities related thereto. Each fund of the Trust pays its (i) operating expenses, including fees of its service providers, expenses of preparing prospectuses, proxy solicitation material and reports to shareholders, costs of custodial services and registering its shares under federal and state securities laws, pricing, insurance expenses, brokerage costs, interest charges, taxes and organization expenses; and (ii) pro rata share of the fund’s other expenses, including audit and legal expenses. Expenses attributable to a specific fund shall be payable solely out of the assets of that fund. Expenses not attributable to a specific fund are allocated across all of the funds on the basis of relative net assets. The other funds of the Trust are described in one or more separate statements of additional information.

 

The Fund. This SAI relates to the prospectus for the Fund and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus. This SAI is incorporated by reference into the Fund’s prospectus. No investment in shares should be made without reading the prospectus. The Fund is a separate investment portfolio or series of the Trust.

 

Description of Shares. The Fund is authorized to issue two classes of shares: Class A Shares imposing a front-end sales charge up to a maximum of 5.00% and charging a 0.25% 12b-1 fee and Institutional Class Shares imposing no front end sales charge or deferred sales charges and charging no 12b-1 fee.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

 

The Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the prospectus. The Fund is a “diversified” series as that term is defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the prospectus. For a description of certain permitted investments discussed below, see “Description of Permitted Investments” in this SAI.

 

Portfolio Turnover. Average annual portfolio turnover rate is the ratio of the lesser of sales or purchases to the monthly average value of the portfolio securities owned during the year, excluding from both the numerator and the denominator all securities with maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less. A higher portfolio turnover rate involves greater transaction expenses to the Fund and may result in the realization of net capital gains, which would be taxable to shareholders when distributed. The Fund’s Adviser makes purchases and sales for the Fund’s portfolio whenever necessary, in the Adviser’s opinion, to meet the Fund’s objective. For the Fund’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 250.37% of the average value of its portfolio. For the Fund’s most recent fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 79.68% of the average value of its portfolio. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate decreased during the most recent fiscal year end mainly because the Adviser had a higher conviction in the portfolio holdings and the low valuations of those securities caused the Adviser to continue to hold those securities in order take advantage of the low valuations.

 

1

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS

 

The following discussion of investment techniques and instruments supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the investment information in the Fund’s prospectus. In seeking to meet its investment objective, the Fund may invest in any type of security whose characteristics are consistent with its investment programs described below.

 

Market Conditions. The equity and debt capital markets in the United States and internationally have experienced unprecedented volatility. These conditions have caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of many securities and other instruments. It is impossible to predict whether these conditions will continue, improve or worsen. Because this situation is widespread, it may be unusually difficult to identify both risks and opportunities using past models of the interplay of market forces, or to predict the duration of these events.

 

Common Stock. Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company’s stock price.

 

The fundamental risk of investing in common stock is that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. While common stocks have historically provided greater long-term returns than preferred stocks, fixed-income and money market investments, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility than the returns from those other investments.

 

Preferred Stock. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment in the event a company is liquidated, although preferred stock is usually subordinate to the debt securities of the issuer. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, a negative feature when interest rates decline. In addition, a fund may receive stocks or warrants as result of an exchange or tender of fixed income securities.

 

The Fund’s investment in preferred stocks is subject to the credit risk related to the financial condition of the issuers of those securities. Credit ratings attempt to evaluate the safety of principal and dividend or interest payments and do not evaluate the risks of fluctuations in market value.

 

Warrants and Rights. The Fund may invest in warrants or rights (including those acquired in units or attached to other securities) that entitle the holder to buy equity securities at a specific price for a specific period of time but will do so only if such equity securities are deemed appropriate by the Adviser. Warrants do not have voting rights, do not earn dividends, and do not entitle the holder to any rights with respect to the assets of the corporation that has issued them. They do not represent ownership of the underlying companies but only the right to purchase shares of those companies at a specified price on or before a specified exercise date. Warrants tend to be more volatile than the underlying stock, and if at a warrant’s expiration date the stock is trading at a price below the price set in the warrant, the warrant will expire worthless. Conversely, if at the expiration date the stock is trading at a price higher than the price set in the warrant, the Fund can acquire the stock at a price below its market value. The prices of warrants do not necessarily parallel the prices of the underlying securities. An investment in warrants or rights may be considered speculative.

 

2

 

 

Small-, Mid- and Micro-Cap Stocks. The Fund may invest in stock of companies with market capitalizations that are small compared to other publicly traded companies. Investments in larger companies present certain advantages in that such companies generally have greater financial resources, more extensive research and development, manufacturing, marketing and service capabilities, and more stability and greater depth of management and personnel. Investments in smaller, less seasoned companies may present greater opportunities for growth but also may involve greater risks than customarily are associated with more established companies. The securities of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than larger, more established companies. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent upon a limited management group, their securities may be traded in the over-the-counter market or on a regional exchange, or may otherwise have limited liquidity. As a result of owning large positions in this type of security, the Fund is subject to the additional risk of possibly having to sell portfolio securities at disadvantageous times and prices if redemptions require the Fund to liquidate its securities positions. In addition, it may be prudent for the Fund, as its asset size grows, to limit the number of relatively small positions it holds in securities having limited liquidity in order to minimize its exposure to such risks, to minimize transaction costs, and to maximize the benefits of research. As a consequence, as the Fund’s asset size increases, the Fund may reduce its exposure to illiquid small capitalization securities, which could adversely affect performance.

 

The Fund may also invest in stocks of companies with medium market capitalizations (i.e., mid-cap companies). Such investments share some of the risk characteristics of investments in stocks of companies with small market capitalizations described above, although mid cap companies tend to have longer operating histories, broader product lines and greater financial resources and their stocks tend to be more liquid and less volatile than those of smaller capitalization issuers.

 

The Fund may also invest in stocks of micro-capitalization companies. Such investments are subject to many of the same risks associated with investments in small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies, although to a greater degree given their generally much smaller size. Investment in small, mid-sized and micro-capitalization company stocks can be volatile and cause the value of the Fund’s investments to go up and down, sometimes abruptly or dramatically.

 

Convertible Securities. A convertible security is a preferred stock, warrant or other security that may be converted or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other security of the same or a different issuer or into cash within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive the dividend or interest until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities generally have characteristics similar to both fixed income and equity securities. Although to a lesser extent than with fixed income securities generally, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stocks and, therefore, also will react to variations in the general market for equity securities. A significant feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so they may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock. While no securities investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.

 

Foreign Investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers and other non-U.S. investments may involve risks in addition to those normally associated with investments in the securities of U.S. issuers or other U.S. investments. All foreign investments are subject to risks of foreign political and economic instability, adverse movements in foreign exchange rates, and the imposition or tightening of exchange controls and limitations on the repatriation of foreign capital. Other risks stem from potential changes in governmental attitude or policy toward private investment, which in turn raises the risk of nationalization, increased taxation or confiscation of foreign investors’ assets.

 

3

 

 

The financial problems in global economies over the past several years, including the European sovereign debt crisis, may continue to cause high volatility in global financial markets. In addition, global economies are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact a different country or region. The severity or duration of these conditions may also be affected if one or more countries leave the Euro currency or by other policy changes made by governments or quasi-governmental organizations.

 

Additional non-U.S. taxes and expenses may also adversely affect the Fund’s performance, including foreign withholding taxes on foreign securities’ dividends. Brokerage commissions and other transaction costs on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than in the United States. Foreign companies may be subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards. To the extent foreign securities held by the Fund are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or with any other U.S. regulator, the issuers thereof will not be subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC or any other U.S. regulator. Accordingly, less information may be available about foreign companies and other investments than is generally available on issuers of comparable securities and other investments in the United States. Foreign securities and other investments may also trade less frequently and with lower volume and may exhibit greater price volatility than U.S. securities and other investments.

 

Changes in foreign exchange rates will affect the value in U.S. Dollars of all foreign currency-denominated securities and other investments held by the Fund. Exchange rates are influenced generally by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign currency markets and by numerous other political and economic events occurring outside the United States, many of which may be difficult, if not impossible, to predict.

 

Income from foreign securities and other investments will be received and realized in foreign currencies, and the Fund is required to compute and distribute income in U.S. Dollars. Accordingly, a decline in the value of a particular foreign currency against the U.S. Dollar occurring after the Fund’s income has been earned and computed in U.S. Dollars may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio securities or other investments to acquire sufficient U.S. Dollars to make a distribution. Similarly, if the exchange rate declines between the time the Fund incurs expenses in U.S. Dollars and the time such expenses are paid, the Fund may be required to liquidate additional portfolio securities or other investments to purchase the U.S. Dollars required to meet such expenses.

 

The Fund may purchase foreign bank obligations. In addition to the risks described above that are generally applicable to foreign investments, the investments that the Fund makes in obligations of foreign banks, branches or subsidiaries may involve further risks, including differences between foreign banks and U.S. banks in applicable accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, and the possible establishment of exchange controls or other foreign government laws or restrictions applicable to the payment of certificates of deposit or time deposits that may affect adversely the payment of principal and interest on the securities and other investments held by the Fund.

 

Emerging Markets. There are special risks involved in investing in emerging market countries. Many investments in emerging markets can be considered speculative, and their prices can be more volatile than in the developed nations of the world. This difference reflects the greater uncertainties of investing in less established markets and economies. The financial markets of emerging markets countries are generally less well capitalized and thus securities of issuers based in such countries may be less liquid. Some companies in emerging markets are heavily dependent on international trade, and some are especially vulnerable to recessions in other countries. Most emerging market countries are the main suppliers of agricultural, energy, base and precious metals to the world, but there are some emerging market economies that are not rich in natural resources and are adversely affected by an increase in world commodity prices. Some countries may still have developing economic or legal systems. The currencies of certain emerging market countries, and therefore the value of securities denominated in such currencies, may be more volatile than currencies of developed countries.

 

4

 

 

In certain emerging market countries, severe and persistent levels of inflation, including, in some cases, hyperinflation, has, in turn, led to high interest rates, extreme measures by governments to keep inflation in check, and a generally debilitating effect on economic growth. Although inflation in many countries has lessened, there is no guarantee it will remain at lower levels. The political history of certain of these countries has also been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in civilian and economic spheres, and political corruption. Such developments, if they were to reoccur, could reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization, and removal of trade barriers, and result in significant disruption in securities markets. A number of these countries are highly dependent on foreign loans for their operation. There have been moratoria on, and rescheduling’s of, repayment with respect to many countries’ debts. Such events can restrict the flexibility of these debtor nations in the international markets and result in the imposition of onerous conditions on their economies.

 

Under foreign tax laws, taxes may be withheld at the source in certain foreign countries and there is a possibility of expropriation or potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, political, social, or imposition of other costs and administrative fees on investment and monetary instability or diplomatic developments that could adversely affect investments in, the liquidity of, and the ability to enforce contractual obligations with respect to, securities of issuers located in those countries. Amounts realized on foreign securities in which the Fund may invest may be subject to foreign withholding or other taxes that could reduce the return on these securities. Applicable tax treaties between the United States and foreign countries, however, may reduce or eliminate the amount of foreign taxes to which the Fund would otherwise be subject.

 

Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund may conduct foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot, i.e., cash basis at the prevailing rate in the foreign exchange market or by entering into a forward foreign currency contract. A forward foreign currency contract (“forward contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific amount of a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days (usually less than one year) from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. Forward contracts are considered to be derivatives. The Fund enters into forward contracts in order to “lock in” the exchange rate between the currency it will deliver and the currency it will receive for the duration of the contract. In addition, the Fund may enter into forward contracts to hedge against risks arising from securities the Fund owns or anticipates purchasing or the U.S. Dollar value of interest and dividends paid on those securities. The Fund will not have more than 10% of its total assets committed to forward contracts, or maintain a net exposure to forward contracts that would obligate the Fund to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of the Fund’s investment securities or other assets denominated in that currency.

 

If the Fund delivers the foreign currency at or before the settlement of a forward contract, it may be required to obtain the currency by selling some of the Fund’s assets that are denominated in that specific currency. The Fund may close out a forward contract obligating it to purchase a foreign currency by selling an offsetting contract, in which case it will realize a gain or a loss.

 

Foreign currency transactions involve certain costs and risks. The Fund incurs foreign exchange expenses in converting assets from one currency to another. Forward contracts involve a risk of loss if the Adviser is inaccurate in predicting currency movements. The projection of short-term currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. The precise matching of forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved is generally not possible. Accordingly, it may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional foreign currency if the market value of the security is less than the amount of the foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver under the forward contract and the decision is made to sell the security and deliver the foreign currency. The use of forward contracts as a hedging technique does not eliminate the fluctuation in the prices of the underlying securities the Fund owns or intends to acquire, but it fixes a rate of exchange in advance. Although forward contracts can reduce the risk of loss if the values of the hedged currencies decline, these instruments also limit the potential gain that might result from an increase in the value of the hedged currencies.

 

5

 

 

There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies, and there is no regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Quotation information available is generally representative of very large transactions in the interbank market. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global around-the-clock market. Since foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market involve substantially larger amounts than those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, the Fund may be disadvantaged by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots. The Fund may take positions in options on foreign currencies in order to hedge against the risk of foreign exchange fluctuation on foreign securities the Fund holds in its portfolio or which it intends to purchase.

 

Depository Receipts. American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”) are negotiable receipts issued by a United States bank or trust company that evidence ownership of securities in a foreign company which have been deposited with such bank or trust company’s office or agent in a foreign country. Investing in ADRs presents risks that may not be equal to the risk inherent in holding the equivalent shares of the same companies that are traded in the local markets even though the Fund will purchase, sell and be paid dividends on ADRs in U.S. Dollars. These risks include fluctuations in currency exchange rates, which are affected by international balances of payments and other economic and financial conditions; government intervention; speculation; and other factors. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, political and social upheaval, imposition of other costs and administrative fees on investments and economic instability. The Fund may be required to pay foreign withholding or other taxes on certain ADRs that it owns, but investors may or may not be able to deduct their pro rata share of such taxes in computing their taxable income, or take such shares as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax. ADRs may be sponsored by foreign issuers or may be unsponsored. Unsponsored ADRs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the foreign issuer of the underlying securities. While readily exchangeable with stock in local markets, unsponsored ADRs may be less liquid than sponsored ADRs. Additionally, there generally is less publicly available information with respect to unsponsored ADRs.

 

Other Investment Company Securities. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an “Underlying Fund”), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts (“UITs”) and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

 

Under Sections 12(d)(1)(A) and 12(d)(1)(B) of the 1940 Act, the Fund may hold securities of another investment company in amounts which (i) do not exceed 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of such company, (ii) do not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets, and (iii) when added to all other investment company securities held by the Fund, do not exceed 10% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. The Fund may exceed these limits when permitted by SEC order or other applicable law or regulatory guidance, such as is the case with many ETFs.

 

Generally, under Section 12(d)(1)(F) and 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act and SEC rules adopted pursuant to the 1940 Act, the Fund may acquire the securities of affiliated and unaffiliated Underlying Funds subject to the following guidelines and restrictions:

 

The Fund may own an unlimited amount of the securities of any registered open-end fund or registered unit investment trust that is affiliated with the Fund, so long as any such Underlying Fund has a policy that prohibits it from acquiring any securities of registered open-end funds or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on certain sections of the 1940 Act.

 

6

 

 

The Fund and its “affiliated persons” may own up to 3% of the outstanding stock of any fund, subject to the following restrictions: the Fund and the Underlying Fund, in the aggregate, may not charge a sales load greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2830(d)(3) of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) applicable to funds of funds; the Underlying Fund is not obligated to redeem more than 1% of its total outstanding securities during any period less than 30 days; and the purchase or acquisition of the Underlying Fund is made pursuant to an arrangement with the Underlying Fund or its principal underwriter whereby the Fund is obligated either to (i) seek instructions from its shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to the Underlying Fund and to vote in accordance with such instructions, or (ii) to vote the shares of the Underlying Fund held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other shareholders of the Underlying Fund.

 

On October 7, 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act which became effective January 19, 2021. Subject to certain conditions, Rule 12d1-4 provides an exemption to permit acquiring funds relying on the Rule to invest in other investment companies, including ETFs, in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, including those described above.

 

Acquired funds typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Fund. The Fund’s purchase of such investment company securities results in the layering of expenses as Fund shareholders would indirectly bear a proportionate share of the operating expenses of such investment companies, including advisory fees, in addition to paying Fund expenses. In addition, the securities of other investment companies may also be leveraged and will therefore be subject to certain leverage risks. The net asset value and market value of leveraged securities will be more volatile and the yield to shareholders will tend to fluctuate more than the yield generated by unleveraged securities. Investment companies may have investment policies that differ from those of the Fund.

 

Under certain circumstances an open-end investment company in which the Fund invests may determine to make payment of a redemption by the Fund wholly or in part by a distribution in kind of securities from its portfolio, instead of in cash. As a result, the Fund may hold such securities until the Adviser determines it is appropriate to dispose of them. Such disposition will impose additional costs on the Fund.

 

Investment decisions by the investment advisers to the registered investment companies in which the Fund invests are made independently of the Fund. At any particular time, one Underlying Fund may be purchasing shares of an issuer whose shares are being sold by another Underlying Fund. As a result, under these circumstances the Fund indirectly would incur certain transactional costs without accomplishing any investment purpose.

 

Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”). ETFs are pooled investment vehicles that generally seek to track the performance of specific indices. ETFs may be organized as open-end funds or as unit investment trusts. Their shares are listed on stock exchanges and can be traded throughout the day at market-determined prices.

 

An ETF generally issues index-based investments in aggregations of 50,000 shares known as “Creation Units” in exchange for a “Portfolio Deposit” consisting of (a) a portfolio of securities substantially similar to the component securities (“Index Securities”) of the applicable index (the “Index”), (b) a cash payment equal to a pro rata portion of the dividends accrued on the ETF’s portfolio securities since the last dividend payment by the ETF, net of expenses and liabilities, and (c) a cash payment or credit (“Balancing Amount”) designed to equalize the net asset value of the Index and the net asset value of a Portfolio Deposit.

 

7

 

 

Shares of ETFs are not individually redeemable, except upon termination of the ETF. To redeem shares of an ETF, an investor must accumulate enough shares of the ETF to reconstitute a Creation Unit. The liquidity of small holdings of ETF shares, therefore, will depend upon the existence of a secondary market for such shares. Upon redemption of a Creation Unit, the portfolio will receive Index Securities and cash identical to the Portfolio Deposit required of an investor wishing to purchase a Creation Unit that day.

 

The price of ETF shares is based upon (but not necessarily identical to) the value of the securities held by the ETF. Accordingly, the level of risk involved in the purchase or sale of ETF shares is similar to the risk involved in the purchase or sale of traditional common stock, with the exception that the pricing mechanism for ETF shares is based on a basket of stocks. Disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying ETF shares purchased or sold by the Fund could result in losses on such shares. There is no assurance that the requirements of the national securities exchanges necessary to maintain the listing of shares of any ETF will continue to be met.

 

Short Sales. The Fund may engage in short sales. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss will be increased, by the transaction costs incurred by the Fund, including the costs associated with providing collateral to the broker-dealer (usually cash and liquid securities) and the maintenance of collateral with its custodian. The Fund also may be required to pay a premium to borrow a security, which would increase the cost of the security sold short. Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited.

 

The broker-dealer will retain the net proceeds of the short sale to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements until the short position is closed out.

 

When the Adviser believes that the price of a particular security held by the Fund may decline, it may make “short sales against the box” to hedge the unrealized gain on such security. Selling short against the box involves selling a security which the Fund owns for delivery at a specified date in the future. The Fund will incur transaction costs to open, maintain and close short sales against the box.

 

To the extent the Fund sells securities short (except in the case of short sales “against the box”), it is required to segregate an amount of cash or liquid securities on its records equal to the market price of the securities sold short. The segregated assets are marked to market daily in an attempt to ensure that the amount deposited in the segregated account is at least equal to the market value of the securities sold short. Segregated securities cannot be sold while the position they are covering is outstanding, unless they are replaced with similar securities. As a result, there is the possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Fund’s assets could affect its portfolio management.

 

Derivatives. The Fund may utilize a variety of financial instruments, such as derivatives, options, and forward contracts, both for investment purposes and for hedging purposes. Hedging involves special risks including the possible default by the other party to the transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the Adviser’s assessment of certain market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of hedging could result in losses greater than if hedging had not been used. Nonetheless, with respect to certain investment positions, the Fund may not be sufficiently hedged against market fluctuations, in which case an investment position could result in a loss greater than if the Adviser had been sufficiently hedged with respect to such position.

 

8

 

 

The Adviser will not, in general, attempt to hedge all market or other risks inherent in the Fund’s positions, and will hedge certain risks, if at all, only partially. Specifically, the Adviser may choose not, or may determine that it is economically unattractive, to hedge certain risks, either in respect of particular positions or in respect of the Fund’s overall portfolio. Moreover, it should be noted that the Fund’s portfolio always will be exposed to unidentified systematic risk factors and to certain risks that cannot be completely hedged, such as credit risk (relating both to particular securities and to counterparties). The Fund’s portfolio composition may result in various directional market risks remaining unhedged, although the Adviser may rely on diversification to control such risks to the extent that the Adviser believes it is desirable to do so.

 

Pursuant to regulations adopted by the SEC, registered investment companies that invest in derivatives instruments must comply with new Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act. Among other things, Rule 18f-4 requires funds that invest in derivatives instruments beyond a specified limited amount to implement a value-at-risk based limit to their use of certain derivative instruments, maintain a comprehensive derivatives risk management program, and appoint a derivatives risk manager. A fund that limits its use of derivatives instruments is not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4 and qualifies as a “limited derivatives user.” This new regulatory framework eliminated and replaced the asset segregation and coverage framework established by prior SEC guidance and regulations. Rule 18f-4 also governs a fund's use of certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by the fund, such as short sale borrowings and reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, and certain transactions entered into on a when-issued, delayed-delivery or forward-commitment basis. The requirements of Rule 18f-4 may limit a fund's ability to engage in derivatives transactions and certain other transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements may also increase the cost of doing business, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

 

The Fund may utilize a variety of investment strategies to hedge various market risks (such as interest rates, currency exchange rates, and broad specific equity or fixed-income market movements). Such strategies are generally accepted as modern portfolio management and are regularly utilized by many mutual funds and institutional investors. Techniques and instruments may change over time as new instruments and strategies develop and regulatory changes occur.

 

In the course of pursuing these investment strategies, the Fund may purchase and sell exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on securities, fixed-income indices and other financial instruments, purchase and sell financial futures contracts and options thereon, enter into various interest rate transactions such as swaps, caps, floors or collars, and enter into various currency transactions such as currency forward contracts, currency futures contracts, currency swaps or options on currencies or currency futures (collectively, all the above are referred to as derivatives).

 

When conducted outside the United States, derivatives transactions may not be regulated as rigorously as they are in the United States, may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees, and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of such positions could also be adversely affected by: (1) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (2) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (3) delays in the Fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (4) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States, and (5) lower trading volume and liquidity.

 

Options on Securities and Securities Indices. A call option would entitle the Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities at a specified price during the option period. A put option would entitle the Fund, in return for the premium paid, to sell specified securities during the option period. The Fund may invest in both European-style or American-style options. A European-style option is only exercisable immediately prior to its expiration. American-style options are exercisable at any time prior to the expiration date of the option.

 

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

 

9

 

 

Effecting a closing transaction in a written call option will permit the Fund to write another call option on the underlying security with either a different exercise price, expiration date or both. Also, effecting a closing transaction will permit the cash or proceeds from the concurrent sale of any securities subject to the option to be used for other investments of the Fund. If the Fund desires to sell a particular security from its portfolio on which it has written a call option, it will effect a closing transaction prior to or concurrent with the sale of the security. The Fund will realize a gain from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is less than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are more than the premium paid to purchase the option. The Fund will realize a loss from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is more than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are less than the premium paid to purchase the option. However, because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security, any loss to the Fund resulting from the repurchase of a call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security owned by the Fund.

 

In addition to covered call options, the Fund may write uncovered (or “naked”) call options on securities, including ETFs, and indices. The Fund may cover call options on securities indices by owning securities whose price changes, in the opinion of the Adviser, are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index, or by having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account by its custodian) upon conversion or exchange of other securities in its portfolio. The Fund may also cover by segregating with the custodian liquid assets sufficient to purchase the underlying security or equal to the market value of the stock index option, marked to market daily. Where the Fund covers a call option on a securities index through ownership of securities, such securities may not match the composition of the index and, in that event, the Fund will not be fully covered and could be subject to risk of loss in the event of adverse changes in the value of the index. Segregated securities cannot be sold while the option strategy is outstanding, unless they are replaced with other suitable assets. As a result, there is a possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Fund’s assets could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

 

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

 

When the Fund sells an index call option, it does not deliver the underlying stocks or cash to the broker through whom the transaction is effected. In the case of an exchange-traded option, the Fund establishes an escrow account. The Custodian (or a securities depository acting for the Custodian) acts as the Fund’s escrow agent. The escrow agent enters into documents known as escrow receipts with respect to the stocks included in the Fund (or escrow receipts with respect to other acceptable securities). The escrow agent releases the stocks from the escrow account when the call option expires or the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction. Until such release, the underlying stocks cannot be sold by the Fund. The Fund may enter into similar collateral arrangements with the counterparty when it sells over-the-counter index call options. When the Fund sells an index call option, it is also required to “cover” the option pursuant to requirements enunciated by the staff of the SEC. The staff has indicated that a mutual fund may “cover” an index call option by (1) owning and holding for the term of the option a portfolio of stocks substantially replicating the movement of the index underlying the call option; (2) purchasing an American-style call option on the same index with an exercise price not greater than the exercise price of the written option; or (3) establishing and maintaining for the term of the option a segregated account consisting of cash, U.S. government securities or other high-grade debt securities, equal in value to the aggregate contract price of the call option (the current index value times the specific multiple). The Fund generally “covers” the index options it has sold by owning and holding stocks substantially replicating the movement of the applicable index. As an alternative method of “covering” the option, the Fund may purchase an appropriate offsetting option.

 

10

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Over-the-Counter Options. The Fund may engage in transactions involving over-the-counter options as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to over-the-counter options. The Fund may engage a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, but if the Fund purchased an over-the-counter option, it must then rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option if the option is exercised. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by the Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.

 

11

 

 

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

 

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

 

Stock Index Options. The Fund may invest in options on indices, including broad-based security indices. Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on other investments except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities. When a fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from the fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a specified multiple (“multiplier”), which determines the total dollar value for each point of such difference. When a fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights as to such call as are indicated above. When a fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon the fund’s exercise of the put, to deliver to the fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When a fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.

 

The risks of investment in options on indices may be greater than options on securities. Because index options are settled in cash, if a fund writes a call on an index it cannot provide in advance for its potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding the underlying index. A fund can offset some of the risk of writing a call index option by holding a diversified portfolio of securities or instruments similar to those on which the underlying index is based. However, a fund cannot, as a practical matter, acquire and hold a portfolio containing exactly the same securities or instruments as underlie the index and, as a result, bears a risk that the value of the securities or instruments held will vary from the value of the index.

 

12

 

 

Even if the Fund could assemble a portfolio that exactly reproduced the composition of the underlying index, it still would not be fully covered from a risk standpoint because of the “timing risk” inherent in writing index options. When an index option is exercised, the amount of cash that the holder is entitled to receive is determined by the difference between the exercise price and the closing index level on the date when the option is exercised. As with other kinds of options, a fund as the call writer will not learn of the assignment until the next business day at the earliest. The time lag between exercise and notice of assignment poses no risk for the writer of a covered call on a specific underlying security or instrument, such as common stock, because there the writer’s obligation is to deliver the underlying security or instrument, not to pay its value as of a fixed time in the past. So long as the writer already owns the underlying security or instrument, it can satisfy its settlement obligations by simply delivering it, and the risk that its value may have declined since the exercise date is borne by the exercising holder. In contrast, even if the writer of an index call holds investments that exactly match the composition of the underlying index, it will not be able to satisfy its assignment obligations by delivering those investments against payment of the exercise price. Instead, it will be required to pay cash in an amount based on the closing index value on the exercise date. By the time it learns that it has been assigned, the index may have declined, with a corresponding decline in the value of its portfolio. This “timing risk” is an inherent limitation on the ability of index call writers to cover their risk exposure by holding security or instrument positions.

If the Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the underlying index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.

 

Futures. The Fund may enter into financial futures contracts or purchase or sell put and call options on such futures as a hedge against anticipated interest rate or currency market changes and for risk management purposes. The use of futures for hedging is intended to protect the Fund from (1) the risk that the value of its portfolio of investments in a foreign market may decline before it can liquidate its interest, or (2) the risk that a foreign market in which it proposes to invest may have significant increases in value before it actually invests in that market. In the first instance, the Fund will sell a future based upon a broad market index which it is believed will move in a manner comparable to the overall value of securities in that market. In the second instance, the Fund will purchase the appropriate index as an “anticipatory” hedge until it can otherwise acquire suitable direct investments in that market. As with the hedging of foreign currencies, the precise matching of financial futures on foreign indices and the value of the cash or portfolio securities being hedged may not have a perfect correlation. The projection of future market movement and the movement of appropriate indices is difficult, and the successful execution of this short-term hedging strategy is uncertain.

 

Regulatory policies governing the use of such hedging techniques require the Fund to provide for the deposit of initial margin and the segregation of suitable assets to meet its obligations under futures contracts. Futures are generally bought and sold on the commodities exchanges where they are listed with payment of initial and variation margin as described below. The sale of a futures contract creates a firm obligation by the Fund, as seller, to deliver to the buyer the specific type of financial instrument called for in the contract at a specific future time for a specified price (or, with respect to index futures and Eurocurrency instruments, the net cash amount). Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities except that an option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right in return for the premium paid to assume a position in a futures contract and obligates the seller to deliver such position.

 

The Fund’s use of financial futures and options thereon will in all cases be consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, particularly the rules and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The Fund will use such techniques only for bona fide hedging, risk management (including duration management) or other portfolio management purposes. Typically, maintaining a futures contract or selling an option thereon requires the Fund to deposit an amount of cash or other specified assets (initial margin), which initially is typically 1% to 10% of the face amount of the contract (but may be higher in some circumstances) with a financial intermediary as security for its obligations. Additional cash or assets (variation margin) may be required to be deposited thereafter on a daily basis as the mark to market value of the contract fluctuates. The purchase of an option on financial futures involves payment of a premium for the option without any further obligation on the part of the Fund. If the Fund exercises an option on a futures contract, it will be obligated to post initial margin (and potential subsequent variation margin) for the resulting futures position. Futures contracts and options thereon are generally settled by entering into an offsetting transaction, but there can be no assurance that the position can be offset prior to settlement at an advantage price or that delivery will occur.

 

13

 

 

CFTC Exemption. This Fund is being operated by an investment adviser that has claimed an exemption from registration with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore the investment adviser is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under that Act. This claim of exemption from registration as a commodity pool operator is pursuant to Rule 4.5 promulgated under the Commodity Exchange Act. Specifically, in accordance with the requirements of Rule 4.5(b)(1), the Fund will limit its use of commodity futures contracts and commodity options contracts to no more than (i) five percent (5%) of the Fund’s liquidation value being committed as aggregate initial premium or margin for such contracts or (ii) one hundred percent (100%) of the Fund’s liquidation value in aggregate net notional value of commodity futures, commodity options and swaps positions.

 

Segregated and Other Special Accounts. In addition to other requirements, many transactions require the Fund to segregate liquid high-grade assets with its custodian to the extent Fund obligations are not otherwise “covered” through the ownership of the underlying security, financial instruments or currency. In general, either the full amount of any obligation by the Fund to pay or deliver securities or assets must be covered at all times by the securities, instruments or currency required to be delivered, or, subject to any regulatory restrictions, an amount of cash or liquid high grade securities at least equal to the current amount of the obligation must be segregated with the custodian. The segregated assets cannot be sold or transferred unless equivalent assets are substituted in their place or it is no longer necessary to segregate them. For example, a call option written by the Fund will require the Fund to hold the securities subject to the call (or securities convertible into the needed securities without additional consideration) or to segregate liquid high grade securities sufficient to purchase and deliver the securities if the call is exercised. A call option sold by the Fund on an index will require the Fund to own portfolio securities which correlate with the index or segregate liquid high grade assets equal to the excess of the index value over the exercise price industry or other on a current basis. A put option written by the Fund requires the Fund to segregate liquid, high grade assets equal to the exercise price. A currency contract which obligates the Fund to buy or sell currency will generally require the Fund to hold an amount of that currency or liquid securities denominated in that currency equal to the Fund’s obligations or to segregate liquid high grade assets equal to the amount of the Fund’s obligation.

 

OTC options entered into by the Fund, including those on securities, currency, financial instruments or indices and OCC issued and exchange-listed index options will generally provide for cash settlement. As a result, when the Fund sells these instruments it will only segregate an amount of assets equal to the notional value, as there is no requirement for payment or delivery of amounts in excess of the net amount. These amounts will equal 100% of the exercise price in the case of a non cash-settled put, the same as an OCC guaranteed listed option sold by the Fund, or in-the-money amount plus any sell-back formula amount in the case of a cash-settled put or call. In addition, when the Fund sells a call option on an index at a time when the in-the-money amount exceeds the exercise price, the Fund will segregate, until the option expires or is closed out, cash or cash equivalents equal in value to the notional amount. OCC issued and exchange-listed options sold by the Fund generally settle with physical delivery, and the Fund will segregate an amount of liquid assets equal to the full value of the option. OTC options settling with physical delivery, or with an election of either physical delivery or cash settlement will be treated the same as other options settling with physical delivery.

 

In the case of a futures contract or an option thereon, the Fund must deposit initial margin and possible daily variation margin in addition to segregating sufficient liquid assets. Such assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents, liquid debt securities or other liquid assets.

 

14

 

 

Derivatives transactions may be covered by other means when consistent with applicable regulatory policies. The Fund may also enter into offsetting transactions so that its combined position, coupled with any segregated assets, equals its net outstanding obligation in related options and derivatives transactions. For example, the Fund could purchase a put option if the strike price of that option is the same or higher than the strike price of a put option sold by the Fund. Moreover, instead of segregating assets, if the Fund holds a futures or forward contract, it could purchase a put option on the same futures or forward contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held. Other derivatives transactions may also be offered in combinations.

 

If the offsetting transaction terminates at the time of or after the primary transaction, no segregation is required, but if it terminates prior to such time, liquid assets equal to any remaining obligation would need to be segregated.

 

The Fund’s activities involving derivatives transactions may be limited by the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code for qualification as a regulated investment company.

 

REITs. The Fund may invest in REITs. REITs may be subject to certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including declines in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, and variations in rental income. Generally, increases in interest rates will decrease the value of high yielding securities and increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could decrease the value of the REITs held in the Fund’s portfolio. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for the tax-free pass-through of income under the Code and to maintain their exemption from registration under Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Initial Public Offerings (“IPOs”). The Fund may invest in IPOs. IPOs occur when a firm offers its securities to the public. Although companies can be any age or size at the time of their IPO, they are often smaller and have a limited operating history, which involves a greater potential for the value of their securities to be impaired following the IPO.

 

Investors in IPOs can be adversely affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders. In addition, all of the factors that affect stock market performance may have a greater impact on the shares of IPO companies.

 

The price of a company’s securities may be highly unstable at the time of its IPO and for a period thereafter due to market psychology prevailing at the time of the IPO, the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available and limited availability of investor information. As a result of this or other factors, the Fund’s Adviser might decide to sell an IPO security more quickly than it would otherwise, which may result in a significant gain or loss and greater transaction costs to the Fund. Any gains from shares held for 12 months or less will be treated as short-term gains, taxable as ordinary income to the Fund’s shareholders. In addition, IPO securities may be subject to varying patterns of trading volume and may, at times, be difficult to sell without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices.

 

The effect of an IPO investment can have a magnified impact on the Fund’s performance when the Fund’s asset base is small. Consequently, IPOs may constitute a significant portion of the Fund’s returns particularly when the Fund is small.  Since the number of securities issued in an IPO is limited, it is likely that IPO securities will represent a smaller component of the Fund’s assets as it increases in size and therefore have a more limited effect on the Fund’s performance.

 

15

 

 

There can be no assurance that IPOs will continue to be available for the Fund to purchase. The number or quality of IPOs available for purchase by the Fund may vary, decrease or entirely disappear. In some cases, the Fund may not be able to purchase IPOs at the offering price, but may have to purchase the shares in the aftermarket at a price greatly exceeding the offering price, making it more difficult for the Fund to realize a profit.

 

Debt Securities. Debt securities are used by issuers to borrow money. Generally, issuers pay investors periodic interest and repay the amount borrowed either periodically during the life of the security and/or at maturity. Some debt securities, such as zero coupon bonds, do not pay current interest, but are purchased at a discount from their face values and accrue interest at the applicable coupon rate over a specified time period. The market prices of debt securities fluctuate depending on such factors as interest rates, credit quality and maturity. In general, market prices of debt securities decline when interest rates rise and increase when interest rates fall.

 

Lower rated debt securities, those rated Ba or below by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. (“Moodys”) and/or BB or below by Standard & Poor’s Rating Group (“S&P”) or unrated but determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality, are described by the rating agencies as speculative and involve greater risk of default or price changes than higher rated debt securities due to changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness or the fact that the issuer may already be in default. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than higher quality securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty. It may be more difficult to sell or to determine the value of lower rated debt securities.

 

Certain additional risk factors related to debt securities are discussed below:

 

Sensitivity to interest rate and economic changes. Debt securities may be sensitive to economic changes, political and corporate developments, and interest rate changes. In addition, during an economic downturn or periods of rising interest rates, issuers that are highly leveraged may experience increased financial stress that could adversely affect their ability to meet projected business goals, obtain additional financing, and service their principal and interest payment obligations. Furthermore, periods of economic change and uncertainty can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices and yields of certain debt securities. For example, prices of these securities can be affected by financial contracts held by the issuer or third parties (such as derivatives) related to the security or other assets or indices.

 

Payment expectations. Debt securities may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercises these provisions in a lower interest rate environment, the Fund would have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in decreased income to investors. If the issuer of a debt security defaults on its obligations to pay interest or principal or is the subject of bankruptcy proceedings, the Fund may incur losses or expenses in seeking recovery of amounts owed to it.

 

Liquidity and valuation. There may be limited trading in the secondary market for particular debt securities, which may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to accurately value or sell such debt securities. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the value and/or liquidity of debt securities. The Adviser attempts to reduce the risks described above through diversification of the Fund’s portfolio, credit analysis of each issuer, and by monitoring broad economic trends as well as corporate and legislative developments, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so. Credit ratings of debt securities provided by rating agencies indicate a measure of the safety of principal and interest payments, not market value risk. The rating of an issuer is a rating agency’s view of past and future potential developments related to the issuer and may not necessarily reflect actual outcomes. There can be a lag between corporate developments and the time a rating is assigned and updated.

 

16

 

 

Changing Fixed Income Market Conditions.  Policy changes at the Federal Reserve may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, which could cause the value of the Fund’s investments and share price to decline. Because the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed income markets it may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in derivatives. To the extent the Fund experiences high redemptions because of these policy changes, the Fund may experience increased portfolio turnover, which will increase the costs that the Fund incurs and may lower the Fund’s performance. The liquidity levels of the Fund’s portfolio may also be affected.  In addition, decreases in fixed income dealer market-making capacity may persist in the future, potentially leading to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets.

 

Bond rating agencies may assign modifiers (such as +/–) to ratings categories to signify the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Investment policies that are based on ratings categories should be read to include any security within that category, without considering the modifier. Please refer to Appendix A for more information about credit ratings.

 

Lower-Rated Debt Securities. The Fund may invest in lower-rated fixed-income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”). Junk bonds are considered speculative investments. The lower ratings reflect a greater possibility that adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer or in general economic conditions, or both, or an unanticipated rise in interest rates, may impair the ability of the issuer to make payments of interest and principal. The inability (or perceived inability) of issuers to make timely payment of interest and principal would likely make the values of securities held by the Fund more volatile and could limit the Fund’s ability to sell its securities at prices approximating the values the Fund had placed on such securities. In the absence of a liquid trading market for securities held by it, the Fund at times may be unable to establish the fair value of such securities. Securities ratings are based largely on the issuer’s historical financial condition and the rating agencies’ analysis at the time of rating. Consequently, the rating assigned to any particular security is not necessarily a reflection of the issuer’s current financial condition, which may be better or worse than the rating would indicate. In addition, the rating assigned to a security by Moody’s or S&P (or by any other nationally recognized securities rating agency) does not reflect an assessment of the volatility of the security’s market value or the liquidity of an investment in the security.

 

Like those of other fixed-income securities, the values of lower-rated securities fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates. A decrease in interest rates will generally result in an increase in the value of the Fund’s fixed-income assets. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of the Fund’s fixed-income assets will generally decline. The values of lower-rated securities may often be affected to a greater extent by changes in general economic conditions and business conditions affecting the issuers of such securities and their industries. Negative publicity or investor perceptions may also adversely affect the values of lower-rated securities. Changes by nationally recognized securities rating agencies in their ratings of any fixed-income security and changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal may also affect the value of these investments. Changes in the value of portfolio securities generally will not affect income derived from these securities, but will affect the Fund’s net asset value. The Fund will not necessarily dispose of a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. However, the Adviser will monitor the investment to determine whether its retention will assist in meeting the Fund’s investment objective. Issuers of lower-rated securities are often highly leveraged, so that their ability to service their debt obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. Such issuers may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them and may be unable to repay outstanding obligations at maturity by refinancing.

 

17

 

 

The risk of loss due to default in payment of interest or repayment of principal by such issuers is significantly greater because such securities frequently are unsecured and subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. It is possible that, under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the Fund could find it more difficult to sell these securities when the Adviser believes it advisable to do so or may be able to sell the securities only at prices lower than if they were more widely held. Under these circumstances, it may also be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the Fund’s net asset value. In order to enforce its rights in the event of a default, the Fund may be required to participate in various legal proceedings or take possession of and manage assets securing the issuer¹s obligations on such securities. This could increase the Fund’s operating expenses and adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value. The ability of a holder of a tax-exempt security to enforce the terms of that security in a bankruptcy proceeding may be more limited than would be the case with respect to securities of private issuers. In addition, the Fund’s intention to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the Internal Revenue Code may limit the extent to which the fund may exercise its rights by taking possession of such assets. To the extent the Fund invests in securities in the lower rating categories, the achievement of the Fund’s investment objective is more dependent on the Adviser’s investment analysis than would be the case if the Fund were investing in securities in the higher rating categories.

 

Sovereign Debt Obligations. The Fund may invest in sovereign debt obligations, which are securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments, governmental agencies or instrumentalities and political subdivisions, including debt of emerging markets nations or other developing countries. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other types of debt instruments such as loans or loan participations. Sovereign debt of developing countries may involve a high degree of risk, and may be in default or present the risk of default. Governmental entities responsible for repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal and pay interest when due, and may require renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments. In addition, prospects for repayment of principal and payment of interest may depend on political as well as economic factors. Although some sovereign debt, such as Brady Bonds, is collateralized by U.S. Government securities, repayment of principal and payment of interest is not guaranteed by the U.S. Government. There is no bankruptcy proceeding by which sovereign debt on which governmental entities have defaulted may be collected in whole or in part.

 

Illiquid and Restricted Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. For this purpose, the term “illiquid securities” means securities that the holder reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the security.  Illiquid securities include generally, among other things (i) securities for which there is no readily available market; (ii) securities in which the disposition would be subject to legal restrictions (so called “restricted securities”); and (iii) repurchase agreements having more than seven days to maturity. However, the Fund will not acquire illiquid securities if, as a result, such securities would comprise more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. The Board or its delegate has the ultimate authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities laws, which securities are liquid or illiquid for purposes of this 15% limitation. The Board has delegated to the Adviser the day-to-day determination of the illiquidity of any security held by the Fund, although it has retained oversight and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. Although no definitive liquidity criteria are used, the Board has directed the Adviser to consider to such factors as (a) frequency of trading and availability of quotations; (b) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security and the availability of buyers; (c) the willingness of dealers to be market makers in the security; and (d) the nature of trading activity including (i) the time needed to dispose of a position or part of a position and (ii) offer and solicitation methods. A considerable period of time may elapse between the Fund’s decision to sell such securities and the time when the Fund is able to sell them, during which time the value of the securities could decline. Illiquid securities will usually be priced at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or its delegate. If, through the appreciation of illiquid securities or the depreciation of liquid securities, more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets is invested in illiquid securities, including restricted securities which are not readily marketable, the Fund will take such steps as is deemed advisable, if any, to protect liquidity.

 

18

 

 

Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell. Restricted securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act that have a readily available market usually are not deemed illiquid for purposes of this limitation by the Fund. However, investing in Rule 144A securities could result in increasing the level of the Fund’s illiquidity if qualified institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing these securities.

 

OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, POLICIES AND RISKS

 

Temporary Investments. The Fund may take temporary defensive measures that are inconsistent with the Fund’s normal fundamental or non-fundamental investment policies and strategies in response to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions as determined by the Adviser. Such measures could include, but are not limited to, investments in (1) highly liquid short-term fixed income securities issued by or on behalf of municipal or corporate issuers, obligations of the U.S. Government and its agencies, commercial paper, and bank certificates of deposit; (2) repurchase agreements involving any such securities; and (3) other money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in shares of money market mutual funds to the extent permitted under applicable law. Money market mutual funds are investment companies, and the investments in those companies by the Fund are in some cases subject to certain fundamental investment restrictions. As a shareholder in a mutual fund, the Fund will bear its ratable shares of its expenses, including management fees, and will remain subject to payment of the fees to the Adviser, with respect to assets so invested. The Fund may not achieve its investment objectives during temporary defensive periods.

 

Cash Defensive Position. When deemed appropriate by the Adviser for short term defensive purposes, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in cash and equivalents including government obligations in the local currency of any developed country including the United States, commercial paper and certificates of deposit.

 

Short-Term Investments. The Fund may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:

 

Bank Certificates of Deposit, Bankers’ Acceptances and Time Deposits. The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits in U.S. Dollar or foreign currencies, subject to the Adviser’s review of the issuing institution’s credit risk and overall financial condition. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against monies deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. If the Fund holds instruments of foreign banks or financial institutions, it may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred if the Fund invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. See “Foreign Securities” above. Such risks include future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes by the particular country in which the issuer is located, the possible confiscation or nationalization of foreign deposits, the possible establishment of exchange controls, or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which may adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on these securities.

 

Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans that may be made and interest rates that may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of funds and the interest income generated from lending operations. General economic conditions, government policy (including emergency measures) and the quality of loan portfolios affect the banking industry.

 

19

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations, i.e., credit risk. The Adviser may actively expose the Fund to credit risk. However, there can be no guarantee that the Adviser will be successful in making the right selections and thus fully mitigate the impact of credit risk changes on the Fund.

 

Government Obligations. The Fund may invest in short-term U.S. Government obligations. Such obligations include Treasury bills, certificates of indebtedness, notes and bonds. U.S. Government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government securities, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis. U.S. Government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises.

 

Payment of principal and interest on U.S. Government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself. In the latter case, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, which agency or instrumentality may be privately owned. There can be no assurance that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities, including government-sponsored enterprises, where it is not obligated to do so. In addition, U.S. Government obligations are subject to fluctuations in market value due to fluctuations in market interest rates. As a general matter, the value of debt instruments, including U.S. Government obligations, declines when market interest rates increase and rises when market interest rates decrease. Certain types of U.S. Government obligations are subject to fluctuations in yield or value due to their structure or contract terms.

 

Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio securities. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund acquires securities from financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers deemed to be creditworthy by the Adviser, subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase and the Fund’s agreement to resell such securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price. The Adviser monitors the value of the collateral to ensure that its value always equals or exceeds the repurchase price and also monitors the financial condition of the seller of the repurchase agreement. The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted, and annually reviews, the Adviser’s compliance with procedures designed to ensure that the repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund are fully collateralized. The repurchase agreements will be fully collateralized as appropriate in conformity with Rule 5b-3 under the 1940 Act. The Fund may engage in repurchase agreement transactions to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

 

20

 

 

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

 

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

 

Cyber Security Risks. The Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting the Fund or the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of shareholders transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset values, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risks management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value.

 

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

 

Fundamental. The investment limitations described below have been adopted by the Trust with respect to the Fund and are fundamental (“Fundamental”), i.e., they may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As used in the Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information, the term “majority” of the outstanding shares of the Fund means the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented at such meeting; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Other investment practices which may be changed by the Board of Trustees without the approval of shareholders to the extent permitted by applicable law, regulation or regulatory policy are considered non-fundamental (“Non-Fundamental”).

 

21

 

 

The Fund:

 

1.May not borrow money except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time.

 

2.May not issue any senior securities to others, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time.

 

3.May not underwrite securities issued by others except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under the federal securities laws, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities.

 

4.May not invest more than 25% of the value of its net assets in any one industry or group of industries (except that securities of the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities are not subject to these limitations).

 

5.May not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.

 

6.May not make loans to others, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.

 

7.May invest in commodities only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.

 

8.Shall be a “diversified company” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, as interpreted or modified by regulatory authorities from time to time.

 

Except with respect to borrowing and circumstances where the Fund is required to “cover” its positions, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation. With respect to borrowing, the Fund may borrow for investment purposes and for other purposes permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage of 300% with respect to permitted borrowings and to sell (within three days) sufficient portfolio holdings to restore such coverage if it should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or otherwise, even if such liquidation of the Fund’s holdings may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint.  The 1940 Act also permits the Fund to borrow for temporary purposes only in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets at the time when the loan is made. A loan shall be presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed. To the extent outstanding borrowings of the Fund exceed 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund, the Fund will not make additional purchases of securities – the foregoing shall not be construed to prevent the Fund from settling portfolio transactions or satisfying shareholder redemptions orders. The SEC has indicated, however, that certain types of transactions, which could be deemed “borrowings” (such as firm commitment agreements and reverse repurchase agreements), are permissible if the Fund “covers” the agreements by establishing and maintaining segregated accounts.

 

Currently, with respect to senior securities, the 1940 Act and regulatory interpretations of relevant provisions of the 1940 Act establish the following general limits, subject to modification to conform to the 1940 Act as interpreted or modified from time to time: Open-end registered investment companies such as the Fund are not permitted to issue any class of senior security or to sell any senior security of which they are the issuers. The Trust is, however, permitted to issue separate series of shares (the Fund is a series of the Trust) and to divide those series into separate classes. The Fund has no intention of issuing senior securities, except that the Trust has issued its shares in separate series and may divide those series into classes of shares. Collateral arrangements with respect to forward contracts, futures contracts or options, including deposits of initial and variation margin, are not considered to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of this restriction.

 

22

 

  

INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

OTG Asset Management, Ltd. (formerly, MSC Capital, Ltd.), a Cayman Islands Limited Company with its principal office and place of business in Montenegro Torre Infrabol Piso 6, La Paz, Bolivia, acts as investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser changed its name in connection with a change in control of its parent, MSC Group, S.A., and serves as the Fund’s investment adviser pursuant to a new Investment Advisory Agreement approved by Fund shareholders (the “Advisory Agreement”). Subject to such policies as the Board of Trustees may determine, the Adviser is ultimately responsible for investment decisions for the Fund. Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides the Fund with such investment advice and supervision, as it deems necessary for the proper supervision of the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also continuously monitors and maintains the Fund’s investment criteria and determines what securities may be purchased by the Fund. The Adviser is owned by MSC Group, S.A. MSC Group, S.A. is controlled by Reinhart Palma with 90% ownership of MSC Group, S.A.

 

The Advisory Agreement will remain in effect for an initial two-year period. After the initial two-year period, the Advisory Agreement continues in effect from year to year only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Advisory Agreement. The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund, upon giving the Adviser 60 days’ notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Board, or by the Adviser on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser under such agreement shall not be liable for any error of judgment or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the Advisory Agreement, except for a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty, or for a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard by the Adviser of its duties under the Advisory Agreement.

 

For its services, the Adviser will receive an annual investment management fee of 1.10% of the daily net assets of the Fund (and deducted proportionately from each class of Fund shares). The fee payable pursuant to the Advisory Agreement is calculated and accrued daily, and, subject to the provisions of an applicable expense limitation agreement, paid monthly. The Adviser received the following fees for investment advisory services to the Fund for the periods below:

 

Period Ended
March 31
Gross
Advisory Fee

 

Waiver

Expenses
Reimbursed
Net Advisory
Fee
2022 $180,015 ($127,803) $0 $52,212
2021 $148,832 ($116,742) $0 $32,090
2020 $108,481 ($108,481) $18,472 $0

 

The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses (all of which will be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund’s shareholders), including among others, legal fees and expenses of counsel to the Fund and the Fund’s independent trustees; insurance (including trustees’ and officers’ errors and omissions insurance); auditing and accounting expenses; taxes and governmental fees; listing fees; dues and expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; fees and expenses of the Fund’s custodians, administrators, transfer agents, registrars and other service providers; expenses for portfolio pricing services by a pricing agent, if any; other expenses in connection with the issuance and offering of shares; expenses relating to investor and public relations; expenses of registering or qualifying securities of the Fund for public sale; brokerage commissions and other costs of acquiring or disposing of any portfolio holding of the Fund; expenses of preparation and distribution of reports, notices and dividends to shareholders; expenses of the dividend reinvestment plan; compensation and expenses of trustees; any litigation expenses; and costs of shareholders’ and other meetings.

 

23

 

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or to pay for operating expenses of the Fund to ensure that the total annual fund operating expenses (exclusive of interest, distribution fees pursuant to Rule 12b-1 Plans, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, dividend expenses on short sales, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business) do not exceed 1.70% of the average daily net assets of the Fund until July 31, 2024, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. The Trust and the Adviser may terminate this expense limitation agreement prior to July 31, 2024 only by mutual written consent.

 

Each waiver or reimbursement of an expense by the Adviser is subject to repayment by the Fund within the three years following the date such waiver and/or reimbursement was made, provided that the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver or reimbursement and at the time the waiver or reimbursement is recouped.

 

The Adviser retains the right to use the name “OTG Asset Management” or any derivative thereof in connection with another investment company or business enterprise with which the Adviser is or may become associated. The Trust’s right to use the name “MSC Capital” or any derivative thereof automatically ceases ninety days after termination of the Advisory Agreement and may be withdrawn by the Adviser on ninety days written notice. The services furnished by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement are not exclusive, and the Adviser is free to perform similar services for others.

 

The Adviser may make payments to banks or other financial institutions that provide shareholder services and administer shareholder accounts. If a bank or other financial institution were prohibited from continuing to perform all or a part of such services, management of the Fund believes that there would be no material impact on the Fund or its shareholders. Financial institutions may charge their customers fees for offering these services to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory authorities, and the overall return to those shareholders availing themselves of the financial institution’s services will be lower than to those shareholders who do not. The Fund may from time to time purchase securities issued by financial institutions that provide such services; however, in selecting investments for the Fund, no preference will be shown for such securities.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

 

Mauricio Alvarez has served as the Portfolio Manager for the Fund since its inception on May 8, 2019, and he continues to serve as the Portfolio Manager of the Fund in his role with OTG Asset Management, Ltd. Mr. Alvarez has 15 years of investment experience. Mr. Alvarez is the Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser. Mr. Alvarez was the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Mercantil Santa Cruz Agencia de Bolsa, an asset manager and broker dealer subsidiary of Banco Mercantil Santa Cruz S.A., a Bolivian bank. From 2005 to 2009 Mr. Alvarez served as an Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager for Mid America Bank (which was acquired by National City Corporation, which was later acquired by PNC Bank), where he focused on training, business development, customer service and management. From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Alvarez worked for Nacional de Valores, the investment firm of Banco Nacional de Bolivia, where he was in charge of the strategies, decisions and trades for its investment advisor and broker dealer. Mr. Alvarez began his career in 1999 as an investment officer and working for the broker dealer for Credibolsa Investments, a subsidiary in Bolivia of Credicorp Group of Peru.

 

24

 

 

Mr. Alvarez has a degree in economics from the Bolivian Catholic University and a Specialization in market analysis and portfolio management from the Instituto de Estudios Bursatiles in Madrid, Spain.

 

As of March 31, 2022, information on other accounts managed by Mr. Alvarez is as follows:

 

Portfolio Manager

Other

Registered

Investment

Company

Accounts

Assets

Managed

($ millions)

Other Pooled

Investment

Vehicle

Accounts

Assets

Managed

($ millions)

Other

Accounts

Assets

Managed

($ millions)

Total

Assets

Managed

($ millions)

Mauricio Alvarez 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 $0

 

Compensation. The Portfolio Manager is compensated by the Adviser. He receives a fixed base salary, and his compensation is not based on the profitability of a single client or strategy.

 

Securities Owned in the Fund by the Portfolio Manager. As of March 31, 2022, the Portfolio Manager did not own any shares in the Fund.

 

SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent. Pursuant to a Fund Services Agreement, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. (“CFS” or the “Administrator”) 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 serves as the Fund’s administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent.

 

In its capacity as administrator, CFS supervises all aspects of the operations of the Fund except those performed by the Adviser. CFS will provide certain administrative services and facilities for the Fund, including preparing and maintaining certain books, records, and monitoring compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements. CFS, as administrative agent for the Fund, will provide shareholder, recordkeeping, administrative and blue-sky filing services.

 

As transfer agent, CFS provides certain shareholder and other services to the Fund, including furnishing account and transaction information and maintaining shareholder account records. CFS will be responsible for processing orders and payments for share purchases. CFS will mail proxy materials (and receive and tabulate proxies), shareholder reports, confirmation forms for purchases and redemptions and prospectuses to shareholders. CFS will disburse income dividends and capital distributions and prepare and file appropriate tax-related information concerning dividends and distributions to shareholders.

 

CFS also provides accounting services to the Fund. CFS will be responsible for accounting relating to the Fund and its investment transactions; maintaining certain books and records of the Fund; determining daily the net asset value per share of the Fund; and preparing security position, transaction and cash position reports. CFS also monitors periodic distributions of gains or losses on portfolio sales and maintains a daily listing of portfolio holdings. CFS is responsible for providing expenses accrued and payment reporting services, tax-related financial information to the Trust, and for monitoring compliance with the regulatory requirements relating to maintaining accounting records.

 

CFS receives, for administrative and accounting services, an asset-based fee computed daily and paid monthly on the average daily net assets of the Fund, subject to minimum fees plus out-of-pocket expenses. CFS receives, for transfer agency services, per account fees paid monthly, subject to a minimum fee plus out-of-pocket expenses.

 

25

 

 

The following table provides information regarding transfer agent, accounting and administrative services fees paid by the Fund:

 

Fiscal Period Ended
March 31
Fees Paid for Transfer
Agent Services
Fees Paid for
Accounting Services
Fees Paid for
Administrative Services
2022 $14,965 $16,250 $43,072
2021 $15,927 -* $28,542
2020 $16,226 -* $31,232

 

*Fund accounting services were provided by UMB Fund Services, Inc. (“UMB”) prior to August 30, 2021. The Fund paid UMB $46,900 for accounting services for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2020, $48,234 for the fiscal year ended August 29, 2021, and $15,794 for the period April 1, 2021 through July 31, 2021.

 

Custodian. UMB Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”), 928 Grand Blvd., 5th Floor, Kansas City, Missouri 64106, serves as the custodian of the Fund’s assets. The Custodian has entered into a foreign sub-custody arrangement with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., as the approved foreign custody manager (the Delegate) to perform certain functions with respect to the custody of the Fund’s assets outside of the United States of America. The Delegate shall place and maintain the Fund’s assets with an eligible foreign custodian; provided that, the Delegate shall be required to determine that the Fund’s assets will be subject to reasonable care based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market.

 

Accounting Services. Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. (“CFS”), 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235, acts as the accounting services agent of the Fund. As such, CFS maintains and keeps current the books, accounts, records, journals or other records of original entry relating to the Fund’s business. Prior to August 30, 2021 accounting services were provided by UMB Fund Services, Inc.

 

Principal Underwriter. Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”), located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine, 04101, serves as the principal underwriter and national distributor for the shares of the Fund pursuant to a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”). The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

 

Foreside is registered as a broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The offering of the Fund’s shares is continuous. The Distributor is entitled to a portion of the front-end sales charge on the sale of Class A Shares as described in the prospectus and this SAI. The Distributor is also entitled to the payment of deferred sales charges upon the redemption of Fund shares as described in the applicable prospectus and this SAI. In addition, the Distributor may receive Distribution 12b-1 and Service Fees from the Fund, as described in the applicable prospectus and this SAI. In addition, the Distributor may receive Distribution 12b-1 and Service Fees from the Fund, as described in the applicable prospectus and this SAI. For its underwriting services, the Distributor may receive compensation from the Fund’s Rule 12b-1 plan to the extent that such plan generates sufficient fees to compensate for these services; otherwise, the Adviser is responsible for payment for such underwriting services.

 

Legal Counsel. Practus, LLP, 11300 Tomahawk Creek Parkway, Suite 310, Leawood, Kansas 66211, serves as legal counsel to the Trust and the Fund.

 

26

 

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Tait, Weller & Baker, LLP, 50 South 16th Street, Suite 2900, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19102, is the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund. Its services include auditing the Fund’s financial statements and the performance of related tax services.

 

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST

 

Trustees and Officers. The Trust is governed by the Board, which is responsible for protecting the interests of shareholders. The trustees are experienced businesspersons who meet throughout the year to oversee the Trust’s activities, review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to the Fund and review performance. The names, addresses, and ages of the trustees and officers of the Trust, together with information as to their principal occupations during the past five years, are listed below.

 

Each Trustee was nominated to serve on the Board of Trustees based on their particular experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills. Generally, the Trust believes that each Trustee is competent to serve because of their individual overall merits including: (i) experience; (ii) qualifications; (iii) attributes; and (iv) skills. Mr. David J. Urban has been a Professor of Education since 1989. His strategic planning, organizational and leadership skills help the Board set long-term goals. Ms. Mary Lou H. Ivey has over 25 years of business experience as a practicing tax accountant and, as such, brings tax, budgeting and financial reporting skills to the Board. Mr. Theo H. Pitt has experience as an investor, including his role as trustee of several other investment companies and business experience as Senior Partner of a financial consulting company, as a partner of a real estate partnership and as an Account Administrator for a money management firm. The Trust does not believe any one factor is determinative in assessing a Trustee’s qualifications, but that the collective experience of each Trustee makes them each highly qualified.

 

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees is Ms. Ivey, who is not an “interested person” of the Trust, within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Trust also has an independent Audit Committee that allows the Board to access the expertise necessary of oversee the Trust, identify risks, recognize shareholder concerns and needs and highlight opportunities. The Audit Committee is able to focus Board time and attention to matters of interest to shareholders and, through its private sessions with the Trust’s auditor, Chief Compliance Officer and legal counsel, stay fully informed regarding management decisions.

 

Mutual funds face a number of risks, including investment risk, compliance risk and valuation risk. The Board oversees management of the Fund’s risks directly and through its officers. While day-to-day risk management responsibilities rest with the each Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, investment advisers and other service providers, the Board monitors and tracks risk by: (1) receiving and reviewing quarterly reports related to the performance and operations of the Fund; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust, including the Trust’s valuation policies and transaction procedures; (3) periodically meeting with the portfolio manager to review investment strategies, techniques and related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the Fund’s investment advisers, administrator, distributor, transfer agent and the independent registered public accounting firm, to discuss the activities of the Fund; (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund to monitor and test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers; (6) receiving and reviewing reports from the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm regarding the Fund’s financial condition and the Trust’s internal controls; and (7) receiving and reviewing an annual written report prepared by the Chief Compliance Officer reviewing the adequacy of the Trust’s compliance policies and procedures and the effectiveness of their implementation. The Board has concluded that its general oversight of the investment advisers and other service providers as implemented through the reporting and monitoring process outlined above allows the Board to effectively administer its risk oversight function.

 

27

 

 

Following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Trust and their principal occupation over the last five years. The mailing address of each Trustee and officer is 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond Virginia, 23235, unless otherwise indicated.

 

NON-INTERESTED TRUSTEES

 

NAME, AGE AND
POSITION WITH
THE TRUST
TERM OF
OFFICE
AND LENGTH
OF TIME
SERVED

PRINCIPAL
OCCUPATION(S)
DURING THE PAST
FIVE YEARS

NUMBER OF
FUNDS IN FUND
COMPLEX
OVERSEEN BY
TRUSTEE

OTHER
DIRECTORSHIPS

HELD BY
TRUSTEE
DURING THE
PAST 5 YEARS

David J. Urban

(67)

Trustee

Indefinite, Since
June 2010

Dean, Jones College of Business, Middle Tennessee State University since July 2013.

 

20 ETF Opportunities Trust for the thirteen series of that Trust (registered investment Company)

Mary Lou H. Ivey

(64)

Trustee

 

Indefinite, Since
June 2010

Senior Vice President, Episcopal Church Building Fund (national nonprofit organization), since January 2022. Accountant, Harris, Hardy & Johnstone, P.C., (accounting firm), 2008-2021.

 

20 ETF Opportunities Trust for the thirteen series of that Trust (registered investment Company)

Theo H. Pitt, Jr.

(86)

Trustee

 

Indefinite; Since August 2013 Senior Partner, Community Financial Institutions Consulting (bank consulting) since 1997 to present. 20

Independent Trustee of Chesapeake Investment Trust for the one series of that trust; Chairman of Hillman Capital Management Investment Trust; Starboard Investment Trust for the fourteen series of that trust; and ETF Opportunities Trust for the thirteen series of that trust (all registered investment companies).

 

 

28

 

 

OFFICERS WHO ARE NOT TRUSTEES

 

NAME, AGE AND
POSITION(S) WITH THE TRUST
TERM OF OFFICE AND
LENGTH OF TIME SERVED

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING
THE PAST FIVE YEARS

David A. Bogaert

(58)

President

Indefinite, Since August 2017

Managing Director of Business Development, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., (fund administration and transfer agency) October 2013 to present.

 

Karen M. Shupe

(58)

Treasurer and Principal Executive Officer

 

Indefinite, Since June 2008 Managing Director of Fund Operations, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 2003 to present.

Ann T. MacDonald

(67)

Assistant Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer

 

Indefinite, Since November 2015

Managing Director, Fund Accounting and Administration, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 2003 to present.

 

John H. Lively

(53)

Secretary

Indefinite, Since November 2013

Attorney, Practus, LLP (law firm), May 2018 to present; Attorney, The Law Offices of John H. Lively & Associates, Inc. (law firm), March 2010 to May 2018.

 

Holly B. Giangiulio

(60)

Assistant Secretary

Indefinite, Since November 2015

Managing Director, Corporate Operations, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., January 2015 to present.

 

J. Stephen King

(59)

Assistant Secretary

 

Indefinite, Since August 2022 Attorney, Practus, LLP (law firm), 2020 to present; The TCW Group, Inc. (investment management firm), 2017 to 2020.

Gino E. Malaspina

(54)

Assistant Secretary

Indefinite, Since August 2022

Counsel, Practus, LLP (law firm), since August 2022; Vice President and Senior Counsel, State Street Corporation, October 2019 to July 2022; Senior Counsel, Apex Fund Services (formerly, Atlantic Fund Services), June 2014 to October 2019.

 

Laura B. Wright

(50)

Assistant Secretary

 

Indefinite, Since May 2022 Fund Administrator, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 2016 to present.

Julian G. Winters

(53)

Chief Compliance Officer

 

Indefinite, Since August 2013 Managing Member of Watermark Solutions, LLC (investment compliance and consulting) since March 2007.

 

29

 

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

The Board of Trustees oversees the Trust and certain aspects of the services that the Adviser and the Fund’s other service providers. Each trustee will hold office until their successors have been duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal. Each officer of the Trust serves at the pleasure of the Board and for a term of one year or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.

 

The Trust has a standing Audit Committee of the Board composed of Mr. Urban, Ms. Ivey and Mr. Pitt. The functions of the Audit Committee are to meet with the Trust’s independent auditors to review the scope and findings of the annual audit, discuss the Trust’s accounting policies, discuss any recommendations of the independent auditors with respect to the Trust’s management practices, review the impact of changes in accounting standards on the Trust’s financial statements, recommend to the Board the selection of independent registered public accounting firm, and perform such other duties as may be assigned to the Audit Committee by the Board. For the Fund’s most recent fiscal year ended, March 31, 2022, the Audit Committee met eight times.

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is comprised of Mr. Urban, Ms. Ivey and Mr. Pitt. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s purposes, duties and powers are set forth in its written charter, which is described in Exhibit C – the charter also describes the process by which shareholders of the Trust may make nominations. For the Fund’s most recent fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met once.

 

The Valuation Committee is comprised of Mr. Urban, Ms. Ivey and Mr. Pitt. The Valuation Committee meets as needed in the event that the Fund holds any securities that are subject to valuation and it reviews the fair valuation of such securities on an as needed basis. For the Fund’s most recent fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, the Valuation Committee did not meet.

 

The Qualified Legal Compliance Committee is comprised of Mr. Urban, Ms. Ivey and Mr. Pitt. The Qualified Legal Compliance Committee receives, investigates, and makes recommendations as to the appropriate remedial action in connection with any report of evidence of a material violation of the securities laws or breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by the Trust, its officers, Trustees, or agents. For the Fund’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee did not meet.

 

Trustee Compensation. Each Trustee who is not an “interested person” of the Trust may receive compensation for their services to the Trust. All Trustees are reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attendance at meetings. Each Trustee receives an annual retainer of $60,000. Additionally, each Trustee receives a fee of $2,500 per special meeting. Compensation received from the Trust for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 is as follows:

 

Name of Person / Position

Aggregate
Compensation

From Fund

Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued As Part
of Fund Expenses
Estimated Annual
Benefits upon
Retirement
Total Compensation From
Fund and Fund Complex
Paid To Trustees (*)(1)
         
David J. Urban, Trustee $3,173 $0 $0 $3,173
Mary Lou H. Ivey, Trustee $3,173 $0 $0 $3,173
Theo H. Pitt, Jr., Trustee $3,173 $0 $0 $3,173

*        Company does not pay deferred compensation.
(1)   As of the date of this SAI, the “Fund Complex” consists of the Fund.

 

30

 

 

Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares. The table below shows for each Trustee, the amount of Fund equity securities beneficially owned by each portfolio manager, and the aggregate value of all investments in equity securities of the funds of the Trust, as of December 31, 2021, and stated as one of the following ranges: A = None; B = $1-$10,000; C = $10,001-$50,000; D = $50,001-$100,000; and E = over $100,000.

 

Name of Trustee
Non-Interested Trustees
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Fund
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in all Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by the Trustees in
Family of Investment Companies
David J. Urban A A
Mary Lou H. Ivey A A
Theo H. Pitt, Jr. A A

 

Sales Loads. No front-end or deferred sales charges are applied to purchase of Fund shares by current or former trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust, the Adviser or the principal underwriter and by the members of their immediate families.

 

Policies Concerning Personal Investment Activities. The Fund, the Adviser, and the Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics, pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that permit investment personnel, subject to their particular code of ethics, to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund, for their own account.

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITIES HOLDERS

 

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of such control. As a controlling shareholder, each of these persons could control the outcome of any proposal submitted to the shareholders for approval, including changes to the Fund’s fundamental policies or the terms of the management agreement with the Adviser. As of September 13, 2022, the following persons owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

 

Names and Addresses Percent of Class Type of Ownership

Grupo Real SA

Calle Ayacucho 277

Banco Mercantil Santa Cruz

La Paz, Bolivia

 

 

66.35%

 

Record

UBS Financial Services Inc. FBO

UBS WM USA OMNI ACCOUNT M/F

Attn: Dept Mgr

499 Washington Blvd, 9th Fl

Jersey City, NJ 07310

32.59% Record

31

 

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

General Policy. The Fund adheres to Section 2(a)(41), and Rule 2a-4 thereunder, of the 1940 Act with respect to the valuation of portfolio securities. In general, securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at current market value, and all other securities are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board. In complying with the 1940 Act, the Trust relies on guidance provided by the SEC and by the SEC staff in various interpretive letters and other guidance.

 

Equity Securities. Securities listed on a securities exchange, market or automated quotation system for which quotations are readily available (except for securities traded on NASDAQ), including securities traded over the counter, are valued at the last quoted sale price on the primary exchange or market (foreign or domestic) on which they are traded on valuation date (or at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET if a security’s primary exchange is normally open at that time), or, if there is no such reported sale on the valuation date, at the most recent quoted bid price. For securities traded on NASDAQ, the NASDAQ Official Closing Price will be used. If such prices are not available or determined to not represent the fair value of the security as of the Fund’s pricing time, the security will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith using methods approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

Money Market Securities and other Debt Securities. If available, money market securities and other debt securities are priced based upon valuations provided by recognized independent, third-party pricing agents. Such values generally reflect the last reported sales price if the security is actively traded. The third-party pricing agents may also value debt securities by employing methodologies that utilize actual market transactions, broker-supplied valuations, or other methodologies designed to identify the market value for such securities. Such methodologies generally consider such factors as security prices, yields, maturities, call features, ratings and developments relating to specific securities in arriving at valuations. Money market securities and other debt securities with remaining maturities of sixty days or less may be valued at their amortized cost, which approximates market value. If such prices are not available or determined to not represent the fair value of the security as of the Fund’s pricing time, the security will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith using methods approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

Fair Valuation. Investments for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. As a general principle, the fair value of a security or other asset is the price that would be received upon the sale of the security or asset in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date and time. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5, the Board has designated the Adviser as the valuation designee (“Valuation Designee”) for the Fund to perform fair value determinations relating to all Fund investments. The Adviser may carry out its designated responsibilities as Valuation Designee through a fair valuation committee, and may apply fair valuation methodologies approved by the Board, or utilize prices or inputs from pricing services, quotation reporting systems, valuation agents and other third-party sources that have been approved by the Board.

 

Fair valuation may require subjective determinations about the value of a security. While the Fund’s and Valuation Designee's policies and procedures are intended to result in a calculation of the Fund’s NAV that fairly reflects security values as of the time of pricing, the Fund cannot ensure that fair values accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain for a security if it were to dispose of that security as of the time of pricing (for instance, in a forced or distressed sale). The prices used by the Fund may differ from the value that would be realized if the securities were sold.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

The Distributor may from time to time offer incentive compensation to dealers (which sell shares of the Fund that are subject to sales charges) allowing such dealers to retain an additional portion of the sales load. A dealer who receives all of the sales load may be considered an underwriter of the Fund’s shares.

 

In connection with promotion of the sales of the Fund, the Distributor may, from time to time, offer (to all broker dealers who have a sales agreement with the Distributor) the opportunity to participate in sales incentive programs (which may include non-cash concessions). The Distributor may also, from time to time, pay expenses and fees required in order to participate in dealer sponsored seminars and conferences, reimburse dealers for expenses incurred in connection with pre-approved seminars, conferences and advertising, and may, from time to time, pay or allow additional promotional incentives to dealers as part of pre-approved sales contests.

 

32

 

 

Statement of Intention. The reduced sales charge and public offering price applicable to Class A Shares, as set forth in the prospectus, applies to purchases of $25,000 or more made within a 13-month period pursuant to the terms of a written Statement of Intention in the form provided by the Distributor and signed by the purchaser. The Statement of Intention is not a binding obligation to purchase the indicated amount. Class A Shares equal to 4.50% (declining to 1.00% after an aggregate of $1,000,000 has been purchased under the Statement of Intention) of the dollar amount specified in the Statement of Intention will be held in escrow and capital gain distributions on these escrowed shares will be credited to the shareholder’s account in shares (or paid in cash, if requested). If the intended investment is not completed within the specified 13-month period, the purchaser will remit to the Distributor the difference between the sales charge actually paid and the sales charge which would have been paid if the total purchases had been made at a single time. If the difference is not paid within 20 days after written request by the Distributor or the securities dealer, the appropriate number of escrowed Class A Shares will be redeemed to pay such difference.

 

In the case of purchase orders by the trustees of certain employee plans by payroll deduction, the sales charge for the investments made during the 13-month period will be based on the following: total investments made the first month of the 13-month period times 13; as the period progresses the sales charge will be based (1) on the actual investment made previously during the 13-month period, plus (2) the current month’s investments times the number of months remaining in the 13-month period. There will be no retroactive adjustments in sales charge on investments previously made during the 13-month period.

 

Dealer Reallowances. Class A Shares of the Fund are sold subject to a front-end sales charge as described in the prospectus. The following table shows the amount of the front-end sales charge that is reallowed to dealers as a percentage of the offering price of Class A Shares.

 

Dealer Reallowance As a Percentage of Offering Price for Class A Shares
Less than
$24,999
$25,000 -
$49,999
$50,000 -
$99,999
$100,000 -
$249,999
$250,000 -
$499,999
$500,000 -
$749,999
$750,000 -
$999,999
$1 million or more  
5.00% 4.50% 4.00% 3.00% 2.50% 1.80% 1.20% 1.00%  

 

Plan of Distribution. The Fund has a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) for its Class A Shares under which it may finance certain activities primarily intended to sell such classes of shares. The Trust has adopted the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its shares. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules concerning sales charges.

 

The Plan provides that the Fund may pay a fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s outstanding Class A Shares, in consideration for distribution and other services, which are described more fully below. The fee is generally paid to Foreside as compensation for distribution-related activities although the Fund may pay the fee directly to other financial intermediaries.

 

As noted above, payments for distribution expenses under the Plan are subject to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Rule 12b-1 defines distribution expenses to include the cost of “any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares issued by the Trust.” Rule 12b-1 provides, among other things, that an investment company may bear such expenses only pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1. In accordance with Rule 12b-1, the Plan provides that a report of the amounts expended under the Plan, and the purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, will be made to the Board for its review at least quarterly. The Plan provides that it may not be amended to increase materially the costs which shares of the Fund may bear for distribution pursuant to the Plan without shareholder approval, and that any other type of material amendment must be approved by a majority of the Board, and by a majority of the trustees who are neither “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust nor have any direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any related agreement (the “12b-1 Trustees”), by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments.

 

33

 

 

The Trust understands that certain financial intermediaries may charge fees to their customers who are the beneficial owners of Fund shares, in connection with their accounts with such financial intermediaries. Any such fees would be in addition to any amounts which may be received by an institution under the Plan.

 

The Board has concluded that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Fund. It is anticipated that the Plan will benefit shareholders because an effective sales program typically is necessary for the Fund to reach and maintain a sufficient size to achieve efficiently its investment objectives and to realize economies of scale. The Plan is subject to annual re-approval by a majority of the 12b-1 Trustees and is terminable at any time with respect to the Fund or the Class A shares of the Fund by a vote of a majority of the 12b-1 Trustees or by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Class A shares of the Fund. Any agreement entered into pursuant to the Plan with a Financial Intermediary is terminable with respect to the Fund without penalty, at any time, by vote of a majority of the 12b-1 Trustees, by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Class A shares of the Fund, by Foreside or by the Financial Intermediary. An agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.

 

As long as the Plan is in effect, the nomination of the trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) must be committed to the discretion of the 12b-1 Trustees.

 

The Plan provides that expenditures may include, without limitation: (a) payments to the Distributor and to securities dealers and others in respect of the sale of shares of the Fund; (b) payment of compensation to and expenses of personnel (including personnel of organizations with which the Trust has entered into agreements related to this Plan) who engage in or support distribution of shares of the Fund or who render shareholder support services not otherwise provided by the Trust’s transfer agent, administrator, or custodian, including but not limited to, answering inquiries regarding the Trust, processing shareholder transactions, providing personal services and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts, providing other shareholder liaison services, responding to shareholder inquiries, providing information on shareholder investments in the shares of the Fund, and providing such other shareholder services as the Trust may reasonably request, arranging for bank wires, assisting shareholders in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses, providing information periodically to shareholders showing their positions in the Fund, forwarding communications from the Fund such as proxies, shareholder reports, annual reports, and dividend distribution and tax notices to shareholders, processing purchase, exchange, and redemption requests from shareholders and placing orders with the Fund or its service providers; (c) formulation and implementation of marketing and promotional activities, including, but not limited to, direct mail promotions and television, radio, newspaper, magazine and other mass media advertising; (d) preparation, printing and distribution of sales literature; (e) preparation, printing and distribution of prospectuses and statements of additional information and reports of the Trust for recipients other than existing shareholders of the Trust; (f) obtaining information and providing explanations to wholesale and retail distributors of contracts regarding Fund investment objectives and policies and other information about the Fund, including the performance of the Fund; (g) obtaining such information, analyses and reports with respect to marketing and promotional activities as the Trust may, from time to time, deem advisable.

 

Shareholder Services Plan. The Fund has adopted a shareholder services plan on behalf of its Class A Shares and Institutional Class Shares. Under a shareholder services plan, the Fund may pay an authorized firm up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of average daily net assets attributable to its customers who are shareholders. For this fee, the authorized firms may provide a variety of services, such as: 1) receiving and processing shareholder orders; 2) performing the accounting for the shareholder’s account; 3) maintaining retirement plan accounts; 4) answering questions and handling correspondence for individual accounts; 5) acting as the sole shareholder of record for individual shareholders; 6) issuing shareholder reports and transaction confirmations; 7) executing daily investment “sweep” functions; and 8) furnishing investment advisory services.

 

34

 

 

Because the Fund has adopted the shareholder services plan to compensate authorized firms for providing the types of services described above, the Fund believes the shareholder services plan is not covered by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which relates to payment of distribution fees. The Fund, however, follows the procedural requirements of Rule 12b-1 in connection with the implementation and administration of each shareholder services plan.

 

An authorized firm generally represents in a service agreement used in connection with the shareholder services plan that all compensation payable to the authorized firm from its customers in connection with the investment of their assets in the Fund will be disclosed by the authorized firm to its customers. It also generally provides that all such compensation will be authorized by the authorized firm’s customers.

 

The Fund does not monitor the actual services being performed by an authorized firm under the plan and related service agreement. The Fund also does not monitor the reasonableness of the total compensation that an authorized firm may receive, including any service fee that an authorized firm may receive from the Fund and any compensation the authorized firm may receive directly from its clients.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PURCHASES AND SALES

 

Purchasing Shares. You may purchase shares of the Fund directly from the Distributor. You may also buy shares through accounts with brokers and other institutions (“authorized institutions”) that are authorized to place trades in Fund shares for their customers. If you invest through an authorized institution, you will have to follow its procedures. Your institution may charge a fee for its services, in addition to the fees charged by the Fund. You will also generally have to address your correspondence or questions regarding the Fund to your authorized institution. The offering price per share is equal to the net asset value next determined after the Fund or authorized institution receives your purchase order, plus any applicable sales charge.

 

Your authorized institution is responsible for transmitting all subscription and redemption requests, investment information, documentation and money to the Fund on time. Certain authorized institutions have agreements with the Fund that allow them to enter confirmed purchase or redemption orders on behalf of clients and customers. Under this arrangement, the authorized institution must send your payment to the Fund by the time it prices its shares on the following day. If your authorized institution fails to do so, it may be responsible for any resulting fees or losses.

 

The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order and to suspend the offering of shares. Under certain circumstances the Trust or the Adviser may waive the minimum initial investment for purchases by officers, trustees, and employees of the Trust and its affiliated entities and for certain related advisory accounts and retirement accounts (such as IRAs). The Fund may also change or waive policies concerning minimum investment amounts at any time.

 

Exchanging Shares. If you request the exchange of the total value of your account from one fund to another managed by the Adviser, we will reinvest any declared but unpaid income dividends and capital gain distributions in the new fund at its net asset value. Backup withholding and information reporting may apply. Information regarding the possible tax consequences of an exchange appears in the tax section in this SAI.

 

If a substantial number of shareholders sell their shares of the Fund under the exchange privilege, within a short period, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise have held, thus incurring additional transactional costs. Increased use of the exchange privilege may also result in periodic large inflows of money. If this occurs, it is the Fund’s general policy to initially invest in short-term, interest-bearing money market instruments.

 

35

 

 

However, if the Adviser believes that attractive investment opportunities (consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies) exist immediately, then it will invest such money in portfolio securities in as orderly a manner as is possible.

 

The proceeds from the sale of shares of the Fund may not be available until the third business day following the sale. The fund you are seeking to exchange into may also delay issuing shares until that third business day. The sale of Fund shares to complete an exchange will be effected at net asset value of the Fund next computed after your request for exchange is received in proper form.

 

Eligible Benefit Plans. An eligible benefit plan is an arrangement available to the employees of an employer (or two or more affiliated employers) having not less than 10 employees at the plan’s inception, or such an employer on behalf of employees of a trust or plan for such employees, their spouses and their children under the age of 21 or a trust or plan for such employees, which provides for purchases through periodic payroll deductions or otherwise. There must be at least 5 initial participants with accounts investing or invested in Fund shares and/or certain other funds.

 

The initial purchase by the eligible benefit plan and prior purchases by or for the benefit of the initial participants of the plan must aggregate not less than $2,500 and subsequent purchases must be at least $50 per account and must aggregate at least $250. Purchases by the eligible benefit plan must be made pursuant to a single order paid for by a single check or federal funds wire and may not be made more often than monthly. A separate account will be established for each employee, spouse or child for which purchases are made. The requirements for initiating or continuing purchases pursuant to an eligible benefit plan may be modified and the offering to such plans may be terminated at any time without prior notice.

 

Selling Shares. You may sell your shares by giving instructions to the Transfer Agent by mail or by telephone. The Fund will use reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine and, if the procedures are followed, will not be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone transactions.

 

The Fund’s procedure is to redeem shares at the net asset value next determined after the Transfer Agent receives the redemption request in proper order, less any applicable deferred sales charge on purchases held for less than one year and for which no sales charge was paid at the time of purchase. Payment will be made promptly, but no later than the seventh day following the receipt of the redemption request in proper order. The Board may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment during any period when (a) trading on the New York Stock Exchange is restricted as determined by the SEC or such exchange is closed for other than weekends and holidays, (b) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension, or (c) an emergency, as defined by rules of the SEC, exists during which time the sale of Fund shares or valuation of securities held by the Fund are not reasonably practicable.

 

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES

 

As described briefly in the applicable prospectus, the Fund offers the following shareholder services:

 

Regular Account. The regular account allows for voluntary investments to be made at any time. Available to individuals, custodians, corporations, trusts, estates, corporate retirement plans and others, investors are free to make additions and withdrawals to or from their account as often as they wish. Simply use the account application provided with the prospectus to open your account.

 

36

 

 

Telephone Transactions. A shareholder may redeem shares or transfer into another fund by telephone if this service is requested at the time the shareholder completes the initial account application. If it is not elected at that time, it may be elected at a later date by making a request in writing to the Transfer Agent and having the signature on the request guaranteed. The Fund employs reasonable procedures designed to confirm the authenticity of instructions communicated by telephone and, if it does not, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. As a result of this policy, a shareholder authorizing telephone redemption or transfer bears the risk of loss which may result from unauthorized or fraudulent transactions which the Fund believes to be genuine. When requesting a telephone redemption or transfer, the shareholder will be asked to respond to certain questions designed to confirm he shareholder’s identity as the shareholder of record. Cooperation with these procedures helps to protect the account and the Fund from unauthorized transactions.

 

Automatic Investment Plan. Any shareholder may utilize this feature, which provides for automatic monthly investments into your account. Upon your request, the Transfer Agent will withdraw a fixed amount each month from a checking or savings account for investment into the Fund. This does not require a commitment for a fixed period of time. A shareholder may change the monthly investment, skip a month or discontinue the Automatic Investment Plan as desired by notifying the Transfer Agent at (800) 628-4077.

 

Retirement Plans. Fund shares are available for purchase in connection with the following tax-deferred prototype retirement plans:

 

1.Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). IRAs are available for use by individuals with compensation for services rendered who wish to use shares of the Fund as the funding medium for individual retirement savings. IRAs include traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and Rollover IRAs.

 

2.Simplified Employee Pension Plans (SEPs). SEPs are a form of retirement plan for sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations.

 

For information about eligibility requirements and other matters concerning these plans and to obtain the necessary forms to participate in these plans, please call the Trust at (800) 673-0550. Each plan’s custodian charges nominal fees in connection with plan establishment and maintenance. These fees are detailed in the plan documents. You may wish to consult with your attorney or other tax adviser for specific advice concerning your tax status and plans.

 

Exchange Privilege. To the extent the Adviser manages other funds in the Trust, shareholders may exchange their shares for shares of any other series of the Trust managed by the Adviser, provided the shares of the Fund the shareholder is exchanging into are registered for sale in the shareholder’s state of residence.  As of the date of this prospectus, the Adviser does not manage any other funds in the Trust. Each account must meet the minimum investment requirements. Also, to make an exchange, an exchange order must comply with the requirements for a redemption or repurchase order and must specify the value or the number of shares to be exchanged. Your exchange will take effect as of the next determination of the Fund’s net asset value per share (usually at the close of business on the same day). The Trust reserves the right to limit the number of exchanges or to otherwise prohibit or restrict shareholders from making exchanges at any time, without notice, should the Trust determine that it would be in the best interest of its shareholders to do so. For tax purposes, an exchange constitutes the sale of the shares of the fund from which you are exchanging and the purchase of shares of the fund into which you are exchanging. Consequently, the sale may involve either a capital gain or loss to the shareholder for federal income tax purposes. The exchange privilege is available only in states where it is legally permissible to do so.

 

37

 

 

TAXES

 

The following discussion is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders.  The discussion reflects applicable federal income tax laws of the U.S. as of the date of this SAI, which tax laws may be changed or subject to new interpretations by the courts or the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), possibly with retroactive effect.  No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of all U.S. income, estate or gift tax, or foreign, state or local tax concerns affecting the Fund and its shareholders (including shareholders owning large positions in the Fund).  The discussion set forth herein does not constitute tax advice.  Investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers to determine the tax consequences to them of investing in the Fund.

 

In addition, no attempt is made to address tax concerns applicable to an investor with a special tax status such as a financial institution, real estate investment trust, insurance company, regulated investment company (“RIC”), individual retirement account, other tax-exempt entity, dealer in securities or non-U.S. investor.  Furthermore, this discussion does not reflect possible application of the alternative minimum tax (“AMT”).  Unless otherwise noted, this discussion assumes shares of the Fund are held by U.S. shareholders and that such shares are held as capital assets.

 

A U.S. shareholder is a beneficial owner of shares of the Fund that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

a citizen or individual resident of the United States (including certain former citizens and former long-term residents);
a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
a trust with respect to which a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. shareholders have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or the trust has made a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

A “Non-U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of shares of the Fund that is an individual, corporation, trust or estate and is not a U.S. shareholder.  If a partnership (including any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of the Fund, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally depends upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership.  A prospective shareholder who is a partner of a partnership holding the Fund shares should consult its tax advisors with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of its Fund shares.

 

Taxation as a RIC. The Fund intends to qualify and to remain qualified as a RIC under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). The Fund will qualify as a RIC if, among other things, it meets the source-of-income and the asset-diversification requirements. With respect to the source-of-income requirement, the Fund must derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income (including tax-exempt interest) from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such shares, securities or currencies and (ii) net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership” (the “90% Test”). A “qualified publicly traded partnership” is generally defined as a publicly traded partnership under Internal Revenue Code section 7704. However, for these purposes, a qualified publicly traded partnership does not include a publicly traded partnership if 90% or more of its income is described in (i) above. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) or trust is qualifying income to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership or trust which would be qualifying income if realized by the Fund in the same manner as realized by the partnership or trust.

 

38

 

 

The Fund intends to invest in ETFs. Some of those ETFs are taxable as RICs under the Code. Accordingly, the income the Fund receives from such ETFs should be qualifying income for purposes of the Fund satisfying the 90% Test described above. However, the Fund may also invest in one or more ETFs that are not taxable as RICs under the Code and that may generate non-qualifying income for purposes of satisfying the 90% Test. The Fund anticipates monitoring its investments in such ETFs so as to keep the Fund’s non-qualifying income within acceptable limits of the 90% Test, however, it is possible that such non-qualifying income will be more than anticipated which could cause the Fund to inadvertently fail the 90% Test thereby causing the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC. In such a case, the Fund would be subject to the rules described below.

 

If a RIC fails this 90% Test as long as such failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect it is no longer subject to a corporate level tax. Instead, the amount of the penalty for non-compliance is the amount by which the non-qualifying income exceeds one-ninth of the qualifying gross income.

 

With respect to the asset-diversification requirement, the Fund must diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, the securities of other RICs and other securities, if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested in the securities other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other RICs of (a) one issuer, (b) two or more issuers that are controlled by the Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or (c) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

If a RIC fails this asset-diversification test, such RIC, in addition to other cure provisions previously permitted, has a 6-month period to correct any failure without incurring a penalty if such failure is “de minimis,” meaning that the failure does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the RIC’s assets, or $10 million.

 

Similarly, if a RIC fails this asset-diversification test and the failure is not de minimis, a RIC can cure failure if: (a) the RIC files with the Treasury Department a description of each asset that causes the RIC to fail the diversification tests; (b) the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect; and (c) the failure is cured within six months (or such other period specified by the Treasury). In such cases, a tax is imposed on the RIC equal to the greater of: (a) $50,000 or (b) an amount determined by multiplying the highest rate of tax (currently 21%) by the amount of net income generated during the period of diversification test failure by the assets that caused the RIC to fail the diversification test.

 

If the Fund qualifies as a RIC and distributes to its shareholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of the sum of (i) its “investment company taxable income” as that term is defined in the Internal Revenue Code (which includes, among other things, dividends, taxable interest, the excess of any net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses and certain net foreign exchange gains as reduced by certain deductible expenses) without regard to the deduction for dividends paid, and (ii) the excess of its gross tax-exempt interest, if any, over certain deductions attributable to such interest that are otherwise disallowed, the Fund will be relieved of U.S. federal income tax on any income of the Fund, including long-term capital gains, distributed to shareholders. However, any ordinary income or capital gain retained by the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate federal income tax rates (currently at a maximum rate of 21%). The Fund intends to distribute at least annually substantially all of its investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt interest, and net capital gain.

 

39

 

 

The Fund will generally be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax on the portion of its undistributed ordinary income with respect to each calendar year and undistributed capital gains if it fails to meet certain distribution requirements with respect to the one-year period ending on October 31 in that calendar year. To avoid the 4% federal excise tax, the required minimum distribution is generally equal to the sum of (i) 98% of the Fund’s ordinary income (computed on a calendar year basis), (ii) 98.2% of the Fund’s capital gain net income (generally computed for the one-year period ending on October 31) and (iii) any income realized, but not distributed, and on which we paid no federal income tax in preceding years. The Fund generally intends to make distributions in a timely manner in an amount at least equal to the required minimum distribution and therefore, under normal market conditions, does not expect to be subject to this excise tax.

 

The Fund may be required to recognize taxable income in circumstances in which it does not receive cash. For example, if the Fund holds debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having original issue discount (such as debt instruments with payment in kind interest or, in certain cases, with increasing interest rates or that are issued with warrants), the Fund must include in income each year a portion of the original issue discount that accrues over the life of the obligation regardless of whether cash representing such income is received by the Fund in the same taxable year. Because any original issue discount accrued will be included in the Fund’s “investment company taxable income” (discussed above) for the year of accrual, the Fund may be required to make a distribution to its shareholders to satisfy the distribution requirement, even though it will not have received an amount of cash that corresponds with the income earned.

 

A RIC is permitted to carry forward net capital losses indefinitely and may allow losses to retain their original character (as short or as long-term). These capital loss carryforwards may be utilized in future years to offset net realized capital gains of the Fund, if any, prior to distributing such gains to shareholders.

 

Except as set forth in “Failure to Qualify as a RIC,” the remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund will qualify as a RIC for each taxable year.

 

Failure to Qualify as a RIC. If the Fund is unable to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement or otherwise fails to qualify as a RIC in any year, it will be subject to corporate level income tax on all of its income and gain, regardless of whether or not such income was distributed. Distributions to the Fund’s shareholders of such income and gain will not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In such event, the Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, would constitute ordinary dividends, which would generally be eligible for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders, and non-corporate shareholders would generally be able to treat such distributions as “qualified dividend income” eligible for reduced rates of U.S. federal income taxation provided in each case that certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied.

 

Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the shareholders’ tax basis in their Fund shares, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain. To qualify as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, the Fund would be required to satisfy the source-of-income, the asset diversification, and the annual distribution requirements for that year and dispose of any earnings and profits from any year in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. Subject to a limited exception applicable to RICs that qualified as such under the Internal Revenue Code for at least one year prior to disqualification and that requalify as a RIC no later than the second year following the nonqualifying year, the Fund would be subject to tax on any unrealized built-in gains in the assets held by it during the period in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC that are recognized within the subsequent 10 years, unless the Fund made a special election to pay corporate-level tax on such built-in gain at the time of its requalification as a RIC.

 

40

 

 

Taxation for U.S. Shareholders. Distributions paid to U.S. shareholders by the Fund from its investment company taxable income (which is, generally, the Fund’s ordinary income plus net realized short-term capital gains in excess of net realized long-term capital losses) are generally taxable to U.S. shareholders as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Such distributions (if designated by the Fund) may qualify (i) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders under Section 243 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent that the Fund’s income consists of dividend income from U.S. corporations, excluding distributions from tax-exempt organizations, exempt farmers’ cooperatives or real estate investment trusts or (ii) in the case of individual shareholders, as qualified dividend income eligible to be taxed at reduced rates under Section 1(h)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code (which provides for a maximum 20% rate) to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income, and provided in each case certain holding period and other requirements are met. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and qualified foreign corporations (e.g., generally, foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a qualified comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States, or the stock with respect to which such dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). A qualified foreign corporation generally excludes any foreign corporation, which for the taxable year of the corporation in which the dividend was paid, or the preceding taxable year, is a passive foreign investment company. Distributions made to a U.S. shareholder from an excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses (“capital gain dividends”), including capital gain dividends credited to such shareholder but retained by the Fund, are taxable to such shareholder as long-term capital gain if they have been properly designated by the Fund, regardless of the length of time such shareholder owned the shares of the Fund. The maximum tax rate on capital gain dividends received by individuals is generally 20%. Distributions in excess of the Fund’s earnings and profits will be treated by the U.S. shareholder, first, as a tax-free return of capital, which is applied against and will reduce the adjusted tax basis of the U.S. shareholder’s shares and, after such adjusted tax basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gain to the U.S. shareholder (assuming the shares are held as a capital asset). The Fund is not required to provide written notice designating the amount of any qualified dividend income or capital gain dividends and other distributions. The Forms 1099 will instead serve this notice purpose.

 

As a RIC, the Fund will be subject to the AMT, but any items that are treated differently for AMT purposes must be apportioned between the Fund and the shareholders and this may affect the shareholders’ AMT liabilities. The Fund intends in general to apportion these items in the same proportion that dividends paid to each shareholder bear to the Fund’s taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction).

 

For purpose of determining (i) whether the annual distribution requirement is satisfied for any year and (ii) the amount of capital gain dividends paid for that year, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If the Fund makes such an election, the U.S. shareholder will still be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any dividend declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been received by the U.S. shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

 

The Fund intends to distribute all realized capital gains, if any, at least annually. If, however, the Fund were to retain any net capital gain, the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders who, if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the federal income tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If such an event occurs, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, generally be increased by the difference between the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholders.

 

41

 

 

Sales and other dispositions of the shares of the Fund generally are taxable events. U.S. shareholders should consult their own tax adviser with reference to their individual circumstances to determine whether any particular transaction in the shares of the Fund is properly treated as a sale or exchange for federal income tax purposes, as the following discussion assumes, and the tax treatment of any gains or losses recognized in such transactions. The sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund will generally result in capital gain or loss to the shareholder equal to the difference between the amount realized and his adjusted tax basis in the shares sold or exchanged, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year at the time of sale. Any loss upon the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received (including amounts credited as an undistributed capital gain dividend) by such shareholder with respect to such shares. A loss realized on a sale or exchange of shares of the Fund generally will be disallowed if other substantially identical shares are acquired within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date that the shares are disposed. In such case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Present law taxes both long-term and short-term capital gain of corporations at the rates applicable to ordinary income of corporations. For non-corporate taxpayers, short-term capital gain will currently be taxed at the rate applicable to ordinary income, while long-term capital gain generally will be taxed at a maximum rate of 20%. Capital losses are subject to certain limitations.

 

Federal law requires that mutual fund companies report their shareholders’ cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period to the Internal Revenue Service on the Fund’s shareholders’ Consolidated Form 1099s.

 

The Fund has chosen average cost as the standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. A tax lot identification method is the way the Fund will determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing net asset values, and the entire position is not sold at one time. The Fund has chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. The Fund’s standing tax lot identification method is the method covered shares will be reported on your Consolidated Form 1099 if you do not select a specific tax lot identification method. You may choose a method different than the Fund’s standing method and will be able to do so at the time of your purchase or upon the sale of covered shares. Please refer to the appropriate Internal Revenue Service regulations or consult your tax advisor with regard to your personal circumstances.

 

For those securities defined as “covered” under current Internal Revenue Service cost basis tax reporting regulations, the Fund is responsible for maintaining accurate cost basis and tax lot information for tax reporting purposes. The Fund is not responsible for the reliability or accuracy of the information for those securities that are not “covered.” The Fund and its service providers do not provide tax advice. You should consult independent sources, which may include a tax professional, with respect to any decisions you may make with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method.

 

Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, will be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which should include dividends from the Fund and net gains from the disposition of shares of the Fund. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in the Fund.

 

42

 

 

Original Issue Discount, Pay-In-Kind Securities, Market Discount and Commodity-Linked Notes. Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance (and zero-coupon debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as debt obligations that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount (“OID”) is treated as interest income and is included in the Fund’s taxable income (and required to be distributed by the Fund) over the term of the debt obligation, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security.

 

Some debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having “market discount.” Very generally, market discount is the excess of the stated redemption price of a debt obligation (or in the case of an obligations issued with OID, its “revised issue price”) over the purchase price of such obligation. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt obligation having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the “accrued market discount” on such debt obligation. Alternatively, the Fund may elect to accrue market discount currently, in which case the Fund will be required to include the accrued market discount in the Fund’s income (as ordinary income) and thus distribute it over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security. The rate at which the market discount accrues, and thus is included in the Fund’s income, will depend upon which of the permitted accrual methods the Fund elects. In the case of higher-risk securities, the amount of market discount may be unclear. See “Higher-Risk Securities.”

 

Some debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having “acquisition discount” (very generally, the excess of the stated redemption price over the purchase price), or OID in the case of certain types of debt obligations. The Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income (as ordinary income) over the term of the debt obligation, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt obligations having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.

 

In addition, payment-in-kind securities will, and commodity-linked notes may, give rise to income that is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.

 

If the Fund holds the foregoing kinds of securities, it may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions.

 

Higher-Risk Securities. To the extent such investments are permissible for the Fund, the Fund may invest in debt obligations that are in the lowest rating categories or are unrated, including debt obligations of issuers not currently paying interest or who are in default. Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or in default present special tax issues for the Fund. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities and how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income. In limited circumstances, it may also not be clear whether the Fund should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, and if so, what amount of market discount the Fund should recognize. These and other related issues will be addressed by the Fund when, as and if it invests in such securities, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a regulated investment company and does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

 

43

 

 

Issuer Deductibility of Interest. A portion of the interest paid or accrued on certain high yield discount obligations owned by the Fund may not be deductible to (and thus, may affect the cash flow of) the issuer. If a portion of the interest paid or accrued on certain high yield discount obligations is not deductible, that portion will be treated as a dividend for purposes of the corporate dividends-received deduction. In such cases, if the issuer of the high yield discount obligations is a domestic corporation, dividend payments by the Fund may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction to the extent of the deemed dividend portion of such accrued interest.

 

Interest paid on debt obligations owned by the Fund, if any, that are considered for U.S. tax purposes to be payable in the equity of the issuer or a related party will not be deductible to the issuer, possibly affecting the cash flow of the issuer.

 

Tax-Exempt Shareholders. A tax-exempt shareholder could recognize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 514(b). Furthermore, a tax-exempt shareholder may recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes “excess inclusion income” derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs if the amount of such income recognized by the Fund exceeds the Fund’s investment company taxable income (after taking into account deductions for dividends paid by the Fund).

 

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts (“CRTs”) that invest in regulated investment companies that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. Under legislation enacted in December 2006, a CRT (as defined in section 664 of the Internal Revenue Code) that realizes any UBTI for a taxable year, must pay an excise tax annually of an amount equal to such UBTI. Under IRS guidance issued in October 2006, a CRT will not recognize UBTI solely as a result of investing in the Fund that recognizes “excess inclusion income.” Rather, if at any time during any taxable year a CRT (or one of certain other tax-exempt shareholders, such as the United States, a state or political subdivision, or an agency or instrumentality thereof, and certain energy cooperatives) is a record holder of a share in the Fund that recognizes “excess inclusion income,” then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax on that portion of its “excess inclusion income” for the taxable year that is allocable to such shareholders, at the highest federal corporate income tax rate. The extent to which this IRS guidance remains applicable in light of the December 2006 legislation is unclear. To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the Fund may elect to specially allocate any such tax to the applicable CRT, or other shareholder, and thus reduce such shareholder’s distributions for the year by the amount of the tax that relates to such shareholder’s interest in the Fund. The Fund has not yet determined whether such an election will be made. CRTs and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisers concerning the consequences of investing in the Fund.

 

Passive Foreign Investment Companies. A passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) is any foreign corporation: (i) 75% or more of the gross income of which for the taxable year is passive income, or (ii) the average percentage of the assets of which (generally by value, but by adjusted tax basis in certain cases) that produce or are held for the production of passive income is at least 50%. Generally, passive income for this purpose means dividends, interest (including income equivalent to interest), royalties, rents, annuities, the excess of gains over losses from certain property transactions and commodities transactions, and foreign currency gains. Passive income for this purpose does not include rents and royalties received by the foreign corporation from active business and certain income received from related persons.

 

44

 

 

Equity investments by the Fund in certain PFICs could potentially subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax or other charge (including interest charges) on the distributions received from the PFIC or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the PFIC. This tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, the Fund may elect to avoid the imposition of that tax. For example, if the Fund is in a position to and elects to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” (i.e., make a “QEF election”), the Fund will be required to include its share of the PFIC s income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the PFIC. Alternatively, the Fund may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in its PFIC holdings “to the market” as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Fund’s taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed by the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Fund’s total return. Dividends paid by PFICs will not be eligible to be treated as “qualified dividend income.”

 

Because it is not always possible to identify a foreign corporation as a PFIC, the Fund may incur the tax and interest charges described above in some instances.

 

Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund’s transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt obligations and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned. Any such net gains could require a larger dividend toward the end of the calendar year. Any such net losses will generally reduce and potentially require the recharacterization of prior ordinary income distributions. Such ordinary income treatment may accelerate Fund distributions to shareholders and increase the distributions taxed to shareholders as ordinary income. Any net ordinary losses so created cannot be carried forward by the Fund to offset income or gains earned in subsequent taxable years.

 

Master Limited Partnerships. To qualify for master limited partner (“MLP”) status, a partnership must generate at least 90% of its income from what the IRS deems “qualifying” sources, which include all manner of activities related to the production, processing or transportation of oil, natural gas and coal. MLPs, as partnership, pay no corporate tax, and the IRS deems much of the distributions paid out as a return of capital, and taxes on such distributions are deferred until the Fund sells its position therein. As partnerships, MLPs pass through the majority of their income to investors in the form of regular quarterly distributions. You as owner of the Fund are responsible for paying tax on your share of distributions received. In addition, the regular quarterly cash payments MLPs pay out are known as distributions rather than dividends. With respect to each MLP in which the Fund invests, MLP investors, and therefore you as owner of the Fund, may be subject to the state tax of each state in which the MLP has operations or does business. If a MLP is held in a tax-sheltered account, such as an IRA, the portion of the distributions designated as “ordinary income” may be considered unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”), and subject to tax. However, UBTI is usually a small percentage of total distributions, and it will not be taxed as long as the amount of this income and all other sources of UBTI does not exceed $1,000 in any year.

 

Foreign Taxation. Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes.

 

45

 

  

The ETFs in which the Fund invests may invest in foreign securities. Dividends and interest received by an ETF’s holding of foreign securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If the ETF in which the Fund invests is taxable as a RIC and meets certain other requirements, which include a requirement that more than 50% of the value of such ETF’s total assets at the close of its respective taxable year consists of stocks or securities of foreign corporations, then the ETF should be eligible to file an election with the IRS that may enable its shareholders, including the Fund in effect, to receive either the benefit of a foreign tax credit, or a tax deduction, with respect to any foreign and U.S. possessions income taxes paid the by Fund, subject to certain limitations.

 

A “qualified fund of funds” is a RIC that has at least 50% of the value of its total interests invested in other RICs at the end of each quarter of the taxable year. If the Fund satisfied this requirement or if it meets certain other requirements, which include a requirement that more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consist of stocks or securities of foreign corporations, then the Fund should be eligible to file an election with the IRS that may enable its shareholders to receive either the benefit of a foreign tax credit, or a tax deduction, with respect to any foreign and U.S. possessions income taxes paid by the Fund, subject to certain limitations.

 

Foreign Shareholders. Capital Gain Dividends are generally not subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax. Absent a specific statutory exemption, dividends other than Capital Gain Dividends paid by the Fund to a shareholder that is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code (such shareholder, a “foreign shareholder”) are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) even if they are funded by income or gains (such as portfolio interest, short-term capital gains, or foreign-source dividend and interest income) that, if paid to a foreign person directly, would not be subject to withholding.

 

A regulated investment company is not required to withhold any amounts (i) with respect to distributions (other than distributions to a foreign person (a) that does not provide a satisfactory statement that the beneficial owner is not a U.S. person, (b) to the extent that the dividend is attributable to certain interest on an obligation if the foreign person is the issuer or is a 10% shareholder of the issuer, (c) that is within a foreign country that has inadequate information exchange with the United States, or (d) to the extent the dividend is attributable to interest paid by a person that is a related person of the foreign person and the foreign person is a controlled foreign corporation) from U.S.-source interest income of types similar to those not subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by an individual foreign person, to the extent such distributions are properly reported as such by the Fund in a written notice to shareholders (“interest-related dividends”), and (ii) with respect to distributions (other than (a) distributions to an individual foreign person who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the distribution and (b) distributions subject to special rules regarding the disposition of U.S. real property interests as described below) of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses to the extent such distributions are properly reported by the regulated investment company (“short-term capital gain dividends”). If the Fund invests in an underlying fund that pays such distributions to the Fund, such distributions retain their character as not subject to withholding if properly reported when paid by the Fund to foreign persons.

 

The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so. These exemptions from withholding will not be available to foreign shareholders of the Fund that do not currently report their dividends as interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends.

 

In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reports all or a portion of a payment as an interest-related or short-term capital gain dividend to shareholders. Foreign persons should contact their intermediaries regarding the application of these rules to their accounts.

 

46

 

 

Under U.S. federal tax law, a beneficial holder of shares who is a foreign shareholder generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund or on Capital Gain Dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States, (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met, or (iii) the special rules relating to gain attributable to the sale or exchange of “U.S. real property interests” (“USRPIs”) apply to the foreign shareholder’s sale of shares of the Fund or to the Capital Gain Dividend the foreign shareholder received (as described below).

 

Special rules would apply if the Fund were either a “U.S. real property holding corporation” (“USRPHC”) or would be a USRPHC but for the operation of certain exceptions to the definition thereof. Very generally, a USRPHC is a domestic corporation that holds USRPIs the fair market value of which equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market values of the corporation’s USPRIs, interests in real property located outside the United States, and other assets. USRPIs are generally defined as any interest in U.S. real property and any interest (other than solely as a creditor) in a USRPHC or former USRPHC.

 

If the Fund were a USRPHC or would be a USRPHC but for the exceptions referred to above, any distributions by the Fund to a foreign shareholder (including, in certain cases, distributions made by the Fund in redemption of its shares) attributable to gains realized by the Fund on the disposition of USRPIs or to distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier regulated investment company or REIT that the Fund is required to treat as USRPI gain in its hands generally would be subject to U.S. tax withholding. In addition, such distributions could result in the foreign shareholder being required to file a U.S. tax return and pay tax on the distributions at regular U.S. federal income tax rates. The consequences to a foreign shareholder, including the rate of such withholding and character of such distributions (e.g., as ordinary income or USRPI gain), would vary depending upon the extent of the foreign shareholder’s current and past ownership of the Fund. On and after January 1, 2012, this “look-through” USRPI treatment for distributions by the Fund, if it were either a USRPHC or would be a USRPHC but for the operation of the exceptions referred to above, to foreign shareholders applies only to those distributions that, in turn, are attributable to distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier REIT, unless Congress enacts legislation providing otherwise.

 

In addition, if the Fund were a USRPHC or former USRPHC, it could be required to withhold U.S. tax on the proceeds of a share redemption by a greater-than-5% foreign shareholder, in which case such foreign shareholder generally would also be required to file U.S. tax returns and pay any additional taxes due in connection with the redemption.

 

Whether or not the Fund is characterized as a USRPHC will depend upon the nature and mix of the Fund’s assets. The Fund does not expect to be a USRPHC. Foreign shareholders should consult their tax advisors concerning the application of these rules to their investment in the Fund.

 

If a beneficial holder of Fund shares who is a foreign shareholder has a trade or business in the United States, and the dividends are effectively connected with the beneficial holder’s conduct of that trade or business, the dividend will be subject to U.S. federal net income taxation at regular income tax rates.

 

If a beneficial holder of Fund shares who is a foreign shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any effectively connected income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by that beneficial holder in the United States.

 

To qualify for any exemptions from withholding described above or for lower withholding tax rates under income tax treaties, or to establish an exemption from backup withholding, a foreign shareholder must comply with special certification and filing requirements relating to its non-US status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute form). Foreign shareholders in the Fund should consult their tax advisers in this regard.

 

47

 

 

A beneficial holder of Fund shares who is a foreign shareholder may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the federal tax on income referred to above.

 

Backup Withholding. The Fund generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and redemption proceeds paid to any individual shareholder who fails to properly furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to such withholding. The backup withholding tax rate is currently 24%.

 

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS.

 

Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all regulated investment companies. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

Shareholder Reporting Obligations With Respect to Foreign Financial Assets. Certain individuals (and, if provided in future guidance, certain domestic entities) must disclose annually their interests in “specified foreign financial assets” on IRS Form 8938, which must be attached to their U.S. federal income tax returns for taxable years beginning after March 18, 2010. The IRS has not yet released a copy of the Form 8938 and has suspended the requirement to attach Form 8938 for any taxable year for which an income tax return is filed before the release of Form 8938. Following Form 8938’s release, individuals will be required to attach to their next income tax return required to be filed with the IRS a Form 8938 for each taxable year for which the filing of Form 8938 was suspended. Until the IRS provides more details regarding this reporting requirement, including in Form 8938 itself and related Treasury regulations, it remains unclear under what circumstances, if any, a shareholder’s (indirect) interest in the Fund’s “specified foreign financial assets,” if any, will be required to be reported on this Form 8938.

 

Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements. Rules enacted in March 2010 require the reporting to the IRS of direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts and foreign entities by U.S. persons. Failure to provide this required information can result in a 30% withholding tax on certain payments (“withholdable payments”) made after December 31, 2013. Specifically, withholdable payments subject to this 30% withholding tax include payments of U.S.-source dividends and interest made on or after January 1, 2014, and payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposal of property that can produce U.S.-source dividends or interest made on or after January 1, 2015.

 

48

 

 

The IRS has issued only very preliminary guidance with respect to these new rules; their scope remains unclear and potentially subject to material change. Very generally, it is possible that distributions made by the Fund after the dates noted above (or such later dates as may be provided in future guidance) to a shareholder, including a distribution in redemption of shares and a distribution of income or gains otherwise exempt from withholding under the rules applicable to non-U.S. shareholders described above (e.g., Capital Gain Dividends, Short-Term Capital Gain Dividends and interest-related dividends, as described above) will be subject to the new 30% withholding requirement. Payments to a foreign shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” will generally be subject to withholding, unless such shareholder enters into a timely agreement with the IRS. Payments to shareholders that are U.S. persons or foreign individuals will generally not be subject to withholding, so long as such shareholders provide the Fund with such certifications or other documentation, including, to the extent required, with regard to such shareholders’ direct and indirect owners, as the Fund requires to comply with the new rules. Persons investing in the Fund through an intermediary should contact their intermediary regarding the application of the new reporting and withholding regime to their investments in the Fund.

 

Shareholders are urged to consult a tax advisor regarding this new reporting and withholding regime, in light of their particular circumstances.

 

Shares Purchased through Tax-Qualified Plans. Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the suitability of shares of the Fund as an investment through such plans, and the precise effect of an investment on their particular tax situation.

 

FATCA. Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution (“FFI”) or a non-financial foreign entity (“NFFE”) within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) may be subject to a generally nonrefundable 30% withholding tax on: (a) income dividends paid by the Fund and (b) certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares paid by the Fund. FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (a) by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it enters into a valid agreement with the IRS to, among other requirements, report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (b) by an NFFE, if it: (i) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (ii) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them. The Fund may disclose the information that it receives from its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of the Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

 

Possible Tax Law Changes. At the time that this SAI is being prepared, various administrative and legislative changes to the federal tax laws are under consideration, but it is not possible at this time to determine whether any of these changes will take place or what the changes might entail.

 

The foregoing is a general and abbreviated summary of the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury regulations in effect as they directly govern the taxation of the Fund and its shareholders. These provisions are subject to change by legislative and administrative action, and any such change may be retroactive. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding specific questions as to U.S. federal income, estate or gift taxes, or foreign, state, local taxes or other taxes.

 

BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES

 

Brokerage Transactions. Generally, equity securities are bought and sold through brokerage transactions for which commissions are payable. Purchases from underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include a dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. The purchase price for securities bought from dealers serving as market makers will similarly include the dealer’s mark up or reflect a dealer’s mark down. When the Fund executes transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable.

 

49

 

 

In selecting brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions, the Adviser may consider research and brokerage services furnished to the Adviser or its affiliates. The Adviser may not consider sales of shares of the Fund as a factor in the selection of brokers and dealers, but may place portfolio transactions with brokers and dealers that promote or sell the Fund’s shares so long as such transactions are done in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the Trustees that are designed to ensure that the selection is based on the quality of execution and not on sales efforts. When placing portfolio transactions with a broker or dealer, the Adviser may aggregate securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for other advisory accounts managed by the Adviser. In aggregating such securities, the Adviser will average the transaction as to price and will allocate available investments in a manner that the Adviser believes to be fair and reasonable to the Fund and such other advisory accounts. An aggregated order will generally be allocated on a pro rata basis among all participating accounts, based on the relative dollar values of the participating accounts, or using any other method deemed to be fair to the participating accounts, with any exceptions to such methods involving the Trust being reported to the Trustees.

 

Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act permits the Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause the Fund to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. In addition to agency transactions, the Adviser may receive brokerage and research services in connection with certain riskless principal transactions, in accordance with applicable SEC guidance. Brokerage and research services include: (1) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (2) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, Fund strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (3) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement, and custody). In the case of research services, the Adviser believes that access to independent investment research is beneficial to its investment decision-making processes and, therefore, to the Fund.

 

To the extent that research services may be a factor in selecting brokers, such services may be in written form or through direct contact with individuals and may include information as to particular companies and securities as well as market, economic, or institutional areas and information which assists in the valuation and pricing of investments. Examples of research-oriented services for which the Adviser might utilize Fund commissions include research reports and other information on the economy, industries, sectors, groups of securities, individual companies, statistical information, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk measurement analysis, performance and other analysis. The Adviser may use research services furnished by brokers in servicing all client accounts and not all services may necessarily be used in connection with the account that paid commissions to the broker providing such services. Information so received by the Adviser will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Fund’s Adviser under the Advisory Agreement. Any advisory or other fees paid to the Adviser are not reduced as a result of the receipt of research services.

 

In some cases the Adviser may receive a service from a broker that has both a “research” and a “non-research” use. When this occurs, the Adviser makes a good faith allocation, under all the circumstances, between the research and non-research uses of the service. The percentage of the service that is used for research purposes may be paid for with client commissions, while the Adviser will use its own funds to pay for the percentage of the service that is used for non-research purposes. In making this good faith allocation, the Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest, but the Adviser believes that its allocation procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that it appropriately allocates the anticipated use of such services to their research and non-research uses.

 

50

 

 

From time to time, the Fund may purchase new issues of securities in a fixed price offering. In these situations, the seller may be a member of the selling group that will, in addition to selling securities, provide the Adviser with research services. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has adopted rules expressly permitting these types of arrangements under certain circumstances. Generally, the seller will provide research “credits” in these situations at a rate that is higher than that which is available for typical secondary market transactions. These arrangements may not fall within the safe harbor of Section 28(e).

 

Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of either the Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”) and rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules further require that commissions paid to the affiliate by the Fund for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically.

 

Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers”. The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which the Fund may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. As of March 31, 2022, the Fund did not hold any securities of its regular brokers and dealers.

 

Allocation. When two or more clients managed by the Adviser are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the transactions are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each client. In some cases this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Fund is concerned. In other cases, however, the ability to participate in volume transactions will be beneficial to the Fund. The Board believes that these advantages, when combined with the other benefits available because of the Adviser’s organization, outweigh the disadvantages that may exist from this treatment of transactions.

 

For the fiscal period ended March 31, 2021, the aggregate amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund was $59,340. For the fiscal period ended March 31, 2022, the aggregate amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund was $37,844.

 

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES HOLDINGS

 

This Disclosure of Portfolio Securities Holdings Policy (the “Policy”) shall govern the disclosure of the portfolio securities holdings of each series of the Trust. The Trust maintains this Policy to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio securities is in the best interests of the Fund and the Fund’s shareholders. The Board reviews these policies and procedures as necessary and compliance will be periodically assessed by the Board in connection with a report from the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer. In addition, the Board has reviewed and approved the provision of portfolio holdings information to entities described below that may be prior to and more frequently than the public disclosure of such information (i.e., “non-standard disclosure”). The Board has also delegated authority to the officers of the Trust and Adviser to provide such information in certain circumstances (see below).

 

The Trust is required by the SEC to publicly file its complete portfolio holdings schedule with the SEC on a quarterly basis. This schedule is filed with the Trust’s annual and semi-annual reports on Form N-CSR for the second and fourth fiscal quarters and on Form N-PORT for the first and third fiscal quarters. Certain portfolio information if also included on Form N-PORT that is filed for the second and fourth fiscal quarters. The portfolio holdings information provided in these reports is as of the end of the respective quarter. Form N-CSR must be filed with the SEC no later than ten (10) calendar days after the Trust transmits its annual or semi-annual report to its shareholders. Form N-PORT must be filed with the SEC and will be made publicly available no later than sixty (60) calendar days after the end of the applicable quarter.

 

51

 

  

Additionally, the Trust’s service providers which have contracted to provide services to the Trust and its funds, including, for example, the custodian, the fund accountants, and other service providers assisting with materials utilized in the Board’s 15c processes, that require portfolio holdings information in order to perform those services, may receive non-standard disclosure. Non-standard disclosure of portfolio holdings information may also be provided to a third-party when the Trust has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. The Trust has the following ongoing arrangements with certain third parties to provide the Fund’s portfolio holdings information:

 

  1. to the Trust’s auditors within sixty (60) days after the applicable fiscal period or other periods as necessary for use in providing audit opinions and other advice related to financial, regulatory, or tax reporting;
     
  2. to financial printers within sixty (60) days after the applicable fiscal period for the purpose of preparing Trust regulatory filings; and
     
  3. to the Trust’s administrator, custodian, transfer agent and accounting services provider on a daily basis in connection with their providing services to the Fund.

 

The Trust’s service providers may also disclose non-public portfolio holdings information if such disclosure is required by applicable laws, rules or regulations, or by regulatory authorities. Additionally, the Adviser may establish ongoing arrangements with certain third parties to provide the Fund’s portfolio holdings information that the Adviser determines that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so and the recipient is subject to a duty of confidentiality. These third parties may include:

 

  1. financial data processing companies that provide automated data scanning and monitoring services for the Fund;
     
  2. research companies that allow the Adviser to perform attribution analysis for the Fund; and
     
  3. the Adviser’s proxy voting agent to assess and vote proxies on behalf of the Fund.

 

From time to time, employees of the Adviser may express their views orally or in writing on the Fund’s portfolio securities or may state that the Fund has recently purchased or sold, or continues to own, one or more securities. The securities subject to these views and statements may be ones that were purchased or sold since the Fund’s most recent quarter-end and therefore may not be reflected on the list of the Fund’s most recent quarter-end portfolio holdings. These views and statements may be made to various persons, including members of the press, brokers and other financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund, shareholders in the Fund, persons considering investing in the Fund or representatives of such shareholders or potential shareholders, such as fiduciaries of a 401(k) plan or a trust and their advisers, and other entities for which the Adviser may determine. The nature and content of the views and statements provided to each of these persons may differ. From time to time, employees of the Adviser also may provide oral or written information (“portfolio commentary”) about the Fund, including, but not limited to, how the Fund’s investments are divided among various sectors, industries, countries, investment styles and capitalization sizes, and among stocks, bonds, currencies and cash, security types, bond maturities, bond coupons and bond credit quality ratings. This portfolio commentary may also include information on how these various weightings and factors contributed to Fund performance. The Adviser may also provide oral or written information (“statistical information”) about various financial characteristics of the Fund or its underlying portfolio securities including, but not limited to, alpha, beta, R-squared, coefficient of determination, duration, maturity, information ratio, Sharpe ratio, earnings growth, payout ratio, price/book value, projected earnings growth, return on equity, standard deviation, tracking error, weighted average quality, market capitalization, percent debt to equity, price to cash flow, dividend yield or growth, default rate, portfolio turnover, and risk and style characteristics. This portfolio commentary and statistical information about the Fund may be based on the Fund’s portfolio as of the most recent quarter-end or the end of some other interim period, such as month-end. The portfolio commentary and statistical information may be provided to various persons, including those described in the preceding paragraph. The nature and content of the information provided to each of these persons may differ.

 

52

 

 

Additionally, employees of the Adviser may disclose one or more of the portfolio securities of the Fund when purchasing and selling securities through broker-dealers, requesting bids on securities, obtaining price quotations on securities, or in connection with litigation involving the Fund’s portfolio securities. The Adviser does not enter into formal non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements in connection with these situations; however, the Fund would not continue to conduct business with a person who the Adviser believed was misusing the disclosed information.

 

The Adviser or its affiliates may manage products sponsored by companies other than itself, including investment companies, offshore funds, and separate accounts and affiliates of the Adviser may provide investment related services, including research services, to other companies, including other investment companies, offshore funds, institutional investors and other entities. In each of these instances, the sponsors of these other companies and the affiliates of the Adviser may receive compensation for their services. In many cases, these other products are managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus have similar portfolio holdings, and the other investment related services provided by affiliates of the Adviser may involve disclosure of information that is also utilized by the Adviser in managing the Fund. The sponsors of these other products may disclose the portfolio holdings of their products at different times than the Adviser discloses portfolio holdings for the Fund, and affiliates of the Adviser may provide investment related services to its clients at times that are different than the times disclosed to the Fund.

 

The Trust and the Adviser currently have no other arrangements for the provision of non-standard disclosure to any party or shareholder. Other than the non-standard disclosure discussed above, if a third-party requests specific, current information regarding the Fund’s portfolio holdings, the Trust will refer the third-party to the latest regulatory filing.

 

All of the arrangements above are subject to the policies and procedures adopted by the Board to ensure such disclosure is for a legitimate business purpose and is in the best interests of the Trust and its shareholders. The Trust’s CCO is responsible for monitoring the use and disclosure of information relating to Portfolio Securities. Although no material conflicts of interest are believed to exist that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders, various safeguards have been implemented to protect the Fund and its shareholders from conflicts of interest, including: the adoption of Codes of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act designed to prevent fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative acts by officers and employees of the Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor in connection with their personal securities transactions; the adoption by the Adviser and Distributor of insider trading policies and procedures designed to prevent their employees’ misuse of material non-public information; and the adoption by the Trust of a Code of Ethics for Officers that requires the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Trust to report to the Board any affiliations or other relationships that could potentially create a conflict of interest with the Fund. There may be instances where the interests of the Trust’s shareholders respecting the disclosure of information about portfolio holdings may conflict or appear to conflict with the interests of the Adviser, the Distributor or an affiliated person of the Trust, the Adviser or the Distributor. In such situations, the conflict must be disclosed to the Board and the Board will attempt to resolve the situation in a manner that it deems in the best interests of the Fund.

 

Affiliated persons of the Trust who receive non-standard disclosure are subject to restrictions and limitations on the use and handling of such information, including requirements to maintain the confidentiality of such information, pre-clear securities trades and report securities transactions activity, as applicable. Except as provided above, affiliated persons of the Trust and third-party service providers of the Trust receiving such non-standard disclosure will be instructed that such information must be kept confidential and that no trading on such information should be allowed.

 

53

 

 

Neither the Trust, the Fund nor the Adviser receives compensation or other consideration in connection with the non-standard disclosure of information about portfolio securities.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

 

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on April 9, 2007. The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes the Board to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest in the Trust and to classify or reclassify any unissued shares into one or more series of shares. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust further authorizes the trustees to classify or reclassify any series of shares into one or more classes. The Trust’s shares of beneficial interest have no par value.

 

Shares have no preemptive rights and only such conversion or exchange rights as the Board may grant in its discretion. When issued for payment as described in the applicable prospectus, shares will be fully paid and non-assessable. In the event of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust or an individual fund, shareholders of a fund are entitled to receive the assets available for distribution belonging to the particular fund, and a proportionate distribution, based upon the relative asset values of the respective fund, of any general assets of the Trust not belonging to any particular fund which are available for distribution.

 

Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each full share held, and a proportionate fractional vote for each fractional share held, and will vote in the aggregate and not by class, except as otherwise expressly required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted on affects only the interests of shareholders of a particular class. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate of the Trust’s outstanding shares may elect all of the trustees, irrespective of the votes of other shareholders.

 

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each fund affected by the matter. A particular fund is deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each fund in the matter are substantially identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the fund. Under the Rule, the approval of an investment management agreement or any change in an investment objective, if fundamental, or in a fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a fund only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of such fund. However, the Rule also provides that the ratification of the appointment of independent public accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts and the election of trustees may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting without regard to series or class.

 

The Trust does not presently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 25% of the Trust’s shares, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more trustees and other certain matters. To the extent required by law, the Trust will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.

 

54

 

 

The Board has full power and authority, in its sole discretion, and without obtaining shareholder approval, to divide or combine the shares of any class or series thereof into a greater or lesser number, to classify or reclassify any issued shares or any class or series thereof into one or more classes or series of shares, and to take such other action with respect to the Trust’s shares as the Board may deem desirable. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes the trustees, without shareholder approval, to cause the Trust to merge or to consolidate with any corporation, association, trust or other organization in order to change the form of organization and/or domicile of the Trust or to sell or exchange all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust, or any series or class thereof, in dissolution of the Trust, or any series or class thereof. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust permits the termination of the Trust or of any series or class of the Trust by the trustees without shareholder approval. However, the exercise of such authority by the Board without shareholder approval may be subject to certain restrictions or limitations under the 1940 Act.

 

PROXY VOTING

 

The Trust is required to disclose information concerning the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures to shareholders. The Board has delegated to the Adviser the responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Fund. The Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which have been reviewed by the Board, and which are found in Exhibit A. The Trust’s proxy voting policies and procedures are found in Exhibit B.

 

Any material changes to the proxy policies and procedures will be submitted to the Board for approval. The Trust is required to disclose annually the Fund’s complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent 12-month period ending June 30, will be available (1) without charge, upon request by calling (800) 673-0550; and (2) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

CODES OF ETHICS

 

The Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Trust, has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Adviser and Administrator have each adopted Codes of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1. These Codes of Ethics apply to the personal investing activities of trustees, officers and certain employees (“access persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by access persons. Under each Code of Ethics, access persons are permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, but are required to report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. The personnel subject to the Codes are permitted to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. In addition, certain access persons are required to obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements, or are prohibited from making such investments. Copies of these Codes of Ethics are on file with the SEC, and are available to the public. In addition, the Codes of Ethics are also available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov

 

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

The Annual Report for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2022 has been filed with the SEC. The financial statements contained in the Annual Report are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The financial statements and financial highlights for the Fund included in the Annual Report have been audited by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, whose report thereon also appears in such Annual Report and is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. You can receive free copies of reports, request other information and discuss your questions about the Fund by contacting the Fund directly at:

 

World Funds Trust

8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205

Richmond, Virginia 23235

Telephone: (800) 673-0550

Website: https://mscapitalltd.com/mutual-fund

e-mail: mail@ccofva.com

 

55

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

 

POLICY

 

OTG Asset Management , Ltd. (the “Advisor” or “OTG”) may act as discretionary investment advisor for various clients, including clients governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). The Advisor’s authority to vote proxies or act with respect to other shareholder actions is established through the delegation of discretionary authority under our investment advisory contracts. Therefore, unless a client (including a “named fiduciary” under ERISA) specifically reserves the right, in writing, to vote its own proxies or to take shareholder action with respect to other corporate actions requiring shareholder actions, the Advisor will vote all proxies and act on all other actions in a timely manner as part of its full discretionary authority over client assets in accordance with these Policies and Procedures. Corporate actions may include, for example and without limitation, tender offers or exchanges, bankruptcy proceedings, and class actions.

 

When voting proxies or acting with respect to corporate actions for clients, the Advisor’s utmost concern is that all decisions be made solely in the best interest of the client (and for ERISA accounts, plan beneficiaries and participants, in accordance with the letter and spirit of ERISA). The Advisor will act in a prudent and diligent manner intended to enhance the economic value of the assets of the client’s account.

 

PURPOSE OF THE POLICY

 

These Policies and Procedures have been adopted by the Advisor to enable it to comply with its fiduciary responsibilities to clients and with the requirements of Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisors Act”). These Policies and Procedures also reflect the fiduciary standards and responsibilities set forth by the Department of Labor relating to ERISA accounts.

 

PROCEDURES

 

The Chief Compliance Officer is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all proxies that are received by the Advisor in a timely manner are voted in a timely manner and in a manner consistent with the Advisor’s determination of the client’s best interests. No votes will be cast unless a valid notification is received by the Advisor in a timely manner. Although many proxy proposals can be voted in accordance with the Advisor’s established guidelines (see “Guidelines” below), the Advisor recognizes that some proposals require special consideration which may dictate that the Advisor makes an exception to the Guidelines.

The Portfolio Manager is also responsible for ensuring that all corporate action notices or requests which require shareholder action received by the Advisor are addressed in a timely manner and consistent action is taken across all similarly situated client accounts.

 

PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

 

Examples of potential conflicts of interest include situations where MSC or an affiliate, or personnel of either entity:

 

☐  Manages a pension plan or other assets of a company whose management is soliciting proxies;

 

☐  Has a material business relationship with a proponent of a proxy proposal and this business relationship may influence how the proxy vote is cast;

 

☐  Has acquired non-public information about an issuer that is soliciting proxies; or

 

56

 

 

☐  Has a business or personal relationship with participants in a proxy contest, corporate directors or candidates for directorships.

 

Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the Advisor’s interests and a client’s interest, MSC will resolve such a conflict in the manner described below.

 

The Advisor shall review each proxy to assess the extent, if any, to which there may be a material conflict between the interests of the applicable client on the one hand and OTG and its affiliates, directors, officers, employees (and other similar persons) on the other hand (a “potential conflict”). OTG shall perform this assessment on a proposal-by-proposal basis, and a potential conflict with respect to one proposal in a proxy shall not indicate that a potential conflict exists with respect to any other proposal in such proxy. If the Advisor determines that a potential conflict may exist, it shall resolve any such conflict in a manner that is in the collective best interests of the applicable client and the Advisor’s other clients (excluding any client that may have a potential conflict).

 

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Advisor may resolve a potential conflict in any of the following manners:

 

(i) if the proposal that gives rise to a potential conflict is specifically addressed in these procedures, the Advisor may vote the proxy in accordance with the predetermined policies and guidelines set forth in such procedures; provided that such predetermined policies and guidelines involve little discretion on the part of the Advisor;

 

(ii) the Advisor may disclose the potential conflict to the client and obtain the client’s consent before voting in the manner approved by the client;

 

(iii) the Advisor may engage an independent third-party to determine how the proxy should be voted; or

 

(iv) the Advisor may establish an ethical wall or other informational barriers between the person(s) that are involved in the potential conflict and the person(s) making the voting decision in order to insulate the potential conflict from the decision maker. The Advisor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to determine whether a potential conflict may exist, and a potential conflict shall be deemed to exist if and only if one or more of the Advisor’s senior account representatives actually knew or reasonably should have known of the potential conflict.

 

PROCEDURES RELATING TO LIMITATIONS ON PROXY VOTING

 

The following are certain circumstances where OTG will limit its role in voting proxies:

 

CLIENT MAINTAINS PROXY VOTING AUTHORITY: Where a client specifies in writing that it will maintain the authority to vote proxies itself or that it has delegated the right to vote proxies to a third party, the Advisor will not vote the securities and will direct the relevant custodian to send the proxy material directly to the client. If any proxy material is received by MSC, it will be forwarded promptly to the client or specified third party.

 

TERMINATED ACCOUNT: Once a client account has been terminated, the Advisor will not vote any proxies received after the termination date. In such circumstances, the client may specify in writing that proxies should be directed to the client (or a specified third party) for action.

 

LIMITED VALUE: If the Advisor determines that the value of a client’s economic interest or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant, the Advisor may abstain from voting a client’s proxies. OTG also will not vote proxies received for securities that are no longer held by the client’s account. In addition, the Advisor generally will not vote securities where the economic value of the securities in the client account is less than $500.

 

57

 

 

UNJUSTIFIABLE COSTS: In certain circumstances, after doing a cost-benefit analysis, the Advisor may abstain from voting where the cost of voting a client’s proxy would exceed any anticipated benefits to the client of the proxy proposal.

 

RECORD KEEPING

 

In accordance with Rule 204-2 under the Advisors Act, the Advisor will maintain for the time periods set forth in the Rule:

 

(i) these proxy voting procedures and policies, and all amendments thereto;

 

(ii) all proxy statements received regarding client securities (provided however, that the Advisor may rely on the proxy statement filed on EDGAR as its records);

 

(iii) a record of all votes cast on behalf of clients;

 

(iv) records of all client requests for proxy voting information and a copy of any written response by the Advisor to any such client request;

 

(v) any documents prepared by the Advisor that were material to making a decision how to vote or that memorialized the basis for the decision; and

 

(vi) all records relating to requests made to clients regarding conflicts of interest in voting the proxy.

 

The Advisor will describe in its Part II of Form ADV (or other brochure fulfilling the requirement of Rule 204-3) its proxy voting policies and procedures and will inform clients how they may obtain information on how the Advisor voted proxies with respect to the clients’ portfolio securities. Clients may obtain information on how their securities were voted or a copy of the Advisor’s Policies and Procedures by written request addressed to the Advisor.

 

GUIDELINES

 

Each proxy issue will be considered individually. The following guidelines are a partial list to be used in voting proposals contained in the proxy statements, but will not be used as rigid rules.

 

A. OPPOSE

 

The Advisor will generally vote against any management or shareholder proposal that potentially has the effect of restricting the ability of shareholders to realize the full potential value of their investment.

 

Proposals in this category would include:

1. Issues regarding the issuer’s Board entrenchment and anti-takeover measures such as the following:

 

a. Proposals to stagger board members’ terms;

b. Proposals to limit the ability of shareholders to call special meetings;

c. Proposals to require super majority votes;

d. Proposals requesting excessive increases in authorized common or preferred shares where management provides no explanation for the use or need of these additional shares;

e. Proposals regarding “fair price” provisions; and

f. Proposals regarding “poison pill” provisions.

 

58

 

 

2. Restrictions related to social, political or special interest issues that potentially may have a negative effect on the ability of shareholders to realize the full potential value of their investment, unless specific client guidelines supercede.

 

B. APPROVE

 

When voting on common management sponsored initiatives, the Advisor generally votes in support of management. These issues include:

 

1. Election of directors recommended by management, except if there is a proxy fight.

2. Election of auditors recommended by management, unless seeking to replace if there exists a dispute over policies.

3. Date and place of annual meeting.

4. Limitation on charitable contributions or fees paid to lawyers.

5. Ratification of directors’ actions on routine matters since previous annual meeting.

6. Confidential voting is most often proposed by shareholders as a means of eliminating undue management pressure on shareholders regarding their vote on proxy issues. The Advisor will generally approve these proposals as shareholders can later divulge their votes to management on a selective basis if a legitimate reason arises.

7. Limiting directors’ liability and allowing indemnification of directors and/or officers after reviewing the applicable laws and extent of protection requested.

8. Eliminate preemptive rights. Preemptive rights give current shareholders the opportunity to maintain their current percentage ownership through any subsequent equity offerings. These provisions are no longer common in the U.S., and can restrict management’s ability to raise new capital. The Advisor generally approves the elimination of preemptive rights, but will oppose the elimination of limited preemptive rights, e.g., on proposed issues representing more than an acceptable level of total dilution.

9. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

10. Establish 401(k) Plan

 

C. CASE-BY-CASE

 

The Advisor will review each issue in this category on a case-by-case basis. These matters include:

1. Director compensation.

2. Eliminate director mandatory retirement policy.

3. Rotate annual meeting location/date.

4. Option and stock grants to management and directors.

5. Proposals to reincorporate into another state.

 

D. NO INSTRUCTION PROVIDED/DISAGREE WITH INSTRUCTION

 

If a proxy proposal is not covered by this Proxy Policy, the Portfolio Manager will prepare a brief memo to the Investment Committee that clearly states the proposal, provides a recommendation as to how the proposal should be voted, provides justification for the recommended vote, and sets forth a deadline when a response is needed as to whether the voting recommendation is approved.

 

If a proxy proposal is covered by this Proxy Policy but the Portfolio Manager believes that OTG should not vote in accordance with these procedures, the Portfolio Manager will prepare a brief memo to the Investment Committee that explains the reason(s) why the Portfolio Manager believes the proxy should not be voted in accordance with these procedures and sets forth a deadline when a response is needed as to whether the voting recommendation is approved.

  

59

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

World Funds Trust

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

The World Funds Trust (the “Trust”) is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”). The Trust offers multiple series (each a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”). Consistent with its fiduciary duties and pursuant to Rule 30b1-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Proxy Rule”), the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has adopted this proxy voting policy on behalf of the Trust (the “Policy”) to reflect its commitment to ensure that proxies are voted in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Funds’ shareholders.

 

Delegation of Proxy Voting Authority to Fund Advisers

 

The Board believes that the investment adviser, or the investment sub-adviser as appropriate, of each Fund (each an “Adviser” and, collectively, the “Advisers”), as the entity that selects the individual securities that comprise its Fund’s portfolio, is the most knowledgeable and best-suited to make decisions on how to vote proxies of portfolio companies held by that Fund. The Trust shall therefore defer to, and rely on, the Adviser of each Fund to make decisions on how to cast proxy votes on behalf of such Fund.

 

The Trust hereby designates the Adviser of each Fund as the entity responsible for exercising proxy voting authority with regard to securities held in the Fund’s investment portfolio. Consistent with its duties under this Policy, each Adviser shall monitor and review corporate transactions of corporations in which the Fund has invested, obtain all information sufficient to allow an informed vote on all proxy solicitations, ensure that all proxy votes are cast in a timely fashion, and maintain all records required to be maintained by the Fund under the Proxy Rule and the 1940 Act. Each Adviser shall perform these duties in accordance with the Adviser’s proxy voting policy, a copy of which shall be presented to this Board for its review. Each Adviser shall promptly provide to the Board updates to its proxy voting policy as they are adopted and implemented.

 

Conflict of Interest Transactions

 

In some instances, an Adviser may be asked to cast a proxy vote that presents a conflict between the interests of a Fund’s shareholders and those of the Adviser or an affiliated person of the Adviser. In such case, the Adviser is instructed to abstain from making a voting decision and to forward all necessary proxy voting materials to the Trust to enable the Board to make a voting decision. When the Board is required to make a proxy voting decision, only the Trustees without a conflict of interest with regard to the security in question or the matter to be voted upon shall be permitted to participate in the decision of how the Fund’s vote will be cast. In the event that the Board is required to vote a proxy because an Adviser has a conflict of interest with respect to the proxy, the Board will vote such proxy in accordance with the Adviser’s proxy voting policy, to the extent consistent with the shareholders’ best interests, as determined by the Board in its discretion. The Board shall notify the Adviser of its final decision on the matter and the Adviser shall vote in accordance with the Board’s decision. 

 

60

 

 

Availability of Proxy Voting Policy and Records Available to Fund Shareholders

 

If a Fund has a website, the Fund may post a copy of its Adviser’s proxy voting policy and this Policy on such website. A copy of such policies and of each Fund’s proxy voting record shall also be made available, without charge, upon request of any shareholder of the Fund, by calling the applicable Fund’s toll-free telephone number as printed in the Fund’s prospectus. The Trust’s administrator shall reply to any Fund shareholder request within three business days of receipt of the request, by first-class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery.

 

Each Adviser shall provide a complete voting record, as required by the Proxy Rule, for each series of the Trust for which it acts as adviser, to the Trust’s administrator within 30 days following the end of each 12-month period ending June 30. The Trust’s administrator will file a report based on such record on Form N-PX on an annual basis with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission no later than August 31st of each year.

 

Adopted: November 26, 2013

 

Last Amended: February 20, 2019

 

61

 

 

Exhibit C

  

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter

 

World Funds Trust

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Membership

 

1.The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of World Funds Trust (the “Trust”) shall be composed entirely of Independent Trustees.

 

Board Nominations and Functions

 

1.The Committee shall make nominations for Trustee membership on the Board of Trustees, including the Independent Trustees. The Committee shall evaluate candidates’ qualifications for Board membership and their independence from the investment advisers to the Trust’s series portfolios and the Trust’s other principal service providers. Persons selected as Independent Trustees must not be “interested person” as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, nor shall Independent Trustee have and affiliations or associations that shall preclude them from voting as an Independent Trustee on matters involving approvals and continuations of Rule 12b-1 Plans, Investment Advisory Agreements and such other standards as the Committee shall deem appropriate.  The Committee shall also consider the effect of any relationships beyond those delineated in the 1940 Act that might impair independence, e.g., business, financial or family relationships with managers or service providers.  See Appendix A for Procedures with Respect to Nominees to the Board.

 

2.The Committee shall periodically review Board governance procedures and shall recommend any appropriate changes to the full Board of Trustees.

 

3.The Committee shall periodically review the composition of the Board of Trustees to determine whether it may be appropriate to add individuals with different backgrounds or skill sets from those already on the Board.

 

4.The Committee shall periodically review trustee compensation and shall recommend any appropriate changes to the Independent Trustees as a group.

 

Committee Nominations and Functions

 

1.The Committee shall make nominations for membership on all committees and shall review committee assignments at least annually.

 

2.The Committee shall review, as necessary, the responsibilities of any committees of the Board, whether there is a continuing need for each committee, whether there is a need for additional committees of the Board, and whether committees should be combined or reorganized. The Committee shall make recommendations for any such action to the full Board.

 

62

 

 

Other Powers and Responsibilities

 

1.The Committee shall have the resources and authority appropriate to discharge its responsibilities, including authority to retain special counsel and other experts or consultants at the expense of the Trust.

 

2.The Committee shall review this Charter at least annually and recommend any changes to the full Board of Trustees.

 

Adopted: August 2, 2013

 

63

 

  

APPENDIX A TO THE NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

WORLD FUNDS TRUST

 

PROCEDURES WITH RESPECT TO NOMINEES TO THE BOARD

 

I.Identification of Candidates. When a vacancy on the Board of Trustees exists or is anticipated, and such vacancy is to be filled by an Independent Trustee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall identify candidates by obtaining referrals from such sources as it may deem appropriate, which may include current Trustees, management of the Trust, counsel and other advisors to the Trustees, and shareholders of the Trust who submit recommendations in accordance with these procedures. In no event shall the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consider as a candidate to fill any such vacancy an individual recommended by any investment adviser of any series portfolio of the Trust, unless the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has invited management to make such a recommendation.
   
II.Shareholder Candidates. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall, when identifying candidates for the position of Independent Trustee, consider any such candidate recommended by a shareholder if such recommendation contains: (i) sufficient background information concerning the candidate, including evidence the candidate is willing to serve as an Independent Trustee if selected for the position; and (ii) is received in a sufficiently timely manner as determined by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in its discretion.  Shareholders shall be directed to address any such recommendations in writing to the attention of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, c/o the Secretary of the Trust. The Secretary shall retain copies of any shareholder recommendations which meet the foregoing requirements for a period of not more than 12 months following receipt.  The Secretary shall have no obligation to acknowledge receipt of any shareholder recommendations.
   
III.Evaluation of Candidates. In evaluating a candidate for a position on the Board of Trustees, including any candidate recommended by shareholders of the Trust, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall consider the following: (i) the candidate’s knowledge in matters relating to the mutual fund industry; (ii) any experience possessed by the candidate as a director or senior officer of public companies; (iii) the candidate’s educational background; (iv) the candidate’s reputation for high ethical standards and professional integrity; (v) any specific financial, technical or other expertise possessed by the candidate, and the extent to which such expertise would complement the Board’s existing mix of skills, core competencies and qualifications; (vi) the candidate’s perceived ability to contribute to the ongoing functions of the Board, including the candidate’s ability and commitment to attend meetings regularly and work collaboratively with other members of the Board; (vii) the candidate’s ability to qualify as an Independent Trustee and any other actual or potential conflicts of interest involving the candidate and the Trust; and (viii) such other factors as the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee determines to be relevant in light of the existing composition of the Board and any anticipated vacancies. Prior to making a final recommendation to the Board, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall conduct personal interviews with those candidates it concludes are the most qualified candidates.

 

64

 

 

EXHIBIT D

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHORT-TERM RATINGS

 

Description of certain short-term ratings assigned by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“S&P”) and Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”):

 

S&P

A-1 - A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are given a plus sign (+) designation. This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

 

A-2 - A short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

 

Moody’s

Prime rating system (short-term)

Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by (a) leading market positions in well-established industries, (b).high rates of return on funds employed, (c) conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection, (d) broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation, and (e) well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.

 

Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.

 

Issuers rated Prime-3 (or supporting institutions) have an acceptable ability for repayment of senior short-term obligations. The effect of industry characteristics and market compositions may be more pronounced. Variability in earnings and profitability may result in changes in the level of debt protection measurements and may require relatively high financial leverage. Adequate alternate liquidity is maintained.

 

65

 

 

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28. Exhibits

 

(a)(1)   Certificate of Trust of World Funds Trust (formerly, Abacus World Funds Trust) (the “Registrant”) dated April 9, 2007 is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(a)(2)   Certificate of Amendment dated January 7, 2008 to the Registrant’s Certificate of Trust dated April 9, 2007 is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(a)(3)   Registrant’s Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated April 9, 2007 and amended on June 23, 2008 and November 16, 2016 is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 237 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2017.
     
(b)   Registrant’s Amended and Restated By-Laws dated November 16, 2016 is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 237 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2017.
     
(c)   Not applicable.
     
(d)(1)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Union Street Partners, LLC with respect to the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 on Form N-1A filed on November 20, 2015.
     
(d)(2)   Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Union Street Partners, LLC and McGinn Investment Management, Inc. with respect to the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 on Form N-1A filed on November 20, 2015.
     
(d)(3)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Perkins Capital Management, Inc. with respect to the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 361 on Form N-1A filed on June 29, 2020.
     
(d)(4)   Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Applied Finance Advisors, LLC with respect to the Applied Finance Core Fund, Applied Finance Explorer Fund and Applied Finance Select Fund (collectively, the “Applied Finance Funds”) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(d)(5)   Interim Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and LDR Capital Management, LLC with respect to the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund (formerly known as the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 411 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.  
     
(d)(6)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and LDR Capital Management, LLC with respect to the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund. (Filed herewith)
     
(d)(7)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Clifford Capital Partners, LLC with respect to the Clifford Capital Partners Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.

 

 

 

 

     
(d)(8)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Clifford Capital Partners, LLC with respect to the Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(d)(9)   Investment Advisory between the Registrant and Clifford Capital Partners, LLC with respect to the Clifford Capital International Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(d)(10)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Cboe Vest Financial LLC, with respect to the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund and Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(d)(11)   Management Agreement between Cboe Vest Cayman Subsidiary I and Cboe Vest Financial, LLC, with respect to the Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective No. 394 on Form N-1A filed on August 6, 2021.
     
(d)(12)   Interim Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and MSC Capital, Ltd. with respect to the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective No. 410 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.
     
(d)(13)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and MSC Capital, Ltd. with respect to the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(d)(14)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Rule One Partners, LLC with respect to the Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(d)(15)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Kanen Wealth Management, LLC with respect to the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(d)(16)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Curasset Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Curasset Capital Management Core Bond Fund and the Curasset Capital Management Limited Term Income Fund (the “Curasset Funds”) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(d)(17)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Cboe Vest Financial, LLC with respect to the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies VI Fund and the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies VI Fund (the “Cboe Vest VI Funds”) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(e)(1)   Principal Underwriter Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC dated March 9, 2021 with respect to the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(e)(2)   First Amendment to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated August 24, 2021 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC with respect to the Curasset Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective No. 401 on Form N-1A Filed on October 20, 2021.  

 

 

 

 

     
(e)(3)   Novation Distribution Agreement dated September 30, 2021 between Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(e)(4)   First Amendment to the Novation Distribution Agreement dated December 1, 2021 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC with respect to certain  Funds of the Trust is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(e)(5)   Second Amendment to the Novation Distribution Agreement dated February 23, 2022 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC with respect to the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategy VI Fund and the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategy VI Fund and the Clifford Capital International Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(e)(6)   Third Amendment to the Novation Distribution Agreement dated February 28, 2022 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC with respect to the name changes for the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies VI Fund and the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies VI Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(e)(7)   Fourth Amendment to the Novation Distribution Agreement dated March 28, 2022 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC with respect to the name change for the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund. (Filed herewith)
     
(f)   Not applicable.
     
(g)(1)   Custody Agreement dated July 30, 2008 between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(g)(2)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement, dated July 30, 2008, between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 on Form N-1A filed on August 15, 2014.
     
(g)(3)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement, dated July 30, 2008, between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 on Form N-1A filed on August 15, 2014.
   
(g)(4)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement, dated August 15, 2014 between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund. (Filed herewith)
   
(g)(5)   Amended Exhibit A to the Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Fifth Third Bank on behalf of certain portfolio series is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
   
(g)(6)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement dated June 15, 2008 between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 365 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.
     
(h)(1)   Fund Services Agreement dated December 1, 2015 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 on Form N-1A filed on February 23, 2016.

 

 

 

 

     
(h)(2)   Amendment No. 1 and Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement dated December 1, 2015 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 275 on Form N-1A filed on January 29, 2018.
     
(h)(3)   Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement dated December 1, 2015 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 190 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2016.
     
(h)(4)   Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund. (Filed herewith)
     
(h)(5)   Amended Fund Services Agreement dated August 29, 2019 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Clifford Capital Partners Fund,  Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund and the Clifford Capital International Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(h)(6)   Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund and Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies VI Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies VI Fund (the “Cboe Vest Family of Funds”) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(h)(7)   Fund Services Agreement dated August 29, 2019 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(h)(8)   Fund Services Agreement dated June 1, 2021 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(h)(9)   Fund Services Agreement dated February 20, 2019 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(h)(10)   Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(11)   Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Curasset Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 401 on Form N-1A filed on October 20, 2021.
     
(h)(12)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Union Street Partners, LLC with respect to the shares of the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 405 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(h)(13)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Perkins Capital Management, Inc. with respect to shares of the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.

 

 

 

 

     
(h)(14)   Interim Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and LDR Capital Management, LLC with respect to the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund (formerly known as the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 411 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.
     
(h)(15)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and LDR Capital Management, LLC with respect to the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund. (Filed herewith)
     
(h)(16)   Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Applied Finance Advisors, LLC with respect to the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(h)(17)   Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Cboe Vest Financial LLC, with respect to the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund and Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(h)(18)   Interim Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and MSC Capital, Ltd. with respect to the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective No. 410 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.
     
(h)(19)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and MSC Capital, Ltd. with respect to the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(h)(20)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Rule One Partners, LLC with respect to the Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective No. 410 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.
     
(h)(21)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Clifford Capital Partners, LLC with respect to the Clifford Capital Partners Fund, Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund and Clifford Capital International Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(h)(22)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Kanen Wealth Management, LLC with respect to the Philotimo Focused  Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective No. 410 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.  
     
(h)(23)   Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Curasset Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Curasset Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(h)(24)   Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Cboe Vest Financial, LLC with respect to the Cboe Vest VI Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(h)(25)   Shareholder Services Plan, dated December 21, 2016 (Schedule A amended August 29, 2019), with respect to Institutional Class Shares and Investor Class Shares to the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(h)(26)   Amended Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund and Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund, Institutional Class Shares, Investor Class Shares,  Class A Shares and Class C Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.

 

 

 

 

     
(h)(27)   Amended Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund. (Filed herewith)
     
(h)(28)   Shareholder Services Plan, dated February 20, 2019, with respect to the OTG Latin America Fund Class A Shares and Class C Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(h)(29)   Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund Institutional Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(30)   Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the Curasset Funds Class A, Investor Class and Institutional Class is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 401 on Form N-1A filed on October 20, 2021.
     
(h)(31)   Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the Cboe Vest VI Funds Class I and Class Y is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(h)(32)   Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the Clifford Capital Partners Fund, Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund and Clifford Capital International Fund for the  Investor and Institutional Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(i)(1)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(i)(2)   Consent of Legal Counsel for Union Street Partners Value Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 405 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(i)(3)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(i)(4)   Consent of Legal Counsel for Perkins Discovery Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.
     
(i)(5)   Consent of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Funds was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 417 on Form N-1A filed on August 29, 2022.
     
(i)(6)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Core Fund (formerly Toreador Core Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 117 on Form N-1A filed on May 8, 2015.
     
(i)(7)   Opinion of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Core Fund (formerly Toreador Core Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 117 on Form N-1A filed on May 8, 2015.
     
(i)(8)   Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding tax matters for the reorganization of the Applied Finance Core Fund (formerly Toreador Core Fund) from the Unified Series Trust into World Funds Trust is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 129 on Form N-1A filed on August 6, 2015.
     
(i)(9)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Explorer Fund (formerly Toreador Explorer Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 115 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2015.

 

 

 

 

     
(i)(10)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Select Fund (formerly Toreador Select Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 183 on Form N-1A filed on June 30, 2016.
     
(i)(11)   Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding tax matters for the reorganization of the Applied Finance Dividend Fund into the Applied Finance Core Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 369 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2020.
     
(i)(12)   Opinion of Legal Counsel for the Applied Finance Core Fund and Applied Finance Dividend Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 369 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2020.
     
(i)(13)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Clifford Capital Partners Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 155 on Form N-1A filed on February 8, 2016.
     
(i)(14)   Consent of Legal Counsel for Clifford Capital Partners Fund and Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(i)(15)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(i)(16)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Clifford Capital International Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(i)(17)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Cboe Vest Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 on Form N-1A filed on August 23, 2016.
     
(i)(18)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Cboe Vest Enhanced Growth Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 203 on Form N-1A filed on December 12, 2016.
     
(i)(19)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective No. 394 on Form N-1A filed on August 6, 2021.
     
(i)(20)   Consent of Legal Counsel for the Cboe Vest Funds was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective No. 407 on Form N-1A filed on February 28, 2022.
     
(i)(21)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 230 on Form N-1A filed on July 25, 2017.
     
(i)(22)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Cboe Vest Funds with respect to the Class Y Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 285 on Form N-1A filed on February 27, 2018.
     
(i)(23)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 on Form N-1A filed on February 27, 2019.
     
(i)(24)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the OTG Latin America Fund with respect to the addition of Institutional Class Shares. (Filed herewith)
     
(i)(25)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.

 

 

 

 

     
(i)(26)   Consent of Legal Counsel for the Rule One Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 410 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.
     
(i)(27)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(i)(28)   Consent of Legal Counsel for the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 415 on Form N-1A file on July 29, 2022.
     
(i)(29)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 385 on For N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(i)(30)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Curasset Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 401 on Form N-1A filed on October 20, 2021.
     
(i)(31)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Cboe Vest VI Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 408 on Form N-1A on March 7, 2022.
     
(i)(32)   Consent of Legal Counsel for the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund (formerly known as the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund) was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 411 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.
     
(j)(1)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for Union Street Partners Value Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 405 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(j)(2)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for Perkins Discovery Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.
     
(j)(3)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund (formerly known as the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund) was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 411 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.
     
(j)(4)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for the Applied Finance Funds was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 417 on Form N-1A Filed on August 29, 2022.  
     
(j)(5)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for Clifford Capital Partners Fund and Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(j)(6)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund and Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 407 on Form N-1A filed on February 28, 2022.
     
(j)(7)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for the OTG Latin America Fund. (Filed herewith)

 

 

 

 

     
(j)(8)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for Rule One Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 410 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2022.
     
(j)(9)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund was filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 415 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.
     
(k)   Not applicable.
     
(l)   Not applicable.
     
(m)(1)   Amended Schedule A to the Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 on Form N-1A filed on October 31, 2014.
     
(m)(2)   Fixed Compensation Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2014.
     
(m)(3)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated August 31, 2019, for the Investor Class Shares of the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(m)(4)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for the Platform Class Shares of the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund. (Filed herewith)
     
(m)(5)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated February 23, 2022, for the Clifford Capital Partners Fund, Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund and Clifford Capital International Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(m)(6)   Amended Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund and Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(m)(7)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated February 20, 2019 for the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(m)(8)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for the Curasset Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 401 on Form N-1A filed on October 20, 2021.
     
(m)(9)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for the Cboe Vest VI Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(n)(1)   Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 275 on Form N-1A filed on January 29, 2018.
     
(n)(2)   Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(n)(3)   Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the Clifford Capital Partners, Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund and Clifford Capital International Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.

 

 

 

 

     
(n)(4)   Amended Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund and Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(n)(5)   Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the OTG Latin America is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 416 on Form N-1A filed on August 4, 2022.
     
(n)(6)   Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the Curasset Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 404 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2022.
     
(n)(7)   Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the Cboe Vest VI Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2022.
     
(n)(8)   Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund. (Filed herewith)
     
(o)   Reserved.
     
(p)(1)   Code of Ethics for the Registrant is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 237 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2017.
     
(p)(2)   Code of Ethics for Union Street Partners, LLC. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(p)(3)   Code of Ethics for McGinn Investment Management, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.
     
(p)(4)   Code of Ethics for Perkins Capital Management, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(p)(5)   Code of Ethics for LDR Capital Management, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.
     
(p)(6)   Code of Ethics for Applied Finance Advisors, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 363 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.
     
(p)(7)   Code of Ethics for MSC Capital, Ltd. Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 414 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.
     
(p)(8)   Code of Ethics for Clifford Capital Partners, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.
     
(p)(9)   Code of Ethics for Cboe Vest Financial LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2022.
     
(p)(10)   Code of Ethics for Rule One Partners, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.

 

 

 

 

     
(p)(11)   Code of Ethics for Kanen Wealth Management, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(p)(12)   Code of Ethics for Curasset Capital Management, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 401 on Form N-1A filed on October 20, 2021.
     
(q)   Powers of Attorney are herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.

 

Item 29. Persons Controlled By or Under Common Control With Registrant

 

  None.

 

Item 30. Indemnification

 

See Article VIII, Section 2 of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and the section titled “Indemnification of Trustees, Officers, Employees and Other Agents” in the Registrant’s By-Laws.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant by the Registrant pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or otherwise, the Registrant is aware that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and, therefore, is unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by trustees, officers or controlling persons of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any act, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustees, officers or controlling persons in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issues.

 

Item 31. Business and other Connections of the Investment Adviser

 

The list required by this Item 31 as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each of the investment advisers and sub-advisers, and each director, officer or partner of such investment advisers or sub-advisers, is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is incorporated herein by reference to Schedules A and D of each investment adviser’s or sub-adviser’s Form ADV listed opposite such investment adviser’s or sub-adviser’s name below, which is currently on file with the SEC as required by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Name of Investment Adviser / Sub-Adviser Form ADV File No.
Union Street Partners, LLC   801-72120
McGinn Investment Management, Inc. 801-40578
Perkins Capital Management, Inc. 801-22888
LDR Capital Management, LLC 801-75986
Applied Finance Advisors, LLC 801-66461
MSC Capital, Ltd. 801-119113
Clifford Capital Partners, LLC 801-78911
Cboe Vest Financial LLC 801-77463
Rule One Partners, LLC 801-114860
Kanen Wealth Management, LLC 801-116998
Curasset Capital Management, LLC 801-122383

 

 

 

 

Item 32. Principal Underwriters

 

(a)Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:

 

1.AB Active ETFs, Inc.

2.ABS Long/Short Strategies Fund

3.Absolute Shares Trust

4.Adaptive Core ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

5.AdvisorShares Trust

6.AFA Multi-Manager Credit Fund

7.AGF Investments Trust

8.AIM ETF Products Trust

9.Alexis Practical Tactical ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

10.Alpha Intelligent – Large Cap Growth ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

11.Alpha Intelligent – Large Cap Value ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

12.AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund

13.American Century ETF Trust

14.Amplify ETF Trust

15.Applied Finance Core Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

16.Applied Finance Explorer Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

17.Applied Finance Select Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

18.ARK ETF Trust

19.ASYMmetric ETFs Trust

20.Bluestone Community Development Fund

21.BondBloxx ETF Trust

22.Braddock Multi-Strategy Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

23.Bridgeway Funds, Inc.

24.Brinker Capital Destinations Trust

25.Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc.

26.Build Funds Trust

27.Calamos Convertible and High Income Fund

28.Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund

29.Calamos Dynamic Convertible and Income Fund

30.Calamos Global Dynamic Income Fund

31.Calamos Global Total Return Fund

32.Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund

33.Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund

34.Cboe Vest Bitcoin Strategy Managed Volatility Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

35.Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

36.Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer Strategies Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

37.Cboe Vest US Large Cap 10% Buffer VI Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

38.Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer Strategies Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

39.Cboe Vest US Large Cap 20% Buffer VI Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

40.Center Coast Brookfield MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund

41.Changebridge Capital Long/Short ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

42.Changebridge Capital Sustainable Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

43.Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

44.Clifford Capital International Value Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

45.Clifford Capital Partners Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

46.Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

47.Cliffwater Enhanced Lending Fund

48.Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc.

49.Convergence Long/Short Equity ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

50.CornerCap Group of Funds

51.CrossingBridge Pre-Merger SPAC ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

52.Curasset Capital Management Core Bond Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

53.Curasset Capital Management Limited Term Income Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

54.Davis Fundamental ETF Trust

55.Defiance Daily Short Digitizing the Economy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

 

 

 

 

56.Defiance Digital Revolution ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

57.Defiance Hotel, Airline, and Cruise ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

58.Defiance Next Gen Connectivity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

59.Defiance Next Gen H2 ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

60.Defiance Quantum ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

61.Direxion Shares ETF Trust

62.Dividend Performers ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

63.Dodge & Cox Funds

64.DoubleLine ETF Trust

65.DoubleLine Opportunistic Credit Fund

66.DoubleLine Yield Opportunities Fund

67.Eaton Vance NextShares Trust

68.Eaton Vance NextShares Trust II

69.EIP Investment Trust

70.Ellington Income Opportunities Fund

71.Esoterica Thematic ETF Trust

72.ETF Opportunities Trust

73.Evanston Alternative Opportunities Fund

74.Exchange Listed Funds Trust

75.Fiera Capital Series Trust

76.FlexShares Trust

77.FOMO ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

78.Forum Funds

79.Forum Funds II

80.Goose Hollow Tactical Allocation ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

81.Grayscale Future of Finance ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

82.Grizzle Growth ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

83.Guinness Atkinson Funds

84.Harbor ETF Trust

85.Horizon Kinetics Blockchain Development ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

86.Horizon Kinetics Inflation Beneficiaries ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

87.IDX Funds

88.Innovator ETFs Trust

89.Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

90.Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

91.John Hancock Exchange-Traded Fund Trust

92.Kelly Strategic ETF Trust

93.LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

94.LifeGoal Conservative Wealth Builder ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II

95.LifeGoal Home Down Payment ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II

96.LifeGoal Wealth Builder ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II

97.Mairs & Power Balanced Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

98.Mairs & Power Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

99.Mairs & Power Minnesota Municipal Bond ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

100.Mairs & Power Small Cap Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

101.Manor Investment Funds

102.Merk Stagflation ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

103.Milliman Variable Insurance Trust

104.Mindful Conservative ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

105.Moerus Worldwide Value Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV

106.Mohr Growth ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

107.Morgan Creek - Exos Active SPAC Arbitrage ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

108.Morningstar Funds Trust

109.OTG Latin American Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

110.Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

111.Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

112.Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

113.Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

114.Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

115.Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

116.Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

 

 

 

117.Palmer Square Opportunistic Income Fund

118.Partners Group Private Income Opportunities, LLC

119.PENN Capital Funds Trust

120.Performance Trust Mutual Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

121.Perkins Discovery Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

122.Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

123.Plan Investment Fund, Inc.

124.PMC Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

125.Point Bridge America First ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

126.Preferred-Plus ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

127.Putnam ETF Trust

128.Quaker Investment Trust

129.Rareview Dynamic Fixed Income ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

130.Rareview Inflation/Deflation ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

131.Rareview Systematic Equity ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

132.Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

133.Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds

134.Revere Sector Opportunity ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

135.Reynolds Funds, Inc.

136.RiverNorth Enhanced Pre-Merger SPAC ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

137.RiverNorth Patriot ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust (f/k/a RiverNorth Volition America Patriot ETF)

138.RMB Investors Trust

139.Robinson Opportunistic Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

140.Robinson Tax Advantaged Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

141.Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

142.Roundhill BITKRAFT Esports & Digital Entertainment ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

143.Roundhill Cannabis ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

144.Roundhill IO Digital Infrastructure ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

145.Roundhill MEME ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

146.Roundhill Sports Betting & iGaming ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

147.Rule One Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

148.Salient MF Trust

149.Securian AM Balanced Stabilization Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

150.Securian AM Equity Stabilization Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

151.Securian AM Real Asset Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

152.SHP ETF Trust

153.Six Circles Trust

154.Sound Shore Fund, Inc.

155.Sparrow Funds

156.Spear Alpha ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

157.STF Tactical Growth & Income ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

158.STF Tactical Growth ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

159.Strategy Shares

160.Swan Hedged Equity US Large Cap ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

161.Syntax ETF Trust

162.Teucrium Agricultural Strategy No K-1 ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

163.The B.A.D. ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

164.The Community Development Fund

165.The De-SPAC ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

166.The Finite Solar Finance Fund

167.The Private Shares Fund (f/k/a SharesPost 100 Fund)

168.The Short De-SPAC ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

169.The SPAC and New Issue ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

170.Third Avenue Trust

171.Third Avenue Variable Series Trust

172.Tidal ETF Trust

173.Tidal ETF Trust II

174.TIFF Investment Program

175.Timothy Plan High Dividend Stock Enhanced ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

176.Timothy Plan High Dividend Stock ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

177.Timothy Plan International ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

 

 

 

 

178.Timothy Plan US Large/Mid Cap Core ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

179.Timothy Plan US Large/Mid Core Enhanced ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

180.Timothy Plan US Small Cap Core ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

181.Total Fund Solution

182.Touchstone ETF Trust

183.TrueShares ESG Active Opportunities ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

184.TrueShares Low Volatility Equity Income ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

185.TrueShares Structured Outcome (April) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

186.TrueShares Structured Outcome (August) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

187.TrueShares Structured Outcome (December) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

188.TrueShares Structured Outcome (February) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

189.TrueShares Structured Outcome (January) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

190.TrueShares Structured Outcome (July) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

191.TrueShares Structured Outcome (June) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

192.TrueShares Structured Outcome (March) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

193.TrueShares Structured Outcome (May) ETF, Listed Funds Trust

194.TrueShares Structured Outcome (November) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

195.TrueShares Structured Outcome (October) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

196.TrueShares Structured Outcome (September) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

197.TrueShares Technology, AI & Deep Learning ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

198.Tuttle Capital Short Innovation ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

199.U.S. Global Investors Funds

200.Union Street Partners Value Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

201.Variant Alternative Income Fund

202.Variant Impact Fund

203.VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

204.VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

205.VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

206.VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

207.VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

208.VictoryShares NASDAQ Next 50 ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

209.VictoryShares Protect America ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

210.VictoryShares Top Veteran Employers ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

211.VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

212.VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

213.VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

214.VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

215.VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

216.VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

217.VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

218.VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

219.VictoryShares USAA Core Intermediate-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

220.VictoryShares USAA Core Short-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

221.VictoryShares USAA MSCI Emerging Markets Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

222.VictoryShares USAA MSCI International Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

223.VictoryShares USAA MSCI USA Small Cap Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

224.VictoryShares USAA MSCI USA Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

225.Walthausen Funds

226.West Loop Realty Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

227.WisdomTree Trust

228.WST Investment Trust

229.XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Term Trust

 

 

 

 

Item 32(b)The following are the Officers and Manager of the Distributor, the Registrant’s underwriter. The Distributor’s main business address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.

 

Name Address Position with Underwriter

Position with Registrant

       
Teresa Cowan

111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202

President/Manager None
       

Chris Lanza

 

Kate Macchia

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101

 

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101

Vice President

 

Vice President

None

 

None

       
Nanette K. Chern

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer None
       

Kelly B. Whetstone

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101

Secretary

None

       
Susan L. LaFond 111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202 Treasurer None

 

   (c) Not applicable.

 

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records

 

The accounts, books or other documents of the Registrant required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder are kept in several locations:

 

a)   Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 (records relating to its function as transfer agent to the Funds).
     
b)   Foreside Fund Services, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101 (records relating to its function as distributor to certain Funds of the Trust).
     
c)   Union Street Partners LLC, 1421 Prince Street, Suite 400 Alexandria, Virginia 22314. (records relating to its function as investment adviser to the Union Street Partners Value Fund).
     
d)   McGinn Investment Management, Inc., 277 South Washington Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 (records relating to its function as sub-adviser to the Union Street Partners Value Fund).
     
e)   Perkins Capital Management, Inc., 730 East Lake Street, Wayzata, Minnesota 55391-1769 (records relating to its function as investment adviser to the Perkins Discovery Fund).
     
f)   LDR Capital Management, LLC, 410 Park Avenue, Suite 910 New York, New York 10022 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund).
     
g)   Applied Finance Advisors, LLC, 17806 IH 10, Suite 300, San Antonio, Texas  78257 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Applied Finance Funds).
     
h)   OTG Asset Management, Ltd., Montenegro #1439 Torre Infrabol Piso 6, La Paz, Bolivia (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the OTG Latin America Fund).
     
i)   Clifford Capital Partners, LLC, 395 S. Main Street, #203 Alpine, Utah 84020 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Clifford Capital Partners Fund, the Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund and the Clifford Capital International Value Fund).

 

 

 

 

     
j)   Cboe Vest Financial LLC, 8350 Broad St., Suite 240, McLean, Virginia 22102-5150 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Cboe Vest Family of Funds).
     
k)   Rule One Partners, LLC, 891 Bear Creek Road, Moreland, Georgia 30259, (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Rule One Fund).
     
l)  

Kanen Wealth Management, LLC, 5850 Coral Ridge Drive, Suite 309, Coral Springs, Florida 33076 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund). 

     
m)   Curasset Capital Management, LLC, 50 Park Place, Suite 1004, Newark, New Jersey 07102 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Curasset Funds).

 

Item 34. Management Services

 

There are no management-related service contracts not discussed in Parts A or B of this Form.

 

Item 35. Undertakings

 

  Not applicable.

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under Rule 485(b) of the Securities Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 418 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Richmond, Commonwealth of Virginia on the 3rd day of October, 2022.

 

WORLD FUNDS TRUST

 

By: /s/ Karen M. Shupe  
Karen M. Shupe
Treasurer and Principal Executive Officer
 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 418 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

     
Signature Title Date
     
*David J. Urban Trustee October 3, 2022
     
*Mary Lou H. Ivey Trustee October 3, 2022
     
*Theo H. Pitt, Jr. Trustee October 3, 2022
     
/s/ Karen M. Shupe Treasurer and Principal Executive Officer October 3, 2022
     
/s/ Ann T. MacDonald Assistant Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer October 3, 2022

 

*By: /s/ Karen M. Shupe     October 3, 2022

*Attorney-in-fact pursuant to Powers of Attorney

 

 

 

 

EXHIBITS

 

(d)(6)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and LDR Capital Management, LLC with respect to the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund.
     
(e)(7)   Fourth Amendment to the Novation Distribution Agreement dated March 28, 2022 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC with respect to the name change for the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund.
     
(g)(4)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement dated August 15, 2014 between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund.
     
(h)(4)   Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund.
     
(h)(15)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and LDR Capital Management, LLC with respect to the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund.
     
(h)(27)   Amended Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund.
     
(i)(24)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the OTG Latin America Fund with respect to the addition of Institutional Class Shares.
     
(j)(7)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for the OTG Latin America Fund.
     
(m)(4)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for the Platform Class Shares of the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund.
     
(n)(8)   Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan for the LDR Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund.