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ADVISORSHARES PSYCHEDELICS ETF (NYSE Arca Ticker: PSIL)

 

SUMMARY PROSPECTUS – November 1, 2022

 

Before you invest in the AdvisorShares Fund, you may want to review the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, which contain more information about the Fund and the risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund’s current prospectus and statement of additional information, each dated November 1, 2022, as supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus. You can find the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, as well as other information about the Fund, online at http://advisorshares.com/etfs/psil. You may also obtain this information at no charge by calling 877.843.3831 or by sending an email request to info@advisorshares.com.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

The AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.

 

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

 

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 table below.

 

SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment) None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
MANAGEMENT FEES 0.60%
DISTRIBUTION (12b-1) FEES 0.00%
OTHER EXPENSES 2.50%
ACQUIRED FUND FEES AND EXPENSES(a) 0.01%
TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES 3.11%
FEE WAIVER/EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT(b) -2.11%
TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES AFTER WAIVER/REIMBURSEMENT 1.00%

 

(a)Total Annual Operating Expenses and Total Annual Operating Expenses After Waiver/Reimbursement in this fee table may not correlate to the expense ratios in the Fund’s financial highlights because the financial highlights include only the Fund’s direct operating expenses and do not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, which represent the Fund’s pro rata share of the fees and expenses of money market funds in which it invests.

 

(b)AdvisorShares Investments, LLC (the “Advisor”) has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or reimburse expenses to keep net expenses (excluding amounts payable pursuant to any plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1, interest expense, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 0.99% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for at least one year from the date of this Prospectus. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated without payment of any penalty (i) by the Trust for any reason and at any time and (ii) by the Advisor, for any reason, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, such termination to be effective as of the close of business on the last day of the then-current one-year period. If it becomes unnecessary for the Advisor to waive fees or reimburse expenses, the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) may permit the Advisor to retain the difference between the Fund’s total annual operating expenses and the expense limitation currently in effect, or, if lower, the expense limitation that was in effect at the time of the waiver and/or reimbursement, to recapture all or a portion of its prior fee waivers or expense reimbursements within three years of the date they were waived or reimbursed.

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This Example does not take into account brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that you may pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund. If these fees were included, your costs would be higher.

 

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell 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. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

  1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS
AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF $102 $761 $1,445 $3,273

 

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 Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. This rate excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind creations or redemptions of the Fund’s shares. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 27% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

 

The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in (i) securities of companies that derive at least 50% of their net revenue from or devote 50% of their assets to psychedelic drugs and (ii) derivatives that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. The Fund primarily invests in publicly listed life sciences companies focused on psychedelic medicines as well as other companies with activities in the psychedelics business. The Fund invests in exchange-listed equity securities, including common and preferred stock of U.S. and foreign mid, small and micro-capitalization companies, and in total return swaps intended to provide exposure to such companies.

 

Psychedelic drugs, also known as hallucinogens, are a group of substances, including psilocybin, that are used to change and enhance sensory perceptions, thought processes, and energy levels. Psychedelic medicines, therapeutics, and healthcare treatments may be used in the treatment of illnesses such as depression, addiction, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychedelic medicine companies include life sciences companies having significant business activities in, or significant exposure to, the psychedelics industry, including producers or distributors of psychedelic medicines, biotechnology companies engaged in research and development of psychedelic medicines, and companies that provide psychotherapy treatments and mental health services using psychedelics. The Fund does not consider cannabis to be a psychedelic drug.

 

The Fund will not invest directly in or hold ownership in any companies that engage in psychedelics-related business unless permitted by national and local laws of the relevant jurisdiction including, but not limited to, U.S. federal and state laws.

 

The Fund will concentrate at least 25% of its investments in the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry Group within the Health Care Sector. The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund.

 

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The Advisor may use a variety of methods for security selection. As the Fund primarily focuses on certain industries, the Advisor intends to select companies with dominant positions in their respective markets, or those in unique positions for growth and expansion. The Advisor will utilize numerous outside analyst ratings and stock selection rating tools. In addition, the Advisor may invest the Fund’s assets in lesser-known companies that the Advisor believes have a unique opportunity for growth. At times, the Advisor may aim to buy certain out-of-favor stocks believed to be at prices below their future potential value, as measured by the Advisor or outside analysts. The Fund may sell a security when the Advisor believes that the security is overvalued or better investment opportunities are available, or to limit position size within the Fund’s portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

 

The Fund is subject to a number of risks, described below, that may affect the value of its shares, including the possible loss of money. As with any fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

Psychedelics Companies Risk. Psychedelics companies are subject to various laws and regulations that may differ at the state/local and federal level. These laws and regulations may significantly affect a psychedelics company’s ability to secure financing, impact the market for psychedelics business sales and services, and set limitations on psychedelics use, production, transportation, and storage. There can be no guarantees that such approvals or administrative actions will happen or be favorable for psychedelics companies, and such actions may be subject to lengthy delays, and may require length and expensive clinical trials. Additionally, therapies containing controlled substances may generate public controversy. Political and social pressures and adverse publicity could lead to delays in approval of, and increased expenses for, psychedelics companies and any future therapeutic candidates they may develop. All of these factors and others may prevent psychedelics companies from becoming profitable, which may materially affect the value of certain Fund investments. In addition, psychedelics companies are subject to the risks associated with the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

 

In Canada, certain psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, are classified as Schedule III drugs under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (“CDSA”) and, as such, medical and recreational use is illegal under Canadian federal law. In the United States, most psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, are classified as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (the “CSIEA”) and, as such, medical and recreational use is illegal under the U.S. federal laws. There is no guarantee that psychedelic drugs or psychedelic-inspired drugs will ever be approved as medicines in either jurisdiction.

 

In the United States, Drug Enforcement Agency (“DEA”) scheduling determinations removing a substance from Schedule I are dependent on Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approval of a substance or a specific formulation of a substance for a therapeutic or medicinal use. Unless and until psilocybin, psilocin, or other psychedelics-based products receive FDA approval, such products are prohibited from sale, which limits the growth opportunities for certain portfolio companies of the Fund. Even if approved by the FDA, the manufacture, importation, exportation, domestic distribution, storage, sale, and legitimate use of such products will continue to be subject to a significant degree of regulation by the DEA. There can be no guarantees that such approvals or administrative actions will happen or be favorable for psychedelics companies. Such actions may be subject to lengthy delays and may require lengthy and expensive clinical trials. Additionally, therapies containing controlled substances may generate public controversy and carry reputational risk. Political and social pressures and adverse publicity could lead to delays in approval of, and increased expenses for, psychedelics companies and any future therapeutic candidates they may develop. Psychedelics companies also are subject to the risks associated with the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. In addition, because certain psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, are a Schedule I controlled substance, Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (“Internal Revenue Code”) applies by its terms to the purchase and sale of such psychedelic drugs and provides that no deduction or credit is allowed for expenses incurred during a taxable year “in carrying on any trade or business if such trade or business (or the activities which comprise such trade or business) consists of trafficking in controlled substances (within the meaning of Schedules I and II of the CSA) which is prohibited by federal law or the law of any state in which such trade or business is conducted.” The disallowance of such tax deductions will likely affect the value of psychedelic drug-related companies. All of these factors and others may prevent psychedelics companies from becoming profitable, which may materially affect the value of certain Fund investments.

 

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Counterparty Risk. The Fund may invest in financial instruments involving counterparties that attempt to gain exposure to a particular group of securities, index or asset class without actually purchasing those securities or investments, or to hedge a position. The Fund’s use of such financial instruments involves risks that are different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. For example, if a swap agreement counterparty defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, this default will cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decrease.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives may be riskier than other types of investments because they may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions than other types of investments and could result in losses that significantly exceed the Fund’s original investment. A derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of a financial asset (such as stock, bond or currency), a physical asset (such as gold), or a market index (such as the S&P 500 Index). Many derivatives create leverage thereby causing the Fund to be more volatile than it would be if it had not invested in derivatives. Derivatives, such as total return swaps, also expose the Fund to counterparty risk (the risk that the derivative counterparty will not fulfill its contractual obligations) and to credit risk (the risk that a counterparty is or is perceived to be unwilling or unable to make timely payments or otherwise meet its contractual obligations).

 

Swap Agreement Risk. Swap agreements are contracts among the Fund and a counterparty to exchange the return of the pre-determined underlying investment (such as the rate of return of the underlying index). Swap agreements may be negotiated bilaterally and traded OTC between two parties or, for certain standardized swaps, must be exchange-traded through a futures commission merchant and/or cleared through a clearinghouse that serves as a central counterparty. Risks associated with the use of swap agreements are different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions, due in part to the fact they could be considered illiquid and many swaps trade on the OTC market. Swaps are particularly subject to counterparty credit, correlation, valuation, liquidity and leveraging risks. While exchange trading and central clearing are intended to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity, they do not make swap transactions risk-free. Additionally, applicable regulators have adopted rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on OTC swaps, which may result in the Fund and its counterparties posting higher margin amounts for OTC swaps, which could increase the cost of swap transactions to the Fund and impose added operational complexity.

 

Equity Risk. The prices of equity securities rise and fall daily. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual issuers, industries or the securities market as a whole. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.

 

ETF Market Risk. In stressed market conditions, the market for certain ETF shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the ETF’s underlying portfolio holdings. This adverse effect on liquidity for the ETF’s shares in turn can lead to differences between the market price of the ETF’s shares and the underlying value of those shares. In addition, there are a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. If these institutions exit the business or are, for any reason, unable to process creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund, or purchase and sell securities in connection with creation and/or redemption orders, as applicable, and no other authorized participant steps forward to create or redeem, or purchase or sell securities, as applicable, Fund shares may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face operational issues such as trading halts and/or delisting. The absence of an active market in the Fund’s shares could lead to a heightened risk of differences between the market price of the Fund’s shares and the underlying value of those shares.

 

Foreign Investment Risk. The Fund’s investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers may involve certain risks that are greater than those associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers. These include risks of adverse changes in foreign economic, political, regulatory and other conditions; changes in currency exchange rates or exchange control regulations (including limitations on currency movements and exchanges); differing accounting, auditing, financial reporting, investor protection, and legal standards and practices; differing securities market structures; and higher transaction costs. In addition, the securities of some foreign companies may be less liquid and, at times, more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies.

 

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Canada Risk. The Canadian economy is susceptible to adverse changes in certain commodities markets, including those related to the agricultural and mining industries. It is also heavily dependent on trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may adversely affect the Canadian economy.

 

Growth Investing Risk. Growth stocks can be volatile for several reasons. Since those companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their businesses, they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market. The prices of growth stocks are based largely on projections of the issuer’s future earnings and revenues. If a company’s earnings or revenues fall short of expectations, its stock price may fall dramatically.

 

Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the Health Care Sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines, litigation, obsolescence of technology and an increased emphasis on the delivery of health care through outpatient services.

 

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry Group Risk. The Fund will concentrate at least 25% of its investments in the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry Group within the Health Care Sector. Companies in the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry Group can be significantly affected by, among other things, government approval of products and services, government regulation and reimbursement rates, product liability claims, patent expirations and protection, and intense competition.

 

Management Risk. The Advisor continuously evaluates the Fund’s holdings, purchases and sales with a view to achieving the Fund’s investment objective. However, achievement of the stated investment objective cannot be guaranteed. The Advisor’s judgment about the markets, the economy, or companies may not anticipate actual market movements, economic conditions or company performance, and these factors may affect the return on your investment.

 

Market Risk. Due to market conditions, the value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate significantly from day to day. Price fluctuations may be temporary or may last for extended periods. This volatility may cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decrease. Local, regional, or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, uncertainties regarding interest rates, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant impact on the market generally and on specific securities. The market value of a security may also 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. Because of its link to the markets, an investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term principal fluctuations, which at times may be significant.

 

Micro-Capitalization Risk. Stock prices of micro-cap companies are significantly more volatile, and more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments, than those of larger companies. Micro-cap stocks may also be thinly traded, making it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell them.

 

Mid-Capitalization Risk. Mid-cap companies may be more volatile and more likely than large-cap companies to have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources, and to depend on a few key employees. Returns on investments in stocks of mid-cap companies could trail the returns on investments in stocks of large-cap companies or the equity market as a whole.

 

Non-Diversification Risk. As a non-diversified fund under the federal securities laws, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer and hold a smaller number of portfolio securities; therefore, the value of the Fund’s shares may be more volatile than the value of shares of more diversified funds.

 

Small-Capitalization Risk. Security prices of small-cap companies may be more volatile than those of larger companies and, therefore, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than it would be if it did not invest in small-cap companies.

 

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Trading Risk. Shares of the Fund may trade above or below their net asset value (“NAV”). The trading price of the Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from their NAV during periods of market volatility and, in such instances, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund’s shares. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in shares of the Fund may be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), make trading in shares inadvisable.

 

Value Investing Risk. Because the Fund may utilize a value style of investing, the Fund could suffer losses or produce poor results relative to other funds, even in a rising market, if the Advisor’s assessment of a company’s value or prospects for exceeding earnings expectations or market conditions is wrong.

 

FUND PERFORMANCE

 

A comparison of the Fund’s performance with that of a broad measure of market performance may give some indication of the risks of an investment in the Fund; however, the Fund is new and, therefore, does not have a performance history for a full calendar year. Of course, once the Fund has performance, this past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.advisorshares.com.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Name Title
AdvisorShares Investments, LLC

Advisor

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

 

Name and Title Length of Service with Advisor
Dan S. Ahrens, Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer & Portfolio Manager

since November 2008

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis at NAV only in a large specified number of shares called a “Creation Unit.” Only institutional investors that are acting as the Fund’s authorized participants (typically broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem Creation Units. A Creation Unit transaction generally is conducted in exchange for a basket of securities closely approximating the holdings of the Fund along with a specified amount of cash.

 

Individual Fund shares may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. The shares of the Fund are listed on the Exchange and, because shares trade at market price rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a value greater than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV. When buying or selling shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads will be available on the Fund’s website at www.advisorshares.com.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains (or a combination thereof), unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (“IRA”), which may be taxed upon withdrawal.

 

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PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

Investors purchasing shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges. If you purchase Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Advisor may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing broker-dealers or other intermediaries and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

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